The Windows registry is a database file that stores software and hardware configuration settings of the system and is a core file for the operating system, without which, it wouldn’t work. More technically and in short, it is a collection of ‘keys’ and ‘values’ stored in a ‘hive’. Registry keys are similar to file folders that contain further sub-folders and values. Registry values are the actual data references.
With use, the registry gets cluttered fast and this deteriorates the system’s performance, increasing the frequency of system errors. This is called fragmentation. A skilled user can manually edit and streamline the registry by using a Windows built in program called Registry Editor (regedit). Incorrect adjustments of registry values will result in errors associated with the running of the edited application values.
The registry is prone to corruption by other factors such as malware causing system instability and possible data loss. Common registry errors might be caused by corruption to the registry by physical means, such as hard drive bad tracks located on parts of the file. Other errors are encountered during Windows start-up, with incorrectly un-installed programs leaving entries in the registry that call them up at boot time, sometimes bringing up the common ‘missing .DLL files’ dialog boxes.
Other errors are ActiveX/COM errors, again caused by invalid object entries in the registry and can cause system crashes and data loss. Less common errors refer to missing or corrupt FONT entries in the registry, usually called up by word processors. The internet is a major source of dubious applications that install on the system without warning and wreak havoc on the registry, most of these being spyware and malware. By regularly using a registry optimizing program, the risk of losing valuable information through registry corruption is greatly minimized.
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