Registry Corruption - The Causes and Effects of Corrupt Registry Files

A Windows operating system's registry files are· Computers and internet connections are
data base type entries which are central to themuch faster these days, so registry corruption will
operating system's ability to perform itsaccumulate much faster.
instructions. Simply put, a Windows OS would doConsider this about the last point. Computers
nothing if its registry were missing! A registry, likethemselves are 10 to 30 times faster than those
any Windows file structure, is constructed inof 6 to 7 years ago and internet connections are
hierarchal form. In other words, there are a fewas much as 3,000 times faster than they were
big folders with many folders and files containedjust a few years ago. This much information flow
within them. The main folders are called hives.tends to build corruption in the registry at a rapid
Each hive has its main point of interest. Forpace.
instance, there is one hive that contains all theThe Negative Consequences of Registry
information about the current user of theCorruption
computer, one that contains information about allRegistry corruption will make a computer slow
the computer's users and one that contains all theafter a significant amount of it accumulates.
information pertinent to the computer theSometimes the computer can become very slow
operating system is installed on.due to corruption. Stalls, freezes, errors and
5 Registry Hivescrashes also can be attributed to corrupted
In all, there are 5 registry hives in Windows 2000,registry files.
XP, Vista and Windows 7. Windows ME and earlierThe good news is corrupt registry files can be
operating systems were constructed of 6 hives.repaired by using a registry cleaner. Cleaning the
For several reasons corruption has become aregistry will, most times completely restore a
major issue for the registries of Windows XP andcomputer's lost speed and stop all the crashes,
Vista. Probably, it will remain a mortal enemy offreezes, errors and stalls that are associated with
Windows 7 as well. Some of the reasons registryit. Also, many registry cleaners include registry
corruption has become a big concern in theoptimizing software as part of their programs.
registries of these newer operating systems are:Optimizing an operating system's registry can
· Bigger operating systems accommodateincrease the computer's speed even more than
bigger software programs and the bigger thesimply cleaning it will.
program is the more corruption it will leave behindThe bottom line is; as horrible as the effects of
when it is changed, removed and upgraded.this ubiquitous registry corruption is, it no longer
· The OS itself is composed of muchholds any special power over our computers
larger registries than their previous counterpartsbecause of the introduction of registry cleaning
and so there are many more areas for corruptionsoftware.
to infect than there used to be.