How to clean up registry

Level of difficulty: Easy

Windows registry is a database that stores almost everything that one does on the computer. It contains all the relevant files and data required by users. Sometimes too much information in the registry causes complete mess and it can get corrupted by a computer virus if not cleaned up when the need arises. Excess information load on the registry may also affect computer’s speed and efficiency. The system slows down due to such heavy load. This creates a need to clean up registry regularly to increase the computer’s speed and prevent delay in work. Users can clean effectively clean the computer registry manually. If they are unable to do it manually, they can go for registry software that is widely available especially for this purpose. Apart from these measures, users can even resort to registry cleaner downloads from legitimate sites.

Materials Needed:
- In order to clean Windows registry
- one would require windows based computer
- registry software and money to purchase such software. If users wish to clean their registry manually
- they can do so with the help of the Registry Editor.
Step 1
The first step requires users to prepare a backup of their registry. This saves users from losing any important data that they must have deleted by mistake.
Step 2
To initiate this process users are required to click 'Start' button in the left bottom corner of the desktop.
Step 3
After users have clicked 'Start' button on the desktop, they are then required to click 'Run'. This shall open up a new command window where users can type in the required command that they wish to run.
Step 4
Once the command window opens up, users are then required to type 'regedit'. After typing the required command, they need to click 'OK' to proceed further.
Step 5
This opens up the new registry editor window. Once this window opens up, users are then required to click 'File' which is positioned at the top of registry editor window. After clicking 'File' select 'Export'. Users need to give a name for their registry file that they wish to export and save to the desktop. This forms the registry backup.
Step 6
Users can see some folders in the registry window. They are required to select the plus sign that appears next to folders to expand the same. There appears a folder that enables users to clean their windows registry manually which is called the 'HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE' folder.