Is a Registry Optimizer Cleaner the Last Resort For a Windows Registry Repair?

All the most vital information about your computer is located here, in the Windows registry.  However, this was not always the case.  Windows used to have a system wherein INI files, or their configuration settings, were not kept in one place, but where placed in remote folders here and there throughout the disk.  To keep track of and make repairs to the system was a daunting task.  Therefore, Windows created the registry to solve this problem and allow all the critical information about the system to go to the registry.

There is a trade off to the scheme of centralizing the most critical organization data.  The registry allowed the computer to find relationships between files, programs, and hardware.  However, it also creates an enormous vulnerability to the Operating System.  The configuration for everything within the operating system and all the hardware is housed in your Windows Registry.  If that is damaged, then the whole of Windows could be destroyed.

Why Problems Occur Within the Registry

Some of the reasons why problems in the registry occur are listed below:

• Uninstalling Programs and Deleting Files ? The Windows Registry simply gets cluttered.  When a file or program is removed, it is natural for a few keys to be left over from the program or file.  Windows will often erroneously refer to these entries; only to find that they are invalid, which wastes a great deal of time and computer resources, as well as slowing the computer down.
• Tracking Programs- These programs will, more often than not, install themselves through internet web pages.  They will embed themselves within the registry under various program names and in multiple folders.  You will have to remove each and every registry key that associates itself with this program.  Needless to say, this will take a long time and is quite a frustrating task.   It may also manifest itself hours later, wreaking havoc on the registry.
• Viruses- It would be an understatement to say that a virus attacking the registry is unfortunate.  What a virus would do is change the keys in the registry to a corrupt or destructive nature.  It is crucial, though it may still be a lost cause, to attempt to edit the registry manually.  If something goes wrong during the clean up, it could result in having to reinstall the registry, or even the entire Operating system!  If either of these situations occurs, there will be aloss of information that is devastating to your computer.

Symptoms of Problems within the Registry

As demonstrated, the registry is an incredibly delicate tool.  Many errors are caused by way of incorrect application IDs, broken shortcuts or links, obsolete Start Menu items, and drivers and files that are unused or unnecessary.

How would you know when you have a problem in the registry?  Here are some of the symptoms.  If you experience any of them, it may be a registry problem.

• Your Operating System has slowed down significantly.
• Error messages come up for some unknown reason.
• DLL errors will be frequent, but they don?t seem to have any rhyme or reason.
• Your computer crashes often.
• For some unknown reason, your computer will not start up.

How to fix Registry Problems

There are two obvious ways of reducing registry issues.  First, use a good anti-virus software and second, use the uninstall utility when you want to uninstall a program.  Of course, this will not completely remove these problems.  Neither will do a thorough job of cleaning the system, nor there will almost always be some residual entries in the registry.  Removal of these residual files is a process that even the most experienced users find to be a near impossible task and is riddled with trials and tribulations.

Why you should use a registry optimizer cleaner

In order to scan the entire system and registry, a registry optimizer cleaners can be used.  It will find issues, and will repair most of them.

Newer registry optimizer cleaners have many additional options, which can find corrupt paths, keys, and file and automatically repair them, with no room for human error.  All invalid and obsolete entries will be taken care of, leaving the valid, which restores your computer to optimal performance.

Some of the many things a registry repair tool can do for you are

• Fix system errors
• Delete old settings
• Repairing uninstall errors
• Deleting invalid entries
• Repairing invalid shortcuts
• Updating missing links
• Fixing font problems

A majority of the registry cleaners offer the option of customizing the software to run as often as you like. Depending on the extent of computer usage as well as the frequency and level of trouble encountered, it may be essential to run the registry optimizer cleaner more regularly, at least until the system?s efficiency has been restored and it starts running at optimal performance again.

Most registry cleaners allow you to set a schedule for running the software.  This is because it is sometimes necessary to run the cleaner more often if the frequency of problems is high.  Run it regularly until the optimal performance is restored.