Registry Problems?

The Windows registry is a directory which stores settings and options for the operating system for Microsoft Windows 32-bit versions, 64-bit versions, and Windows Mobile. It contains information and settings for all the hardware, operating system software, most non-operating system software, users, preferences of the PC, etc. Whenever a user makes changes to Control Panel settings, file associations, system policies, or most installed software, the changes are reflected and stored in the registry. The registry also provides a window into the operation of the kernel, exposing runtime information such as performance counters and currently active hardware.

When faced with performance hindering registry issues, there isn't a whole lot of options to choose from ..

1- Use computer repair software to automatically scan and repair all errors within your registry.

2- Try to manually fix the registry errors through the "Registry Editor" by yourself. This option will likely end with further damage being caused to the registry.

3- Ignore the problem and wait until the errors get so bad that the computer becomes completely unstable.

As you can see, not a great deal of choices; either let the computer fall apart, "manually" cause the computer to fall apart, or get a registry cleaner and fix the computer automatically. It isn't too hard to choose, is it? Having said that, be sure to get a registry cleaner that actually does the job right and doesn't require a whole lot of user interference. Although you'll probably want to be in charge of the registry scan, it's pretty safe to say that you won't likely want to be in charge of the actual registry repairs; which would result in you having to deal with all of the technical decisions. So once again, be sure to get computer repair software that can easily handle everything for you.

Another option you may be interested in, which usually isn't the first idea to come to mind, is "System Restore". System restore is a unique tool that allows the user to rollback all system settings & registry configurations to a previous date, while at the same time preserving the user's recent files and important documents.

All you have to do is go to Start > All Programs > Accessories > System Tools > System Restore. When the window appears, simply choose a restore point and then follow the instructions to restore the previous configurations & settings. This is truly a great way to get rid of harmful registry errors, as all changes to the system, whether they were good or bad, will have been reversed, resulting in increased PC stability. However, you should know that the removal of the registry errors is not guaranteed -- in fact, complete removal of all errors may not even be possible through the system restore tool.

In order for "System Restore" to work and actually fix the PC's registry issues, you have to know when those registry errors occurred so that you can choose the correct restore point. If you choose a restore point in which the errors were already present, nothing will have changed and the errors will still be affecting the registry. Therefore, make sure you have some general idea of when those errors first appeared before you use the "Restore" feature.

If you have no clue on when the errors first originated, you're best bet is to use the best registry cleaner that can get rid of the errors for you. And honestly, it's much easier to do a basic scan and repair with a registry cleaner than it is to do a "System Restore" every time you accumulate registry errors.