If you do a little research on the Internet, you’ll find a cavernous divide among PC experts about the value of registry cleaners. I happen to think they have some value; many technicians do not, in part, I suspect because they have other tools and methods they can use to resurrect a dead, dying or stubborn PC.

Most ordinary users don’t, so their option – sad as it is to say – is to take their PC to a technician for help, sometimes paying a lot of money in the process. Registry cleaners vary in ability and worth, but I’ve always liked, used and recommended RegCure.

Improve Windows Performance

There are other things you can do to keep your PC working well and combat the inevitable slowdown that makes you think your PC is slogging through sludge. If you’re in the mood to do a little spring cleaning on your PC, you may find that your performance improves with a little tidying up.

First, go through your file system and throw out the files you no longer use. This includes temporary files (just empty these… don’t throw out the folder they’re in), old applications you don’t use anymore, etc. If you’re adventurous, try paring down your operating system to eliminate things you don’t use like foreign language support, thousands of fonts, programs that start automatically when the computer is turned on, etc.

If you can’t bear to get rid of old files, archive them and burn them off to a CD. If, after six months or a year, you still don’t use them, then you can feel better about throwing them away.

The big reason for reducing your file system size is that the bigger the file system, the more work your OS has to do to manage it, and the more likely you are to accumulate corrupted files that slow down your computer for no good reason.

After you’ve reduced your file system, defragment your hard disk using the Defragmenter Tool that comes with Windows. That will tidy up your disk and improve performance measurably. Plan to defrag your disk about two or three times per year.

Make sure your anti-virus (A/V) and anti-spyware (A/S) programs are up-to-date. Don’t assume that they are. Check for updates. If your subscription has expired, renew it and keep your virus descriptions updated. Once you have updated A/V software, check your disk for infections. Clean up anything you find.

After the A/V check, run Check Disk, a disk repair tool that comes with Windows. Also run a registry cleaner like RegCure to reduce your registry size and remove any residual virus code.

If you perform this maintenance regularly, you’ll notice improved performance in your PC, and better overall reliability.

Photo Credit: Dale Chumbley

If you’ve noticed that your computer is freezing, crashing or just plain slowing down, there are several things you can do to make sure your computer stays in good working order.

Preventing Problems Is Easier Than Fixing Them

First and foremost, you need virus protection for your computer. Most computers – upwards of 90% of new computers today – work on the Windows platform. Keeping a good anti-virus program on your computer is a must. Don’t assume that your computer is protected because your computer was shipped with an anti-virus program.

Anti-virus program need to be updated regularly. Computers used in offices and in workplaces are updated daily. That’s a great lesson for you to take away. Configure your anti-virus program to download updates regularly. Also configure your AV software to run each time you start the computer. Most AV programs are subscription-based, so you’ll pay a periodic fee for updates. They’re worth it. Don’t try to save money by letting your AV program go. You’ll soon end up with a non-working computer.

Along with AV programs, you’ll want to run at least one anti-spyware program. (And no, AV and anti-spyware programs aren’t the same thing, though you may find utilities that do both.) Keep your anti-spyware program(s) up to date, just like your AV software. Make sure these run when you turn the computer on, and look for an anti-spyware package that can detect spyware on-the-fly.

Periodically – as in at least once each quarter – run Scandisk. It comes as part of the operating system and will seek out problems with your hard disk and file structure. There’s no need to run this daily or even weekly, but you should run this utility at least four times each year, and more if you do a lot of downloading or file creation and deletion. Scandisk is in your Accessories/System Tools folder. You’ll need to exit every program before running it.

Defragment your hard disk at least once per quarter. You could combine this maintenance with Scandisk. If you decide to do that, run Scandisk first and then defragment your disk afterward. “Defragging” takes a long time. (This is a good overnight task, or one that can run while you’re out of the house for the day.) Disk Defragmenter is also included with your operating system, and is found in the Accessories/System Tools folder.

If you don’t turn off your computer very often, at least reboot it once in awhile. Rebooting will clear out any temporary gremlins that have taken up residence in your computer and will kill temporary, “zombie” and “orphan” files and processes that may be slowing your computer down. Think of it as the functional equivalent of letting your computer take a shower!