Speed-Up Your Computer Part 2 - Cleaning the Registry

Presented by: Charlie Le Ber

Windows Registry contains info & settings for all the hardware, software and user settings. Over time it becomes full of redundant info, invalid info, and entries left by uninstalling programs. You get "Registry Bloat" and the computer wastes time getting the info it needs. With a registry cleaner you remove the bloat.

There are many programs that you can use for this job. CCleaner has an easy to use feature. Start CCleaner and click on "Registry"

Now click on "Scan for Issues" and when the scan is complete click on "Fix selected issues...". When asked "Do you want to backup changes to the registry?" click on "Yes". You may have to repeat the process to clean all the issues.

Click on "Save"

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Click on "Fix All selected Issues".

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Click on "OK".

Click on "Close".

To quit the CCleaner click on the X at the upper right of your screen.

You must re-boot to invoke the changes to the registry.

If you wish to go back because there is an unwanted change in your computer operation, click on "Start" and then click on "My Documents" and find the file you saved...looks like cc_XXXXXXXX_XXXXX.reg as in the picture above.

Right click on it and then click "Merge". After you re-boot your registry will be returned to the state before you cleaned it.

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Questions from members:

Do you recommend a "setting a new restore point" before doing C-Cleaner?

-Not with CCleaner as you can return the issues as explained above. Some Registry Cleaners do deep cleaning where you can get into trouble and making a new restore point is a good idea.

Charlie suggested you make note of the date you did registry cleaning in case something in the first week is not working correctly and you can go back to what it was.

Member had a message that the computer was running at 80%? Wondered if that was okay.

-If it refers to the amount of free space on your hard drive that is okay. You need at least 20% free space to operate Windows.

What is a URL?

-It is stands for a Uniform Resource Identifier, which is a Web address.

How frequently would you do this cleaning?

-Once a month, however, if there are only 5 or 10 issues there, don't bother to clean.

Charlie Le Ber

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