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For many, the reasons for cleaning Windows XP registry are unclear, this articles gives an overview of them and outline practical steps that users can follow

Introduction to Windows XP registry -Windows XP registry is a core component of PCs. PC user should clean Windows XP registry regularly. The registry is often referred to as the brain, heart soul and mind of Windows by computer Experts. The registry is used by Windows XP to store the devices and file associations of the computer. Registry is also used to store critical information on directories, drivers, Windows applications and much more. Users who are not experts with Windows XP operating system, should use registry repair software instead of attempting any manual repair of the registry.

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Are you sufficiently knowledgeable about Windows XP registry? – If so, read the following paragraphs
 
Backup your files – When cleaning Windows XP registry, it is possible to make mistakes and disable your system. Therefore, you should always take a backup of your files. Fortunately, there are many registry tools available. These tools can find the potentially questionable or unused references, and they prompt the user to review any entry that may cause a problem once removed.
 
Start menu - To begin cleaning Windows XP Registry manually, go to the start menu, and click on run. Type “regedit” in the text field, and press enter.
 
HKEY sections - Windows XP registry has many different entries separated in sections namely HKEY_CURRENT_USER, HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT, HKEY_USERS, HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE, and HKEY_CURRENT CONFIG. There are different entries in each section, which are related to various aspects of Windows XP operation. Expand the section marked with a plus sign to clean Windows XP Registry. You will notice a + sign alongside the root directory. This will open the more detailed list, more directories to choose from in this section will then be available and will make it easier to find the entries needed to clean up the registry.
 
Entries causing conflicts - Next step to clean Windows XP registry is to erase the entries which are causing conflicts or are no longer required, such as redundant ActiveX components for example (click on repair activex for more information)
 
Clean boot records - It is also advisable to clean the boot records. This can be done easily by changing the list of programs that load when the system starts up. Open the CURRENT_USER and LOCAL_MACHINE directories until you notice the “Run|” and “Run Once” options. Redundant entries, such as those which trigger computer programs at start-up can then be removed.
 
Clean at least every six months – Users should clean Windows Registry at least twice a year to optimise the performance of their computer. This removes items which are no longer needed. Machines which are extremely slow usually have a large number of software, or those where drivers are constantly being installed and uninstalled, require more frequent cleanups (click on computer extremely slow for more information).
 
However tempting a manual clean or repair may be, remember that, using the appropriate registry cleaner to repair windows XP registry is usually a superior solution than attempting this manually . Many proven software will also optimise your Windows XP operating system response time (i.e. speed), and also include backup facilities to prevent accidental loss of data.