If your computer is older than six months, the chances are it would be sped up by having the registry cleaned. The windows registry is a directory on the file system where all the system information is stored by the programs you have installed. The more programs you install, the higher the chance of registry corruption due to crucial configuration information getting overwritten. Uninstalling programs and deleting files can also lead to a bloated registry containing orphaned file information. This is why it is important that the registry is cleaned every month or so, to ensure optimum PC performance.

By far the easiest way to fix the windows registry is to download one of the many tools available on the web. There are a number of reputable programs, such as RegCure, Error Nuker, and RegClean. The obvious con of the registry cleaning software is that you need to pay for it. However, this is not something you will use once and forget about. You can and should clean your registry once a month or so to prevent errors and sluggishness. Typically, the registry cleaners will offer a free trial, so you can scan your PC and find out what needs to be fixed. You then need to purchase the full version before it will fix any issues it finds. This type of business model sometimes gets bad press, although it is fairly common nowadays.

The main pro of using a registry cleaner is that to fix the registry manually would require a degree of computer expertise, and a great deal of free time. If you don't have both of these qualities then forget about fixing it yourself, and download one of the software packages. You shouldn't even try to fix the registry yourself unless you are very confident in your computer knowledge. You can cause serious damage to your computer by meddling with the registry.

Another of the main pro's of purchasing a registry cleaner is that you can easily clean the registry on a regular basis with the minimal of time spent. This will ensure that your computer is always running at its most efficient and at its optimal speed. You will also reduce the frequency of system crashes and operating system errors.

To sum up, the only real con of buying some registry fix software is the fact that you need to pay for it. However, the software is relatively inexpensive compared with the benefits of having your PC at its speediest.