Will Registry Repair Software
Fix Windows Registry Problems?
Does Registry Repair Software Work?
The issue of whether Registry Repair Software (AKA Registry Cleaners) will fix windows registry problems and speed up a PC has been debated at length with some users reporting a successful registry repair and others little improvement or even that the state of their PC was made worse.
Registry Cleaners scan the Keys and Values in the registry and report (then delete) any invalid, redundant or corrupt data which may affect the operation of the PC. They may also defragment the problem registry to make it more efficient. However, there is no way to know for sure what is redundant or invalid and there is a temptation for companies to make their software more “aggressive” so that it finds more “registry problems” than its competitors. It also seems that some registry cleaners over-rate the severity of a registry problem to suggest that a registry repair is urgent.
If Registry Repair Software is too aggressive it may delete something that is needed by a program (or windows itself) thereby making the PC unstable. If it is not aggressive enough it will not clean the registry properly. Whilst most Registry Cleaners offer the user the chance to control what is deleted, in practice most users will go with the program’s suggestions. There is therefore always the risk of damage to the PC.
However, this does not mean that Registry Repair Software should be avoided. Almost all suppliers allow you to download the program and run a free scan, so you get the chance to see if it is user friendly. You can also see what it thinks of the “health” of your registry before deciding whether to use the program to fix windows registry.
The good Registry Cleaners will allow you to backup the registry and will also do this automatically before running a registry repair (i.e. before making any changes to the registry). This means that you can restore the old information if you experience problems afterwards.
Our recommendation is that it is well worth trying Registry Repair Software if you need to fix windows registry (see “What is the Windows Registry” and “Using a PC Registry Cleaner“) but you should:
- Only use a recognised product from an established vendor – these will be easy to use
- Ensure that the registry is backed up before being cleaned (the software should be able to do this) – so it can be restored if there are problems afterwards
- Look for products with a money back guarantee – so if it doesn’t work you can get your money back.
