As a brief introduction to Win32, you need to know that Win32 is the 32-bit API for all modern Windows versions. The Windows API, in turn, is the name that Microsoft has given to the core set of Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) available in the Microsoft Windows operating systems. In short, Windows API is the set of interfaces on which depends the smooth operating of your PC. With apologies for the brevity of our explanation, we want to keep things simple and cut to the heart of the matter.

The API consists of functions implemented in system DLLs. So the moment you see a DLL file, leave it alone. Chris Sanderson, who runs offline tutorial classes for novice programmers in Detroit, says DLL files mystify most people because they seem to be doing nothing while occupying an awful lot of space on the hard drive. “It is not unusual for users to think that maybe they can free up some space on their hard drives by deleting some of these useless DLL files,” he laughs, and then adds, in capital letters, “DO NOT DO IT.”

The thing about DLL files is that if you tinker around with them too much they might get damaged or cause broken links, which will immediately give you a Win32 error. And you will sometimes create useless DL files without knowing it. “Say you downloaded an application that came with a set of DLL files, and then downloaded another application that used the same set of DLL files,” says Chris. “You the uninstall one of the applications and the DLL files along with it, leaving the other application that was using the files high and dry. What you now get is an application without the requisite DLL files, which will cause the system to generate Win32 errors.”

Complicated? Not really, because you have an easy way out of the problem. Clean your Windows Registry. Before you can vouchsafe your ignorance of the Registry, we’ll tell you what it is. The Windows Registry is a vast internal database that stores every bit of data pertaining to your operating system. Therefore, no matter what changes you make to the system, such as installing or uninstalling an application, you are affecting Windows Registry because it records these changes. Naturally, unless you keep the Registry clean and error-free, you will not have a properly functioning PC.

Equally naturally, the presence of obsolete or damaged DLL files, caused by the improper installing or uninstalling of a program or application, will bloat or corrupt your Windows Registry, which will result in Win32 error messages, and hamper the functioning of your computer. And we are talking almighty system crashes here, not to mention infuriating system slowdowns.

Windows Registry cleaners are widely available on the Internet, and are free of cost too, so you have no problems downloading them. However, make sure you get your copy from a trusted source (ask friends and relatives, because word of mouth is always a reliable indicator) and save a backup of the Registry in case it is damaged during the cleaning process. Whatever you do, remember, a clean and error-free Registry is the best way to combat Win32 errors.

We recommend RegCure (direct download link) as the premiere registry cleaner and Windows error repair tool.