Windows XP Registry Cleaners
Keep Your System Humming

If you're one of the many millions who prefers to keep Windows XP as your operating sytem, you're probably going to need some help from one of the Windows XP Registry Cleaners to keep your aging operating system running smoothly.

Registry size is less of an issue with Windows XP and Windows Vista than it was with earlier versions of Microsoft's Windows, but your registry is still going to need some pruning and cleaning from time to time - probably at least once a month.

The Windows XP registry is a large and complex directory, a sort of database that stores information that your PC absolutely must have if it is to function properly.

Over time, as you install and remove programs, move files around, visit sites and work with documents, your registry fills up with data.

Its size increases, but the real problem is that errors start to creep in as the number of registry entries increases..

Whenever you change something in the system, that change is recorded in the registry - the location of a particular file, the url of a website, your startup settings - it's all there.

Updating or removing programs bring problems all of their own. It is well-known that some installers and uninstallers do not do a particularly good job of making changes or removing all traces of their existence.

Little bits of data remain; key values are incorrect; keys and values get corrupted and you start to see the signs of a registry that is in need of repair:

• Error messages
• A sluggish system
• A slower startup
• System complaints about missing DLLs

Any or all of these could mean it is time to fire up the registry cleaner.

If you've chosen well from among the reputable Windows XP registry cleaners, fixing the problem is a simple three-step process - or maybe even two, if you have chosen the right registry cleaner software. And you can be confident that even if you do not know anything about fixing the registry, the default settings on most registry cleaners make the process perfectly safe.

1 Create a Restore point.

Go to Start - All Programs - Accessories - System Tools and click on System Restore. Accept the option to create a new restore point, name it, and then click Create.

2 Make a registry backup.

Check to see if your registry cleaner makes a backup of the registry before starting work. If it does, then your registry repair is a two-step process and you can go on to Step 3.

If not, go to Start - Run and type in "regedit". This will open the registry editor, but don't do any editing unless you know exactly what you are doing. Instead, go to File - Export and choose a place to save the .reg file. Name it and save it.

3 Repair the registry.

This is the simplest step of all. Start the registry cleaner, make yourself a cup of your favourite beverage, and in a very short while the program will have scanned the system, told you what they are, and fixed the problems (only once you have given it permission to do so).

Here is a link to Registry Mechanic, our recommended Windows XP registry cleaner.

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