The Microsoft Windows registry keeps track of your computer's hardware configuration, the applications you install and what they can do, the way you've set up the files and folders on your system and the parameters that apply to each user of a computer with more than one user account. If the information stored in this user database becomes corrupt, your computer and its applications can misbehave. Like any application you use, Adobe Illustrator can cause registry errors, especially when you try to install or upgrade it.
The Windows Registry
- Your Windows PC supports a long list of hardware functions, software capabilities, communication protocols and input/output options. Early versions of Windows tracked these capabilities through initialization, or INI, files. As the Windows operating system gained power and flexibility, INI files no longer could hold enough data to keep up with computer capabilities. With the advent of Windows 95, Microsoft began relying on a functionality database called the registry to itemize the user profile and system functions on a computer.
Registry Corruption
- The Windows registry includes large numbers of entries. Your computer reads from and writes to this function and preference database countless times during every working session. As a result of this level of activity, individual registry entries can incorporate erroneous data if they're written under adverse conditions, such as during a power fluctuation or by a poorly behaved application or software installer. As errors creep in, your registry can issue conflicting configuration information to your system, causing instability.
Illustrator Registry Problems
- Many Illustrator registry errors result from incomplete or incorrect installer behavior, some of which is triggered by lingering traces of demonstration product versions. For example, it's difficult to install an older version of Illustrator after you've installed a newer version. This can make it difficult to evaluate a new version on a new computer and then install the full, older version you need to use until you upgrade. Getting Illustrator working properly requires eradicating traces of demonstration versions to clear the way for installation of a full retail version of the software.
Read/Write Errors
- If the Adobe Illustrator installer can't read from or write to the Windows registry to create the registry keys necessary for product function, you'll see an error message in your Illustrator installer log that refers to the problem. These messages typically state that the installer couldn't open, create, delete or modify a registry key. To repair these errors, you may need to edit the Windows registry. Read your Windows documentation for instructions on how to back up and edit the registry correctly. Another solution to this problem requires you to uninstall Adobe Illustrator and run a special program called the CS5 Cleaner Tool, designed to remove conflicting pieces of Adobe software that can interfere with product installation.
