A common question asked by many PC users. The registry contains configuration settings for Windows operating systems. This is a complex and fragile system. Keeping up to date on how the registry system works and what you can do to properly maintain it is a necessary step for all PC users.The purpose of the registry is to store configuration settings for Windows operating systems. The operating system uses the registry to access vital information for software and hardware settings.If the registry gets damaged or corrupt in can cause many frustrating symptoms. Also if the registry gets filled with too much information it can also cause these symptoms. The symptoms of a corrupt registry can vary depending on what is damaged in the registry. Slow startups, sluggish performance, annoying error messages, lockups and crashes are the most common. These problems can get gradually worse over time.Installing and uninstalling software and hardware can cause your windows registry to become damaged. Viruses and other malware can also cause damage to your systems registry. Regular use of your PC will eventually lead to registry issues as well.There are a few was of maintaining and repairing this Windows registry. Using a registry editor to manually change the registry is one way. This method is only recommended to users with PC repair experience. You can create problems and make issues worse. Reinstalling windows is another method. This should be used as a last resort as it can be a tedious process especially for someone who has never done it. Or you can use a highly rated registry cleaner to repair and maintain the registry.The use of a registry repair tool makes it easy enough for anyone to repair corrupt registry and to properly maintain it. Used in conjunction with virus/spyware protection and disk defrag it makes it simple to keep your PC's performance and reliability at 100%Think of your PC as your car or even your own body. All 3 are complex machines that from time to time require repairs. You can go to a specialist which usually requires more money then most are willing to pay. Learn how the registry works and try and repair it yourself or use programs made to safely repair and maintain it with little effort.