What is the Windows Registry and what is its purpose?

Related questions

1. What is Hkey_classes_root used for?
2. What does add to registry mean?
3. What is a registry list?
4. How many main registry hives are there?
5. What is MSConfig used for?
6. How do I open regedit in Control Panel?
7. Where can I find regedit?
8. Where is the Registry Editor?
9. What is a registry in a computer?
10. What is Regedit?

Tags

1. #hardware
2. #application
3. #collecting
4. #started
5. #installed
6. #serves
7. #software
8. #purpose
9. #relating
10. #retrieves
11. #registry
12. #entries
13. #configuration
14. #storing
15. #every
16. #components
17. #component
18. #archive
19. #windows
20. #settings