How to fix Window Registry Error (1)

How to fix Window Registry Error?

According to MSDN, “the registry is a system-defined database in which applications and system components store and retrieve configuration data. The data stored in the registry varies according to the version of Microsoft Windows. Applications use the registry API to retrieve, modify, or delete registry data.”

Now that you know what exactly a registry is on your Windows, you might not want to alter it! Perhaps the last time you computer showed up an error, it was fixed through the registry editor, just because your repairer did not see the importance of the registry. Doing this will cause your computer more danger and it does in improving your computer’s performance. But, an erroneous registry must be fixed at the right time so as to not affect the functioning of your computer.

However, the use of registry cleaners is not recommendable, unless you are completely sure that they only remove the unnecessary files from your registry. It is better to fix the registry errors yourself, manually. And further here, we shall see how that is done.

Registry – How important is it?

Related image Let us explore into the uses and functions of the registry a little deeper. The registry, a component of Microsoft Windows is a hierarchical database which stores low-level settings for your operating system. Basically, the registry contains information, settings, configurations, options, and other values for programs and hardware installed on your system.

How is this data of any importance to us? Well, when Windows starts any application or installs a new program, trouble shoots for any problems to your applications’ software; it needs to refer to the keys and values embedded in the registry at the time of installing your device drivers or software applications.

The most common errors that we face are the display of blue screen of death when the system crashes and registry start-up errors. Registry errors reduce the performance of the computer, freeze and crash the system.

Causes for a registry error:

Reasons for the registry errors can be something we do in the routine course without really knowing about it. The small mistakes we do can cause this trouble. One reason may be because you did not shutdown your computer in a proper manner the last time you used it and other system shutdown errors.

Or, it can be also caused because of some minor imperfections while a number of processes run on your PC. This can lead to orphaned entries, i.e., the left over information after you have uninstalled an application on your system. Fragmentation may also be caused in this regard. Duplicate key entries are another issue, these are created when you upgrade or reinstall software.

Last but not the least; we have the viruses and malware that can sure be a threat as they regularly change the registry and reconfigure your boot-up options with no authorization of your operating system.

How to fix a registry error?

The best thing to do to fix the errors in your registry, you can manually modify your registry. This can assure you no harm. But be warned that there is a possibility that some problems occur after you alter the registry.

For this reason, it is better to have a secure backup for your registry. Here’s how to do it.

Open the command prompt and type ‘regedit’. Then click ‘OK’.

An easier way to accomplish the same is to search for ‘regedit’ in your computer and select it.

Then a window pops up and asks if you want to allow this app to make changes to your device. Select ‘Yes’ And you will be taken to the Windows Registry Editor:

Here place your cursor onto ‘File’ and click ‘Export’. The file will be stored by default in Documents with this extension—.reg (for Registration Files) and you can give an easily identifiable name. Or, you can give your convenient location. Make sure to select ‘All’ as the export range.

Once you are done with the backup, you can edit your registry. What exactly should you do? Well, as I have mentioned earlier, one of the main reasons is the residues of the uninstalled apps.
You can go through the registry files in the panel on your left. If you find any file that you know as unnecessary and being left behind, delete it.

You can also use the find tool to search for a particular uninstalled app’s registry entries. Use ‘Ctrl + F’ to open the find tool and type your search.

Once your search is completed, the files, if they exist, are shown.

Delete these files because the app does not exist on your system. It is the best to not let these kind of orphaned entries pile up and cause registry errors.

This kind of cleaning up your registry can be performed from time-to-time to ensure better performance of your PC as well.

If something goes wrong while editing the registry, related issues may arise. In these cases, you might want to go back to the way your PC was before. This can be done by locating the backup file initially created.

Take you cursor onto the file and right click the mouse button. Select merge option. This will import the backup file into your registry.