Read In Order To Troubleshoot A Slow Computer
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Every computer that runs on Windows has a Registry. The Registry is an obscure database that keeps track of all the activities that affect the OS, like those that are done through the Control Panel. The installation of a new software, for example, will add new entries into the Registry. These new records contain all the information needed by the OS about the installation. If the software was installed with the aid of the Windows Installer, when that software is removed with everything else being equal, those records will be removed also. But since not all installations are supervised by the Windows Installer, and not all other Registry write/delete operations are perfect, records tend to build up over time causing the Registry to inflate.
Since the OS, short for Operating System, often consults the Registry before organizing sets of tasks, it is easy to see how a more complex Registry would result in a slowing down of the system leading a user to troubleshoot a slow computer. The residual data in the Registry can and does produce lowered PC performance. As can be imagined, the slowing down is gradual, and increases over time. It is not uncommon for Windows users who are unaware of the Registry and its role to ascribe the lowered performance to the aging of the computer or to a virus. To troubleshoot a slow computer, the user might send it to its manufacturer, take it to a computer repair shop or even replace it with a newer model - a move that is costly in both time and money.
The structure of the Registry resembles that of a folder system. There are 5 to 7 main directories, depending on the version of Windows. These main directories are logical components of the OS and are called hives. They have names such as HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT (HKCR), HKEY_CURRENT_USER (HKCU), HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE (HKLM), etc. A hive can be expanded like regular directory down to several levels of sub folders until the final elements are reached. The final elements of the Registry are not files but Keys and Values. Each Key and Value is a holder for a numerical or string value that represents data and is meaningful to the OS.
A Windows user can access the Registry by means of a Windows program known as the Registry Editor or the Regedit Utility. We will call it Regedit. Regedit has a similar user interface to Windows Explorer the well known utility used to manipulate folders and files. The right pane permits navigation of the hives and sub-hives. The left pane allows interaction with the Keys and Values. Remember what those are? A menu bar at the top offers similar features to Windows Explorer's. Here, a note of warning. Messing with the Keys and Values is a dangerous activity and should not be done unless maybe you are an experienced System Admin or Programmer. Making changes in the Registry can render your system unbootable and salvageable only with costly data recovery techniques. So to implement the following tutorial, use Regedit only to inspect the Registry, not to modify it.
Start by executing Regedit. Simply click Start, Run, then type "regedit" in the command box. Next, make a backup copy of the Registry file. Never skip this step. It is done by clicking "File" at the top left, scrolling down and selecting "Export". Now type a name for the Registry backup file and save it in a convenient location like your Desktop. As you can see, the Registry is a file with the extension .REG. Now you are free to explore the Registry more or less risk free. Investigate HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE (HKLM) which stores the hardware and software configurations. Inspect the rest of the hives. Now that you've seen how complex and obscure it is, you can appreciate the fact that cleaning the Registry manually to troubleshoot a slow computer makes no sense.
That is why there exist software tools known as Registry Cleaners. They are the Second most popular tool after anti-virus software. Like their name suggests, their job is to clean up the Registry of the residual data mentioned earlier and restore the database of Windows into its present state. Although all Registry Cleaners have the same intended purpose, not all of them do the same thorough job.
The most highly recommended tool is Registry Fix. It corrects DLL issues, installer issues, ActiveX controls, errors due to Windows and Internet Explorer, Windows installer issues, System32 errors, Runtime errors, email client Errors, Svchost errors, EXE errors and more. To troubleshoot a slow computer just visit Registry Fix and press the Start FREE Scan button to save and install the program on your PC. After you run it, it will display a report with all the Registry problems and their severity. To fix those problems you will need to purchase a license for the product but, luckily, it is not pricey and by all means well worth the price as it will bring back your Computer to its original performance level.
Article Source: Articlelogy.com
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