Element ntuser.dat: what is this file

Сегодня мы расскажем, для чего нужен ntuser.dat, what is this file and how to work with it. We will also deal with the features of the removal of this material. It can occur in different versions of the Windows operating system.

Element ntuser dat: what is this file

Для начала скажем пару слов о возможности его deletion. Excluding ntuser.dat is not always possible. In the event that the Windows system has only one user, deleting this material can lead to a number of problems. There are cases when the computer is not one ntuser.dat. Many files of this type indicate that several people use this PC. The fact is that each username in Windows OS corresponds to a separate element with the name and extension already familiar to us.

What for

One question about ntuser.dat (what is this file), we have already responded shortly, and now we will try to classify it. To begin with, this is a constituent element of the registry. In addition, each of these files corresponds to one of the user profiles. If you already have an idea about the Windows registry, you probably know its branch with the following data: HKEY_CURRENT_USER, its values ​​and stores this element. We do not recommend making any changes to the registry without sufficient experience.

User Settings

We continue to understand the question of whyNeed a file ntuser.dat and what to do with it. This item is located on the main disk in the USERS / User directory. By default, this file is hidden. To see it, we need to activate a special parameter. It is about displaying hidden files in Windows. You can carry out the necessary operation by going to the “Control Panel”, and from there going to the “Folder options” section. In the long and detailed list of settings, we find and check the item that is responsible for displaying hidden files and folders.

Disconnecting

You are wondering how to delete a file.ntuser.dat? It is strongly not recommended to do this. Such actions will entail a distortion of user parameters, which will permanently damage the profile. If several accounts are created in Windows, you can delete the unnecessary ones by going to the “Control Panel”. However, do not directly interact with the ntuser file. If you need to remove this element for some reason, you must have Administrator rights. Also in this case, the login is not allowed by the profile, ntuser.dat of which is to be excluded.

File Explorer

This is not the only element that follows.to discuss. A file called ntuser.dat log is in the same directory. It contains the information needed to restore the dat profile in Windows. If there are any errors with the account, the system uses ntuser.dat to correct them. In the case of changing the extension of the ntuser file to .man, a profile is created, the parameters of which cannot be changed. In such a situation, with each subsequent entry into Windows, the settings that were made are reset to return to the state that was current at the time of the renaming. Among other things, you can find ntuser files that have the .blf and .regtrans-ms extensions. In this case we are talking about the materials of the journal. They appear when creating a new backup. If you don’t need it anymore, and this type of material has become too much, you can try to remove them. Such actions should not cause system failures and malfunctions.

Database

As mentioned above, ntuser.dat is an integral part of the Windows registry. Therefore, if you plan to interact with this element, you need to know about the Windows Registry as much as possible and navigate it. This will eliminate possible errors. So, when mentioning the registry, we are talking about a hierarchically constructed database of settings and parameters. It is available on most Microsoft Windows operating systems. In this case, the registry contains settings and information for user profiles, as well as pre-installation of software and hardware.

Most changes in the list of installedSoftware, system policy, file associations and "Control Panel" is fixed by the registry. This element was entered to organize the information that was previously stored in multiple files. Thus, a single mechanism for writing-reading settings was created. It was possible to solve the problem of short names and to differentiate access rights. The registry is formed from a variety of data.

During installation, as well as when setting upThe operating system creates files on the disk that store individual Windows configuration data. After that, the REGISTRY object is formed each time the OS is loaded, as well as during the user logon and logout to their profiles. Data to fill the registry come from various sources. Some of them are stored in the files themselves.

Editing, viewing and studying the registry inWindows are implemented by accessing its branches. All changes made to this system are instantly recorded in special files. To work with the registry, you can use both the basic tools of the operating system, and programs created by third-party developers.

Optimization applications and installersdirectly interact with the individual functions of this component of the system. The registry stores and backup copies of information about the operations performed. They are created at midnight every ten days through the Task Scheduler. In 64-bit systems there are 2 sections in the registry, one of them works with 32-bit data. A special branch stores all the parameters of the active user who logged on to the system last. It contains the PC owner's folders, the specified screen color, as well as the “Control Panel” settings.

So we figured out the main features of ntuser.dat, what the file is and what it is used for, you now know.