What is better to learning, the Registry or Group Policy first?

[DarkStar86]

What is better to learn, the Registry or Group Policy first?

I have been thinking of picking up the Microsoft Press book for either the Registry or Group Policy guides.
I'm in college, taking the Network Support Tech program. I have taken 2 years in a Computer Science college program. I love to tweak my computer, I have found that Unix/Linux to be a lot of fun in this regard. I have always been intrigued to learn how to tweak Windows. At the time I was attending the Computer Science program. I was working with windows XP, but now windows 7 (and 8) are out. But I would still like to learn how to tweak the "heart and soul" of windows.
so my question is; What would be the best place to start, either Group Policy, or Registry? I am also looking for referrence metrial that is complete? so in otherwords the best know textbook. I have two systems that can be used for testing purposes.
I also know that some will say to stay away from the registry. But I just cant help myself and want to learn how to work with the "Heart and soul" of windows.

Any guidance other then the famous "Stay Away from the Registry" would be greatly appreciated.

 

[mitchell65]

No idea what "twick" means?

 

[DarkStar86]

sorry i'm in class right now and my teacher was taking to me when I was writing this. I meant to say tweak.

 

[Layback Bear]

You say you are in class and you have a teacher. Then I suggest you follow the teachers study plan. You are lucky. Your in school with a teacher; use both of those assets to learn. I'm sure any question you have concerning your education in computer science will be answered.

 

[mitchell65]

You say you are in class and you have a teacher. Then I suggest you follow the teachers study plan. You are lucky. Your in school with a teacher; use both of those assets to learn. I'm sure any question you have concerning your education in computer science will be answered.

+1...

 

[DarkStar86]

You say you are in class and you have a teacher. Then I suggest you follow the teachers study plan. You are lucky. Your in school with a teacher; use both of those assets to learn. I'm sure any question you have concerning your education in computer science will be answered.

I have asked him for his input. He has told me not to bother with the Registry. However the program i'm in is only a one year program. Therefore, what he can teach is limited. Due to time constraints.

However, I still want to learn about the Registry or Group policy or both because I find it fascinating. I only ask here because I am looking for a "second opinion", and because I like to go beyond what i'm being tought.

 

[mitchell65]

When does your year end?

 

[Layback Bear]

I personally don't want to give you a study play that does not match you teachers/instructors plan. I believe you will do better just following the course you are taking and do other things later. Do the best you can in the course you are taking.
Have a nice day.

 

[DarkStar86]

When does your year end?

I don't see how that information can in anyway help answer my question. You know what forget I even asked

 

[mitchell65]

When does your year end?

I don't see how that information can in anyway help answer my question.

Then clearly you have missed an important point!

 

[HAVOC]

I would say go to your local book store and search for a book on registry settings.
I think the registry would be better to learn for tweaking than group policy would be.

I'm sure you've heard "don't mess with the registry, etc, etc"

I just bought "Windows 7, the missing manual" from O'Reilly at Barnes & Noble. Not too much to do with the registry but alot of good info.

 

[DarkStar86]

I personally don't want to give you a study play that does not match you teachers/instructors plan. I believe you will do better just following the course you are taking and do other things later. Do the best you can in the course you are taking.
Have a nice day.

I don't know how to say this but I want to do this as a SIDE study topic. I'm not looking to step nor have someone else step on my teachers toes. This question is for my own enjoyment.

 

[DarkStar86]

I would say go to your local book store and search for a book on registry settings.
I think the registry would be better to learn for tweaking than group policy would be.

I'm sure you've heard "don't mess with the registry, etc, etc"

I just bought "Windows 7, the missing manual" from O'Reilly at Barnes & Noble. Not too much to do with the registry but alot of good info.

thank you Havoc, that was what i'm looking for. I already own the Windows Registry guide textbook for Microsoft Press 2nd edition. That is why I asked the questions I did in my OP.

Havoc if you know of any other book in regards to the windows Registry. Please post them when you can, the more info/resources I have the better.

cheers

 

[DeaconFrost]

Little needs to be done within the registry anymore, but to be honest, there's no answer to your question. They are two completely different topics and don't really rely or build on one another.

That being said, there's little reason to learn group policy unless you plan to be the admin of a large number of computers on a network, using a domain structure. Neither topic you are asking about it meant to tweak a computer. While on the subject of tweaking, that ship has sailed already. Windows OSes don't need to be tweaked to run at their best. They do it out of the box, as long as you give it the newest drivers and follow good computing habits.

 

[DarkStar86]

Thank you DeaconFrost for your reply, that was informative. However, it sounds like your saying that. Using the registry to "customize" windows is no longer possible?

 

[Sir George]

Thank you DeaconFrost for your reply, that was informative. However, it sounds like your saying that. Using the registry to "customize" windows is no longer possible?

You should reread DeaconFrost's post again. There is nothing about not being able to change registry settings, customize, it just doesnt' serve much purpose as a general rule. About the only time to make a change is when there is a particular problem that is known to be associated with a reg setting.

 

[DeaconFrost]

I don't recall ever going to the registry to customize Windows. Same with group policy. That is used to set options for many users, or prevent certain users from changing certain things about their computers. Neither concept has anything to do with tweaking (performance) or customizing Windows.

 

[Isabella77]

I think you should first learn about Windows Registry and then learn what are registry cleaners and how they fix and speed up PC.

 

[HAVOC]

Registry cleaners were good back in the day but no longer. Most, if not all tweaks can be done with various wizards and dialog boxes within Windows. If someone wants to learn about the registry, I say good. Better that than him/her coming back saying he/she deleted/changed a key in the registry and something doesn't work.

The book from Microsoft Press that you have is the one I was thinking about. There are others from Microsoft Press, I did a search (Barnes&Noble):
Windows 7 Resource Kit
Windows 7 Administrator's Pocket Consultant
Configuring Windows 7 "Training Kit"
and maybe
Windows Powershell 2.0

 

[DarkStar86]

I can not thank you enough HAVOC and Isabella77 for your replies. Your replies have given me the information I needed.

Cheers