If you are trying to install applications on your PC, sometimes you may not be aware of the possibility that the software you just installed may cause damage to your system. Some software is designed to be installed simply by copying their files to the desired location, and there is no formal installation process. This is common for Mac OS X applications and is also used for many Windows applications. Operating systems also exist which don't require installation, and can therefore be run directly from a bootable CD, DVD, or USB drive, without affecting other operating systems installed on the machine. An example is Knoppix Linux or Mac OS 1-9. Common operations performed during software installations include creation or modification of Windows registry entries (Windows only).
The Windows registry is a directory which stores settings and options for the operating system for Microsoft Windows 32-bit versions, 64-bit versions and Windows Mobile. It contains information and settings for all the hardware, operating system software, most non-operating system software, users, preferences of the PC, etc. Whenever a user makes changes to Control Panel settings, file associations, system policies, or most installed software, the changes are reflected and stored in the registry. The registry also provides a window into the operation of the kernel, exposing runtime information such as performance counters and currently active hardware. Errors on registry entries may corrupt the programs installed, or worst... your entire operating system.
The Windows registry is the central data store for the Windows operating system. It contains all the information and variables that Windows uses to run itself and the programs you install. Editing the registry gives access to a wealth of options that may not be offered to you through the user interface. It also gives you the means to completely mess up your system in the time it takes to reboot.
While restoring a computer with registry problems is now a fair bit more possible thanks to the system restore features built into, it's still a good idea to make a backup of your registry before making any changes to it.
To back up the registry, open REGEDIT and ensure that 'my computer' is highlighted, then go to file\export.
In this window, you need to enter a location to save the exported registry (as a single file) and choose the type of file to create. Also, check the 'all' button at the bottom of the screen to backup the entire registry.
There are several possible file types, but we will focus on one only, as the .reg file type is the easiest to use. A .reg backup will copy over all changes made to existing portions of the registry when it is restored, while leaving additions to the registry made since the backup untouched.
Select the .reg file type and click 'save.'
Restoring the registry from this .reg file is a simple matter of locating the file you created, right clicking it and selecting 'merge.'
So, before installing any software to your baby make sure to backup your registry for security and error- free PC.
Source: wikipedia.org, pcstats.com
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