Using a Windows XP registry cleaner

What is the Windows registry, and why might you need to use a registry cleaner? The Windows registry is a collection of files which store all the computer’s settings for hardware, settings for the operating system, the control panel, application software, user preferences and user profiles, and file associations.
How is Windows XP registry cleaning done, and why does the Windows registry ever need to be cleaned?  At the bottom of this article, there is a link to a resource page which gives access to software tools you can use to clean the registry. You should be aware that it can also be done manually, by using the program regedit.exe which comes with Windows XP, or by typing reg.exe on the command line. Manual editing of the Windows registry is not recommended though, because the registry files are essential for the operating system to function.  What does Microsoft Support say about it? ‘Although you can use Registry Editor to inspect and modify the registry, doing so is not recommended, as making incorrect changes can damage your system.’
If you do damage the Registry during manual cleaning, and any backup does not work either, the only other solution is a complete reinstallation of Windows XP.  It goes without saying that you want to avoid this. The use of dedicated software for Windows XP registry cleaning is recommended (see below).
What about the reasons for using a Windows XP registry cleaner, and why would this be needed? Well, a damaged registry can make a Windows XP machine unreliable, or even not start up in the first place. As time passes, entries in the registry for old or uninstalled or deleted software will build up, making the system start up slowly, run more slowly, or make the computer unstable - ‘freezes’ can be one sign of this. As time goes on, the Windows XP registry grows in size, and becomes much bigger than necessary. You may also have many double entries in it, which affects your computer’s speed.
Fortunately, you can get many efficient software programs which will make cleaning of the registry an easy task.  They all perform a free scan of your system, to see if there are any issues with the registry.  These programs are called registry cleaners or registry repairers, and they are very easy to download and install. Using a registry cleaner may make a huge difference in your computer’s performance.
Now clean your Registry! It is possible to clean and repair your registry in the next few minutes - our windows registry cleaner page lists all the best software which you can download and use to quickly and painlessly check and clean your registry.
Snowy Anderson writes about software and the Internet.