The Registry is a vital component of the Windows operating system (OS). It’s an obscure database that stores a record of every activity you can do from the Control Panel. For example, if you install a new program, new records will be added to the Registry. Theoretically, those records should be removed with the program’s de-installation but in practice this doesn’t always happen. The result is, the Registry bloats over time.

Because the OS consults the Registry before scheduling sets of tasks, it is easy to see how a more intricate Registry will slow the system down. The residual data in the Registry can and does produce lowered PC performance. Users unfamiliar with the Registry often assume that their computer has deteriorated or has caught a virus. It is not unusual for an uninformed PC owner to send the computer to its manufacturer or a repair shop for fixing, an excessive action that is costly both in time and in money.

The Registry’s organization is similar to that of a directory system. There are five main directories called “hives” that represent logical regions of the OS. They have names such as HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT (HKCR), HKEY_CURRENT_USER (HKCU), HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE (HKLM), etc. Like a file directory, a hive can be expanded down to several levels of sub folders until the ultimate elements are reached. In the case of the Registry, the final elements are entities called Keys and Values. Each of these is a container for data that is meaningful to the OS.

As a Windows user you can access the Registry through a program called Regedit. Regedit is similar to Windows Explorer, the well known utility used to manipulate folders and files. The right pane permits navigation throughout the Registry. The left pane allows interaction with the Keys and Values. The rest of the functions of Regedit are reachable from a top menu bar.

It is not your job to remove unwanted records from the Registry. Be thankful given how complicated it is. Even qualified system administrators and programmers avoid tampering with the Registry. Causing even a small modification in the Registry can render your computer unbootable. You will then need to ship it to a data recovery lab which can cost you more than the price of your PC. Therefore, use Regedit as a read-only tool.

Registries are cleaned up by so-called Registry Cleaners. Their status has skyrocketed recently. Registry cleaners are used as frequently as anti-virus software. Like their name suggests, their intended purpose is to clean up the Registry of the unwanted data mentioned earlier and re-establish the database of Windows into its optimum state. Even though all Registry Cleaners have the same intended purpose, not all of them are equally good.

If you are looking for a registry cleaner for Windows Vista, Registry Easy is easy to use and low cost. Its graphic user interface is easy to follow and it walks you through the entire process, leaving you with a clean computer that is faster and runs with far fewer errors. Customer support staff is timely and gets back to you with answers to any questions that you may have. This feature is for fully registered owners, but it is well worth it. It’s a great way to gain back the speed of your computer without having to be technical minded. I would recommend Registry Easy to friends and family without second thoughts.