Lines of code are activated, read by the operating system and an action is taken. The program starts and loads into memory, ready for the mouse pointer or a typed command to start another sequence of actions.
What is the System Registry?
All of this complexity happens behind the scenes of the operating system and only someone trained in the maintenance and repair of software has even a passing familiarity of how all the many modules and tiny programs link together to form the operating system. One of those reservoirs of code, settings, and configurations is the system registry. Used in Microsoft Windows software as a storage area for user profiles and containing all of the information relevant to the many programs running in Windows, the system registry is a hierarchical organization of file entries and data that is entered by each program as it's installed.
This complex tree of structured data is accessed by Windows to store information on user and software configurations. As such, it's extremely unwise to tamper with the registry unless you're well versed on working with the the software framework that keeps the operating system running smoothly. At the very least, if you do intend to make changes to the registry, first make a backup of its existing state. This is a common practice employed by even the most seasoned software engineers.
Problems with the System Registry
Computers work with clockwork precision, installing programs, uninstalling them, and working with vast amounts of user data. Occasionally, and keep in mind that many manufacturers create Windows applications, programs leave behind a registry entry, possibly more than one, and the registry begins to grow in size. It becomes bloated, slowing down and losing its efficient structure.
Many laptop repairs employ the use of registry cleaners to seek out these errant registry entries and delete them. Computer repairs benefit highly from such optimizing actions, making registry cleaners a popular means of speeding up computers that are slow to boot and frustratingly plodding when running anything but the simplest of software.
Registry Cleaners
Going far beyond removing redundant registry entries that refer to programs no longer installed on the computer, modern registry cleaners analyze and optimize the registry, checking for errors. Laptop repairs often involve working on Windows systems slowed down by a very large registry, and it's possible to gain a substantial performance increase by simply committing to a full scan by the cleaner software, allowing it to track down invalid entries and references.
Authorized computer repair services do tend to involve a great deal of upgrades and repairs, but this is one situation where a user can tune-up their own computer and reduce the system registry to a far more reasonable operational size.
Free vs. Pay Registry Cleaners
A computer user needn't be limited by the first registry cleaner they stumble upon. Commit to some research and you'll see a list of popular software options. Some are free and some involve a small investment. Opting for free software still grants you a clean and tidy registry, but the paid versions often include extras such as a customer support line should errors still pop up after the cleaning is finished, and they come without annoying adware, a definite bonus.
Dominick Rivoli is the owner at A1 Rivoli, top office equipment and computer service and repair specialists for the Long Island, NY Nassau, and Western Suffolk areas. Visit the website at www.a1rivoli.com.
