Clean Windows Registry

The registry is the computer system’s central database. In the registry Windows stores information about your PC, its users, and its environment. So, what is a “clean” Windows registry?

A clean Windows registry contains valid keys and data that accurately describe the present state of the system. This includes the system hardware configuration, the software available on the computer, and profiles of the users with their preferences. There are details such as file associations that tell Windows which file extensions belong to which application. Installed software components like ActiveX objects are listed, as well as applications with their version numbers and directory paths. Computer security information is stored in the registry. Catalogs and account information are stored there. In short, the registry contains an enormous amount of detailed information needed to keep the computer working.

Before you continue, read our Registry Repair Review

The Advantages of a Clean Windows Registry

With no registry errors your PC can run fast, without application errors or system crashes. When the registry information is not valid and up to date, the computer will no longer work the way it is supposed to. Imagine what happens when files get moved but the registry does not get updated to reflect the change. Suddenly Windows can’t find things it needs. Sometimes the system is able to correct an error and continue its operations with just a hiccup. But if there are many errors in the registry, the system slows down (because it must search for lost information), terminates an application, or else it stops working altogether. Often Windows is not able to detect or find the errors in the registry. Then there is trouble. Registry errors can cause all sorts of weird problems and cryptic system messages, making your system unreliable.

What if the registry contains useless information that Windows no longer needs and never uses? This can also be a problem, because the system must search the registry database quite often. Trash left in the registry slows down these searches. What causes registry errors and fills the registry with junk? In a typical PC it just happens. The registry information doesn’t stay valid and accurate, unless you clean it. Installing and uninstalling a single application can leave tens or even hundreds of useless entries in the registry. They accumulate rapidly. What about the case where the install process or the uninstall process fails? This can create a terrible mess in the registry.

Another source of registry errors is malware and computer viruses. A bad program can intentionally cause terrible damage.

How Can You Get a Clean Windows Registry?

One way to clean the registry is to erase everything on the hard disk and reinstall Windows and all of the applications. Some experts recommend this procedure. But not everybody can afford this extreme solution. Another solution for expert users is to go into the registry and edit out the errors manually. This is a risky procedure unless you know exactly what needs to be changed. It can take hours to do this manually.

A faster and safer solution is to use a registry cleaner application. These programs can rapidly find the errors in your registry and fix them. With a clean Windows registry, your PC will start and run faster. And it will have a better chance of avoiding application errors, error messages, and system crashes.

Read our Registry Repair Review for more information
on registry cleaning and maintenance