The windows registry is probably the most sensitive part of your computer's hard drive. This is the area where lots of system files and configurations are stored, and is accessed every time a program such as Word or Internet Explorer is used. When programs are installed they write values to the registry which enables them to run correctly. You can view the sort of information stored in the registry by clicking on Start\Run and typing "regedit" into the dialogue box. This will bring up a file system window. Browse to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE and expand that to view all the sub directories. Do not change anything using Regedit unless you know what you are doing!

Because the registry is so sensitive, any problems occurring here are magnified. A corrupted entry will cause system errors, or even cause programs to abort unexpectedly. If your computer is running extremely slow, the chances are high that your registry needs fixed. As previously mentioned, unless you know what you are doing, it's best to avoid manually editing the windows registry, as you could make your problems a lot worse. Most computers older than six months would probably benefit from having the registry cleaned. This is mainly due to the accumulation of programs installed over the course of time. It should also be highlighted that a corrupt registry does not necessarily mean you have a virus. Fixing the windows registry should be view as a normal task of owning a computer.

There are a number of software tools available on the market for fixing the windows registry. Programs like RegClean, and Error Nuker both come highly regarded. Registry cleaners sometimes get a bad name, as you can usually download a trial version of the software which will scan your PC for free and report on the errors found. You will then have to pay for the full version in order to get those errors fixed. Don't let this put you off purchasing one, as this is a fairly common try-then-buy business model. Buying a decent registry cleaner is important as you will need to use it once a month or so, just to keep you computer running smoothly.

Purchasing a registry cleaner is by far the easiest way to clean the windows registry. The one off cost is usually relatively low and it is a piece of software which you will use on a regular basis. Unless you are very experienced, manually trying to fix the registry using Regedit is not recommended.