Leer / escribir en el registro de Windows usando Java

¿Cómo es posible leer / escribir en el registro de Windows usando Java?

Sé que esta pregunta es antigua, pero es el primer resultado de búsqueda en Google para "Java leer / escribir en el registro". Recientemente encontré esta increíble pieza de código que:

• Puede leer / escribir en CUALQUIER parte del registro.
• NO UTILIZA JNI.
• NO UTILICE NINGUNA PARTE / APLICACIONES EXTERNAS PARA TRABAJAR.
• NO UTILIZA LA API DE WINDOWS (directamente)

Esto es puro, código Java.

Utiliza la reflexión para trabajar, accediendo realmente a los métodos privados en la java.util.prefs.Preferencesclase. Los aspectos internos de esta clase son complicados, pero la clase en sí es muy fácil de usar.

Por ejemplo, el siguiente código obtiene la distribución exacta de Windows del registro :

String value = WinRegistry.readString (
    WinRegistry.HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE,                             //HKEY
   "SOFTWARE\\Microsoft\\Windows NT\\CurrentVersion",           //Key
   "ProductName");                                              //ValueName
    System.out.println("Windows Distribution = " + value);          

Aquí está la clase original. Simplemente copie y péguelo y debería funcionar:

import java.lang.reflect.InvocationTargetException;
import java.lang.reflect.Method;
import java.util.HashMap;
import java.util.Map;
import java.util.ArrayList;
import java.util.List;
import java.util.prefs.Preferences;

public class WinRegistry {
  public static final int HKEY_CURRENT_USER = 0x80000001;
  public static final int HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE = 0x80000002;
  public static final int REG_SUCCESS = 0;
  public static final int REG_NOTFOUND = 2;
  public static final int REG_ACCESSDENIED = 5;

  private static final int KEY_ALL_ACCESS = 0xf003f;
  private static final int KEY_READ = 0x20019;
  private static final Preferences userRoot = Preferences.userRoot();
  private static final Preferences systemRoot = Preferences.systemRoot();
  private static final Class<? extends Preferences> userClass = userRoot.getClass();
  private static final Method regOpenKey;
  private static final Method regCloseKey;
  private static final Method regQueryValueEx;
  private static final Method regEnumValue;
  private static final Method regQueryInfoKey;
  private static final Method regEnumKeyEx;
  private static final Method regCreateKeyEx;
  private static final Method regSetValueEx;
  private static final Method regDeleteKey;
  private static final Method regDeleteValue;

  static {
    try {
      regOpenKey = userClass.getDeclaredMethod("WindowsRegOpenKey",
          new Class[] { int.class, byte[].class, int.class });
      regOpenKey.setAccessible(true);
      regCloseKey = userClass.getDeclaredMethod("WindowsRegCloseKey",
          new Class[] { int.class });
      regCloseKey.setAccessible(true);
      regQueryValueEx = userClass.getDeclaredMethod("WindowsRegQueryValueEx",
          new Class[] { int.class, byte[].class });
      regQueryValueEx.setAccessible(true);
      regEnumValue = userClass.getDeclaredMethod("WindowsRegEnumValue",
          new Class[] { int.class, int.class, int.class });
      regEnumValue.setAccessible(true);
      regQueryInfoKey = userClass.getDeclaredMethod("WindowsRegQueryInfoKey1",
          new Class[] { int.class });
      regQueryInfoKey.setAccessible(true);
      regEnumKeyEx = userClass.getDeclaredMethod(  
          "WindowsRegEnumKeyEx", new Class[] { int.class, int.class,  
              int.class });  
      regEnumKeyEx.setAccessible(true);
      regCreateKeyEx = userClass.getDeclaredMethod(  
          "WindowsRegCreateKeyEx", new Class[] { int.class,  
              byte[].class });  
      regCreateKeyEx.setAccessible(true);  
      regSetValueEx = userClass.getDeclaredMethod(  
          "WindowsRegSetValueEx", new Class[] { int.class,  
              byte[].class, byte[].class });  
      regSetValueEx.setAccessible(true); 
      regDeleteValue = userClass.getDeclaredMethod(  
          "WindowsRegDeleteValue", new Class[] { int.class,  
              byte[].class });  
      regDeleteValue.setAccessible(true); 
      regDeleteKey = userClass.getDeclaredMethod(  
          "WindowsRegDeleteKey", new Class[] { int.class,  
              byte[].class });  
      regDeleteKey.setAccessible(true); 
    }
    catch (Exception e) {
      throw new RuntimeException(e);
    }
  }

  private WinRegistry() {  }

  /**
   * Read a value from key and value name
   * @param hkey   HKEY_CURRENT_USER/HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE
   * @param key
   * @param valueName
   * @return the value
   * @throws IllegalArgumentException
   * @throws IllegalAccessException
   * @throws InvocationTargetException
   */
  public static String readString(int hkey, String key, String valueName) 
    throws IllegalArgumentException, IllegalAccessException,
    InvocationTargetException 
  {
    if (hkey == HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE) {
      return readString(systemRoot, hkey, key, valueName);
    }
    else if (hkey == HKEY_CURRENT_USER) {
      return readString(userRoot, hkey, key, valueName);
    }
    else {
      throw new IllegalArgumentException("hkey=" + hkey);
    }
  }

  /**
   * Read value(s) and value name(s) form given key 
   * @param hkey  HKEY_CURRENT_USER/HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE
   * @param key
   * @return the value name(s) plus the value(s)
   * @throws IllegalArgumentException
   * @throws IllegalAccessException
   * @throws InvocationTargetException
   */
  public static Map<String, String> readStringValues(int hkey, String key) 
    throws IllegalArgumentException, IllegalAccessException,
    InvocationTargetException 
  {
    if (hkey == HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE) {
      return readStringValues(systemRoot, hkey, key);
    }
    else if (hkey == HKEY_CURRENT_USER) {
      return readStringValues(userRoot, hkey, key);
    }
    else {
      throw new IllegalArgumentException("hkey=" + hkey);
    }
  }

  /**
   * Read the value name(s) from a given key
   * @param hkey  HKEY_CURRENT_USER/HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE
   * @param key
   * @return the value name(s)
   * @throws IllegalArgumentException
   * @throws IllegalAccessException
   * @throws InvocationTargetException
   */
  public static List<String> readStringSubKeys(int hkey, String key) 
    throws IllegalArgumentException, IllegalAccessException,
    InvocationTargetException 
  {
    if (hkey == HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE) {
      return readStringSubKeys(systemRoot, hkey, key);
    }
    else if (hkey == HKEY_CURRENT_USER) {
      return readStringSubKeys(userRoot, hkey, key);
    }
    else {
      throw new IllegalArgumentException("hkey=" + hkey);
    }
  }

  /**
   * Create a key
   * @param hkey  HKEY_CURRENT_USER/HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE
   * @param key
   * @throws IllegalArgumentException
   * @throws IllegalAccessException
   * @throws InvocationTargetException
   */
  public static void createKey(int hkey, String key) 
    throws IllegalArgumentException, IllegalAccessException,
    InvocationTargetException 
  {
    int [] ret;
    if (hkey == HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE) {
      ret = createKey(systemRoot, hkey, key);
      regCloseKey.invoke(systemRoot, new Object[] { new Integer(ret[0]) });
    }
    else if (hkey == HKEY_CURRENT_USER) {
      ret = createKey(userRoot, hkey, key);
      regCloseKey.invoke(userRoot, new Object[] { new Integer(ret[0]) });
    }
    else {
      throw new IllegalArgumentException("hkey=" + hkey);
    }
    if (ret[1] != REG_SUCCESS) {
      throw new IllegalArgumentException("rc=" + ret[1] + "  key=" + key);
    }
  }

  /**
   * Write a value in a given key/value name
   * @param hkey
   * @param key
   * @param valueName
   * @param value
   * @throws IllegalArgumentException
   * @throws IllegalAccessException
   * @throws InvocationTargetException
   */
  public static void writeStringValue
    (int hkey, String key, String valueName, String value) 
    throws IllegalArgumentException, IllegalAccessException,
    InvocationTargetException 
  {
    if (hkey == HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE) {
      writeStringValue(systemRoot, hkey, key, valueName, value);
    }
    else if (hkey == HKEY_CURRENT_USER) {
      writeStringValue(userRoot, hkey, key, valueName, value);
    }
    else {
      throw new IllegalArgumentException("hkey=" + hkey);
    }
  }

  /**
   * Delete a given key
   * @param hkey
   * @param key
   * @throws IllegalArgumentException
   * @throws IllegalAccessException
   * @throws InvocationTargetException
   */
  public static void deleteKey(int hkey, String key) 
    throws IllegalArgumentException, IllegalAccessException,
    InvocationTargetException 
  {
    int rc = -1;
    if (hkey == HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE) {
      rc = deleteKey(systemRoot, hkey, key);
    }
    else if (hkey == HKEY_CURRENT_USER) {
      rc = deleteKey(userRoot, hkey, key);
    }
    if (rc != REG_SUCCESS) {
      throw new IllegalArgumentException("rc=" + rc + "  key=" + key);
    }
  }

  /**
   * delete a value from a given key/value name
   * @param hkey
   * @param key
   * @param value
   * @throws IllegalArgumentException
   * @throws IllegalAccessException
   * @throws InvocationTargetException
   */
  public static void deleteValue(int hkey, String key, String value) 
    throws IllegalArgumentException, IllegalAccessException,
    InvocationTargetException 
  {
    int rc = -1;
    if (hkey == HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE) {
      rc = deleteValue(systemRoot, hkey, key, value);
    }
    else if (hkey == HKEY_CURRENT_USER) {
      rc = deleteValue(userRoot, hkey, key, value);
    }
    if (rc != REG_SUCCESS) {
      throw new IllegalArgumentException("rc=" + rc + "  key=" + key + "  value=" + value);
    }
  }

  // =====================

  private static int deleteValue
    (Preferences root, int hkey, String key, String value)
    throws IllegalArgumentException, IllegalAccessException,
    InvocationTargetException 
  {
    int[] handles = (int[]) regOpenKey.invoke(root, new Object[] {
        new Integer(hkey), toCstr(key), new Integer(KEY_ALL_ACCESS) });
    if (handles[1] != REG_SUCCESS) {
      return handles[1];  // can be REG_NOTFOUND, REG_ACCESSDENIED
    }
    int rc =((Integer) regDeleteValue.invoke(root,  
        new Object[] { 
          new Integer(handles[0]), toCstr(value) 
          })).intValue();
    regCloseKey.invoke(root, new Object[] { new Integer(handles[0]) });
    return rc;
  }

  private static int deleteKey(Preferences root, int hkey, String key) 
    throws IllegalArgumentException, IllegalAccessException,
    InvocationTargetException 
  {
    int rc =((Integer) regDeleteKey.invoke(root,  
        new Object[] { new Integer(hkey), toCstr(key) })).intValue();
    return rc;  // can REG_NOTFOUND, REG_ACCESSDENIED, REG_SUCCESS
  }

  private static String readString(Preferences root, int hkey, String key, String value)
    throws IllegalArgumentException, IllegalAccessException,
    InvocationTargetException 
  {
    int[] handles = (int[]) regOpenKey.invoke(root, new Object[] {
        new Integer(hkey), toCstr(key), new Integer(KEY_READ) });
    if (handles[1] != REG_SUCCESS) {
      return null; 
    }
    byte[] valb = (byte[]) regQueryValueEx.invoke(root, new Object[] {
        new Integer(handles[0]), toCstr(value) });
    regCloseKey.invoke(root, new Object[] { new Integer(handles[0]) });
    return (valb != null ? new String(valb).trim() : null);
  }

  private static Map<String,String> readStringValues
    (Preferences root, int hkey, String key)
    throws IllegalArgumentException, IllegalAccessException,
    InvocationTargetException 
  {
    HashMap<String, String> results = new HashMap<String,String>();
    int[] handles = (int[]) regOpenKey.invoke(root, new Object[] {
        new Integer(hkey), toCstr(key), new Integer(KEY_READ) });
    if (handles[1] != REG_SUCCESS) {
      return null;
    }
    int[] info = (int[]) regQueryInfoKey.invoke(root,
        new Object[] { new Integer(handles[0]) });

    int count = info[0]; // count  
    int maxlen = info[3]; // value length max
    for(int index=0; index<count; index++)  {
      byte[] name = (byte[]) regEnumValue.invoke(root, new Object[] {
          new Integer
            (handles[0]), new Integer(index), new Integer(maxlen + 1)});
      String value = readString(hkey, key, new String(name));
      results.put(new String(name).trim(), value);
    }
    regCloseKey.invoke(root, new Object[] { new Integer(handles[0]) });
    return results;
  }

  private static List<String> readStringSubKeys
    (Preferences root, int hkey, String key)
    throws IllegalArgumentException, IllegalAccessException,
    InvocationTargetException 
  {
    List<String> results = new ArrayList<String>();
    int[] handles = (int[]) regOpenKey.invoke(root, new Object[] {
        new Integer(hkey), toCstr(key), new Integer(KEY_READ) 
        });
    if (handles[1] != REG_SUCCESS) {
      return null;
    }
    int[] info = (int[]) regQueryInfoKey.invoke(root,
        new Object[] { new Integer(handles[0]) });

    int count  = info[0]; // Fix: info[2] was being used here with wrong results. Suggested by davenpcj, confirmed by Petrucio
    int maxlen = info[3]; // value length max
    for(int index=0; index<count; index++)  {
      byte[] name = (byte[]) regEnumKeyEx.invoke(root, new Object[] {
          new Integer
            (handles[0]), new Integer(index), new Integer(maxlen + 1)
          });
      results.add(new String(name).trim());
    }
    regCloseKey.invoke(root, new Object[] { new Integer(handles[0]) });
    return results;
  }

  private static int [] createKey(Preferences root, int hkey, String key)
    throws IllegalArgumentException, IllegalAccessException,
    InvocationTargetException 
  {
    return  (int[]) regCreateKeyEx.invoke(root,
        new Object[] { new Integer(hkey), toCstr(key) });
  }

  private static void writeStringValue 
    (Preferences root, int hkey, String key, String valueName, String value) 
    throws IllegalArgumentException, IllegalAccessException,
    InvocationTargetException 
  {
    int[] handles = (int[]) regOpenKey.invoke(root, new Object[] {
        new Integer(hkey), toCstr(key), new Integer(KEY_ALL_ACCESS) });

    regSetValueEx.invoke(root,  
        new Object[] { 
          new Integer(handles[0]), toCstr(valueName), toCstr(value) 
          }); 
    regCloseKey.invoke(root, new Object[] { new Integer(handles[0]) });
  }

  // utility
  private static byte[] toCstr(String str) {
    byte[] result = new byte[str.length() + 1];

    for (int i = 0; i < str.length(); i++) {
      result[i] = (byte) str.charAt(i);
    }
    result[str.length()] = 0;
    return result;
  }
}

Autor original: Apache.

Fuente de la biblioteca: https://github.com/apache/npanday/tree/trunk/components/dotnet-registry/src/main/java/npanday/registry

En realidad no necesita un paquete de terceros. Windows tiene una utilidad de registro para todas las operaciones de registro. Para obtener el formato del comando, vaya al aviso de DOS y escriba:

reg /?

Puede invocar reg a través de la clase Runtime:

Runtime.getRuntime().exec("reg <your parameters here>");

Editar claves y agregar nuevas es sencillo con el comando anterior. Para leer el registro, necesita obtener la salida del registro , y es un poco complicado. Aquí está el código:

import java.io.IOException;
import java.io.InputStream;
import java.io.StringWriter;

/**
 * @author Oleg Ryaboy, based on work by Miguel Enriquez 
 */
public class WindowsReqistry {

    /**
     * 
     * @param location path in the registry
     * @param key registry key
     * @return registry value or null if not found
     */
    public static final String readRegistry(String location, String key){
        try {
            // Run reg query, then read output with StreamReader (internal class)
            Process process = Runtime.getRuntime().exec("reg query " + 
                    '"'+ location + "\" /v " + key);

            StreamReader reader = new StreamReader(process.getInputStream());
            reader.start();
            process.waitFor();
            reader.join();
            String output = reader.getResult();

            // Output has the following format:
            // \n<Version information>\n\n<key>\t<registry type>\t<value>
            if( ! output.contains("\t")){
                    return null;
            }

            // Parse out the value
            String[] parsed = output.split("\t");
            return parsed[parsed.length-1];
        }
        catch (Exception e) {
            return null;
        }

    }

    static class StreamReader extends Thread {
        private InputStream is;
        private StringWriter sw= new StringWriter();

        public StreamReader(InputStream is) {
            this.is = is;
        }

        public void run() {
            try {
                int c;
                while ((c = is.read()) != -1)
                    sw.write(c);
            }
            catch (IOException e) { 
        }
        }

        public String getResult() {
            return sw.toString();
        }
    }
    public static void main(String[] args) {

        // Sample usage
        String value = WindowsReqistry.readRegistry("HKCU\\Software\\Microsoft\\Windows\\CurrentVersion\\" 
                 + "Explorer\\Shell Folders", "Personal");
        System.out.println(value);
    }
}

Java Native Access (JNA) es un excelente proyecto para trabajar con bibliotecas nativas y tiene soporte para el registro de Windows en la biblioteca de plataforma (platform.jar) a través de Advapi32Util y Advapi32 .

Actualización: Aquí hay un fragmento con algunos ejemplos de lo fácil que es usar JNA para trabajar con el registro de Windows usando JNA 3.4.1,

import com.sun.jna.platform.win32.Advapi32Util;
import com.sun.jna.platform.win32.WinReg;

public class WindowsRegistrySnippet {
    public static void main(String[] args) {
        // Read a string
        String productName = Advapi32Util.registryGetStringValue(
            WinReg.HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE, "SOFTWARE\\Microsoft\\Windows NT\\CurrentVersion", "ProductName");
        System.out.printf("Product Name: %s\n", productName);

        // Read an int (& 0xFFFFFFFFL for large unsigned int)
        int timeout = Advapi32Util.registryGetIntValue(
            WinReg.HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE, "SOFTWARE\\Microsoft\\Windows NT\\CurrentVersion\\Windows", "ShutdownWarningDialogTimeout");
        System.out.printf("Shutdown Warning Dialog Timeout: %d (%d as unsigned long)\n", timeout, timeout & 0xFFFFFFFFL);

        // Create a key and write a string
        Advapi32Util.registryCreateKey(WinReg.HKEY_CURRENT_USER, "SOFTWARE\\StackOverflow");
        Advapi32Util.registrySetStringValue(WinReg.HKEY_CURRENT_USER, "SOFTWARE\\StackOverflow", "url", "http://stackoverflow.com/a/6287763/277307");

        // Delete a key
        Advapi32Util.registryDeleteKey(WinReg.HKEY_CURRENT_USER, "SOFTWARE\\StackOverflow");
    }
}

Incrementé el código Java puro publicado originalmente por David para permitir acceder a la sección de 32 bits del registro desde una JVM de 64 bits, y viceversa. No creo que ninguna de las otras respuestas aborde esto.

Aquí está:

/**
 * Pure Java Windows Registry access.
 * Modified by petrucio@stackoverflow(828681) to add support for
 * reading (and writing but not creating/deleting keys) the 32-bits
 * registry view from a 64-bits JVM (KEY_WOW64_32KEY)
 * and 64-bits view from a 32-bits JVM (KEY_WOW64_64KEY).
 *****************************************************************************/

import java.lang.reflect.InvocationTargetException;
import java.lang.reflect.Method;
import java.util.HashMap;
import java.util.Map;
import java.util.ArrayList;
import java.util.List;
import java.util.prefs.Preferences;

public class WinRegistry {
  public static final int HKEY_CURRENT_USER = 0x80000001;
  public static final int HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE = 0x80000002;
  public static final int REG_SUCCESS = 0;
  public static final int REG_NOTFOUND = 2;
  public static final int REG_ACCESSDENIED = 5;

  public static final int KEY_WOW64_32KEY = 0x0200;
  public static final int KEY_WOW64_64KEY = 0x0100;

  private static final int KEY_ALL_ACCESS = 0xf003f;
  private static final int KEY_READ = 0x20019;
  private static Preferences userRoot = Preferences.userRoot();
  private static Preferences systemRoot = Preferences.systemRoot();
  private static Class<? extends Preferences> userClass = userRoot.getClass();
  private static Method regOpenKey = null;
  private static Method regCloseKey = null;
  private static Method regQueryValueEx = null;
  private static Method regEnumValue = null;
  private static Method regQueryInfoKey = null;
  private static Method regEnumKeyEx = null;
  private static Method regCreateKeyEx = null;
  private static Method regSetValueEx = null;
  private static Method regDeleteKey = null;
  private static Method regDeleteValue = null;

  static {
    try {
      regOpenKey     = userClass.getDeclaredMethod("WindowsRegOpenKey",     new Class[] { int.class, byte[].class, int.class });
      regOpenKey.setAccessible(true);
      regCloseKey    = userClass.getDeclaredMethod("WindowsRegCloseKey",    new Class[] { int.class });
      regCloseKey.setAccessible(true);
      regQueryValueEx= userClass.getDeclaredMethod("WindowsRegQueryValueEx",new Class[] { int.class, byte[].class });
      regQueryValueEx.setAccessible(true);
      regEnumValue   = userClass.getDeclaredMethod("WindowsRegEnumValue",   new Class[] { int.class, int.class, int.class });
      regEnumValue.setAccessible(true);
      regQueryInfoKey=userClass.getDeclaredMethod("WindowsRegQueryInfoKey1",new Class[] { int.class });
      regQueryInfoKey.setAccessible(true);
      regEnumKeyEx   = userClass.getDeclaredMethod("WindowsRegEnumKeyEx",   new Class[] { int.class, int.class, int.class });  
      regEnumKeyEx.setAccessible(true);
      regCreateKeyEx = userClass.getDeclaredMethod("WindowsRegCreateKeyEx", new Class[] { int.class, byte[].class });
      regCreateKeyEx.setAccessible(true);  
      regSetValueEx  = userClass.getDeclaredMethod("WindowsRegSetValueEx",  new Class[] { int.class, byte[].class, byte[].class });  
      regSetValueEx.setAccessible(true); 
      regDeleteValue = userClass.getDeclaredMethod("WindowsRegDeleteValue", new Class[] { int.class, byte[].class });  
      regDeleteValue.setAccessible(true); 
      regDeleteKey   = userClass.getDeclaredMethod("WindowsRegDeleteKey",   new Class[] { int.class, byte[].class });  
      regDeleteKey.setAccessible(true); 
    }
    catch (Exception e) {
      e.printStackTrace();
    }
  }

  private WinRegistry() {  }

  /**
   * Read a value from key and value name
   * @param hkey   HKEY_CURRENT_USER/HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE
   * @param key
   * @param valueName
   * @param wow64  0 for standard registry access (32-bits for 32-bit app, 64-bits for 64-bits app)
   *               or KEY_WOW64_32KEY to force access to 32-bit registry view,
   *               or KEY_WOW64_64KEY to force access to 64-bit registry view
   * @return the value
   * @throws IllegalArgumentException
   * @throws IllegalAccessException
   * @throws InvocationTargetException
   */
  public static String readString(int hkey, String key, String valueName, int wow64) 
    throws IllegalArgumentException, IllegalAccessException,
    InvocationTargetException 
  {
    if (hkey == HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE) {
      return readString(systemRoot, hkey, key, valueName, wow64);
    }
    else if (hkey == HKEY_CURRENT_USER) {
      return readString(userRoot, hkey, key, valueName, wow64);
    }
    else {
      throw new IllegalArgumentException("hkey=" + hkey);
    }
  }

  /**
   * Read value(s) and value name(s) form given key 
   * @param hkey  HKEY_CURRENT_USER/HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE
   * @param key
   * @param wow64  0 for standard registry access (32-bits for 32-bit app, 64-bits for 64-bits app)
   *               or KEY_WOW64_32KEY to force access to 32-bit registry view,
   *               or KEY_WOW64_64KEY to force access to 64-bit registry view
   * @return the value name(s) plus the value(s)
   * @throws IllegalArgumentException
   * @throws IllegalAccessException
   * @throws InvocationTargetException
   */
  public static Map<String, String> readStringValues(int hkey, String key, int wow64) 
    throws IllegalArgumentException, IllegalAccessException, InvocationTargetException 
  {
    if (hkey == HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE) {
      return readStringValues(systemRoot, hkey, key, wow64);
    }
    else if (hkey == HKEY_CURRENT_USER) {
      return readStringValues(userRoot, hkey, key, wow64);
    }
    else {
      throw new IllegalArgumentException("hkey=" + hkey);
    }
  }

  /**
   * Read the value name(s) from a given key
   * @param hkey  HKEY_CURRENT_USER/HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE
   * @param key
   * @param wow64  0 for standard registry access (32-bits for 32-bit app, 64-bits for 64-bits app)
   *               or KEY_WOW64_32KEY to force access to 32-bit registry view,
   *               or KEY_WOW64_64KEY to force access to 64-bit registry view
   * @return the value name(s)
   * @throws IllegalArgumentException
   * @throws IllegalAccessException
   * @throws InvocationTargetException
   */
  public static List<String> readStringSubKeys(int hkey, String key, int wow64) 
    throws IllegalArgumentException, IllegalAccessException, InvocationTargetException 
  {
    if (hkey == HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE) {
      return readStringSubKeys(systemRoot, hkey, key, wow64);
    }
    else if (hkey == HKEY_CURRENT_USER) {
      return readStringSubKeys(userRoot, hkey, key, wow64);
    }
    else {
      throw new IllegalArgumentException("hkey=" + hkey);
    }
  }

  /**
   * Create a key
   * @param hkey  HKEY_CURRENT_USER/HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE
   * @param key
   * @throws IllegalArgumentException
   * @throws IllegalAccessException
   * @throws InvocationTargetException
   */
  public static void createKey(int hkey, String key) 
    throws IllegalArgumentException, IllegalAccessException, InvocationTargetException 
  {
    int [] ret;
    if (hkey == HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE) {
      ret = createKey(systemRoot, hkey, key);
      regCloseKey.invoke(systemRoot, new Object[] { new Integer(ret[0]) });
    }
    else if (hkey == HKEY_CURRENT_USER) {
      ret = createKey(userRoot, hkey, key);
      regCloseKey.invoke(userRoot, new Object[] { new Integer(ret[0]) });
    }
    else {
      throw new IllegalArgumentException("hkey=" + hkey);
    }
    if (ret[1] != REG_SUCCESS) {
      throw new IllegalArgumentException("rc=" + ret[1] + "  key=" + key);
    }
  }

  /**
   * Write a value in a given key/value name
   * @param hkey
   * @param key
   * @param valueName
   * @param value
   * @param wow64  0 for standard registry access (32-bits for 32-bit app, 64-bits for 64-bits app)
   *               or KEY_WOW64_32KEY to force access to 32-bit registry view,
   *               or KEY_WOW64_64KEY to force access to 64-bit registry view
   * @throws IllegalArgumentException
   * @throws IllegalAccessException
   * @throws InvocationTargetException
   */
  public static void writeStringValue
    (int hkey, String key, String valueName, String value, int wow64) 
    throws IllegalArgumentException, IllegalAccessException, InvocationTargetException 
  {
    if (hkey == HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE) {
      writeStringValue(systemRoot, hkey, key, valueName, value, wow64);
    }
    else if (hkey == HKEY_CURRENT_USER) {
      writeStringValue(userRoot, hkey, key, valueName, value, wow64);
    }
    else {
      throw new IllegalArgumentException("hkey=" + hkey);
    }
  }

  /**
   * Delete a given key
   * @param hkey
   * @param key
   * @throws IllegalArgumentException
   * @throws IllegalAccessException
   * @throws InvocationTargetException
   */
  public static void deleteKey(int hkey, String key) 
    throws IllegalArgumentException, IllegalAccessException, InvocationTargetException 
  {
    int rc = -1;
    if (hkey == HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE) {
      rc = deleteKey(systemRoot, hkey, key);
    }
    else if (hkey == HKEY_CURRENT_USER) {
      rc = deleteKey(userRoot, hkey, key);
    }
    if (rc != REG_SUCCESS) {
      throw new IllegalArgumentException("rc=" + rc + "  key=" + key);
    }
  }

  /**
   * delete a value from a given key/value name
   * @param hkey
   * @param key
   * @param value
   * @param wow64  0 for standard registry access (32-bits for 32-bit app, 64-bits for 64-bits app)
   *               or KEY_WOW64_32KEY to force access to 32-bit registry view,
   *               or KEY_WOW64_64KEY to force access to 64-bit registry view
   * @throws IllegalArgumentException
   * @throws IllegalAccessException
   * @throws InvocationTargetException
   */
  public static void deleteValue(int hkey, String key, String value, int wow64) 
    throws IllegalArgumentException, IllegalAccessException, InvocationTargetException 
  {
    int rc = -1;
    if (hkey == HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE) {
      rc = deleteValue(systemRoot, hkey, key, value, wow64);
    }
    else if (hkey == HKEY_CURRENT_USER) {
      rc = deleteValue(userRoot, hkey, key, value, wow64);
    }
    if (rc != REG_SUCCESS) {
      throw new IllegalArgumentException("rc=" + rc + "  key=" + key + "  value=" + value);
    }
  }

  //========================================================================
  private static int deleteValue(Preferences root, int hkey, String key, String value, int wow64)
    throws IllegalArgumentException, IllegalAccessException, InvocationTargetException 
  {
    int[] handles = (int[]) regOpenKey.invoke(root, new Object[] {
        new Integer(hkey), toCstr(key), new Integer(KEY_ALL_ACCESS | wow64)
    });
    if (handles[1] != REG_SUCCESS) {
      return handles[1];  // can be REG_NOTFOUND, REG_ACCESSDENIED
    }
    int rc =((Integer) regDeleteValue.invoke(root, new Object[] { 
          new Integer(handles[0]), toCstr(value) 
          })).intValue();
    regCloseKey.invoke(root, new Object[] { new Integer(handles[0]) });
    return rc;
  }

  //========================================================================
  private static int deleteKey(Preferences root, int hkey, String key) 
    throws IllegalArgumentException, IllegalAccessException, InvocationTargetException 
  {
    int rc =((Integer) regDeleteKey.invoke(root, new Object[] {
        new Integer(hkey), toCstr(key)
    })).intValue();
    return rc;  // can REG_NOTFOUND, REG_ACCESSDENIED, REG_SUCCESS
  }

  //========================================================================
  private static String readString(Preferences root, int hkey, String key, String value, int wow64)
    throws IllegalArgumentException, IllegalAccessException, InvocationTargetException 
  {
    int[] handles = (int[]) regOpenKey.invoke(root, new Object[] {
        new Integer(hkey), toCstr(key), new Integer(KEY_READ | wow64)
    });
    if (handles[1] != REG_SUCCESS) {
      return null; 
    }
    byte[] valb = (byte[]) regQueryValueEx.invoke(root, new Object[] {
        new Integer(handles[0]), toCstr(value)
    });
    regCloseKey.invoke(root, new Object[] { new Integer(handles[0]) });
    return (valb != null ? new String(valb).trim() : null);
  }

  //========================================================================
  private static Map<String,String> readStringValues(Preferences root, int hkey, String key, int wow64)
    throws IllegalArgumentException, IllegalAccessException, InvocationTargetException 
  {
    HashMap<String, String> results = new HashMap<String,String>();
    int[] handles = (int[]) regOpenKey.invoke(root, new Object[] {
        new Integer(hkey), toCstr(key), new Integer(KEY_READ | wow64)
    });
    if (handles[1] != REG_SUCCESS) {
      return null;
    }
    int[] info = (int[]) regQueryInfoKey.invoke(root, new Object[] {
        new Integer(handles[0])
    });

    int count  = info[2]; // count  
    int maxlen = info[3]; // value length max
    for(int index=0; index<count; index++)  {
      byte[] name = (byte[]) regEnumValue.invoke(root, new Object[] {
          new Integer(handles[0]), new Integer(index), new Integer(maxlen + 1)
      });
      String value = readString(hkey, key, new String(name), wow64);
      results.put(new String(name).trim(), value);
    }
    regCloseKey.invoke(root, new Object[] { new Integer(handles[0]) });
    return results;
  }

  //========================================================================
  private static List<String> readStringSubKeys(Preferences root, int hkey, String key, int wow64)
    throws IllegalArgumentException, IllegalAccessException, InvocationTargetException 
  {
    List<String> results = new ArrayList<String>();
    int[] handles = (int[]) regOpenKey.invoke(root, new Object[] {
        new Integer(hkey), toCstr(key), new Integer(KEY_READ | wow64) 
        });
    if (handles[1] != REG_SUCCESS) {
      return null;
    }
    int[] info = (int[]) regQueryInfoKey.invoke(root, new Object[] {
        new Integer(handles[0])
    });

    int count  = info[0]; // Fix: info[2] was being used here with wrong results. Suggested by davenpcj, confirmed by Petrucio
    int maxlen = info[3]; // value length max
    for(int index=0; index<count; index++)  {
      byte[] name = (byte[]) regEnumKeyEx.invoke(root, new Object[] {
          new Integer(handles[0]), new Integer(index), new Integer(maxlen + 1)
          });
      results.add(new String(name).trim());
    }
    regCloseKey.invoke(root, new Object[] { new Integer(handles[0]) });
    return results;
  }

  //========================================================================
  private static int [] createKey(Preferences root, int hkey, String key)
    throws IllegalArgumentException, IllegalAccessException, InvocationTargetException 
  {
    return (int[]) regCreateKeyEx.invoke(root, new Object[] {
      new Integer(hkey), toCstr(key)
    });
  }

  //========================================================================
  private static void writeStringValue(Preferences root, int hkey, String key, String valueName, String value, int wow64)
    throws IllegalArgumentException, IllegalAccessException, InvocationTargetException 
  {
    int[] handles = (int[]) regOpenKey.invoke(root, new Object[] {
        new Integer(hkey), toCstr(key), new Integer(KEY_ALL_ACCESS | wow64)
    });
    regSetValueEx.invoke(root, new Object[] { 
          new Integer(handles[0]), toCstr(valueName), toCstr(value) 
          }); 
    regCloseKey.invoke(root, new Object[] { new Integer(handles[0]) });
  }

  //========================================================================
  // utility
  private static byte[] toCstr(String str) {
    byte[] result = new byte[str.length() + 1];

    for (int i = 0; i < str.length(); i++) {
      result[i] = (byte) str.charAt(i);
    }
    result[str.length()] = 0;
    return result;
  }
}

He hecho esto antes de usar jRegistryKey . Es una biblioteca LGPL Java / JNI que puede hacer lo que necesita. Aquí hay un ejemplo de cómo lo usé para habilitar la edición del Registro a través de regedit y también la opción "Mostrar opciones de carpeta" para mí en Windows a través del registro.

import java.io.File;
import ca.beq.util.win32.registry.RegistryKey;
import ca.beq.util.win32.registry.RegistryValue;
import ca.beq.util.win32.registry.RootKey;
import ca.beq.util.win32.registry.ValueType;


public class FixStuff {

private static final String REGEDIT_KEY = "Software\\Microsoft\\Windows\\CurrentVersion\\Policies\\System";
private static final String REGEDIT_VALUE = "DisableRegistryTools";
private static final String REGISTRY_LIBRARY_PATH = "\\lib\\jRegistryKey.dll";
private static final String FOLDER_OPTIONS_KEY = "Software\\Microsoft\\Windows\\CurrentVersion\\Policies\\Explorer";
private static final String FOLDER_OPTIONS_VALUE = "NoFolderOptions";

public static void main(String[] args) {
    //Load JNI library
    RegistryKey.initialize( new File(".").getAbsolutePath()+REGISTRY_LIBRARY_PATH );

    enableRegistryEditing(true);        
    enableShowFolderOptions(true);
}

private static void enableShowFolderOptions(boolean enable) {
    RegistryKey key = new RegistryKey(RootKey.HKEY_CURRENT_USER,FOLDER_OPTIONS_KEY);
    RegistryKey key2 = new RegistryKey(RootKey.HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE,FOLDER_OPTIONS_KEY);
    RegistryValue value = new RegistryValue();
    value.setName(FOLDER_OPTIONS_VALUE);
    value.setType(ValueType.REG_DWORD_LITTLE_ENDIAN);
    value.setData(enable?0:1);

    if(key.hasValue(FOLDER_OPTIONS_VALUE)) {
        key.setValue(value);
    }
    if(key2.hasValue(FOLDER_OPTIONS_VALUE)) {
        key2.setValue(value);
    }           
}

private static void enableRegistryEditing(boolean enable) {
    RegistryKey key = new RegistryKey(RootKey.HKEY_CURRENT_USER,REGEDIT_KEY);
    RegistryValue value = new RegistryValue();
    value.setName(REGEDIT_VALUE);
    value.setType(ValueType.REG_DWORD_LITTLE_ENDIAN);
    value.setData(enable?0:1);

    if(key.hasValue(REGEDIT_VALUE)) {
        key.setValue(value);
    }
}

}

Sí, usando la API java.util.Preferences, ya que la implementación de Windows usa el Registro como back-end.

Al final, depende de lo que quieras hacer: almacenar las preferencias para tu aplicación es lo que las Preferencias hacen muy bien. Si desea cambiar realmente las claves de registro que no tienen que ver con su aplicación, necesitará alguna aplicación JNI, como lo describe Mark (robo descarado aquí):

Desde un google rápido: Verifique el WinPack para JNIWrapper. Tiene soporte completo de acceso al Registro de Windows, incluyendo lectura y escritura.

La demostración de WinPack tiene el Visor de registro implementado como ejemplo.

Verifique en http://www.teamdev.com/jniwrapper/winpack/#registry_access

Y...

También hay que probar JNIRegistry @ http://www.trustice.com/java/jnireg/

También existe la opción de invocar una aplicación externa, que se encarga de leer / escribir el registro.

De un google rápido:

Verifique el WinPack para JNIWrapper. Tiene soporte completo de acceso al Registro de Windows, incluyendo lectura y escritura.

La demostración de WinPack tiene el Visor de registro implementado como ejemplo.

Verifique en http://www.teamdev.com/jniwrapper/winpack/#registry_access

Y...

También hay que probar JNIRegistry @ http://www.trustice.com/java/jnireg/

También existe la opción de invocar una aplicación externa, que se encarga de leer / escribir el registro.

Aquí hay una versión modificada de la solución de Oleg. Noté que en mi sistema (Windows Server 2003), la salida de "reg query" no está separada por pestañas ('\ t'), sino por 4 espacios.

También simplifiqué la solución, ya que no se requiere un hilo.

public static final String readRegistry(String location, String key)
{
  try
  {
      // Run reg query, then read output with StreamReader (internal class)
      Process process = Runtime.getRuntime().exec("reg query " + 
              '"'+ location + "\" /v " + key);

      InputStream is = process.getInputStream();
      StringBuilder sw = new StringBuilder();

      try
      {
         int c;
         while ((c = is.read()) != -1)
             sw.append((char)c);
      }
      catch (IOException e)
      { 
      }

      String output = sw.toString();

      // Output has the following format:
      // \n<Version information>\n\n<key>    <registry type>    <value>\r\n\r\n
      int i = output.indexOf("REG_SZ");
      if (i == -1)
      {
          return null;
      }

      sw = new StringBuilder();
      i += 6; // skip REG_SZ

      // skip spaces or tabs
      for (;;)
      {
         if (i > output.length())
             break;
         char c = output.charAt(i);
         if (c != ' ' && c != '\t')
             break;
         ++i;
      }

      // take everything until end of line
      for (;;)
      {
         if (i > output.length())
             break;
         char c = output.charAt(i);
         if (c == '\r' || c == '\n')
             break;
         sw.append(c);
         ++i;
      }

      return sw.toString();
  }
  catch (Exception e)
  {
      return null;
  }

}

Gracias a la publicación original. He redefinido esta clase de utilidad y descubrí las fallas que tenía antes, pensé que podría ayudar a otros publicando aquí. También he agregado algunos métodos de utilidad adicionales. Ahora puede leer cualquier archivo en el registro de Windows (incluidos REG_DWORD, REG_BINARY, REG_EXPAND_SZ, etc.). Todos los métodos funcionan como un encanto. Simplemente cópielo y péguelo y debería funcionar. Aquí está la clase reskinned y modificada:

import java.io.BufferedReader;
import java.io.IOException;
import java.io.InputStreamReader;
import java.lang.reflect.InvocationTargetException;
import java.lang.reflect.Method;
import java.util.HashMap;
import java.util.Map;
import java.util.ArrayList;
import java.util.List;
import java.util.StringTokenizer;
import java.util.prefs.Preferences;

public class WinRegistry {

    private static final int REG_SUCCESS = 0;
    private static final int REG_NOTFOUND = 2;
    private static final int KEY_READ = 0x20019;
    private static final int REG_ACCESSDENIED = 5;
    private static final int KEY_ALL_ACCESS = 0xf003f;
    public static final int HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT = 0x80000000;
    public static final int HKEY_CURRENT_USER = 0x80000001;
    public static final int HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE = 0x80000002;
    private static final String CLASSES_ROOT = "HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT";
    private static final String CURRENT_USER = "HKEY_CURRENT_USER";
    private static final String LOCAL_MACHINE = "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE";
    private static Preferences userRoot = Preferences.userRoot();
    private static Preferences systemRoot = Preferences.systemRoot();
    private static Class<? extends Preferences> userClass = userRoot.getClass();
    private static Method regOpenKey = null;
    private static Method regCloseKey = null;
    private static Method regQueryValueEx = null;
    private static Method regEnumValue = null;
    private static Method regQueryInfoKey = null;
    private static Method regEnumKeyEx = null;
    private static Method regCreateKeyEx = null;
    private static Method regSetValueEx = null;
    private static Method regDeleteKey = null;
    private static Method regDeleteValue = null;

    static {
        try {
            regOpenKey = userClass.getDeclaredMethod("WindowsRegOpenKey", new Class[] {int.class, byte[].class, int.class});
            regOpenKey.setAccessible(true);
            regCloseKey = userClass.getDeclaredMethod("WindowsRegCloseKey", new Class[] {int.class});
            regCloseKey.setAccessible(true);
            regQueryValueEx = userClass.getDeclaredMethod("WindowsRegQueryValueEx", new Class[] {int.class, byte[].class});
            regQueryValueEx.setAccessible(true);
            regEnumValue = userClass.getDeclaredMethod("WindowsRegEnumValue", new Class[] {int.class, int.class, int.class});
            regEnumValue.setAccessible(true);
            regQueryInfoKey = userClass.getDeclaredMethod("WindowsRegQueryInfoKey1", new Class[] {int.class});
            regQueryInfoKey.setAccessible(true);
            regEnumKeyEx = userClass.getDeclaredMethod("WindowsRegEnumKeyEx", new Class[] {int.class, int.class, int.class});  
            regEnumKeyEx.setAccessible(true);
            regCreateKeyEx = userClass.getDeclaredMethod("WindowsRegCreateKeyEx", new Class[] {int.class, byte[].class});  
            regCreateKeyEx.setAccessible(true);
            regSetValueEx = userClass.getDeclaredMethod("WindowsRegSetValueEx", new Class[] {int.class, byte[].class, byte[].class});  
            regSetValueEx.setAccessible(true);
            regDeleteValue = userClass.getDeclaredMethod("WindowsRegDeleteValue", new Class[] {int.class, byte[].class});  
            regDeleteValue.setAccessible(true);
            regDeleteKey = userClass.getDeclaredMethod("WindowsRegDeleteKey", new Class[] {int.class, byte[].class});  
            regDeleteKey.setAccessible(true);
        }
        catch (Exception e) {
            e.printStackTrace();
        }
    }

    /**
     * Reads value for the key from given path
     * @param hkey   HKEY_CURRENT_USER/HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE
     * @param path
     * @param key
     * @return the value
     * @throws IllegalArgumentException
     * @throws IllegalAccessException
     * @throws InvocationTargetException
     * @throws IOException 
     */
    public static String valueForKey(int hkey, String path, String key) 
            throws IllegalArgumentException, IllegalAccessException, InvocationTargetException, IOException {
        if (hkey == HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE)
            return valueForKey(systemRoot, hkey, path, key);
        else if (hkey == HKEY_CURRENT_USER)
            return valueForKey(userRoot, hkey, path, key);
        else
            return valueForKey(null, hkey, path, key);
    }

    /**
     * Reads all key(s) and value(s) from given path
     * @param hkey  HKEY_CURRENT_USER/HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE
     * @param path
     * @return the map of key(s) and corresponding value(s)
     * @throws IllegalArgumentException
     * @throws IllegalAccessException
     * @throws InvocationTargetException
     * @throws IOException 
     */
    public static Map<String, String> valuesForPath(int hkey, String path) 
            throws IllegalArgumentException, IllegalAccessException, InvocationTargetException, IOException {
        if (hkey == HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE)
            return valuesForPath(systemRoot, hkey, path);
        else if (hkey == HKEY_CURRENT_USER)
            return valuesForPath(userRoot, hkey, path);
        else
            return valuesForPath(null, hkey, path);
    }

    /**
     * Read all the subkey(s) from a given path
     * @param hkey  HKEY_CURRENT_USER/HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE
     * @param path
     * @return the subkey(s) list
     * @throws IllegalArgumentException
     * @throws IllegalAccessException
     * @throws InvocationTargetException
     */
    public static List<String> subKeysForPath(int hkey, String path)
            throws IllegalArgumentException, IllegalAccessException, InvocationTargetException {
        if (hkey == HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE)
            return subKeysForPath(systemRoot, hkey, path);
        else if (hkey == HKEY_CURRENT_USER)
            return subKeysForPath(userRoot, hkey, path);
        else
            return subKeysForPath(null, hkey, path);
    }

    /**
     * Create a key
     * @param hkey  HKEY_CURRENT_USER/HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE
     * @param key
     * @throws IllegalArgumentException
     * @throws IllegalAccessException
     * @throws InvocationTargetException
     */
    public static void createKey(int hkey, String key) 
            throws IllegalArgumentException, IllegalAccessException, InvocationTargetException {
        int [] ret;
        if (hkey == HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE) {
            ret = createKey(systemRoot, hkey, key);
            regCloseKey.invoke(systemRoot, new Object[] { new Integer(ret[0]) });
        } else if (hkey == HKEY_CURRENT_USER) {
            ret = createKey(userRoot, hkey, key);
            regCloseKey.invoke(userRoot, new Object[] { new Integer(ret[0]) });
        } else
            throw new IllegalArgumentException("hkey=" + hkey);
        if (ret[1] != REG_SUCCESS)
            throw new IllegalArgumentException("rc=" + ret[1] + "  key=" + key);
    }

    /**
     * Write a value in a given key/value name
     * @param hkey
     * @param key
     * @param valueName
     * @param value
     * @throws IllegalArgumentException
     * @throws IllegalAccessException
     * @throws InvocationTargetException
     */
    public static void writeStringValue(int hkey, String key, String valueName, String value) 
            throws IllegalArgumentException, IllegalAccessException, InvocationTargetException {
        if (hkey == HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE)
            writeStringValue(systemRoot, hkey, key, valueName, value);
        else if (hkey == HKEY_CURRENT_USER)
            writeStringValue(userRoot, hkey, key, valueName, value);
        else
            throw new IllegalArgumentException("hkey=" + hkey);
    }

    /**
     * Delete a given key
     * @param hkey
     * @param key
     * @throws IllegalArgumentException
     * @throws IllegalAccessException
     * @throws InvocationTargetException
     */
    public static void deleteKey(int hkey, String key) 
            throws IllegalArgumentException, IllegalAccessException, InvocationTargetException {
        int rc = -1;
        if (hkey == HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE)
            rc = deleteKey(systemRoot, hkey, key);
        else if (hkey == HKEY_CURRENT_USER)
            rc = deleteKey(userRoot, hkey, key);
        if (rc != REG_SUCCESS)
            throw new IllegalArgumentException("rc=" + rc + "  key=" + key);
    }

    /**
     * delete a value from a given key/value name
     * @param hkey
     * @param key
     * @param value
     * @throws IllegalArgumentException
     * @throws IllegalAccessException
     * @throws InvocationTargetException
     */
    public static void deleteValue(int hkey, String key, String value) 
            throws IllegalArgumentException, IllegalAccessException, InvocationTargetException {
        int rc = -1;
        if (hkey == HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE)
            rc = deleteValue(systemRoot, hkey, key, value);
        else if (hkey == HKEY_CURRENT_USER)
            rc = deleteValue(userRoot, hkey, key, value);
        if (rc != REG_SUCCESS)
            throw new IllegalArgumentException("rc=" + rc + "  key=" + key + "  value=" + value);
    }

    // =====================

    private static int deleteValue(Preferences root, int hkey, String key, String value)
            throws IllegalArgumentException, IllegalAccessException, InvocationTargetException {
        int[] handles = (int[]) regOpenKey.invoke(root, new Object[] {new Integer(hkey), toCstr(key), new Integer(KEY_ALL_ACCESS)});
        if (handles[1] != REG_SUCCESS)
            return handles[1];                                  // can be REG_NOTFOUND, REG_ACCESSDENIED
        int rc =((Integer) regDeleteValue.invoke(root, new Object[] {new Integer(handles[0]), toCstr(value)})).intValue();
        regCloseKey.invoke(root, new Object[] { new Integer(handles[0])});
        return rc;
    }

    private static int deleteKey(Preferences root, int hkey, String key) 
            throws IllegalArgumentException, IllegalAccessException, InvocationTargetException {
        int rc =((Integer) regDeleteKey.invoke(root, new Object[] {new Integer(hkey), toCstr(key)})).intValue();
        return rc;                                                  // can REG_NOTFOUND, REG_ACCESSDENIED, REG_SUCCESS
    }

    private static String valueForKey(Preferences root, int hkey, String path, String key)
            throws IllegalArgumentException, IllegalAccessException, InvocationTargetException, IOException {
        int[] handles = (int[]) regOpenKey.invoke(root, new Object[] {new Integer(hkey), toCstr(path), new Integer(KEY_READ)});
        if (handles[1] != REG_SUCCESS)
            throw new IllegalArgumentException("The system can not find the specified path: '"+getParentKey(hkey)+"\\"+path+"'");
        byte[] valb = (byte[]) regQueryValueEx.invoke(root, new Object[] {new Integer(handles[0]), toCstr(key)});
        regCloseKey.invoke(root, new Object[] {new Integer(handles[0])});
        return (valb != null ? parseValue(valb) : queryValueForKey(hkey, path, key));
    }

    private static String queryValueForKey(int hkey, String path, String key) throws IOException {
        return queryValuesForPath(hkey, path).get(key);
    }

    private static Map<String,String> valuesForPath(Preferences root, int hkey, String path)
            throws IllegalArgumentException, IllegalAccessException, InvocationTargetException, IOException {
        HashMap<String, String> results = new HashMap<String,String>();
        int[] handles = (int[]) regOpenKey.invoke(root, new Object[] {new Integer(hkey), toCstr(path), new Integer(KEY_READ)});
        if (handles[1] != REG_SUCCESS)
            throw new IllegalArgumentException("The system can not find the specified path: '"+getParentKey(hkey)+"\\"+path+"'");
        int[] info = (int[]) regQueryInfoKey.invoke(root, new Object[] {new Integer(handles[0])});
        int count = info[2];                            // Fixed: info[0] was being used here
        int maxlen = info[4];                           // while info[3] was being used here, causing wrong results
        for(int index=0; index<count; index++) {
            byte[] valb = (byte[]) regEnumValue.invoke(root, new Object[] {new Integer(handles[0]), new Integer(index), new Integer(maxlen + 1)});
            String vald = parseValue(valb);
            if(valb == null || vald.isEmpty())
                return queryValuesForPath(hkey, path);
            results.put(vald, valueForKey(root, hkey, path, vald));
        }
        regCloseKey.invoke(root, new Object[] {new Integer(handles[0])});
        return results;
    }

    /**
     * Searches recursively into the path to find the value for key. This method gives 
     * only first occurrence value of the key. If required to get all values in the path 
     * recursively for this key, then {@link #valuesForKeyPath(int hkey, String path, String key)} 
     * should be used.
     * @param hkey
     * @param path
     * @param key
     * @param list
     * @return the value of given key obtained recursively
     * @throws IllegalArgumentException
     * @throws IllegalAccessException
     * @throws InvocationTargetException
     * @throws IOException
     */
    public static String valueForKeyPath(int hkey, String path, String key)
            throws IllegalArgumentException, IllegalAccessException, InvocationTargetException, IOException {
        String val;
        try {
            val = valuesForKeyPath(hkey, path, key).get(0);
        } catch(IndexOutOfBoundsException e) {
            throw new IllegalArgumentException("The system can not find the key: '"+key+"' after "
                    + "searching the specified path: '"+getParentKey(hkey)+"\\"+path+"'");
        }
        return val;
    }

    /**
     * Searches recursively into given path for particular key and stores obtained value in list
     * @param hkey
     * @param path
     * @param key
     * @param list
     * @return list containing values for given key obtained recursively
     * @throws IllegalArgumentException
     * @throws IllegalAccessException
     * @throws InvocationTargetException
     * @throws IOException
     */
    public static List<String> valuesForKeyPath(int hkey, String path, String key)
            throws IllegalArgumentException, IllegalAccessException, InvocationTargetException, IOException {
        List<String> list = new ArrayList<String>();
        if (hkey == HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE)
            return valuesForKeyPath(systemRoot, hkey, path, key, list);
        else if (hkey == HKEY_CURRENT_USER)
            return valuesForKeyPath(userRoot, hkey, path, key, list);
        else
            return valuesForKeyPath(null, hkey, path, key, list);
    }

    private static List<String> valuesForKeyPath(Preferences root, int hkey, String path, String key, List<String> list)
            throws IllegalArgumentException, IllegalAccessException, InvocationTargetException, IOException {
        if(!isDirectory(root, hkey, path)) {
            takeValueInListForKey(hkey, path, key, list);
        } else {
            List<String> subKeys = subKeysForPath(root, hkey, path);
            for(String subkey: subKeys) {
                String newPath = path+"\\"+subkey;
                if(isDirectory(root, hkey, newPath))
                    valuesForKeyPath(root, hkey, newPath, key, list);
                takeValueInListForKey(hkey, newPath, key, list);
            }
        }
        return list;
    }

    /**
     * Takes value for key in list
     * @param hkey
     * @param path
     * @param key
     * @param list
     * @throws IllegalArgumentException
     * @throws IllegalAccessException
     * @throws InvocationTargetException
     * @throws IOException
     */
    private static void takeValueInListForKey(int hkey, String path, String key, List<String> list)
            throws IllegalArgumentException, IllegalAccessException, InvocationTargetException, IOException {
        String value = valueForKey(hkey, path, key);
        if(value != null)
            list.add(value);
    }

    /**
     * Checks if the path has more subkeys or not
     * @param root
     * @param hkey
     * @param path
     * @return true if path has subkeys otherwise false
     * @throws IllegalArgumentException
     * @throws IllegalAccessException
     * @throws InvocationTargetException
     */
    private static boolean isDirectory(Preferences root, int hkey, String path)
            throws IllegalArgumentException, IllegalAccessException, InvocationTargetException {
        return !subKeysForPath(root, hkey, path).isEmpty();
    }

    private static List<String> subKeysForPath(Preferences root, int hkey, String path)
            throws IllegalArgumentException, IllegalAccessException, InvocationTargetException {
        List<String> results = new ArrayList<String>();
        int[] handles = (int[]) regOpenKey.invoke(root, new Object[] {new Integer(hkey), toCstr(path), new Integer(KEY_READ)});
        if (handles[1] != REG_SUCCESS)
            throw new IllegalArgumentException("The system can not find the specified path: '"+getParentKey(hkey)+"\\"+path+"'");
        int[] info = (int[]) regQueryInfoKey.invoke(root, new Object[] {new Integer(handles[0])});
        int count  = info[0]; // Fix: info[2] was being used here with wrong results. Suggested by davenpcj, confirmed by Petrucio
        int maxlen = info[3]; // value length max
        for(int index=0; index<count; index++) {
            byte[] valb = (byte[]) regEnumKeyEx.invoke(root, new Object[] {new Integer(handles[0]), new Integer(index), new Integer(maxlen + 1)});
            results.add(parseValue(valb));
        }
        regCloseKey.invoke(root, new Object[] {new Integer(handles[0])});
        return results;
    }

    private static int [] createKey(Preferences root, int hkey, String key)
            throws IllegalArgumentException, IllegalAccessException, InvocationTargetException {
        return (int[]) regCreateKeyEx.invoke(root, new Object[] {new Integer(hkey), toCstr(key)});
    }

    private static void writeStringValue(Preferences root, int hkey, String key, String valueName, String value) 
            throws IllegalArgumentException, IllegalAccessException, InvocationTargetException {
        int[] handles = (int[]) regOpenKey.invoke(root, new Object[] {new Integer(hkey), toCstr(key), new Integer(KEY_ALL_ACCESS)});
        regSetValueEx.invoke(root, new Object[] {new Integer(handles[0]), toCstr(valueName), toCstr(value)}); 
        regCloseKey.invoke(root, new Object[] {new Integer(handles[0])});
    }

    /**
     * Makes cmd query for the given hkey and path then executes the query
     * @param hkey
     * @param path
     * @return the map containing all results in form of key(s) and value(s) obtained by executing query
     * @throws IOException
     */
    private static Map<String, String> queryValuesForPath(int hkey, String path) throws IOException {
        String line;
        StringBuilder builder = new StringBuilder();
        Map<String, String> map = new HashMap<String, String>();
        Process process = Runtime.getRuntime().exec("reg query \""+getParentKey(hkey)+"\\" + path + "\"");
        BufferedReader reader = new BufferedReader(new InputStreamReader(process.getInputStream()));
        while((line = reader.readLine()) != null) {
            if(!line.contains("REG_"))
                continue;
            StringTokenizer tokenizer = new StringTokenizer(line, " \t");
            while(tokenizer.hasMoreTokens()) {
                String token = tokenizer.nextToken();
                if(token.startsWith("REG_"))
                    builder.append("\t ");
                else
                    builder.append(token).append(" ");
            }
            String[] arr = builder.toString().split("\t");
            map.put(arr[0].trim(), arr[1].trim());
            builder.setLength(0);
        }
        return map;
    }

    /**
     * Determines the string equivalent of hkey
     * @param hkey
     * @return string equivalent of hkey
     */
    private static String getParentKey(int hkey) {
        if(hkey == HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT)
            return CLASSES_ROOT;
        else if(hkey == HKEY_CURRENT_USER)
            return CURRENT_USER;
        else if(hkey == HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE)
            return LOCAL_MACHINE;
        return null;
    }

    /**
     *Intern method which adds the trailing \0 for the handle with java.dll
     * @param str String
     * @return byte[] 
     */
    private static byte[] toCstr(String str) {
        if(str == null)
            str = "";
        return (str += "\0").getBytes();
    }

    /**
     * Method removes the trailing \0 which is returned from the java.dll (just if the last sign is a \0)
     * @param buf the byte[] buffer which every read method returns
     * @return String a parsed string without the trailing \0
     */
    private static String parseValue(byte buf[]) {
        if(buf == null)
            return null;
        String ret = new String(buf);
        if(ret.charAt(ret.length()-1) == '\0')
            return ret.substring(0, ret.length()-1);
        return ret;
    }
}