| Very often in Windows XP, system registry errors | | | | Pressing the delete key or right-clicking entries you |
| can slow down your computer's basic functioning. | | | | know are no longer necessary will get rid of them. |
| Registry errors accumulate over time as software is | | | | This should only be done if you know specifically |
| installed on your PC, and often can exist without you | | | | which entries are causing your system to be |
| even being aware of them. Most of them are | | | | hampered; tampering with the registry without |
| harmless, but on occasion, certain malware programs | | | | knowing what you're doing can also cause system |
| can be installed in your registry and cause severe | | | | failure and should only be done with caution. |
| system failure and even a full crash. | | | | The safest way to clean your system registry is to |
| The best way to prevent registry problems is to get | | | | find a good program that will do the work for you |
| a good malware and virus protection program. | | | | and prevent further registry errors. Many of the |
| However, if you find that you do have registry | | | | current registry cleaning software programs out |
| problems, there are a few ways to get started | | | | there actually take steps to back up and clean all |
| cleaning them. | | | | registry errors from your computer, and sometimes |
| The first step: Select Start from your taskbar. | | | | even have virus protection or other preventative |
| Then, click Run. | | | | options. |
| Second: Type in regedit in the Run box. Press enter. | | | | Whatever you choose, before you clean your |
| This will bring up your system registry. Here you | | | | system registry, do make sure you make a backup |
| can edit it manually and see each individual entry. | | | | of it. If for some reason you edit an entry |
| Pressing the small plus sign that looks like (+) beside | | | | incorrectly, you can at least resort to the backup to |
| each entry will pull up more options. | | | | restore all your previous registry settings. |