Registry Cleaner - Why Clean your Windows Registry?

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A registry cleaner is used to maintain the windows registry. Many registry cleaners are easily found by searching online.

What is the Windows Registry?

Windows XP, Windows Vista and the new Windows 7 all have a registry. The registry is a database where all the settings and options are stored for the windows operating system. The registry is also used to maintain settings and status information about computer hardware.

Not only, does the operating system store its details in the registry along with the computer hardware information, every application that you use on the computer will create entries into the database.

There are lots of bits and pieces that the operating system, the computer hardware and programs need to access while they are executing. The purpose of the Windows Registry is to consolidate all this information into a single area, instead of having data scattered all over the place.

Clearly, the windows registry is an extremely important apsect of the operating system. It makes sense maintain it. The tool for this is called a registry cleaner.

Why a registry cleaner?

As a computer is used, the registry is continually accessed. When new hardware or new programs are added to the computer, set up information is typically added to the registry. If the set up program is created properly, it will clean up after itself, but many do not. One use of a registry cleaner is to clean up the tracks of a setup program.

Registry data can also be left over when a program is removed or hardware is changed or removed. Ideally, the uninstall program removes all traces of the program being removed. However, sometimes bits and pieces are left behind. A registry cleaner is used to remove traces of old uninstalled programs.

Also the process of adding and removing of hardware and software ultimately fragments the registry. A fragmented registry, like a fragmented hard drive, takes a performance toll on the computer. A registry cleaner is used to de-fragment the registry.

Even without adding and removing programs, the windows registry slowly grows in size as the computer is used. This is because the applications do not always cleanup after themselves. The larger the registry, the longer it takes to access. Regular cleaning with a registry cleaner will help maintain the registry size.

Malicious code and spyware, also affect the registry. Sometimes they put in their own entries. Other times they hijack existing entries. Although registry cleaners are not antivirus programs, they can be used to detect and remove spyware and mal-ware, thereby cleaning registry.

Where can I find a registry cleaner?

Many choices for registry cleaners can be found simply by looking online. There are many freeware registry cleaners available just for the looking. Read articles to find links. Premium registry cleaners can be found for a price. The premium registry cleaners go beyond the basic maintenance and do registry repair.