Opening Registry Editor in Compressed Mode

By default, when the registry editor (regedit) is used in Windows XP, it opens the registry to the last key used.  This differs from Windows 9X, where the registry opens in a compressed form.  To open the Registry Editor in compressed mode, rather than having it open at the last key visited, the following edit should be used.

1.  Go to Start|Run, type regedit and click OK.  The Registry Editor opens.

2.  Navigate to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Applets\Regedit.

3.  Double-click the "Last Key" entry and clear the value from the editing box.  (The value will be preselected, so the user need only click Delete.

4.  Go to Edit|Permissions.  Select the group or user to whom the change will apply, then remove "Allow" from  Full Access (or if this is grayed out, select Deny).  Click OK.

5.  Close the Registry Editor.

(Another method of compressing the listing in the Registry Editor, if the edit above which makes a permanent change is not desired, is to press Shift+Left Arrow when the Registry Editor opens.)

To see these procedures illustrated in viewlet, go here.