Windows Registry Guide

Your guide to a faster PC

Simple and Easy Registry Tweaks For a Windows XP Computer

Posted on | August 12, 2011 | No Comments

Computers are more or less like human beings in that each computer will develop a personality – so to speak – based on its usage. As computers get used over a considerable period of time, they tend to slow down for several reasons. During such a time, you can do with a number of registry tweaks that will help boost the speeds of your PC. Here are some simple and easy tweaks that you can do personally.

- You should schedule a regular maintenance for your computer because just like your car, it too needs maintenance. Windows XP has maintenance tools in place or registry tweaks if you like, hence should be part of your regular maintenance program.

- Still on point, disk cleanup should also be done to get rid of unneeded or unwanted files from the hard drive and free up useful space

- Go through your PC and delete all unused programs manually from the hard drive. These are programs that you once used but doesn’t anymore and which occupy important space on the hard drive. Such programs could even be running in the background hence slowing down your PC.

- Still on point, spyware programs are known to attach themselves without the knowledge of the user and run remotely hence slowing down the computer. It is advisable to have an anti-spyware program installed in your PC, and run regularly. Most of these programs are free of charge and downloadable from the internet.

- If your PC was once connected to a network and not anymore, the instructions still exist on the startup menu. During startup, the PC takes ages to search for the network that is no more. As such, disconnecting such non-functional programs will speed up the PC.

- Defragment the hard drive to bring all files together and make the registry perform efficiently this is because when files are saved on the hard drive, they tend to be placed in a rather random order.

- Note that the Windows XP is customized for Ethernet connections and not broadband Internet connections, which tend to be a lot faster. The connectivity speeds can be accelerated even more if you could perform registry tweaks say by using the regedit option provided to you free of charge or purchasing software that will do. The programs are customized and made in such a way that they provide patches to an XP operated system. By simply using what your XP computer gives you, you can do some simple registry tweaks and reinstate the speeds of your PC.

Benefits of a good Windows Registry Cleaner Software

Posted on | July 27, 2011 | No Comments

The registry is an important component of all Windows OS released after Windows 95. It is a core hierarchal database depository where all information related to software, hardware, and user settings and preferences, operating system configurations as well as file associations are safely stored. To see the registry of your windows system, run a ‘regedit’ command from the start command button, click on run and the registry editor will open. You will be presented with a folder structure that looks like the folder structure seen in Windows Explorer.

The Windows registry is made up of five major root keys. Which are: HKEY-CURRENT_USER, HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT, HKEY_USERS, HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE, and HKEY_CURRENT_CONFIG. Each activity that takes place on the Windows system either accesses information from the registry or creates an entry in the same. Due to its wide-ranging use and the role it plays in operating and running the computer, there are very many reasons why errors occur in the Windows registry such as the accumulation of obsolete, unwanted, redundant, as well as invalid keys and information, spyware and viruses to mention but a few.

A damaged windows registry makes frequent error messages when using the system and can even render the entire system unusable. To be able to avoid this, it is advisable that you run a registry cleanup on a regular basis in order to keep the entire system error-free. While you can use the Registry Editor to clean your registry, it isn’t the best of options as it is known to make permanent changes; no wonder even seasoned technicians are never comfortable using the Registry Editor. The most recommended way to clean your registry is to use registry cleaner software.

Good registry cleaner software will have the following benefits:

- Makes both a selective and complete backup of the entire registry which will help you restore everything on your registry or simply undo certain changes when need be.
- Gives you a user-friendly graphical user interface which even a first timer can easily use to do regular registry maintenance
- It will enable you to scan the entire registry and clean up all registry errors
- Enables you perform an exhaustive scan and get rid of all malicious entries brought in by malware
- Enables you defragment the Windows registry to make it compact in order to increase the speed at which data is accessed.

In a nutshell, if you wish to keep your computer in an optimal operational condition, you have to perform a regular registry scan that will help remove all errors from it, which you do using good registry cleaner software.

Amazing Registry Tweaks and Edits for Windows XP

Posted on | July 27, 2011 | No Comments

Most probably you are very familiar with your PC’s Registry Editor, which is quite easy to use. For Windows XP, simply run the REGEDIT command from the startup menu>run, then scroll down through the hierarchical levels to get to the values and settings you want to modify, and then double click on each to make alterations in a dialog box format. As a basic rule of thumb, always create a backup copy of the entire registry before you start editing anything, which you simply do by choosing File | Export. The following are some useful tweaks that will help you customize your PC to your liking.

- Even though Windows XP doesn’t give direct support for pattern feature we saw in previous Windows Releases, the feature still exists, it’s hibernated in the Windows Registry. To be able to enable a particular pattern of your choice, first of all set NONE as your desktop background which you do from the Display Properties, after which you find out the exact code of the pattern, which you do by visiting # HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Patterns. You will find a number of patterns listed, each with a Data Value. Just select and copy the value you wish to have to the clipboard, and then go to the Registry Key # HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop, add a string value named ‘Pattern’, paste your selected string from the clipboard as the string value. New desktop changes will be effected the next time you log on.

- An easy way to disable programs from loading automatically each time the system is starting up is to use the MSCONFIG option. Deselect all programs you want to see loading up. You can also delete the programs by editing the registry directly from the following location: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run
You get to remove a program by right clicking on it and then selecting Delete. This way you will prevent the program from loading.

- It’s normal for an application to freeze up or hang and even though you can use the Windows Task Manager to close the application, you will have to wait for at least 20 seconds. If you want to do it faster, go to HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Control Panel\Desktop and look for the string value ‘HungAppTimeout’, alter the data to your liking. It is also only applicable to Windows XP.

Reasons behind a Slow Computer and How to clean it up

Posted on | July 18, 2011 | No Comments

Majority of the people today complain about slow computers but very few people know the cause of the problem and how it can be solved. If you are looking for a solution to your slow computer, the problem might be lying in the computer settings, software, and/or hardware. If you know what to do, fixing the problem is not hard. Here are some important factors you must know when looking to fix slow PC problems.

If your PC is connected to the internet, chances are quite high that the reason for the snail speed is because of malware — viruses and spyware. This is because each time you browse the internet; the computer saves temporary internet files on the hard drive. If the computer has been in use for several months, there could be very many temporary files and most probably malware. To fix the problem, you simply need to delete the temporary files from the hard drive to get more space. Ensure you also run a thorough scan on your PC.

Be advised that Malware is quite dangerous as it can completely destroy all files in your computer and sometimes even your entire Operating System, not to mention contributing to total breakdown of the hard drive. To solve this, you simply need to use an effective anti-virus to scan the entire computer and protect it from Malware.

Other times though, the slow speeds are not because of malware, or the temporary internet files stored on your PC. It could be because of incorrect BIOS settings that don’t match the computer’s configuration. Needless to mention, the settings have to be right so that the OS works properly and so that you can avoid computer crashes. This you can fix by hitting the F2 key, Del key, or any other keys depending on your OS to get into the BIOS set up when the computer is booting. The process is quite easy hence you don’t have to fear anything. All you have to do is to set the BIOS settings to optimized defaults and then you save the new settings.

The other possibility, and what contributes to 90% of low computers, is perhaps there is a problem in the computer registry that needs to be fixed. The easiest way to detect a problem on the registry is to download and then proceed to install a registry cleaner. This software is designed to detect any unwanted registry entries on a PC, such as obsolete data, broken links, malware etc and then deleting them or fixing incorrect files. Running a registry cleaner removes and fixes the problem and once it is done, the computer will be back to normal operation.

The easiest Way to Clean up your Registry Files

Posted on | July 12, 2011 | No Comments

If you have been receiving error messages on your PC screen each time you try to do something, it might be an indicator that something is wrong somewhere and most probably on the Windows registry. Note that computer error messages might be caused by just about anything but the most probable is an error in the registry.

The registry is a very important part of a computer. It is the central database where all data and information that pertains to the PC’s configuration and settings is stored. When the registry becomes clogged and filled up by obsolete and unnecessary entries, it will be seen on the speed of the computer as it will take very long to respond to the simplest of commands.

The solution lies in using the right registry cleaners to clean and fix the errors on the registry and reinstate it back to normal. A registry cleaner is simply software installed on a computer system that scans out the registry in an effort to detect unwanted entries and delete or try to fix them. Always ensure you use the right software for the job so that your PC can be reinstated back to its normal state within a short period of time and without wastage of money.

Still on point, ensure you buy a registry cleaner that is compatible with your Operating System. In case you are buying the software online, you can always ask for a test sample to see whether it is compatible with your OS or not. Needless to mention, read the user manual thoroughly to ensure you understand all that is required for the software to work.

Windows registry cleaner scans all entries on the registry in search of obsolete and unnecessary files to delete. Note that the cleaner does not interfere with your work; it works on the background as you continue with your work.

If you don’t want to suffer from a slow computer again, or to lose important information because the hard drive has frozen or crashed, ensure you invest in an effective Windows registry cleaner and clean the registry often. It is advisable to scan the PC on a weekly basis so that any unnecessary files and obsolete entries that fill up the system are deleted.

Windows registry cleaners are available from any software distributor on your locality. Better still you can buy them at the convenience of your home or office online, thanks to technology. To ensure that you get the best possible cleaner that will put an end to slow computer problems, always purchase the cleaner from an authorized dealer whose integrity you can prove.

Understanding How a Computer Registry Works

Posted on | July 6, 2011 | No Comments

The Windows registry is known to be the most important part of a PC where all information regarding device drivers, file association, application information and all else in between is stored. The registry has keys and subkeys which specify which programs run at what time say during the booting process or when the computer starts up already. You could be having programs that run and you no longer need. Remember that each program that runs on your PC takes system resources and puts a very heavy burden on your PC’s memory, CPU, and disk usage. Thus, if there are programs that run and you don’t need them, it could translate into less system resource available for useful applications.

You can clean up the windows registry to get rid of accumulated, invalid, and obsolete entries, which you simply do by going to the start menu and clicking on run, key in the command ‘regedit’ in the text field and click on enter and follow the instructions later on. This however could be the most gruesome and tedious task you could ever do, especially if you aren’t sure of what to delete and not to delete. First and foremost, it is highly recommended that you create a backup copy of the entire registry just in case an alteration is made that makes the computer either not run or run worse than before the changes were executed.

Cleaning the registry isn’t something done once in the entire lifetime of your PC. Basically, the average computer user ought to clean the registry at least once in every six months, and an above average user who installs and uninstalls applications and programs regularly should do so every three months. To save yourself time and lots of trouble in cleaning the registry, you might want to invest in a trusted registry cleaning software to help you perform this gruesome task.

Such software uses efficient performance-oriented algorithms to locate damaged or incorrect entries within the Windows registry and subsequently delete them all. Note that the cleaner provides a list of all errors found, after which you will be provided with the option of either cleaning the error list items with selection or a single-click fix to all of them.

A good windows registry cleaner will not only clean but also repair ActiveX errors, Windows Installer errors, DLL errors, Windows Media player errors, Windows Explorer errors, Internet Explorer errors, Javascript errors, Runtime errors, and much more. Important to note is that some registry cleaners will only function in one or two Windows releases while others are so effective that they will clean across the whole Windows releases platform. You should make an informed decision when buying windows registry cleaning tools.

Use a Registry Cleaner to Boost your Computer’s Speed

Posted on | July 1, 2011 | No Comments

Are you experiencing the slowest speeds on your computer yet when you bought it the performance was at the peak? Perhaps you have paid lots of cash to computer technicians with the hope they will repair you slow PC. Well, did you know that you can fix a slow computer easily without having to empty your wallet?

To fix a slow computer perfectly and easily, your first course of action would be to identify the exact reasons behind the compromised speeds which could be because of lack of enough memory, lack of enough space, the PC could be infected by a malicious program, the startup process could be crammed with unnecessary programs or the registry could be in a mess.

- The first thing that you need to do is to ensure you install an effective anti-virus program that will protect your slow PC. As you surf the net, you are advised to open only documents and emails that you are sure of their origin and avoid downloading lots of stuff. More often, all your PC needs could be an effective anti-virus program.

- As mentioned, the memory of your PC could be too small for the programs installed, hence the slowed down performance. You might want to increase the Random Access Memory to I or 2 Gigabytes if you suspect the slow performance is because of lack of enough memory.

- The solution to your slow computer could also lie in keeping the desktop clean. Get rid of all the unused program shortcuts from your desktop and those files that you might have saved. Transfer them to other disks to free-up more space for the windows operating system.

- Defragmenting your disk on a regular basis could also fix a slow computer, after which you can take advantage of the Windows Disk Defragment Program to clean up what you have fragmented. To do this effectively, go to the start-up menu, click on run, and then key in dfrg.msc to be able to launch the defragment. Once you get the analysis report, go ahead and click the Analyze and Defragment command and you will be good to go.

- As also mentioned above, registry errors could also lead to compromised performance. Every time you use Windows the size of the registry grows exponentially. When the registry becomes very large, the performance of the PC will be very unstable. You can fix the registry errors manually by deleting entry after entry, but this can take a lot of your precious time and you risk deleting useful programs.

- It is at such a point when you will need to get a good registry cleaner to do the work automatically for you. In a matter of minutes all corrupt registry entries, malicious programs and invalid and obsolete entries will be bygone and the performance of the PC will be reinstated back to normal, if not better.

A Registry Fix for All the Problems Causing a Sluggish Computer

Posted on | June 28, 2011 | No Comments

Because computers are not humans, they are bound to experience some problems that will slow them down and interfere with the speed at which they work. Most computer users today get sick and tired of slow computers, and even worse looking for a solution to fix the problem as at times it may be costly rushing to the technician every now and then. It might interest you to know that a computer slowing down is a common thing hence you don’t need to rush to the technician each time this happens. Here are a few reasons why computers slow down and common ways to fix the problems.

One cause of a slowing computer is lack of enough hard disk space on your PC. Always remove by deleting unnecessary data or uninstalling obsolete and unused programs and applications from the hard disk. Having free space on the hard disk ensures that Windows get enough memory to respond to commands. On the other hand, Windows services have an important role to play in determining how a computer performs. However, your PC doesn’t need every Windows service at the time. Most of these services are set in such a way that they start automatically when the PC starts up hence will slow down the reboot process. You should therefore disable all unwanted Windows services by going to the “Start- Run- msconfig- Startup” and then following the instructions.

Antivirus and anti-spyware programs are quite effective in helping get rid of malicious and fictitious programs from the registry which tend to interfere with a computer’s operating speed. Keep in mind that malicious data in a computer can multiply and clog the registry hence slow down the computer even further. If left undetected, viruses and malware will freeze or worse crash a computer without any warning. You should therefore ensure you have an effective anti-spyware or antivirus program installed on your computer to help detect and delete malicious programs and data.

While these two problems are known to slow down the computer, the biggest problem lies in the ‘heart’ of the computer – the registry. The registry is where all programs and applications extract important information that ensures they run as expected. For you to use hardware or software, the processes need important information which was stored in the registry when you installed the hardware or software. At times though, the registry becomes clogged and full, with obsolete data. This makes the PC slow down as it will take the registry more time to respond to a simple command.

To solve this, it is advisable to fix all errors and problems in the registry. Many corrupt files and missing links found in the registry interfere a great deal with optimum configuration settings of Windows and hence make the performance bad. You can however invest in good registry cleaner software that is able to scan the entire registry and delete all unused, obsolete, and corrupt entries.

A Step by Step Guide to Fixing a Slow Computer

Posted on | June 24, 2011 | No Comments

If you have ever had a sluggish computer, then you know how time-consuming and tiresome it is to search for the right solution to a slow computer. We all want to speed up our PCs in the fastest and most affordable way possible. This article seeks to discuss some of the easy steps you can take to fix a slow and sluggish PC.

Step 1 – do you know that lack of enough space in the hard disk slows down a computer? Yes, you heard that right. By removing useless programs and outdated files, you will be able to create more hard disk space in the system, which will be used to make processing of information faster, and in the end boost the speeds of your PC. Better still, you can even have an external saving system, such as flash disk, CD or an external hard disk, which you can use to save some of the files that you do not use regularly, but which you still need yet they occupy most of your hard disk’s space.

Step 2 – optimizing Windows services could be the second way you can improve the speeds of a sluggish PC. Be advised that not all the Windows services you find on your manual are useful and important for you. By disabling some of the services that you do not need, you will be sure to fix most, if not all, of the sluggish computer problems that you could be experiencing.

To do this, you simply click on the Start menu, go to Run, then key in msconfig… you will get the services tab where you can check and uncheck all the services that you do not want. Still on point, on the ‘Startup’ tab, you can be able to see all the programs and applications that run automatically when you PC startup. Enable and disable the programs you use frequently so as to improve the booting speed of your PC.

Step 3 – the third step when it trying to fix a slow computer is to run a real-time and effective anti-virus and an anti spyware software application. If you use the internet frequently, you are highly susceptible to malicious software attacks. Spyware, viruses etc are very good at collecting someone’s private date and confidential information, and will slow down a PC before crashing it altogether. Invest in high quality anti-virus and anti-spyware software to not only speed up your computer but also safeguard your files and documents.

Step 4 – the last, and undoubtedly the decisive factor when it comes to detecting and fixing problems of a slow PC is to use a registry cleaner. The registry is the central part of your PC which stores all the vital information of configuration settings of your computer, as well as information regarding all entries of applications and programs. The registry to a computer is what the heart is to a human being, so you get how important it is.

A corrupt registry contributes to over 90% of all slow computer problems experienced today. Missing registry keys, invalid entries, and malicious registry entries could all be responsible for the compromised speeds. Being such a delicate part of your PC, it is not somewhere you can delete entries as you like; you may delete an important entry that will affect the performance of your PC. It is always recommended you invest in a good quality registry cleaner that will diagnose and repair all registry errors, thus fixing the slow speeds and restoring it to its optimal performance.

Attributes of the Best Registry Repair Software

Posted on | June 21, 2011 | No Comments

If you do your homework well, chances of ending up purchasing the wrong registry repair software are very minimal. There are some key features that any registry repair software out there must have for it to qualify to be the best. Often times, many people get confused because the market has so many of such software, making it all the more difficult to tell which software is the best. Manufacturers of this software bombard us with advertisements all claiming theirs is the best in the market.

The first thing that you have to understand is that there is a paid version of registry repair software and a free version. The advantage that attracts people to the freeware is the fact that you will not pay a cent for the software but like every other free thing, it has its share of disadvantages. First off, it is very ineffective, it doesn’t have any regular updates, there is no customer care support, and it takes ages to scan the PC.

A paid version on the hand comes with all the benefits that lack in a freeware. In registry repair software, you get exactly what you pay for – the value for your money. It is therefore recommended that if you are looking for the best registry repair software, you should go for a paid version or commercial edition if you like, which comes accompanied by the following features:-

High reliability – if a registry repair tool is not able to detect all possible spyware, viruses, and malware, it is of no use. You should therefore go for a cleaner that detects and eradicate all suspicious programs from your PC.

Regular updates – most registry cleaner manufacturers will offer free updates anytime your PC is connected to the internet. Even though you may not understand the importance of regular updates, ensure you get a registry cleaner that gets updated regularly as it means that the latest features are updated.

User-friendly – since many people are not software and hardware experts, it is advisable to go for registry cleaner software that is easy to install and use even by a novice.

Frequent PC scanning and Optimization – the best registry repair software should be able to scan your PC automatically at least once a week and ensure that the system is optimized perfectly.

Backup – the registry being the heart and the most important part of the computer system, it is becomes very critical to have a backup file of the information stored there before doing any repair or scanning. This ensures that even if some vital data is lost in the process of scanning and repairing, there is always a backup somewhere that will provide the important data.

With the aforementioned features, you can be sure you are investing your money in the best registry repair software in the market, regardless of the manufacturer.

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  • WindowsRegistryGuide

    Windows Registry Guide is an online resource about the Windows Registry. The Windows Registry is a very complex database of entries, which stores information about everything on a computer. It is the backbone of any Windows Operating System.