Registry Cleaner For Beginners

The registry files in Windows are the files that store software settings that allow the software to run in the Windows environment. These variables stored are complicated for the first timer and way beyond the scope and need for the first timer to know. The key knowledge is to be aware that it exists and when the registry becomes corrupt it will cause why their PC is slow.


Beginners will notice something different with their PC. They might see the PC is slow, or they could see the PC has messages popping up. The following is a small sample of possible messages: 404 messages, acrord 32.exe message, 502 bad gateway message, active x objects missing,.dll message, and the dreaded blue screen (Windows doesn't boot up).


The most common cause created by software is during the installation process. During the install process the software makes changes to the registry files to allow the program to work in the Windows environment, and the program will sometimes make updates that Windows doesn't like. I have found the cheaper programs, like freeware and shareware, is where this problem occurs most often. The writers of these software programs either do not take the time or have the knowledge to write a good install program. Talk to and ask your family which programs and software companies they trust. By the time you find out, the registry is corrupted and your PC will not boot up.


The most important 1st step for all beginners to learn is to make a startup disk and to BACK UP your hard drive OFTEN. Make a startup disc, ERD (emergency recovery disc), or Last Known Good, so read the owner's manual that came with your PC, or use your operating system disc to create a startup disk, or etc.. Today there are several web sites that for a price will provide a back up of your hard disk. Depending on the speed of your Internet connection, this process could take several days. The fees for most of these web sites are around $100.00 to $150.00 per year. On my personal computer I have available room for expansion, and can add another hard disk. Also available are USB external hard drives (Iomega) that cost less than web sites will charge for their service for a year. With the addition of the hard disk, you can simply diskcopy your main hard drive (usually C:) to the newly installed hard drive (usually E:). There will be people to tell you to use RAID, but for beginners that can be a challenge to set up. Remember to get in the habit of backing up your hard drive no matter which method you choose, just do it often.


After you have a good backup and system disc in hand, and you still have problems, there are good registry cleaner programs available. These programs, like Registry Easy, will go and find errors in your registry files and fix them. This will eliminate your error messages and speed up the operation of your PC.


Daniel Knox A+