The Registry is a vital component of the Windows operating system (OS). It is a database that holds a blueprint of your computer’s state. For example, if you install a new program, new records will be added to the Registry. Although those records should get deleted when the program gets de-installed, this doesn’t always happen. As a result, the Registry grows in size over time.
Because the OS consults the Registry before scheduling sets of tasks, it is easy to see how a more intricate Registry will slow the system down. The residual data in the Registry can and does produce lowered PC performance. Users unfamiliar with the Registry often assume that their computer has deteriorated or has caught a virus. It is not unusual for an uninformed PC owner to send the computer to its manufacturer or a repair shop for fixing, an excessive action that is costly both in time and in money.
The organization of the Registry resembles that of a directory system. At the top of the hierarchy are five main logical partitions called “hives”. They have names like HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT (HKCR), HKEY_CURRENT_USER (HKCU), HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE (HKLM), etc. Like a file directory, a hive can be expanded down to several levels of sub folders until the ultimate elements are reached. In the case of the Registry, the final elements are entities called Keys and Values. Each of these is a container for information that is meaningful to the OS.
A Windows operator can access the Registry through the Registry Editor also known as Regedit. Regedit has a comparable user interface to Windows Explorer, the well known utility used to manipulate folders and files. For example, the right pane permits navigation of the hives and sub-hives. The left pane is for modifying the Keys and Values. A top menu bar lets the user select the rest of the features.
It is not your job to remove unwanted records from the Registry. Be thankful given how complicated it is. Even experienced system administrators and programmers avoid it. Causing even a small modification in the Registry can render your computer unbootable. You will need to ship it to a data recovery lab which can easily cost you more than the price of your PC. Therefore, use Regedit only as an inspection tool.
Registries are cleaned up by a class of software tools known as Registry Cleaners. Their popularity has skyrocketed recently. Registry cleaners are used as frequently as anti-virus programs. Like their name suggests, their intended purpose is to clean up the Registry of the unwanted data described earlier and re-establish the database of Windows into its optimum state. Although all Registry Cleaners have the same intended purpose, not all of them are equally good.
If you are looking for a registry cleaner for Windows Vista, Registry Easy is easy to use and low-cost. Its graphic user interface is intuitive and it walks you through the entire process, leaving you with a clean computer that runs with its brand new, out of the box speeds. Tech support help desk is timely and gets back to you with answers to any questions that you may have. This feature is for fully registered owners, but it is well worth it. It’s a great way to gain back the speed of your computer without having to be technical minded. I would recommend Registry Easy to friends and family without second thoughts.
