In very simple terms, the Windows registry is the database that holds all the settings for your Windows operating system. In even simpler terms: unless you know exactly what you’re doing, and have a fundamental understanding of the Windows registry, keep your hands off!
What is the Windows Registry Used For?
Some people have compared the Windows registry system to the DNA system that is found in humans. It literally holds all the information including software programs, user preferences, hardware configuration, operating system configurations and many other things. It basically stores all the tiny bits of information about your computer.
Any change you make to a program or hardware or system configuration is automatically stored in the registry system. There are different registry editor programs available that you could use if for some reason you need to make changes to the Windows registry. These will help you to back up the entire registry system and to backup, delete or restore registry keys.
How to Restore the Windows Registry?
If you have made a backup of your Windows registry, restoring the registry key is not too difficult to achieve. Firstly, you will need to find the backup you created. If you can’t locate it, run a search on your computer for a file ending in a .reg extension.
Once you have located the file, double click on it and follow the steps that will come up. Finally, it will confirm that your Windows registry has been restored and once you restart your computer, it will be working again.
Registry Cleaners
There are a lot of registry repair programs available on the internet and these work on most browsers. The top 10 browsers on the market today are:
- Firefox
- Google Chrome
- Internet Explorer
- Opera
- Safari
- Maxthon
- Avant Browser
- Phase Out
- Deepnet Explorer
- Space Time
The Common Windows Registry Cleaners
All the main registry cleaner programs are compatible with these browsers. Some of the best registry cleaner programs are:
- Registry Booster
- Registry Mechanic
- PC Speed Maximiser
- ReImage
- Ace Utilities
- Registry First Aid
- Clean My PC
- Registry Repair
- Fix Cleaner
- My Faster PC
It is often advisable to run a registry cleaner if you find your computer is running slowly or crashing often, before deciding to restore windows registry.
Restore or Repair?
The problem with restoring your windows registry is that you will lose every setting that you have changed since your last registry backup. Also, it is normal for the registry to become slightly ‘dirty’ with errors and corruption. Restoring your registry will help with this and solve problems, but so will a repair.
One thing to be very careful about, though, is that there are many programs available on line that claim to be registry cleaners and actually place viruses, malware and spyware on your computer. Many of these are free programs, which makes them more attractive to users. If you do come across a free Windows registry cleaner program, make sure it is from a name you know and can trust and double check it truly comes from this company!