In previous articles, we've looked at how the registry works along with the issues that can arise when it becomes corrupt. Although manual troubleshooting can be effective, sometimes it may be necessary (and easier, and less time consuming) to use automated tools to do the job for you. One such category of tools for repairing your registry are known as registry cleaners (aka registry scanners).

In the basic sense, what this software does is compares each registry entry against the list of installed software, drive folders, hardware drivers, etc. to see if they exist. Any entries found to be invalid are presented to the user to be either fixed or ignored. Once the invalid entries are fixed, this helps the PC avoid unnecessary lookups for software/hardware/folders that no longer exist, thus increasing the PC's efficiency.

Depending on the vendor, this software can also do a number of other functions that can also help to increase your PC's effectiveness. Most registry cleaners will also perform the following functions:

Create regular registry backups.
Review Internet Explorer settings (and any additional add-ons that are installed) and verify that they are working.
Remove invalid shortcuts.
Scheduling scanning capabilities
Assist in managing startup programs

There are a number of good quality registry cleaners on the market today. In most cases, this software will allow you to download an evaluation copy to scan your machine. If any problems are found, the user then has the option to purchase the software to correct the errors. Users should avoid using so-called "freeware" utilities to do this. Typically, these freeware programs can come laden with embedded spyware or adware which only end up compounding the problem instead of fixing it. In this situation, the old adage "you get what you pay for" once again rings true.

Good quality registry cleaners can, most always, do a better job than manual troubleshooting. In most cases you can have your registry backed up, scanned and repaired within a matter of minutes or even seconds. Also, at any point, you can revert to a previous registry backup, if necessary.

Once you've scanned and cleaned your registry, now what? We for starters, to avoid repeating this situation in the future there are some preventative maintenance steps you can follow:

- Run regular registry scans
- Run regular registry backups
- Only install software from reputable sources
- Keep Windows Update turned on
- Keep software patches, services packs up to date
- Run up-to-date anti-virus and firewall software

Following these steps can save you a lot of time and frustration.