The Windows Registry is a hierarchical database that stores configuration settings and options on Microsoft Windows operating systems. It contains settings for low-level operating system components as well as the applications running on the platform: the kernel, device drivers, services, SAM, user interface and third party applications all make use of the registry. The registry also provides a means to access counters for profiling system performance. It’s essentially a database on your laptop that stores information about every last aspect of your system, from what software is installed, to what settings to apply when Windows starts. It also stores information such as
passwords, the drivers required by your hardware devices, serial numbers and so on.
This article will help you to understand how important it is to clean up your system registry to better your system speed and performance.
Every time you add a new piece of hardware or install a new software application, entries are written into the Registry. In some cases, hundreds of new entries can be added, and so the more hardware and software you add, the larger the Registry gets.
While most software is well written and includes an uninstaller, this is not always the case, and it is not uncommon for programs to leave behind all their Registry entries, even when the program is uninstalled using the supplied uninstaller.
All these old entries will cause the Registry to bloat, slowing your system down, and it will become necessary to remove them. While it’s possible to remove Registry entries manually, it’s advisable to use a program such as CCleaner or Uniblue RegistryBooster, as it will let you scan for old or broken Registry entries and then back up your Registry before removing them