Database Courses

The Registry is a vital component of the Windows operating system (OS). It is a database that holds a blueprint of your computer’s state. For example, if you install a new program, new records will be added to the Registry. Although those records should get deleted when the program gets de-installed, this doesn’t always happen. As a result, the Registry grows in size over time.

Since the OS consults the Registry before organizing sets of tasks, it is easy to see how a convoluted Registry will slow down the system. Unwanted records in the Registry are anathema to computer performance. Those who are unfamiliar with the Registry assume that their computer has deteriorated or has caught a virus. It is not unusual for an uninformed user to send the computer to its producer or a repair shop for fixing, an excessive action that is costly both in money and time.

The organization of the Registry resembles that of a directory system. At the top of the hierarchy are five main logical partitions called “hives”. They have names like HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT (HKCR), HKEY_CURRENT_USER (HKCU), HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE (HKLM), etc. Like a file directory, a hive can be expanded down to several levels of sub folders until the ultimate elements are reached. In the case of the Registry, the final elements are entities called Keys and Values. Each of these is a container for information that is meaningful to the OS.

A Windows operator can access the Registry through the Registry Editor also known as Regedit. Regedit has a comparable user interface to Windows Explorer, the well known utility used to manipulate folders and files. For example, the right pane permits navigation of the hives and sub-hives. The left pane is for modifying the Keys and Values. A top menu bar lets the user select the rest of the features.

It is not your job to remove unwanted records from the Registry. Be thankful given how complicated it is. Even experienced system administrators and programmers avoid it. Causing even a small modification in the Registry can render your computer unbootable. You will need to ship it to a data recovery lab which can easily cost you more than the price of your PC. Therefore, use Regedit only as an inspection tool.

Registries are cleaned up by so-called Registry Cleaners. Their popularity has skyrocketed recently. Registry cleaners are used as frequently as anti-virus software. Like their name suggests, their function is to clean up the Registry of the unwanted data mentioned earlier and restore the database of Windows into its optimum state. Although all Registry Cleaners have the same intended purpose, not all of them do the same thorough job.

If you are looking for a registry cleaner for Windows Vista, Registry Easy is easy to use and low cost. Its graphic user interface is easy to follow and it walks you through the entire process, leaving you with a clean computer that is faster and runs with far fewer errors. Customer support staff is timely and gets back to you with answers to any questions that you may have. This feature is for fully registered owners, but it is well worth it. It’s a great way to gain back the speed of your computer without having to be technical minded. I would recommend Registry Easy to friends and family without second thoughts.