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Why Use a Registry Cleaning Tool

Do you know what happens behind the scenes each and every time you install or remove software or hardware from your Windows based PC? 

You may not be aware of it, but every time such a change is made the operating system keeps track of it.  In order to do that Windows uses a special file called the registry.  This registry file stores a wealth of information about your PC, including the type of software installed on it, any special settings, changes you have made, file locations and much more. 

A problem with the registry can manifest itself in all sorts of ways, from minor annoyances like programs that are slow to open to major issues like a PC that refuses to boot or just keeps restarting. 

Given the importance of the Windows registry it is vital for computer owners to tread cautiously before making any changes.  Making the wrong change can have serious repercussions, up to and including a PC that is totally useless.

Yet keeping the registry clean is certainly important, and many PCs do in fact contain registry keys (sometimes thousands) that are no longer needed. 

Many times when a program is uninstalled or updated it leaves behind little traces of itself in the Windows registry, and those traces can cause everything from slow performance to programs that refuse to load. 

Fortunately there are special tools designed to help computer owners keep their registries in top shape without risking damage to their systems.  These registry cleaning tools make the registry scanning and cleaning process much simpler - and much safer.  If you doubt the value having a registry cleaning tool on board, just consider these salient points:

• Making even a minor change in the Windows registry can have serious ramifications. Changing the wrong key, or entering the wrong value, could cause your computer to become instantly inoperable.
• It can be difficult or even impossible to undo a registry change once it has been made. While there are ways to restore a damaged registry, if the PC won’t boot you may be out of luck.
• Reversing the damage may require the help of a computer expert - with all the associated costs. Even if the computer can be restored, doing so can be expensive.
• Computer experts agree that altering the registry is a job only the most experienced computer owners should tackle. Changing a registry key is deceptively simple, but unless you know exactly what you are doing you could be in for a big hassle.
• You could end up losing many years worth of personal, professional and financial data if your computer is damaged by an incorrect registry change. We keep so much of our lives on our computers these days, and that means a crash can have very serious effects. It is best to err on the side of caution and never make a registry change without using a registry cleaning tool.

All of these are very good reasons to use a registry cleaning tool.  Making changes to the Windows registry on your own can be likened to riding the trapeze without a net.  Both are extremely dangerous, and the results of one bad move can be disastrous.  The good news is that a quality registry cleaning tool can be your PC safety net.

The Registry tools we recommend are Regcure by Paretologic and Registry Mechanic by PCtools

PC Tools Registry Mechanic (HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!)

Try Free Download!

Overview

The Windows registry contains information, values, and instructions related to just about everything on your computer. However, the registry is susceptible to becoming bloated with irrelevant information, corrupt entries, and other problems. When this happens, the computer’s performance suffers in general and computer errors occur. Registry Mechanic is a tool from PC Tools that optimizes the registry and cleans it up.

Features

• Fast and easy - Registry Mechanic is fast and easy to use. You don’t need advanced computer knowledge in order to clean out your computer’s registry and repair computer errors.
• Safely repairs the Windows registry - Registry Mechanic safely cleans the registry and makes the necessary repairs with minimal risk to your computer.
• Searches for invalid entries, orphaned startup programs, and invalid shortcuts - This utility scans the registry in search of invalid, missing, and obsolete registry entries, all of which adversely affect the stability and performance of your computer.
• Automatically backs up the registry beforehand - Automatic registry backups ensure that should the cleaning deliver undesirable results, you can selectively restore it after the fact.
• Registry monitoring - Registry Mechanic monitors changes to the registry and alerts you when it is time for a cleaning.
• Registry compaction - Registry compaction keeps your registry from becoming bloated with wasted space and corrupt entries.
• Performance optimization - A “optimize” button applies a set of pre-defined performance enhancements and patches to the registry, boosting and optimizing your computer’s performance.
• Links to popular Windows management tools - Links to related Windows management tools are provided directly within the Registry Mechanic, making it easy to take care of computer maintenance tasks in one location.

Benefits

Many computer errors can trace their cause directly to entries in the Windows registry. By finding and repairing these incorrect, corrupt, empty, or missing entries, you will also repair the undesirable results such as sluggish performance, blue screen errors, system crashes, computer stop errors, and Dr. Watson errors.

As a result of a thorough registry cleaning, your computer’s performance will also improve. After all, instead of committing resources to following invalid instructions, your computer’s resources will be available for more important tasks such as running your favorite software.

How it works

Registry Mechanic scans the registry in search of incorrect entries. It uses an advanced algorithm to find invalid results. From there, the results are listed where you can selectively choose which ones to correct. You can also allow Registry Mechanic to automatically remove them all.

A free trial version is offered with limited functionality. The full featured version of Registry Mechanic covers three computers with additional licenses also available.

Recommendations

If your computer is slower than normal or generating errors, corruption within the registry is possible. Try the Free Download to see if Registry Mechanic finds repairable registry errors before buying the full featured version.

PCtools Products

• Spyware Doctor - A standalone spyware prevention application
• Spyware Doctor with Antivirus - This product adds anti-virus protection
• PC Tools Antivirus - A standalone program that protects against computer viruses
• PC Tools Internet Security - An entire suite of tools to protect against online threats including viruses and spyware
• Registry Mechanic - A registry cleaner for cleaning, repairing, and optimizing the computer
• Privacy Guardian - Software that clears the computer of online histories, habits, and program activities
• PC Tools Disk Suite - A suite of tools for maintaining computers including data backups, disk partitioning, disk defragging, and disk optimization. 

Feedback

Do you have experience with PCtools products? Please share your comments below … 

I bought RegCure and it detected more than 700 “problems” in my registry. I saw that most of them are related from empty registry keys. What does RegCure do with these problems? Erase them? In the same laptop I have Registry Mechanic installed. Why doesn’t Registry Mechanic detect these errors? And why does RegCure detect more errors than Registry Mechanic?

What are RegCure and Registry Mechanic?

RegCure and Registry Mechanic are both registry cleaning utilities that go into the Windows registry in search of invalid entries. These invalid entries range from empty registry keys (as you’ve noticed) to entries that point to non-existent drivers and paths and so much more. The Windows registry contains information about EVERYTHING on your computer. Unfortunately, as time goes by and computer crashes, viruses, and software installations take their toll, the registry becomes bogged down with obsolete information.

For example, if you have tried to install a new program but the installation failed midway through, the installation will likely have placed instructions in the registry. Had the installation gone as planned, then Windows would be able to follow those instructions. However, the installation failed, leaving behind instructions that Windows can’t make sense out of. Now, when Windows loads, it tries to run these instructions only to come to a screeching halt when it can’t follow through. The result: slow performance and possible computer errors.

While the above example is minor, imagine hundreds of incomplete instructions. Each registry error on its own may be minor but when combined, they add up to a huge drain on your computer’s performance.

How Registry Cleaners Work

Registry cleaners are similar in many ways to anti-virus applications. They use database definitions and compare the local registry entries to the huge database back at the developer’s labs. New entries are added all the time. For example, a database entry might contain the correct registry instructions for a specific program such as Microsoft Office. If the local computer registry key for Microsoft Office doesn’t match that found in the database, then the registry cleaner replaces it with the correct one, thus solving any related computer errors.

Why Do Different Registry Cleaners come up with Different Results?

Just as different antivirus and antispyware applications have different database definitions, so too do registry cleaners. This is why you must update the software often - to get the latest definitions. In addition to using database definitions, they also use different algorithms for detecting possible errors. Since each uses its own proprietary algorithms and definitions, the results vary. ParetoLogic Inc., which is the developer of RegCure, is known for having some of the largest databases in existence powering its products. The larger the database, the more likely matches will be found.

What Does RegCure do with Found Errors - Delete them?

The beauty of using RegCure is that it features a backup and restore function. When RegCure finds registry errors, it fixes them based on the nature of the error itself. For example, a registry key pointing to an obsolete device driver may be removed while a registry pointing to the wrong file path will be corrected. If for some reason the results are undesirable, you can always restore the registry to its earlier state.