How to fix Registry Cleaning

In a computer, the registry is like the behind-the-scenes custodial staff that helps keep your computer and programs running smoothly, and stores information for your applications. If a member of the custodial staff were to quit, then your plans would not run as smoothly; just the same, if your registry files were to become corrupted or deleted, then you’d have some problems running your computer and the applications and programs installed on it. To recover from a corrupted registry, you can either use software to do it for you or boot into the registry yourself. I’m going to talk about how to recover the system on your own, and while this method doesn’t guarantee the full recovery of the system to its previous working state, you should be able to recover at least some files and information.

This method is typically used when all other methods have failed-if there’s an automatic system recovery, that is best, as manually booting into and editing your registry may result in many problems with your computer. But if you’re going to do it yourself, you can use two programs: Recovery Console, and System Restore. After the process, your computer should return to a state very near its state before the system error.

First, you need to start the Recovery Console, and then create a temporary folder. Then, you back up all of the current registry files to that new folder location and delete the current existing registry files (be SURE that you’ve backed them up first!) and copy the registry files from your repair folder to System32/Config. In this way, you’ve created a registry that your system can use at startup so that you can actually boot up your computer to complete the rest of the steps. Be sure that you are logged in as an administrator, because otherwise you won’t have access to the files and processes that you’ll need to access. Restart your computer in safe mode by pressing F8 as it is rebooting, and then make sure you unhide files and folders by selecting to Show Hidden Files and Folders, and also do not hide protected operating system files. Then, go to the System Volume Information folder located on your C drive that contains the system restore points on your computer (this is where you will need administrator access), and then you’ll need to copy the snapshots to the Windows/TMP directory.

Finally, you want to reboot the computer and restart Recovery Console yet again, and then replace the repair files with your now-current backup of the computer’s registry. Then, again, restart Windows in the normal (not safe) mode, and then use System Restore to find a good system backup point to return to. You can do this by going to Start, All Programs, and then clicking on Accessories, and System Tools. Under that, you’ll need to hit System Restore, and then Restore to previous Restore Point. This is correct, and then you should be done!

For more details on this process, go to support.microsoft.com/kb/307545.

The registry is an integral part of our computers-without it, programs would not run, applications would die, and your entire operating system wouldn’t even exist. The registry consists of the most basic tools and files of the computer, and when it’s cluttered or damaged, there will be programs that don’t work, or are very slow. Windows does not come with a specific tool for cleaning and repairing the registry; while you can use the Registry Editor (known as Regedit) to edit in a simple manner, any major changes or mistakes could massively damage or debilitate your computer. Thus, registry cleaners have been developed and can be very beneficial for the maintenance of your registry.

There are many benefits that come with having a registry cleaner. They generally have a better graphical user interface, so they’re much easier to use and are very user-friendly, so you know what exactly you’re doing to your registry. Registry scanners also have a methodical and algorithmic way of scanning your registry, and it’s easy to do-just a few clicks of the mouse, instead of a ridiculous amount of searching, editing, and deleting if you do registry scanning manually. When the scan is occurring, most decent registry scanners will display the errors in the registry right on the scanning screen, and you can actually select which errors you’d like to correct and which errors you want to skip over. Also, if you aren’t that technologically savvy, then you can allow the registry cleaner to automatically delete the relevant errors and get rid of many quite annoying errors such as DLL errors, runtime errors, ActiveX errors, and driver errors.

Moreover, registry cleaners are very helpful when it comes to backing up data. Not sure what you’re supposed to back up in the registry, and how you do it? That’s okay! If you use a registry cleaner, you can elect to back up the entire registry or simply select a portion to back up and edit. This way, you can target areas of the registry when cleaning and not have to waste a lot of time going through the entire registry. And if your computer is running super slowly, you may want to consider using a registry cleaner tool to defragment the registry-something that’s extremely difficult for you to do yourself. Defragmenting the registry will remove empty registry entries and decrease the registry’s size, freeing up more space; it also makes the files more unified, so that your computer doesn’t have to go through a bunch of searches to find all the files needed to start an application.

A more advanced registry cleaner also helps to remove permanent registry keys. These permanent keys are sometimes used by spyware programs and are very difficult to remove without an actual program to do it; thus, a very thorough scan of the registry can help you remove non-removable, stubborn spyware programs that may be harmful to your computer, or cause your computer to run very slowly. With such great benefits, a registry cleaner is clearly much easier and safer to use than manual editing.

Q. What is my Windows Registry?

You can think of your Windows registry file as a big list of all of the different applications, programs and other data that is stored on your computer. The registry keeps track of all of these in one location. When a file or program is accessed, the computer uses the registry as kind of a map to find what it is looking for. For those who are not used to getting under the hood of their computers, the registry file can be very intimidating. It is best to leave this file alone if you do not have experience in modifying it.

Q. Why is it important to clean my registry?

When you start to notice that your computer is taking a long time to process simple information, or if it seems to take forever to turn on, this is a sign that your registry file has been corrupted or is simply so full of data that it takes your computer too long to go through everything. If you uninstall a program incorrectly, or if spyware has managed to find its way on to your computer, some of the registry may become corrupted. By cleaning your registry on a regular basis you can significantly improve your computer’s processing times.

Q. How can I clean my registry?

If you are experienced and have handled a registry file in the past, you can open the file and begin searching for either known entries that spyware makes, or you can search it for programs that are no longer installed on your computer. It’s actually much easier to download a registry cleaner and have it do all of this for you. In fact, if you are a novice, or you are simply too scared to mess with the registry file, this software is your best solution.

Anytime that you notice a slow down in processing times or if your computer is just not acting right, you may want to open your registry cleaner and see what it finds. This can be done periodically as a maintenance effort or you can simply run it if you notice any issues cropping up. If you need help finding a good registry cleaner, Download.com has many that they have reviewed. As a bonus, they also check all the files they offer for spyware.

Q. How do I avoid having this same problem happen again?

Whenever you need to uninstall something from your computer, it’s important to make sure that you are doing this properly. Take the time to open the Add/Remove Programs section in your computer’s control panel and select the appropriate software that you want to remove. By taking this step, you can ensure that all of the program will be removed from your registry and you are reducing the chances of having any corrupted lines in there that will slow down your computer’s performance.

You should also keep an anti-spyware program running on your computer as well as anti-virus software to minimize your risks of infection.