If you own a computer, it's nearly certain that you will, at some point or another, get a Windows registry error. These errors may seem scary, but in reality, they're pretty easy to fix. All you really have to do is download a Windows registry scanner and repair tool from one of many different websites devoted to registry software.

In fact, most people will do a quick search for Windows registry repair, download the first program they find, and think all of their registry issues are solved. While that program may in fact fix the problem, it might not be the best registry tool out there.

Most basic Windows users don't know much about the Windows registry or how to go about fixing it. In this article, I'll discuss some of your options for not only registry cleaning and repair but also registry maintenance and things you can do to keep your computer running at its best.

RegCure:

RegCure is a very easy to use Windows registry repair tool. RegCure is designed for the novice computer user. The download and initial scan are free, and RegCure will repair all your registry problems when you register for the full version. Also, RegCure is the cheapest Windows registry utility out there, so you get the most bang for your buck.

RegistryEasy:

Registry Easy is another popular registry cleaning program, and it works fairly well. It's designed for users who don't have a lot of computer knowledge. All you have to do is download it, click scan, and Registry Easy takes care of everything. However, while the Registry Easy scan is free, you have to buy the registered version to get access to some features and to actually repair your system.

System Mechanic:

System Mechanic is the big boy of registry repair tools, and it will take care of just about anything your system might have going on. System Mechanic is more than just a Windows registry repair tool: it can defrag your memory and hard drive, find ways of making your web browser work better, and do much, much more. System Mechanic's price tag is a bit more than most straight Windows registry tools, but it comes with a 30 day trial version, so you can see exactly how powerful it is before you buy it.

Other tools:

There are several other types of tools out there that can help you keep your Windows registry working at optimum performance, including spyware and firewall programs. The very popular Spybot program, for example, will not only eliminate spyware from your computer but also tell you when something is trying to change your Windows registry. The firewall program by Comodo will also alert you when something wants to change one of your registry entries and give you the chance to deny the change.

When delving into the wealth of different Windows registry repair software available, be sure to keep a few things in mind.

*Is this software something that is going to require you to purchase a full version before you can repair all of the errors on the computer?

*Does the program scan for ALL types of Windows registry problems?

*Does the program do more than just scan and repair (does it compact the registry, etc.)?

*Is it going to make a registry backup which can come in handy if your registry crashes?