Windows has used the registry “file” since the concept of the registry was introduced in Windows 95. The registry is unlikely to go away anytime soon, but it’s conceivable that a complete redesign of Windows may opt to use a different approach to storing and retrieving the information in the registry.

What Is The Registry?

The registry isn’t actually a file, although it started out that way (actually as four files) in its early days. It’s a database of files and information that the computer uses to interact with virtually every application, device and component of the operating system. The registry stores configuration information, application information, device information and much more. The registry can span literally millions of lines of computer code and isn’t readily readable by man or beast.

The big benefit of the registry is that it provides a central place for programs and devices to store required information. Centralizing this information means that it can be managed and optimized, something that wasn’t possible with the herd of .ini files that the registry has replaced.

It is possible to change the registry but a little snip here and a tuck there isn’t recommended. Often, when changes to the code are required, the old code is simply “commented out” or abandoned and replacement code is added. When applications are added to the computer, the registry often gets some new entries. When programs are removed, the removal is supposed to eliminate the unnecessary code, but that doesn’t always (often?) happen.

Microsoft provides tools with which to edit the registry, but that’s not a step to be taken lightly, since changes to the registry are immediate and there’s nothing to prevent a bad change from being accepted into the registry.

Then how do you get rid of the lines of useless code in your registry that build up? I always recommend that users include a trusted registry cleaner like RegCure in their maintenance plans. RegCure has been around for a long time and is one of the best registry cleaners on the market today. I like RegCure because it backs up the registry completely before it makes a single change. If you don’t like the results of the cleaning operation, you can revert to the old registry at the touch of a button.
I recommend and use RegCure regularly. When I Introduce a new user to the product, they’re often surprised by how much faster their computer works after their registry has been cleaned.

Try it! You’ll like it!

Photo Credit: Louise Docker, via Flickr