Windows Registry is your PC’s memory bank where it records virtually everything you do on your system. It is exactly what the name suggests: a registry. Whether it’s information about the dozens of video files you moved a few weeks ago, or the latest program you installed, everything is documented in this database, including all the settings and preferences specific to your machine. So it’s natural caution that drives people not to mess with it.

However, Windows isn’t as good at cleaning the registry as it is at cluttering it up. Over time, it invariably becomes bloated and slows down your computer, and no one likes that. So if you want to clean the registry and speed up your computer a bit, you need to know what you’re doing and how to do it.

A bloated registry can be the cause of a number of registry errors. For example, it is not uncommon for entries to remain in the registry for uninstalled programs and software. When you reinstall or upgrade programs, the registry acquires duplicate keys. Over time, you end up with hundreds of entries just sitting around as orphans for no good reason other than Windows’ inability to clean itself up.

There is also a registry record kept for system shutdowns. And if the system crashes or shuts down abruptly, it can disrupt these records and cause a problem (remember BSOD?). Moreover, registry entries are also attacked by malware infections that can modify the keys and cause serious problems. If these things are left unattended, you may end up with a system that is on the verge of giving up.