Ready to dump your old PC! Use a registry cleaner to give new life to old computers

Ready to dump your old PC! Use a registry cleaner to give new life to old computers

If your PC is getting a bit slow these days and you are thinking of upgrading to a new one feeling you have no choice, then don't. Although it is true that today's applications and websites are more resource intensive than ever, it doesn't mean that a three year old PC is now obsolete. The reason most PCs seem slow overtime is because of all the spyware, malware, adware they gather. This is in addition to the unnecessary programs that keep running in the background and hog your PC's resources.

Most people are familiar with these terms and have anti-virus and anti-spyware software installed. They even use the Disk Defragmenter and Disk Cleanup utilities that are inbuilt in Windows. But another key application that most computer users fail to appreciate is the registry cleaner. It doesn't matter which version of Windows you are using XP, Vista or 7, eventually you are going to need a registry cleaner to improve your computer's performance.

Registry cleaners are used to remove configuration data from Windows computers that is unnecessary or unwanted. As the name implies, the software utility is used on the system registry. The system registry is the database where all the important hardware information is stored, along with installed programs' settings. It also stores the profiles of every user account on the computer. This system registry is used constantly by Windows. The registry also has several other uses which basically help in keeping track of all the software that you have installed and how the programs relate to one another. The registry maintains different profiles so that multiple users can use the same computer and have their personalized accounts with the familiar settings of Start menu, desktop wallpapers and so on.

Several tech blogs will talk about how you can clean up your registry on your own without buying any software. But unless you are a techie who knows what he is doing, making changes to the registry manually can damage your system even more. Unless you are sure about the purpose of each file and whether or not it is corrupt, don't attempt to modify your registry. If you end up deleting the wrong file by mistake, you can lose valuable information. Your computer won't be able to function properly and can even become completely inoperable since the critical system files are unavailable to it.

That's why it is better to spend a few dollars and buy the right kind of a registry cleaner. A Google search will reveal several registry cleaners, but which one can you trust? Here price is not necessarily an indicator of performance. Several registry cleaner websites will throw up a pop-up window saying things like "Click here for an automated scan". As a rule of thumb, these type of sites are selling scareware. Scareware is the term used for fraudulent registry cleaners and the companies who make them scare people into buying their products by alarmist messages.

So if you are checking out a registry cleaner product and the website says things like (in bold usually) "CRITICAL ERROR" or "45 FILES DAMAGED AND CORRUPTED" (any made up number), just close that site. A reputable registry cleaner will never indulge in this type of advertising. These are deceptive hooks to get people to buy their products which are at best mediocre or sometimes outright scams. These websites will install spyware and adware programs. A good registry cleaner will offer a free scan and the scan will start only when you download and install that website's free scan software. It will also not be free, or if it is free, it will only be free for a few days. The maxim, "there is no free lunch" is especially true for software.

A good quality registry cleaner will be able to remove not just empty entries, but also invalid entries. Some of the registries available for free are able to remove only the empty entries, but those entries are not what causes your computer to slow down or become unstable. Invalid entries are what a good registry cleaner should be able to remove.

The two other things to look out for in a registry cleaner are its user interface and functionality. The user interface should be easy to use and the help section, whether inbuilt or online should have a clear explanation of all the features. Much more important is the functionality. Some registry cleaners only show you what registry files are corrupt and need to be deleted. But a good registry cleaner will enable you to go deep in your system registry and modify it.

System registry backup is also a very useful feature to have. Windows recommends that whether you are editing the system registry manually or with a registry cleaner, you should have a full backup of the registry. This will help you restore your computer to its original state in case you feel that your computer has lost some functionality after using a registry cleaner.

To find out a good quality registry cleaner, you can check out the various software review forums. But don't just believe what you read on any forum or review site. The comments on those sites may not be genuine comments. One of the best ways to learn about the quality of a registry cleaner or any other software product is to check out the company's BBB rating. A company with a great product is not going to hide its BBB rating and some like RegGenie even advertise this fact on their website.

POST COMMENT

Laptop Repair Videos Easy Fix Blue Screen of Death Error in Windows Vista Repair Credit Fast - Rebecca Beats Debt Collector! Want To Remove Fast Windows Antivirus 2011 - Easily Remove Fast Windows Antivirus 2011 From Your Computer Steps To Remove Fast Windows Antivirus 2011 - How To Remove Fast Windows Antivirus 2011 The Easy Way Why Use Online Computer Repair Services Plastic windows and doors more than three ways to shoddy quality problems - windows and doors, PVC, What are the options if you forget Windows password Elgin Pocket Watches Is Easy To Repair It's Easier than Ever to Get Double Glazed Windows of Every Shape and Size Window 7 32 bit vs 64 bit | Windows x64 or x86 How to Repair Leather Furniture How To Set Up A VPN Connection in Windows 7