Windows NT enforces access control on Registry files, so it is difficult for users to accidentally or intentionally damage or delete hives on a running system. While the system is running, hive files are reserved by the system for exclusive access on all file systems. If the Windows NT Systemroot is not on an NTFS volume, the Registry can be tampered with—specifically, users can remove keys for user profiles that are not currently loaded. With NTFS, such tampering can be prevented.
You should plan how to protect the Registry for each computer at your site that runs Windows NT. This section describes how to ensure that you will have working Registry files under most conditions.
For more details about how to ensure recoverability under all conditions, see "Making Sure the System Always Starts" in Chapter 25, "Configuration Management and the Registry."