Cleaning the registry of the Windows 7 operating system. Methods for cleaning the registry in Windows

Read what cleaning Windows 7 means. When it should be done. All ways to clean the registry and junk files. Useful programs and simple instructions.

Even the most professional users have to clean their operating systems from debris from time to time. If you have installed it on your computer, you need to constantly monitor its status. Microsoft no longer releases regular updates for this version (only basic security packages are available), so you will have to fix the seven yourself.

Let's look at how you can quickly and without harm to the system clean Windows 7 and significantly speed up tasks.

Why does my computer freeze?

System freezes are always the result of user actions. The exception is those cases when the computer does not support the installed OS: the available hardware components cannot ensure the normal execution of the program code.

If immediately after Windows installations 7, everything worked fine and very quickly, but over time, frequent freezes began, programs began to turn off, and the system itself started very slowly, all this suggests that it was time to clean up unnecessary data and processes.

Freezes appear in the following cases:

  • There are a large number of programs installed on your computer, half of which you do not use;
  • Autoload Full – in parallel with switching on operating system Other programs that you did not launch yourself also begin to work. Because of this, the Windows startup process may take many minutes instead of several seconds;
  • The system is infected with viruses. Malware can run processes in RAM that cannot be closed. As a result, the computer starts to get very hot and other programs run very slowly. Also, there is a danger of your personal data being stolen;
  • Content hard drive“cluttered” with files that are no longer needed. This includes both temporary files created by the OS itself, as well as user documents, films, and a large number of photographs. There can really be a lot of them, because most users may not clear their PC memory for years.

How to get the system working

A comprehensive cleaning of your Windows 7 computer will help return the OS to normal operation. There are two ways to get rid of unnecessary data and processes:

  • Manually using standard Windows services;
  • Using special software to optimize the OS.

First, we recommend performing the simplest steps. As a rule, this is enough to return the system to normal. If you continue to experience slow performance, try installing third-party utilities. They will help not only free up disk space, but also clean the registry, analyze the operation of all system modules and fix errors.

Using the built-in Disk Cleanup utility

The first and easiest way to clean your computer from junk on Windows 7 is to work with a standard hard drive file removal service. It automatically detects and deletes temporary files, various error reports, thumbnails, Trash contents, and other system junk.

To get started with the Disk Cleanup service, follow the instructions:

  • Open the My Computer window. It will show all available hard disks. By right-clicking on one of the elements, go to its properties window. Displayed here detailed information about free and occupied space. If you see that free space There is less than 20% left (or less than 1 GB), cleaning must be done. First of all, we recommend checking the status of the system drive C;
  • In the properties window, click on “Clear”. The memory size analysis window will open;
  • Next you will see a list of groups of files that can be deleted, as well as the amount of memory consumed. We advise you to check all the boxes and perform a disk cleanup.

This service is often very slow. All due to severe clutter disk space. Do not cancel the action and wait until the removal is completed. As a result, you can free up several gigabytes at once.

Clearing temporary files

Temporary files are entries that are created by all applications that are launched. The computer will no longer need this data, so it needs to be deleted from time to time. To perform the procedure manually, you need to go to the root folder of drive C. Open “My Computer” and click on the drive icon.

Go to the path C:\\Windows\Temp. A directory can contain several hundred files. You can select all elements using the keyboard shortcut CTRLA. Then delete the contents and empty the Trash. Next, restart your computer and check if it runs faster.

Sometimes the Temp folder may not appear on the system. To do this, you need to enable its visibility:

  • Go to the Start menu;
  • Open the Control Panel window;
  • Set list items to appear as Small Icons and find the Folder Options option. Open this window;
  • Go to the “View” tab and in the list of additional options, mark the “Show hidden folders” field with a marker, and also check the box next to “show compressed and encrypted files”;
  • Save your changes and try to find the Temp folder again.

Uninstalling programs

Often the cause of insufficient space on drive C may not be temporary files, but many installed applications or games. If you leave it on your computer unused programs, this will result in a popup like this:

Follow the instructions to remove programs on your Windows 7 computer:

  • Open the Start menu and click on “Control Panel”;
  • In the window that opens, find the “Add or Remove Programs” field and click on it;
  • Wait for the list of all software installed on your computer to load. This may take a long time, especially if the system is running slowly;
  • To remove a program or game, click on the desired name and in the window that opens, wait for the process to complete.

Please note that using the list of installed applications you can analyze your work with the software. The “Usage” column displays the startup frequency (Frequently, Rarely, Never). With the help of this information, it will be easier for you to figure out what software should not be stored on the system.

If you are deleting a game, we recommend that you also check the Program Files folder on drive C. If, after uninstallation, a folder with the name of the game remains in it, delete it. Thus, developers often leave cached files and mission progress records in case the user decides to reinstall the software.

Fixing slow PC loading

The reason may also be the load on the RAM. After deleting data from the hard drive, we recommend moving on to working with the OP.

All processes that occur in RAM are regulated by the Task Manager. With this system utility, users can view a list of running processes and the programs that created them. Also, you can manage system startup and user accounts.

To launch Task Manager in Windows 7, open Start and enter the name of the utility in the search bar. The system will immediately display the result. Open the field as shown in the image below:

Another way to launch the Manager is to use the Run window. You can open it using the WinR button combination. Enter the TASKMGR command in the text field and click OK.

Startup Management

To edit the list of programs and services that are loaded with the OS, go to the “ ” tab. Uncheck the boxes next to the processes for which you want to disable autorun. This will not harm the system, because in Windows 7 the Task Manager does not display services that are important for the operation of the system. This means you won't be able to kill a system process by mistake.

Removing it from Startup will not harm the program or game in any way. They will remain installed on the computer, they will only stop turning on when the desktop starts. In the future, you can enable the program yourself using its shortcut.

Closing unnecessary processes

If your computer turns on quickly enough, but after some time you start experiencing severe OS freezes, check running processes. In the Task Manager, open the appropriate tab and analyze which tasks are consuming a large amount of RAM. Close the most time-consuming objects by clicking the "End Process" button.

Advanced SystemCare utility

Advanced SystemCare is a Windows 7 cleaning program that allows you to perform all system optimization options in one window, from deleting files from the hard drive to adjusting RAM.

A special feature of the application is its ability to monitor system performance in real time. The utility identifies errors and allows you to eliminate them in a few mouse clicks.

The application interface is divided into several tabs:

  • Speed ​​Up – This built-in service allows you to speed up your computer. In simple words, the utility removes unnecessary processes from RAM, thereby speeding up the operation of the system at the moment;
  • Protect is a protection module. With it, you can scan the OS for virus software and remove all found malware. Also, Advanced SystemCare will be able to check the reliability of the EXE files that are launched. A notification about the threat will appear in the tray;
  • Clean&Optimize is the main and most functional tab. By clicking the Scan button you will start the service hard checks disk, system registry, Startup. As a result of correcting errors, all garbage will be removed from the system, shortcuts will be corrected, the registry and RAM will start working normally (without erroneous records and processes);
  • In the Toolbox tab you can buy additional tools to monitor system performance;
  • Action Center allows you to set the next time your computer is scanned for errors.
Red Button is a handy tweaker that will allow you to access all OS processes.
Tweaker is special utility to view and edit all hidden system functions. Typically, developers hide these features to regular user important settings were not deleted by mistake.

The Red Button interface is completely Russified and very easy to use. All tabs are conveniently divided into the main modules of the computer - the central processor and RAM, HDD, detected junk files and data for cleaning the Windows 7 registry.

Go to each tab one by one and check the box next to the actions you want to take. Using each of these actions will speed up your overall performance. To apply the changes, click on “OK” in the lower right corner.

AusLogics Boost Speed ​​– increasing PC performance

AusLogics Boost Speed ​​is another one good program for cleaning Windows computer 7. Its features:

  • Quickly scan the system and fix fatal errors;
  • Shows hardware failures of the processor and connected buses;
  • Built-in Assistant. With its help, you can quickly decide which files need to be deleted and which ones should be left alone;
  • Browser protection and acceleration. Often the cause of slow Internet is not connection problems, but a cluttered browser. The AusLogics Boost Speed ​​utility will clear the cache, cookies and improve the speed of loading pages in the browser;
  • Acceleration in real time. With the press of one key, you can close all unnecessary processes and unused applications.

Disk Cleaner to clean up disk space

The task of Disk Cleaner is to optimize Windows 7 by cleaning junk files and records on the hard drive. Unlike the standard cleaning utility, this cleaner will help detect all hidden folders that are inaccessible to the average user.

Among the features of the program, it is worth highlighting the effective detection of registry errors, useless files and incorrect shortcuts. Also, the system analyzes how each problem affects the speed of Windows.

By pressing the “Fix” button, the built-in assistant is launched, which independently corrects the system without user intervention. After using the utility, it is recommended to restart your computer.

Results

It is recommended to start cleaning garbage in Windows 7 with a standard utility for deleting temporary files from your hard drive. If this does not help speed up the work, we recommend using third-party software. Before starting the installation of any utility, do not forget to scan its installer with an antivirus.

Which of the programs mentioned above helped you clean Windows 7? Write your own ideas for useful applications that can help solve the problem.


Sooner or later, every Windows 7 user experiences a noticeable decrease in operating system performance. As a rule, this problem is caused by the registry being filled with various garbage such as empty keys, links to deleted shortcuts, etc. Another sign of this kind of problem is the occurrence of atypical system errors. If such troubles occur, it is necessary to clean the registry.

Automatically

Automatic cleaning involves a procedure that does not require direct user participation and is carried out using special programs. This method is considered the safest, since its use does not affect files important to the system.

You can find many Windows 7 registry cleaning programs on the Internet. However, it is better to use proven, proven utilities, including CCleaner and TuneUp Utilities.

Optimization with CCleaner

CCleaner is a very popular application for cleaning and optimizing values. The program is available for free download, but it also has a paid Professional version, which is recommended for use in business. Suitable for all versions of Windows.

To properly optimize the registry with the CCleaner utility, you need to perform the following algorithm of actions:

  1. Download and install the application. Launch it.
  2. Select "Register". In the “Registry Integrity” tab, check all the boxes and click “Search for problems”.
  3. Click on the “Fix” button. If the program prompts you to save backup copy, agree - this file will help you recover data if something goes wrong during correction. You can save the backup copy anywhere, as long as you don’t forget which save path you chose.
  4. Now you can move on to the correction. You can view detected problems and fix them individually, or remove them all at once using the “Fix all selected problems” button.
  5. When the removal is complete, click the “Close” button and search for problems again. If they are found, repeat the correction procedure. Do this until you see a message stating that there are no problems when checking.

Cleaning with TuneUp Utilities

TuneUp Utilities, or AVG PC TuneUp, is a multifunctional utility for configuring and optimizing the operating system, the functionality of which includes options for cleaning and defragmenting the registry. The program is shareware- the user is offered an introductory trial period, after which a license must be purchased to access all functions. Like CCleaner, it is suitable for all versions of Windows OS.

To fix registry problems using TuneUp Utilities, do the following:

To complete the registry optimization, you can defragment it, thereby eliminating defects and structural errors. This is done very simply:

  1. Click the Registry Defragmenter button on the Optimization tab.
  2. Click “Next” to perform the analysis. The utility will warn you that for the process to complete successfully, you need to close other programs - follow this advice and click OK.
  3. Wait for the process to complete. After that, select the appropriate one from the proposed options (“Run again and optimize” or “Optimize the next time the system starts”) and click “Yes”.

With TuneUp you can not only fix errors in the registry, but also perform many other useful functions, from optimizing PC performance to customizing visual design.

Manually

You can only resort to this method if you are a fairly experienced user, since inept handling of the registry can seriously harm the operating system. In some cases, it may even be necessary to reinstalling Windows. Therefore, if you do not fully understand what exactly you are going to do, it is better not to even think about how to clean the registry in Windows 7 manually.

If you are unshakable in your decision, before editing the registry, be sure to make a backup copy of it or create a system restore point (preferably choose the second) - this will allow you to return everything to its place if something does not go according to plan. To perform all the steps described below, you need to have administrator rights.

So, for manual cleaning you need to do the following:

  1. Create a restore point. To do this, click on the Start button, go to Control Panel and select “System and Security”. Go to the "System" section. On the left side of the window, select “System Protection”. In the dialog box that opens, click “Create”, enter the name of the recovery point and click OK. When the process completes successfully, click “Close”.
  2. To get into the registry, open the Start menu, enter search bar regedit command and press Enter.
  3. Find the HKEY_CURRENT_USER branch and open the Software section.
  4. Find out-of-date information about uninstalled programs and remove them.
  5. Open the HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE section and go to Software, and then repeat step 4.
  6. Confirm the changes and restart your PC.

This instruction will be useful primarily to users wondering how to clean the registry of viruses - after all, most often, malware cannot be completely removed from the system using conventional methods. When viral infection perform all operations from safe mode, otherwise you are unlikely to be able to destroy all the records left by malware. By the way, pay special attention to the startup sections - most often viruses are written there so that they can be reintroduced into the system again and again when it is rebooted.

The described instructions will help you improve system performance, remove traces of virus activity and avoid errors. However, do not forget to make backup copies of files that change to avoid an unplanned system reinstallation.

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From time to time, every PC user using Windows OS may encounter a situation when the system begins to crash, freeze, and create other problems. Of course, in this case it seems that the best option is to reinstall it.

However, there is another way to solve this issue - you can clean the OS registry. Let me make a reservation right away: cleaning the registry can be done in two ways, using programs such as CCleaner or Advanced System Care, or manually.

The latter method requires certain skills and knowledge. In addition, it is used quite rarely, but sometimes this option can help with their solution. This article will discuss exactly how to clean the registry on Windows 7 manually, on your own.

Before you start cleaning the registry, it's worth making a copy of the files that you don't want to lose. After all, there is always a possibility that something could go wrong. Only after this manipulation can you start cleaning the registry.

The next step is to find the registry itself. To get into it, you need to open a system window to search by simultaneously holding down the “Win ​​+ R” keys.

In the window that appears, you need to type the word “regedit” in Latin letters, only without quotes, and click on the “OK” button.

The “Registry Editor” will appear in front of you. It is in this system window that all operations necessary to clean the registry will take place.

I’ll warn you right away, in the “Registry Editor” everything will be written in English language, but it's not scary. A copy of the data in this system window is performed as follows:

  1. First you need to click on the file. It is in the upper left corner.
  2. Select "Export".
  3. Next, select “Entire registry” and save the data. This will be useful in case something goes wrong and you need to restore the registry.

Then you can place the created copy on your PC desktop and load them onto a flash drive or disk. I would like to warn you that the folders will have names written in Latin. I think it’s worth clarifying right away that individual folder elements will be displayed on the right, and folders on the left.

Cleaning the registry

After entering the registry and saving all the required data, you should start by uninstalling programs that have the status of “deleted programs”. This is a rather complicated procedure, since you will need to remember everything that was installed on the PC.

To start cleaning “deleted programs”, you need to click on the folder called “HKEY_CURRENT_USER”. From the list that opens, select the “Software” line.

You should see a large list of all programs that have ever been installed on your PC. From the list you need to select all folders to be deleted and press the “Delete” button to do this.

This is how it is removed from the list of “deleted programs”.

You can also search for programs that need to be removed from the registry by their name. Press the keys on the keyboard “Ctrl+F” at the same time. In the window that appears, enter the name of the application and delete it.

The final stage

At the final stage, it is worth taking care of the OS startup list. To do this, you will need to open a folder called “HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE”. From the list you need to select the “SOFTWARE” folder.

After that, find and open the lines “Microsoft”, “Windows”, “CurrentVersion” one after another. Next, go to the “Run” folder and delete all files.

After that, go to the “HKEY_CURRENT_USER” folder and select “Software”.

In it, you also open the folders “Microsoft”, “Windows”, “CurrentVersion” one after another and, having reached “Run”, again delete all files from it.

After carrying out all the manipulations, you need to restart the PC. Thus, there will be more space on the hard drive, which is also an important point for the normal operation of the computer.

How to clean the registry on Windows 7 manually, summary

As you can see, if you are interested in the question of how to clean the registry on Windows 7 manually, then it is not as difficult as it might seem at first glance, it just takes a lot of time.

When working with the registry, you need to be careful and delete only those files that you really consider unnecessary. You can also use for these purposes special programs, which can help significantly save time or, if necessary, seek help from specialists.

The system registry is a special database that is designed to store various information about the characteristics of the computer, program settings, as well as settings of any operating system. The registry contains data that Windows 7 and installed programs computers are accessed during their operation dozens of times per second during system operation or during boot time. Therefore, a fragmented registry, full of unnecessary sections or entries, can cause a very serious decrease in the performance of the entire computer. Most often, unnecessary entries remain in the registry after uninstalling or installing various programs. These can be either links to non-existent shortcuts or parameters of already deleted programs.

Timely cleaning of the Windows 7 registry will avoid the accumulation of outdated entries, which in turn will speed up the operation of the entire operating system and prevent failures and errors. Despite the regular need to clean the Windows 7 registry, many users do not know how to do it. There are two ways to clear your computer's registry: using a program or manually. Each of these methods is described in more detail below.

Software method for cleaning the registry

As the name of the method suggests, cleaning should be carried out using a specialized software. To do this, we will use the Windows 7 registry cleaning program – CCleaner. After installing the program, if you do not already have it installed, you should open it. After this, you will need to do a number of simple actions, after which the program will perform automatic search unused registry settings and prompts you to fix them. So:

  1. First, you should go to the “Registry” section, the button to enter which is located on the control panel on the left edge of the screen.
  2. Then you should click on the “Search for problems” button, while CCleaner will independently analyze all registry entries and display a list of those parameters that should be deleted or corrected.
  3. After completing the check, you will see a list of all incorrect registry values. You should only check those that you want to delete or correct. (By default, the program offers all detected problems for correction or cleaning at once).
  4. To continue the process of cleaning the Windows 7 registry, click the “Fix” button.
  5. You will be prompted to save the registry values ​​at this time, so to be safe, you may want to save a file with a copy of the registry on your hard drive or removable storage device. After that, click the “Fix marked” button. The program itself will delete/correct all registry values ​​and notify you of this with a message on the screen.

How to clean the Windows 7 registry manually

You can also clean the registry and configure its settings manually thanks to the RegEdit utility built into the operating system. However, it is worth immediately noting that this method is suitable only for fairly experienced users who know the operating system and the registry in particular. The fact is that although it is possible for anyone to clean the registry manually, there is a risk of deleting or changing very important system parameters, which will lead to its failure. In order to enter the Windows 7 registry, you should go to the “Start” menu and type the word “RegEdit” (without quotes) in the program search. From the list of found programs, select “RegEdit”.

You will see a utility for manual settings windows registry. With its help, you can clean your computer's registry yourself.

The window on the left presents a list of the main registry keys. It is a standard folder tree, by moving through which you can find the records that interest you. And on the left side the values ​​of the parameters of a particular program or service will be located.

Remember, you should clean the Windows 7 registry regularly. This will prevent you from cluttering the operating system with unnecessary entries and will help maintain the performance of the entire computer as a whole.

Almost all actions performed by the user are recorded in the registry (base Windows data). With prolonged use of a PC, the size of the database increases, many garbage records are created in it and a lot of errors occur. To optimize and speed up your computer's performance, you need to clean the Windows 7, 8, 10 registry.

Most likely, you will not experience a significant increase in performance, but optimization will not be unnecessary, although it all depends on the degree of neglect. In addition, I recommend doing the following. Standard means The OS does not provide the ability to clean Windows registry, so let’s look at special programs and manual method cleaning.

Registry cleaning programs

There are many applications that clean the registry, but there are some that do not perform their functions or can harm the computer. Damage to important registry sections is accompanied by Windows errors or leads to the OS not starting, which is why you have to use a system recovery tool. Reliable programs that perform their stated tasks include:

  1. CCleaner
  2. Comodo System Utilities
  3. Windows Cleaner
  4. Wise Registry Cleaner

For example, let's take a closer look at cleaning the registry Windows application number 1. Download and install CCleaner. Launch CCleaner, go to the "registry" section. By default, all elements are checked, I recommend leaving them that way. Click the “search for problems” button, wait for the process to complete, then click the “fix” button.

In the message that appears, click “yes”, this will allow you to back up the registry just in case. Specify the folder for saving the reg file and its name, click “save”. In order not to fix problems one by one, click “fix marked” and wait until the end of the process.

Close application windows. In the program, in addition to cleaning the Windows registry, you can clean the system as a whole and use services to optimize the OS. Perform the process once a month or more often.

Manual registry cleaning

If you do not trust programs, then you can clean the registry manually. The process will take longer, and it will not be possible to correct all errors. The process consists of removing the remaining software entries from the registry and cleaning startup.

Note: The instructions are for experienced users. Damage to the registry may result in critical problems and errors.

Create a system restore point or backup as described below. Do , 8, 10. Click “file”, then “export”.

Select the "Entire Registry" range. Specify the name (in Latin letters) and storage folder, click “save”. If unwanted problems arise, you can restore the previous state from the reg file.

On the left side of the registry there is a tree structure of partitions. Expand the HKEY_CURRENT_USER section, then the Software subsection. Software stores data about installed (once removed) software. Now look for the name of the programs that you deleted. Right-click on the partition to be deleted, select “delete” from the menu, click “yes”.

Now press Ctrl + F to bring up the search bar. Write the name of the program you are looking for, set the parameters as in the screenshot. Click “find next” and wait until the search ends. If you find registry keys associated with the phrase you are looking for, delete them. Next, press F3 to find the next result, manually remove all links and repeat the process.

Advice: install for real necessary programs. If you are planning to remove applications, then read. When properly removed, adequate applications clean up their traces in your registry.

Here's how to properly clean the registry of Windows 7, 8, 10. Using the programs listed in the recommendations will be much more relevant than manual cleaning. The programs will save a lot of time and complete the task more thoroughly.

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