Understanding The Registry In Plain English

You might have heard mention of Registry errors and Registry cleaners, what are these things and what’s the “registry” anyway? The Registry is simply a database that contains configuration information for the computer. This information is used by the computer’s system to setup or configure the user’s account(s), programs and computer hardware. Windows uses the registry as a reference for how a computer should be set up for a user, what program should be used to open a file; whether a picture, document or media file, etc.

Registry Errors

Registry errors occur when a computer is infected by a virus that overrides or alters default settings or when a program is removed incorrectly. These errors make programs work incorrectly which slows the computer down. When registry errors affect proper configuration of hardware and software, the computer often generates error messages or crashes. By then, a registry cleaner will not do much good. It will take a computer expert to fix those errors or a reinstall of Windows if the system is badly corrupt.

Computer viruses and programs sometimes leave fragments of files in the registry when they are removed. Obsolete software and other junk can also build up from updates and daily operations. A registry cleaner is a computer maintenance tool designed to detect and remove those fragments before they stack up and cause bigger computer problems. There are some good free registry cleaners available online, but I would strongly advise you to look out for fake free registry cleaners. I have frequently seen computers that come in with “free registry cleaners” that turned out to be Trojan viruses. If you downloaded a “free registry fix” that ends up slowing things down or asking you to pay before “the fix” take heed and remove it – if you can.

Free Registry Cleaner

If you are looking for a free registry cleaner, I would recommend CCleaner. Be sure to download it from the official website or a trusted website. There is a free version and a paid version of CCleaner. The free version does not come with support, but its quite user friendly. Always backup the registry when using a cleaner. If something goes wrong you can fix it by restoring the backup in a few clicks. I hope this article helped to take off some of the mystery and complications surrounding the subject of the registry, registry errors and cleaner. Feel free to share or leave a comment if you found this useful. Hope 2013 is treating you well!