 If you think of your computer as a book, then the Registry would be the dictionary that defines the words used to write it. By changing the definition of a single word, you can alter the gist of the entire book. Likewise, you can transform the functionality of an entire system merely by modifying one value in the Registry. This vast database of system settings and user preferences gives meaning to everything that takes place on-screen.
But it also can cause problems. Just as the quality of a book suffers if its author relies on a dictionary filled with gibberish and incorrect definitions, so too does PC performance deteriorate when the Registry is laden with errors and outdated data. One of your responsibilities as a PC owner is to take whatever measures are necessary to ensure that it remains sleek, clean, and efficient.
 Registry Background
Early Windows versions didn't have a Registry. These OSes (operating systems), which ran on top of a DOS foundation, relied on INI (initialization) files, such as Win.ini and System.ini, to define and retain the settings that made the PC hum. With the release of Windows 95, Microsoft engineers wisely decided to consolidate the burgeoning collection of INI files into a centralized database. They used an existing file, a catalog of file associations known as the Windows Registration Database, as the basis for the new Registry.
The Registry has changed little since then. In addition to file associations, it also keeps track of most system settings, software and hardware configurations, and user profiles. It helps prevent conflicts when you install new applications and uninstall old ones. It lets you set up a notebook for docked and undocked configurations. It facilitates the sharing of a single computer by multiple individuals. Quite frankly, the Registry deserves much of the credit for making computers easier to use.
And yet it also represents one of the most intimidating components of Windows. Why? Essentially, it's because Microsoft designed the Registry for programmers. Casual computer users are easily overwhelmed by its complex hierarchical system of keys (folders of related settings) and hives (folders of related keys), many of which have nonsensical names, such as HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT and AppEvents. The values (Registry settings) themselves prove equally confusing as they are often represented with alphanumerical codes, such as 0x0000e801 (59393) and {EAB841A0-9550-11cf-8C16-00805F1408F3}.
Unfortunately, casual computer users who want to optimize PC performance must roll up their sleeves and clean out the Registry from time to time. Like the rest of a system, the Registry accumulates its share of junk settings. Uninstalled programs leave behind orphaned keys and values, for instance, bloating the Registry and resulting in sluggish system performance during the startup routine. Value errors can occur if a program is improperly shut down or a device driver (a small program that enables a hardware component to communicate with the rest of the system) becomes corrupted. Such problems may result in error messages and crashes.
Trimming the fat from the Registry is tricky business. It takes confidence, competence, and patience to navigate the expansive database, correctly identify trouble spots, and modify values. Making matters worse, Registry mistakes are easy to commit and difficult to undo. The improper placement of a single digit in a Registry setting can spell the difference between cure and crisis. That's why it helps to have an arsenal of reputable Registry utilities at your disposal.
Hedge Your Bets
Before making any changes to the Registry, it's critical that you take a few minutes to back it up. Doing so ensures that you have a way of recovering from accidents that may occur as you clean the Registry. Fortunately, Microsoft provides a manual Registry backup method for each of its Windows OSes. |
When using Scanregw (Windows Registry Checker) to back up the Registry in Windows 98 or Windows Me, you may receive a message indicating that the Registry was already backed up. This is not an error. Windows backs up the Registry by default each time you start the computer. Click Yes to continue with the backup.
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If you use Windows XP, you can back up the Registry with help from the built-in Backup utility. (From the Start menu, click All Programs, Accessories, and System Tools.) When the Backup utility opens, choose Advanced Mode. Select the Backup Wizard (Advanced) button in the resulting dialog box. Click Next, choose the Only Back Up The System State Data option, and click Next. Follow the instructions to specify a name and location for the Registry backup file and then finish the backup. To restore the Registry backup, locate it on your system and double-click it. Follow the instructions provided by the resulting Backup Or Restore Wizard to complete the restoration.
If you use Windows 98 or Windows Me, you can back up the Registry by opening the Start menu, selecting Run, typing scanregw in the field, and clicking OK. When the Windows Registry Checker dialog box appears on-screen, verify that you want to back up the Registry and wait for the backup process to finish. The backup is stored as one of five RB0*.cab files in the WINDOWS\SYSBCKUP folder on the Windows drive (the drive on which Windows is installed). Note that this method only backs up the Registry for the current user profile.
To restore an RB0*.cab file, hold down the CTRL key while rebooting the computer (in Win98) or boot with a Startup Disk (in WinMe). When the Startup menu appears, select the Command Prompt Only option. At the command prompt, type c: and press ENTER. Next, type cd \windows\command and press ENTER again. Finally, type scanreg/restore and press ENTER a third time. Follow the on-screen instructions to select the Registry you want to restore. Reboot the computer when the restoration is complete.
Spic & Scan
When it's time to clean the Registry, you have several options to consider. The default option is to use the Registry Editor, which comes bundled with Windows. This utility provides a simple interface for viewing, editing, and deleting the hives, keys, and values that constitute the Registry. To access it, open the Start menu, click Run, type regedit in the field, and click OK.
All Windows users should acquaint themselves with the Registry because it offers a painless glimpse at the thousands of user preferences and system settings that keep a PC running the way a user wants it to run. Unfortunately, it has little else to offer. Although advanced users frequently use the point-and-click utility to modify a particular value here and there, a whole-scale Registry cleaning and optimization demands more than the Registry Editor is capable of giving.
The solution is to invest in a third-party Registry cleaning utility, such as Innovative Solutions' Innovative System Optimizer ($24; http://www.innovative-sol.com), WinGuides' Registry Mechanic ($29.95; http://www.winguides.com), AceLogix Software's Registry TuneUp ($19.95; http://www.acelogix.com), ChemTable Software's Reg Organizer ($29.95; http://www.chemtable.com), and WinASO's Registry Optimizer ($28; http://www.winaso
.com). These utilities are designed to scan the Registry in search of keys and values that refer to uninstalled applications, obsolete file extensions, and orphaned device drivers, among other things. The utilities then will present a list of their findings so that you can delete the ones you don't want. |
All it takes is a peek inside the Registry Editor to get a basic idea of how the Registry is configured. The hierarchical arrangement of hives and keys appear in the left pane; corresponding values
appear on the right.
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Registry cleaners also typically have Registry and system file backup capabilities, Registry editing capabilities similar to those that the Registry Editor provides, as well as search capabilities so you can manually remove all keys and values related to a particular app or component. In addition, many include startup management features so you can review and choose which programs load automatically each time you boot your PC.
For even better results, look for a utility that supports Registry defragging, too. Such utilities, including Systweak's Advanced Registry Optimizer ($29.50; http://www
.systweak.com) and Optimize Your PC's Registry Doctor ($29.95; http://www.optimize
yourpc.com), compress the Registry file when the cleaning is complete. The result is a compact Registry that, at least in theory, should load faster than an oversized Registry toting around a lot of empty space left over by deleted keys and values.
Proceed With Caution
Configuring the Registry remains one of the most effective ways of enhancing PC performance; it also remains one of the most dangerous. Whether you use Windows' built-in Registry Editor or a commercial utility suite, you must be extremely careful. Just as a good novel depends on the author's ability to choose the right words, a healthy system depends on your ability to configure and clean the Registry correctly. 
by Jeff Dodd
Master The System Configuration Utility
Users experiencing trouble with the boot routine can diagnose the cause of their problems with a little help from Windows' System Configuration Utility. This utility lets you review the settings and commands that load during the boot routine, identify the ones you don't need or that cause problems with your system, and then disable the undesirables. It's a built-in troubleshooting component of the latest Windows versions.
To access the utility, open the Start menu, click Run, type msconfig in the field, and click OK. The System Configuration Utility contains several tabs of settings and commands. These are the hundreds of settings and commands that Windows processes each time you boot the computer. The ones with check marks next to them will load during the boot routine.
To take advantage of the System Configuration Utility, start by focusing your attention on its General tab. This tab lets you specify the type of startup routine you want Windows to run when you boot the computer. The default option is Normal Startup. Under this option, all of the settings load as usual. The Diagnostic Startup option instructs Windows to inform you of each item it intends to load during the boot routine so that you have the option of accepting or declining it. Finally, the Selective Startup option lets you specify which settings or commands will load the next time you start the computer. You should choose the Selective Startup option if you need to troubleshoot the boot routine.
Now it's time to decide which items should load during the boot routine. Each of the options in the list corresponds to a separate tab of settings and commands in the System Configuration Utility. You should deselect one of the items in the list, click OK, and reboot the PC. If the computer continues to boot slowly or encounters the same problems you experienced previously, return to the General tab and deselect another group of settings and commands before rebooting the computer again. Repeat this process until you notice a marked improvement in the boot routine. At that point, you can deduce that the source of the trouble lies with the group of settings and commands currently disabled in the System Configuration Utility.
After narrowing the source of the problem to a particular group, choose the corresponding tab in the System Configuration Utility to start the process of identifying the particular setting or command that is causing the trouble. You may have to reboot your PC many times to zero in on the source. After you find it, disable it and close the System Configuration Utility. The setting or command will no longer load during the boot routine unless you reopen the System Configuration Utility and place a check mark next to it.
Users who want to take even more drastic action to expedite the startup routine should consider investing in a third-party startup configuration utility, such as URSoft's Startup Faster! ($29.95; http://www.pcfaster.com) or OpenSoft's Startup Mechanic (free; http://www.startupmechanic.com). These programs monitor the boot routine and remove unwanted components, including adware and obsolete programs. You may be able to get similar capabilities from other utility suites. For instance, iolo technologies' System Mechanic ($49.95; http://www.iolo.com) includes a Startup Manager component designed to optimize your boot routine. |
The Big Boys
As is often the case, you get more value for your money by investing in a suite of system optimization utilities rather than buying standalone products. Such suites not only clean and repair the Registry, but they also typically support hard drive optimization, software uninstallation, secure file removal and cleanup, and more.
System optimization suites differ from one another in both price and functionality. A typical product, such as McAfee's QuickClean ($29.99; http://www.mcafee.com), sticks to the basics described in the previous paragraph. V Communications' Fix-It Utilities ($49.99; http://www.v-com.com), on the other hand, includes an antivirus program, as well as a Registry cleaner and other utilities. And iolo technologies' System Mechanic ($49.95; http://www.iolo.com) supports anti-adware and anti-spyware capabilities in addition to its clean-and-repair capabilities.
When selecting a suite, be sure to compare its features to any system maintenance, drive optimization, or system security titles you already own. Avoid overlap between products if you can. Doing so minimizes the likelihood of conflicts and guarantees that you pay only for what you need.
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If you think of your computer as a book, then the Registry would be the dictionary that defines the words used to write it. By changing the definition of a single word, you can alter the gist of the entire book. Likewise, you can transform the functionality of an entire system merely by modifying one value in the Registry. This vast database of system settings and user preferences gives meaning to everything that takes place on-screen. 
