If you've been thinking about getting a registry cleaner for your computer, you've probably noticed that there are dozens to choose from. Any search on Google for the term "registry cleaner" will produce pages and pages of results giving you more options than you can handle. So how do you choose one that offers the best result at the best value? The best registry cleaners out there are the ones that offer the same three things in addition to cleaning up your Windows registry- a free scan before you buy, a back-up of your current registry before your change anything, and a Windows start up manager. If you buy a registry cleaner with those three features, you'll be delighted with your purchase.
Many programs you'll come across will offer a free scan of your Windows registry. The free scan allows you to download a demo version of the software that will run the first step of the registry cleaning process- the scan. You'll often find that your PC has several hundred errors on it! It's most important to get the free scan so that you can not only how many errors there are, but also to get a feel for this particular program. You want to make sure that the program is going to be easy to use and understand.
The most important feature of a registry cleaning program is the back-up. This allows you to make a copy of your entire Windows registry with the push of a button. This is vitally important should something go wrong in the cleaning process. If a problem occurs, and you're worse off than when you started, you can simply restore everything to the way it was. This will buy you some time to approach the problem differently, or to call in a professional.
An added bonus in many available registry cleaners is an application that allows you some control over how Windows starts up. If there's a particular program that loads during start up that is causing a problem, this tool will allow you to block that program from loading automatically. This way, Windows can start up smoothly, and you can remove or repair the program causing the problem. It's a nice bonus feature and can really come in handy.
Those are the main things to look for when shopping for a registry cleaner. If the one you're looking at doesn't offer a free scan or a back-up utility, don't buy it! The start up manager is a value add to help you get a little more bang for your buck. Find all three in one program, and you've found yourself a registry cleaner worth purchasing.
By: Chris Wight