subject: Thinking about purchasing a registry cleaner? Think Twice! [print this page] Thinking about purchasing a registry cleaner? Think Twice!
People very frequently install registry cleaner software on their computers when they begin to become a bit bogged down, and this can prove to be something of a mistake in many ways. I have implemented several highly effective computer cleaning methods that do not involve paid registry cleaners, and generally perform minimal work on the registry itself. This article will cover the hazards of registry cleaner use, as well as viable alternatives, or free solutions.
First off, some real basics... What is a registry, and why would it need cleaning?
Think of a registry as a road map to your computer. If Windows needs to check a setting, perform a routine action, or run a program, it will reference the registry for instructions on how to do so. A registry is made up of thousands of hexidecimal "keys," and is completely vital to the function and performance of your computer.
Okay, so its important... Why should I not use a program to keep it maintained? There are a few major reasons for this.
One is that the registry is important, and from time to time, third party registry maintenance software will hiccup and delete something that is actually in use. This could have repercussions ranging from a useless annoying error message when you try to run a program, to a full fledged system crash. If a key that provides reference to a critical system file is deleted, the system could cease functioning entirely. Granted, this is very rare, but it is still a possibility, and a risk that is for all practical purposes not present if you do not manipulate the registry.
If you reference my earlier articles, you will see that I am an advocate for minimizing maintenance software, and that is another reason for this. Most registry cleaners come with a "registry guard" or "registry monitor" that runs constantly in the background of your computer, just like an anti-virus program will. This program consumes system memory, and processor power, and if the cleaner, or a registry that has a few issues is not the source of your problems, there are many cases where installing a cleaner will only bog your system down further. This leads to another important issue.
Modern processors are capable of handling very large registries with ease. It takes several thousand bad entries to noticeably slow a computer system, and even the most messy of systems will usually have bad entries measured in the hundreds. Chances are, if your computer is slow and behaving poorly, it is an issue with the number of programs you have running currently, or number of start up programs, and not the size of the registry.
In conclusion, paid registry programs are generally not an item where you can get your money's worth, and the free ones generally provide a lot of pop ups asking you to upgrade, and an overall decrease in system performance. Please feel free to reference any of my other articles about system performance that do not involve registry cleaners.
