Registry Cleaner Articles

Can Registry Cleaners Harm A Computer

2010-02-01

For computers that run Windows operating systems, the Windows registry represents something akin to the central nervous system of your PC. Intricately connected with all of the executive functions of the OS, the registry is an extensive database that stores settings and locations of files for all of the processes carried out by Windows. These processes range from the background on your desktop to the drivers that control your video card to how often your anti-virus software checks for updates. Without the registry, your computer would be utterly lost, and Windows would be completely unable to function. For this reason, it is crucial that your registry remains intact and optimized.

The registry is frequently accessed and altered when you change program settings and install or uninstall software. Unfortunately, this database is prone to accumulating errors and corruptions over time, which can slow down your PC. In the worst cases, it can cause programs to stop functioning altogether. In order to fix problems caused by bad registry entries, there exists a myriad of software programs that will attempt to streamline your PC experience by "cleaning" your registry. Depending on the publisher, this software can either be free or cost upwards of $100. The price tags don't necessarily correlate with quality.

In using registry cleaners, one must exercise great caution. Without intimate knowledge of the registry or how these programs operate, you can possibly harm your computer. Each registry cleaner makes use of a set of detection algorithms governed by pre-generated rules. These rules help the program identify which database entries are safe to change or remove, and which should simply be left alone. Each Windows registry cleaner uses its own rules, so naturally, results will vary. By using low quality software that depends on relatively few rules, you place your computer in the hands of an unintelligent code. This code can erroneously delete important parts of the registry during the cleaning process, rendering your operating system inoperable. Furthermore, if the detection rules are lacking in sophistication, they may yield false negatives and fail to remove malicious entries made by viruses and other forms of malware.

As with any software, "buyer beware" is profoundly good advice. Make sure that any cleaner you use includes features for backing up your registry so that you can restore your system during a worst case scenario. Most websites that host software for public downloading include user reviews- read them! Users with negative opinions are more likely to take the time to share their experiences on the Internet. Most impotantly of all, make sure to always externally back up impotant files and data before making any changes to the Windows registry.

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