Windows
Registry Repair Options
The Windows registry is a
directory containing keys and values that hold data necessary
for the operating system, software and hardware to work properly.
The registry contains software settings and configurations that
would otherwise be scattered around the system as
.INI files.
(*)
When you install a new piece of hardware or software, a new set of
keys and values is created within the registry.
Sometimes poorly coded software applications alter
values within the registry that affect the way your computer
works.
An example would be a spyware application that changes or alters the
behavior of other applications within your system such as your
browser. |
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A worst-case situation
would be when you try to remove a spyware/adware program and you are able to
complete this task successfully, but because the spyware program had already altered certain keys and values in the registry (the
underlying settings for the Web browser or Internet access) you are no longer able to use the application that was bundled
with the spyware/adware.
A terrible side affect is that you might
not be able to gain access to the Internet, either.
Registry keys and values can affect the performance of the
operating
system and other applications within it, so registry repair
applications have been
developed to look for registry entries that are no longer needed, and
to repair conflicting
or redundant
registry values.
You may have seen messages appear after attempting to remove
software or hardware messages that alert you that parts of the
files still remain in the Registry and might be shared with other
programs.
While the registry can be tuned up manually, it can be quite a
hassle because of its sheer size and complexity and the danger of
making your computer un-usable if you make incorrect adjustments.
Most Windows applications write data to the Registry, at least during
installation. You can edit the Registry directly by using the
Registry Editor (regedit.exe) provided with the operating system.
Less experienced PC users may hesitate doing a registry
cleanup and tune-up manually. More advanced PC users will know
what software and hardware has recently been uninstalled and removed.
They might be more comfortable, and successful, if they try to alter their registry manually.
A far more efficient way to
address the problem is to automate the process by using registry
cleaning software. Most registry cleaning applications scan and provide a
list of possible entries that may be in direct conflict with other
values that will in turn affect the performance of your system.
After the software has scanned the registry, you can manually select
which items to remove, which ones to repair and which ones to leave
untouched.
Registry repair software has been programmed to identify the most
common registry values that are created by malware. After the
registry has been scanned, the suspicious keys and values will be
displayed in a report to show you which entries were removed
along with a short explanation.
Windows registry repair options
There are many software applications available to
clean and solve registry problems. Here are a few names: Microsoft's
Live OneCare, Error Nuker, Registry fix,
Clean MyPC, Registry first aid, advanced Registry, ACE Utilities,
Advanced System , Fix it Utilities, and many more.
A good idea is to check an online source such as
2008 RegistryCleanerCompared.org for a current comparison of
top rated Registry Cleaning Software packages.
Whichever software application you choose and use, make sure that
you first make a backup of your registry before you make any
changes that will potentially alter the way your system behaves.
If
the application doesn't offer a way for you to backup your registry
then it would be wise to do a quick Google search and get some
additional feedback on the different ways you can backup your
windows registry before any changes are made.
... Richard Rossbauer |
