If your PC is running extremely slowly, if you are experiencing frequent system crashes and error messages, and if you are generally dissatisfied with the running of your PC, it is not time to call in the system analysts. It is merely time to repair Windows Registry.

Don’t know what that means? Allow us to explain.

The Windows Registry is a huge internal database in which all programs that you use, including Windows itself, store an enormous volume of data. Basically, Windows Registry represents your PC’s unique configuration. So whenever you make a change to the Control Panel settings, or install new software or new drives, these changes reflect in the Registry. In effect, Windows Registry controls the way your system behaves, and unless you keep the Registry clean and error-free, you will not have a smooth system.

Take the instance of an uninstalled program. You may think that it is enough for you to go to Add/Remove Programs from Control Panel and uninstall the program, but the reality is sadly more complicated. In most cases, the uninstalled program will leave traces all over the Windows Registry, so that the performance of your PC is seriously compromised owing to missing files and non-existent links.

It is these unused and unusable bits and pieces scattered all over your Windows Registry that cause your PC to malfunction and crash repeatedly. Therefore, it is essential that you repair your Windows Registry at least once very six months in order for your PC to run at optimum efficiency.

Most Windows Registry repair software helps you track damages to your Registry and provides a list of these, with options to view details. The software also scans Windows Registry for outdated or unusable information that is clogging your system. Naturally, getting rid of such unwanted information stabilizes your system and helps your PC run faster.

While the average Windows Registry repair tool can be downloaded at a ballpark price of around US$ 30, most brands offer free trials, which are usually enough to fix Registry errors for the average PC user. What’s more, using the Windows Registry repair tool is simple because it’s extremely user-friendly. However, be a little picky when it comes to choosing which Windows Registry repair tool you wish to use, because not all tools offer equal facilities.

At the very least, you should make sure that the tool you choose offers backup facilities for the Registry because if anything goes wrong during Windows Registry repair, you have the option to restore the Registry to the state it was in before you began the repair job. Once this is ensured, you have absolutely no problems in repairing Windows Registry to make your PC safe, fast and error-free.

What causes Windows Registry to go corrupt? No, that’s the wrong question with which to start. The question should be, why is Windows Registry so important for the smooth operation of your system? The answer is, because Windows Registry is quite literally the life and soul of your PC. In basic non-techno speak, Windows Registry is a vast internal database in which all programs on your computer, including Windows itself, store an enormous volume of data. So if it goes corrupt (gets all “garbled,” in other words), you must repair Windows Registry immediately. The life of your PC absolutely depends on it!

Essentially, Windows Registry represents your PC’s unique configuration. So whenever you make a change to the Control Panel settings, file associations, system policies, or installed software, the changes are reflected in the Registry. In effect, Windows Registry monitors the way your entire system behaves, and unless you keep this Registry clean and error-free, you will not enjoy the satisfaction of a smoothly running and fast PC.

How does your Windows Registry go corrupt? Well, every time you install or uninstall a program, you may think you have performed every necessary action in order to complete the installing or uninstalling properly, but the truth can be different. In many cases, such programs leave traces and missing links all over the Windows Registry, even when uninstalled, so that the performance of your PC is hampered.

It is at such times that a Windows Registry repair tool can come as a godsend for the average PC user. The tool is all the more important because none of the versions of Windows come with a built-in Windows Registry repair tool. For advanced users, running regedit.exe is an option, but this is not for the average user, because it does not indicate missing programs or non-existent links in a comprehensible manner, so unless you are a technical person, you may find running regedit.exe next impossible.

The best option, therefore, is to download a Registry scanner (AKA, cleaner, repair tool, etc.) plenty of which is easily and freely (which is very important!) available on the Internet. No matter what anti-spyware software you have installed, the best spyware may be unable remove errors in the Registry. However, what anti-spyware software can do is to scan and detect Windows Registry errors, and you can then rectify these using Windows Registry repair.

Note: we recommend RegCure as the premere Registry repair tool and scanner. You can download it here (direct download link).

Plenty of users do not realize that what they perceive as a system error (say a blue screen or frequent error messages or a tremendously slow PC) may actually be attributable to a corrupt Windows Registry. So instead of spending an obscene amount of money to hire system analysts to repair your PC, you can simply download user-friendly and state of the art Windows Registry repair software and have your PC up and running again in no time. You know what? The system repair guy that you call in is also likely to use the same software. That’s good for a laugh, right?

The Windows Registry is such an important part of your PC that any problems with it will affect the way you run your entire system. I once read somewhere that experts call the Windows Registry “the heart, brain, mind, or even the soul of Windows. So you will appreciate that the registry is absolutely crucial to the operation of any Windows machine, because a messed up or bloated Registry will lead to a non-functioning computer, no two ways about it. And that is why cleaning Windows Registry is so important, as this do-it-yourself article will discuss.

Why is Windows Registry so important? Well, because it contains information relevant to hardware components, OS parameters, services, protocols, application data, and more. That would seem a lot of cleaning up to do, but the good news is that there are free, and low-priced Windows Registry cleaning tools on the Internet that are user-friendly and effective.

Most of these tools identify and remove unused shortcuts, pointers to non-existent files, and links to missing programs that have not been properly installed or uninstalled. And that is usually sufficient for the ordinary user. For advanced users, there’s always regedit.exe, but that’s another story and not for the faint of heart!

It is recommended that you perform Windows Registry cleaning at least once a month. However, if you regularly install and uninstall software or hardware, you need more frequent clean-ups, because incorrect installing or uninstalling is the prime cause of a bloated Windows Registry. However, be careful to take a backup of the entire Registry before you commence cleaning it, because if you mess up the Windows Registry cleaning, you could make your entire system inoperable. Thankfully, most Windows Registry cleaning tools include built-in backup facilities.

So here’s our do-it-yourself guide to Windows Registry cleaning in a few basic steps:

When the Registry scan is complete, the report page that appears as soon as the scan began is automatically updated. Each Registry item is listed with an option to view details.

Once you ask the tool to fix the problem, it will do so and inform you, but scan the Registry again once the unnecessary items have been deleted.

Uninstall the Registry Cleaner tool.

The entire process of Windows Registry cleaning takes about 10 minutes (could be a litle more or less depending on your computer’s speed and how large your registry has grown), but that’s a small price to pay for a clean, fast PC, don’t you think?

One of the commonest (and perhaps strangest) reactions people have to their computers throwing up random runtime errors is to feel guilty about it. Perhaps they feel it is somehow their fault that they should have been more careful about what they did.

This stems from most people’s fundamental lack of understanding and deep mistrust of computers. It’s an alien system to them, and the feelings of fear and suspicion they have towards it are easily translated into guilt.

Most commonly, this kind of reaction will be brought on by Windows runtime errors, because they are the most commonly encountered types of error on a Windows machine.

You’re happily chatting away to your girlfriend when suddenly the chat program quits in mid-sentence, and you’re shown a nondescript box which says a runtime error has occurred. Good for the Redmond guys that they bothered to provide an explanation, but the fact remains that your girlfriend will probably be mad at you for being so inept with everything.

So the next time she shouts at you, you tell her it wasn’t your fault after all, because Windows runtime errors can happen for a number of reasons, most of them independent of any action by the user.

Very often, Windows runtime errors are the result of the lack of memory, also known as RAM. With computer programs getting heavier and more complex by the day, RAM is something of which you can never have enough nowadays. It seems like only yesterday when state-of-the-art advanced computers used to come fitted with 64 Megs of RAM. Compare that with the minimum memory requirement of Windows Vista, which was released recently: 1 GB to run at all, 2 gigs or more to perform well. Which is like 32 times what we used to have on formidable hardware a few years ago.

It so happens that when the amount of RAM on your machine isn’t adequate for everything you’re running at once, your machine may throw a fault. It shouldn’t, and it’s probably an indication that the particular program and the OS aren’t as bug-free as you should like, but then that’s life. Do what you can – add more RAM to cover up for someone else’s fault. At least it will keep your girlfriend calm.

Also, try to identify which programs are the most prone to this throwing up this kind of Windows runtime error. Most programs have at least one or two good alternatives, so try them out to see if you can do without the buggy software.

Sometimes Windows runtime errors are the result of some kind of glitch in the Windows registry. Use something like RegClean or RegCure (direct download link) to detect and (hopefully) solve such problems.

If all else fails, do what every veteran Windows user knows they should have to do every few months – reinstall Windows and all programs from scratch. That’ll take care of the accumulated viruses, and also give you an excuse not to chat with your girlfriend for a couple of days at least.

Every PC user has, at some point or the other, faced the problem of Windows error messages popping up repeatedly, causing programs not to respond and the PC to slow down or freeze. The problem most often develops when you have either installed or uninstalled a program or hardware, because in either case, changes occur in your Windows Registry that may not always be accurately reflected, thus creating numerous unused applications, incomplete commands, and broken drives.

In very basic terms, the Windows Registry is a vast internal database in which all programs that you use, including Windows itself, store an enormous volume of data. Essentially, it represents your PC’s unique configuration. So whenever you make a change to the Control Panel settings, file associations, system policies, or installed software, the changes are reflected in the Registry. In effect, Windows Registry monitors the way your entire system behaves, and unless you keep this Registry clean and error-free, you will not get away from Windows error messages.

Every time you uninstall a program, for example, you may think you are done with it and it has disappeared from your life for good, but the truth can be different. In many cases, such programs leave traces all over the Windows Registry, even when uninstalled, so that the performance of your PC is hampered.

How is that? Well, when you first buy your PC, you have a fast, clean and efficient system to work with. But, and this is particularly true of those with regular Internet access, constant installing and uninstalling of programs and the bombardment from spy ware and ad ware on the web causes your Windows Registry to grow bloated and corrupt, which makes Windows Error messages appear and your system to eventually crash.

It is pretty obvious, then, that without a clean and efficient Registry, your Windows operating system is vulnerable to corruption and crashing. Therefore, you need to take corrective measures to optimize the performance of your PC by cleaning your Windows Registry. The only problem: none of the versions of Windows has a built-in Registry cleaner tool.

So this is where the Registry Cleaner Software comes in. Use it, and your life is made immeasurably simpler.

Of course, there is a manual way of cleaning your Registry using Regedit, but we would recommend that only to the pros. This is because only a technologically proficient person can manually edit the Registry. It is a delicate and time-consuming process, and amateurs run the risk of permanently damaging their systems by trying to manually clean their Windows Registry.

So manual Registry cleaning is out. The best option here is to use the Registry Cleaner Software. But even here, you need to choose software that comes from a reputable source, because there are numerous registry cleaner software programs on the market, but not all of them can clean your registry safely and completely. We recommend Regcure (direct download link) for safely and effectively cleaning and repairing registry problems.

The most important task of a Registry cleaner is to scan such problems as invalid paths, file types, fonts, DLLs, and class keys, and to store them in a place where they are easy to access. In addition, it will also backup the current Registry and set a restore point before any change is made to it. Because it is easy to use, Windows Registry cleaner software ensures maximum gain for minimum pain!

Plenty of people complain that they come up against the implacable wall of error messages when surfing the Net. However, most surfers assume that these error messages are attributable to the concerned website rather than their own computers. As this article tells you, that is not always so. In other words, the error message could be reflecting a fault with your own server or PC, therefore, you need to know exactly what a particular error message means before you can work on fixing it. Indeed, you need to know whether it can be fixed at that point of time at ll!

Error: 404; File Not Found

While this is the commonest error message on the Internet, it is unfortunately the one you are least likely o fix. This message usually means that the web server cannot find the file or web page that you are trying to load in your browser. And you can do almost nothing about the problem other than clicking your browser’s “Refresh” button to see if the page will load. If it does not, try mailing the website operator about the problem and move to other sites.

Error: 500; Internal Error

Once again, this is an error message that you can do practically nothing about. The message is usually displayed when you fill in the fields of a form on a page (such as a feedback form) and click the submit button, and it means that the server or the script that is handling the form on the server has a problem. So no matter how many times you submit the form, the result will be the same. Frustrating, but that’s life!

Error: 408; Request Timeout

This is a pretty self-explanatory error message and it usually comes up when you are trying to download some seriously huge file and the connection to the Internet times out. Thankfully, the solution is relatively easy: hit the “Refresh” button and the download should resume from where it stopped. If it doesn’t, you could either inform the website owner of the problem or try downloading again a little later.

Error: Host Unavailable

This, friend, is a serious problem. In 9 cases out of 10, this means that the server tat you are trying to access is down. So no matter how many times you refresh the page, the result is unlikely to be any different. If you are lucky, you may be successful a little later because there’s always the possibility that the first time round, the owner had been restarting the server or had disconnected it from the web. However, this is really an outside chance, and you can’t bet on it. So your best bet is to come back the next day, because you can’t even mail the website owner!

Error: Unable to Locate Host

Once again, this error message could mean that the server is down. However, it could also mean that your Internet connection is dead, or that you keyed in the wrong web address. To take the easiest route first, retype the web address. If that fails, check to see if you are connected to the web. If you are, disconnect and restart your PC. And if that fails as well, come back the next day! Of course, if it is imperative that you view that particular web page now, you could try phoning the website owner if you can.

When it comes to optimizing your PC’s performance, using a performance optimizer is a sensible option, provided you know which performance optimizer to choose. There are literally hundreds of these utilities on the market and so making a choice often proves difficult. Therefore, here are the basics that you need to know.

Defining a Performance Optimizer

Essentially, a performance optimizer is a software tool that automatically optimizes your PC and maximizes performance. Therefore, it enables your PC to operate on peak performance all the time. At the basic level, a PC performance optimizer monitors all your system resources, including hardware and system settings. If it comes across too many system resources occupied unnecessarily, it will urge you to take quick action. Therefore, you are at lower risk of system freezes and crashes.

How does a performance optimizer work?

A performance optimizer inspects your hardware and frees up resources, as well as removes system hogs that slow down your PC. Because it monitors your CPU, it knows how your CPU is processing information for all its tasks, and so it works out the best configuration to make the most of your PC. It will additionally figure out whether the tasks being performed by the CPU are linked to legitimate programs. Say your CPU is handling spy ware, of which you have no knowledge. A performance optimizer will spot the threat to your PC and enable you to automatically scan your system to remove it. And some will look for traces of uninstalled programs and ask you to remove them to make your PC cleaner and faster.

Similarly, a performance optimizer maximizes memory by working out the RAM vs virtual memory situation of your PC. By maximizing RAM, a performance optimizer helps your computer avoid the virtual memory trap and actually minimizes the size of your virtual memory file. Many performance optimizers also issue warning messages when memory usage reaches a critical level. Some will actually enable you to assign more CPU resources to a particular application, e.g. a DVD.

Choosing a performance optimizer

Make sure that the performance optimizer that you choose will monitor your CPU, memory and hard drive usage to avoid slowdowns and crashes. As discussed above, the utility must also optimize your RAM and minimize page file (virtual) memory and warn you if you are running out of resources. And it must ensure that harmful or irritating processes such as spy ware, ad ware, and viruses do not slow down your PC.

If possible, read up on a few reputable brands and see what other users have to say about them. Subscribe to a few newsletters and obtain all the information you can about your particular problem, and concentrate on only those performance-optimizing utilities that seem capable of multi-tasking, rather than buying software that addresses only a single problem.

Operating a PC is of no use unless you can optimize its performance. Therefore, a performance optimizer is a good investment that promises sure returns.

One of the most dreaded sites a Windows user will see is the infamous “Blue Screen of Death.” At one time or another seeing a blue screen error is just part of using Windows, however, repeated errors are a sign of some underlying trouble.

Blue Screens, What are they?

Screenshot of blue screen error on Windows XP.

Bluescreen errors are also known as Windows stop errors. In simple terms, it means that Windows encountered an error or situation that it could not recover from. The operating system halts and displays the eye-catching blue screen error. This is also commonly known as a computer crash. Sometimes simply rebooting your PC will allow you to keep working … but again, frequent Windows errors should be viewed as an indication of deeper issues.

Why do BSoDs Occur?

Many things may cause a Windows stop error, but here are some of the most common causes:

• Software errors – software or device drivers may become corrupted and cause a stop error.
• Hardware errors – if a piece of hardware has failed, is malfunctioning or is removed during Windows operation, a stop error may be generated.
• Startup errors – or errors during Windows startup may be caused by corrupted system files and drivers and also by hardware problems.
• Random or intermittent errors – usually caused by failing system memory and/or problems in the Windows registry.

Now that we’ve identified the main culprits, let’s talk about what you should do after a PC crash.

Troubleshooting PC Crashes

Many times after a computer crash, you’re PC will boot into “safe mode” which is a troubleshooting version of Windows (only the most essential drivers and software are loaded). While in safe mode, run both a virus and spyware scan. Sometimes problems are revealed while in safe mode that can otherwise avoid detection. This is because during normal operation certain files are in use and cannot be properly scanned. If anything is found and removed – this may be cause of your system crashes.

Next run a Windows Update, this will look for any known software updates that your PC requires.

If the stop errors are occurring during Windows startup, this may indicate problems with your hard drive. Run the check disk utility that comes with Windows. This will scan and attempt to repair any problems on your hard disk.

To check your system’s memory, download and run Windows Memory Diagnostic tool. This will scan and report on the condition of your system’s memory.

An Overlooked Cause of Blue Screen of Death Errors

If the PC crashes continue, try running a registry cleaning utility like Regcure (direct download link). Since Windows and every program on your computer uses the Windows registry, problems here can manifest themselves through PC freezes and crashes and overall slowness. A good registry cleaner will scan your registry looking for things like data corruption, broken references and unneeded entries that slow your overall PC’s performance.

We only touched on the main causes of PC crashes, there are certainly others. Hopefully you found this information helpful.

Most of us happily use the Internet to check email, surf to out favorite web sites, chat with friends, etc. All the while, we’re blissfully unaware of the underlying technologies that make all of this possible. We’re unaware, that is, until something breaks down and now we’re forced to see disconcerting error messages. One such technology is ActiveX, and if you use your PC for any length of time, it’s not so uncommon to see errors related to ActiveX. What causes these, and more importantly, how do you fix them?

ActiveX Background

Microsoft incorporated ActiveX controls into their popular Internet Explorer browsers to facilitate applet-like functionality. Applet simply means that one program is running within the context of another program, in this case, your web browser. A very common example of an ActiveX control would be a browser plug-in.

As an aside, while ActiveX controls are not inherently unsafe, much attention has been paid to them due to the misuse of these controls by hackers to create malicious threats like malware, viruses and spyware. All in all, while there is the potential for misuse, ActiveX is a useful technology that’s greatly added to what you can do on the web.

ActiveX and CLASSID

Every time a new ActiveX control is loaded its Class ID (unique identifier) is stored in the CLASSID section of the Windows registry. This is how your PC keeps tract of which ActiveX controls are installed, and which ones need to be downloaded. Again, usually this all happens in the background and you don’t need to know much about it. The important tidbit here is that ActiveX information is stored in the Windows registry. In case you’re unfamiliar with the registry, it’s the central configuration database used by Windows and the software on your PC. Now that we have this little bit of framework, let’s move to the important topic – how to fix ActiveX errors on your PC.

Fixing ActiveX Errors

ActiveX errors may be caused by a number of problems, but a very common and often overlooked source is the Windows registry. So, how can you fix them?

Well, more than likely, all that is required is a registry cleaning. There are many good programs available, our favorite is RegCure. Once you download the cleaner, simply run a scan. The scan will look for any abnormalities in your registry – things like corrupted data and broken registry links. Usually all it will take is one scan to fix most ActiveX errors. The benefits don’t stop there. In addition to fixing any registry errors, the scan will look for and remove unneeded entries in your registry. Your registry grows in size and you install software. Many times simply removing the program, will not remove all of the program’s entries in your registry. Getting rid of unneeded entries will greatly increase the speed and performance of your PC.

Download RegCure and fix ActiveX errors.

It has become an item of common knowledge that you shouldn’t take your Windows system online without first putting it under heavy protection. Research results show that an unprotected Windows XP SP2 system will get infected with worms and other malware within a few seconds of connecting to the Internet. Yes, it’s that bad.

A further piece of bad news is that all the latest firewalls, antivirus programs and other protective measures cannot guarantee your total immunity from infection. Near-total immunity is not possible until you are ready to give up the familiar comforts of Windows and embrace the obscure charms of Linux. And while you’re mulling over the implications of that, sundry programs will continue to infiltrate your PC every now and then, with harmful intent. If you’re experiencing frequent glitches, errors, crashes and freeze-ups on your Windows system, you have probably become infected. What should you do about these?

The first step is, of course, to identify what’s good and what’s not.

Many infecting programs run as processes on your Windows system. The problem is, there are so many legitimate processes running at the same time on a normal system, that it’s well nigh impossible to determine what’s good and what’s bad, unless you have a very good idea about Windows internals. But fear not – there are tools to help you.

One of the best tools for this sort of work, called Process Explorer, can be downloaded for free from here.

Unzip, extract and double-click on the executable to run it.

In the window that opens, right-click on any one of the columns and check if all the column names are switched on. If not, switch them on. You shall need all the information you can have, in order to diagnose the problem. Also switch on the option for displaying the DLL path and the lower pane.

Now you can see all the processes currently active on your system, and also the name of the company that made it (don’t expect that to reveal much), the place on your hard drive where the program lives, the DLLs it uses (in the lower pane; you switched that on, didn’t you?) and so forth. You’re now equipped to judge which processes may be harmful for you.

One way to earmark rogue processes is by their location. No self-respecting bona fide executable lives in the C:\Windows\Temp folder; that is only for temporary files, and for fly-by-night programs that wouldn’t dare to show their black faces in broad daylight, in a more prominent location! So as soon as you see a process that was launched by a program that resides in the Temp folder, in your mind put the mark of death on it, so to speak. Same goes for any process that uses a DLL from the Temp folder. That was one of the easiest checks for malignant processes, using this powerful system tool. As with riding a bicycle, the best way to learn more advanced techniques is to stumble an fall a few times. So keep using it, and try to avoid killing any process that you aren’t sure about. You’ll blow it a few times and perhaps even crash Windows temporarily, but unless it’s a production system, that won’t do any harm. Keep getting up on the seat till you’ve become a power user.