What is the difference between registry keys and registry values

[TNDemo]

and files found on AdAware?

[short bus president]

1. a registry key

is an entry in the registry. A registry value is the information (string value, binary value, or dword value) contained within that entry.

Not sure what it means WRT AdAware.

[punpirate]

2. Ad-Aware backs up registry entries...

... in a directory separate from the registry when it finds any related to spyware. That's just to provide a little security if it deletes a necessary key in error. As long as those keys aren't in the registry, they can have no effect on the operating system.

Cheers.