The Windows registry is a directory which stores all the important hardware and operations settings for Microsoft Windows operating systems i.e. Windows XP, Windows Vista etc.
This registry can be corrupted over time, just by using it, and by spyware, viruses or the installing and removal of software where not all programs are removed cleanly, leaving invalid files in the registry, adware and anything else that should not be there.
The result of this is that you will find that your computer will get slower, doesn't load applications, gets computer errors, inexplicable system crashes and eventually the dreaded blue screen. This usually means your Windows registry needs cleaning.
The way to fix this is to do a Registry scan and then clean or repair your registry. This needs to be done at regular intervals. You will then find that this will speed up your computer, reduce the computer errors and keep it running smoothly.
You can edit this registry yourself but it is strongly advised that if you are not an expert then leave it alone! Careless editing can cause irreversible damage to your computer - and expensive repair bills.
The alternative, used by most people, is to use one of the several excellent registry cleaners which can be downloaded from the internet and quickly put to work cleaning your registry.
As you only need to use this a few times a year you will obviously not want to spend too much money. You can find good programs which can fix windows registry for $25 -$35 per year which is not a bad price for a clean,faster, smoother computer and peace of mind.
There are numerous registry cleaners for Windows and a search will soon show good quality registry cleaners. You need to look for a program that is backed by technical support and which puts safety first.
Most good registry cleaners will have a free trial download which will give you a "feel" for that particular piece of software.
The good cleaners all do a good job and tend to vary very little. A good piece of advice is to search for reviews and see what other people have to say.
Finally, whether the software has backup or not, it is strongly recommended that before running any registry software ,that you create a System Restore point first - just in case.
If you have not done this before this can usually quickly and easily be found via the Control Panel/Performance And Maintenance/System Restore or All Programs Menu /Accessories/System Tools/System Restore although this can vary with your version of Windows, country etc.
