Fix a corrupt registry and get the most from your system

The Windows registry lies at the heart of the Windows system. Unfortunately, it often needs repair due to damage caused by faulty software or system faults

What is the Registry?

The Registry is a database used to store settings and options for Microsoft Windows. It contains information necessary to control and operate all software and hardware in the system. It also specifies and controls what users can and can't do based on their login. Every aspect of system operation and control is reflected somewhere in the registry.

The registry is contained in a complex and arcane structure. It is also constantly being accessed by multiple sources in the system. As a result of this, various programs and installations and uninstallations don't always exercise adequate caution in relation to the registry and errors creep in.

How does the Registry Affect System Performance?

Errors and left over garbage in the registry result in bugs, freezes and crashes. The system can also be slowed down by the operating system having to navigate around the bad areas of the registry.

The registry is a highly sensitive area and even if the system seems to basically be working properly bad values or entries in the registry can have long term negative effects.

Registry Clean Up

When disaster strikes, registry repair is not enough. See Reimage to learn how to successfully deal with disasters. Since the registry may degrade over time, it is a good idea to clean up the registry when problems arise. This is especially true if you are experiencing strange freezes, crashes or slowness and your anti virus and anti spyware software has indicated that the system is clean.

There is a built in program called regedit which allows for changes to the registry. This should be used with extreme care and probably only by experts.

Any attempt to modify the registry should be preceded by a registry backup just in case something goes wrong. You can backup by setting a system restore point or by backing up system state.When disaster strikes, registry repair is not enough. See Reimage to learn how to successfully deal with disasters This link will provide the details of the registry backup procedure

Once this is done, you should use reliable windows registry repair software to do the optimal registry clean up.

Windows Registry Repair Software

The following registry repair software programs have been recommended by experts and have an extensive following. I have provided registry cleaner reviews and videos to demonstrate how to use each of the products.

• RegSupreme Pro
• TuneUp Utilities

I decided to promote these registry fixers due to the excellence of their performance. They both handle registry issues very well and have other very useful utilities in addition.

I have not included some other popular registry repair programs and I outline the reasons in this article Registry Clean Up - What to Consider and What to Avoid.

When disaster strikes, registry repair is not enough. See Reimage to learn how to successfully deal with disasters

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11/13/2009