Windows 7 registry fix. How to clear Windows registry errors

Hello again! This is the second article in the “Optimizing Windows with CCleaner” series. The first part can be found. Today, continuing the series of articles about the capabilities of CCleaner, I will talk about one more useful function This program is for fixing registry problems.

Links to download the program at the end of the article.

First, let's define what the registry is, what problems there are and why we need to fix them.

The registry is a hierarchically constructed, centralized database as part of operating systems Microsoft Windows 9x/NT/2000/XP/2003/Vista/7/8/10, containing information that is used by the operating system to work with users, software products and devices (as defined by the Microsoft Computer Dictionary).
Simply put, this is where your system stores information about all the programs, devices, and users that are on that device. Every time you install something on your computer, Windows registers it in the registry... But when something is deleted, the registry entries about it are not always deleted. This is where the problems begin.

Very often, over time, the registry becomes cluttered, outdated entries and errors appear, integrity is violated, and it becomes increasingly difficult for the system to navigate its own records, it begins to perform its usual actions more and more slowly... Unpleasant, right?

It is in order to avoid such incidents that you need to clean it periodically. And here the main character of our series of articles – CCleaner – will help us a lot.

Now, actually, the main question: how to clean and fix Windows registry errors using CCleaner?

First, you need to open CCleaner and go to the registry cleaner menu.

again we see a window where we are given a choice of which errors to check the registry for. Again, if you advanced user, and you know exactly what you need to check, then you can uncheck certain boxes. But leaving everything checked is also a very good idea.

CCleaner starts scanning the registry for problematic entries and displays everything in a special window.
Once the scan is complete, the program will open a possible “Fix” button. Without a twinge of conscience, we click on it.

The program will give you the following request:

Be sure to click yes here so that if you clean anything extra (unlikely), you can restore it to its original state.
If possible, save copies to something other than your system drive. So, you have taken care of the reserve, now the utility will show you a window where a description of the problem and a method for solving it are written.

Click "Fix" to see each problem individually,

Or click “Fix flagged” to fix all flagged (by default, the program flags all problems found) problems, if you don’t want to go into details, but just want everything cleaned up :).

Registry- a kind of internal computer database, which is regularly accessed by the operating system when the user performs various significant actions, for example, installing new program. If the registry is not handled correctly or is exposed to unfavorable third-party factors, various errors, problems and malfunctions in the normal operation of the system arise. After reading the information below, you will receive recommendations for quickly and effectively correcting errors.

Creating a copy of the registry

First of all, create it backup copy. For users of Windows 8 and newer OS versions, the guide consists of the following steps:

move the cursor up to the right;
click “Run”, then enter the command regedit and press Enter;
go to the File menu, select the Export category;
enter the desired file name and set the location to save it;
Save a backup copy of the registry.

Windows 7 users and previous versions The OS needs to do the following:
expand the Start menu, enter the word regedit in the search bar and press the Enter button;
click on the File button, open the Export menu;
set the desired file name, location to save the backup copy and save it directly.

To subsequently restore the registry from the created copy, you will need to perform all the same steps, only instead of the Export button, click on Import.

Correcting registry errors automatically

Understand the peculiarities of the code designation of each possible error registry problem and learning how to manually fix it is not the most interesting activity. It is important to know only one thing: there is a cause - there is a consequence, i.e. Each error in the registry leads to malfunctions of certain user functions.

To automatically fix registry errors, you can use one of the many specialized programs available today. In the case of Windows, it would be more advisable to trust a program that has been proven over the years to fix errors. CCleaner registry. It is easy to use and will not cause you any difficulties, and in addition to the function we need, it contains many more useful items.

Working with the program is carried out in several simple steps:
Select the "Registry" section;
Click on the "Search for problems" button;
After found problems (errors), click "Fix";
Errors will be corrected, and your computer will no longer produce incomprehensible errors.

Do not make rash and illiterate actions with your computer, do not trust suspicious programs, promptly respond to emerging problems and take measures to eliminate them.

Hello, friends! Have you heard what can speed up your computer? Or maybe you read somewhere that "fixing" the registry guaranteed will it solve all your problems with Windows? Many of these articles are not just false, but can also harm your computer in the long run.

Today you will learn how to identify, isolate and fix registry problems. And when there is no need to worry at all.

In fact, the registry is a huge internal database containing important information about almost every aspect of your car:

• System hardware
• Installed software and drivers
• System settings
• Academic record data

Your Windows operating system constantly accesses the registry. Running a program, installing a new application, and replacing hardware require Windows to consult the information contained in the registry. It is not surprising that when problems arise, “experts” decide to get into the registry, not realizing the possible consequences.

In reality, fragments of records about remote applications or the entries left without parent elements are so small in size that they should not cause any problems. However, when it comes time to solve real registry problems, it's important to understand what you're going to do and remember that the easiest way is often the best...

There are several reasons that most often cause registry errors. Some of them are serious, others are not worth your attention:

1. Records without parents (orphans): No problem. Such orphan entries appear when you uninstall programs, and some fragments of their registry entries remain in place. Many registry cleaning programs They will immediately call this an important problem, but in reality they occupy no more than a few kilobytes in the memory of your computer.
2. Duplicate keys: No problem. Duplicate keys appear when you reinstall or update software, including the operating system. Registry fixing apps will tell you that such entries can confuse the programs involved and slow down your computer. In reality this is unlikely.
3. Fragmented Registry: No problem. As with duplicate keys, the registry becomes fragmented when programs are uninstalled, reinstalled, or updated.
4. Errors when shutting down the system: Most likely will not cause problems. Every time you turn off your computer, a copy of the registry is saved to system memory. If your computer suddenly loses power, freezes, or otherwise shuts down, it may cause problems in the future, but the chances of this happening are low.
5. : Serious problem. Malware and viruses of all types constantly attack and modify the registry and require immediate attention.

Registry cleaning apps Problems 1-4 are usually considered extremely important and dangerous for the computer, when in reality only number 5 on our list deserves immediate attention.

Act only when really necessary

Let's not lie. Sometimes you really need to fix registry errors. If you've ever encountered a particularly annoying virus, you know just how far these infections are willing to go to hide their activity on your system.

Firstly, before you try to change, fix or delete any fields in the registry, Always keep a backup copy of it in a safe place. This can be achieved as follows:

1. Execute».
2. Enter " regedit" and press Enter.
3. Click " File > Export».
4. copy_registrySave».

1. Click " Start", enter " regedit
2. Click " File > Export».
3. In the dialog box, enter a file name, for example, " copy_registry", select a safe location (the default is the My Documents directory) and click " Save».

In addition, there are countless third party programs who will do this work for you. But in reality, creating a registry backup is a simple procedure that does not require installing additional applications.

Registry restoration

A situation may arise in which you need registry backup. Methods for restoring the registry depend on the technical environment of the computer. Let's look at a few in various ways restoring the registry from a backup copy.

The simplest recovery option can be used when your computer is still functioning relatively normally.

Registry repair should always be performed in Safe Mode to protect important files and drivers from potential damage.

1. Swipe touch screen from the right edge towards the middle or move the cursor to the upper right corner of the screen and find the button Execute».
2. Enter " regedit" and press Enter.
3. Click " File > Import».
4. In the dialog box " Import registryOpen».

1. Click " Start", enter " regedit» into the search bar and press Enter.
2. Click " File > Import».
3. In the dialog box " Import registry" open the directory where our backup is located (remember that by default it is "My Documents"), select the file and click " Open».

Unexplained errors aside, you should now be able to back up your Windows registry and use it for recovery.

Another, slightly faster method of restoring the registry is to open the backup storage directory, click on the registry file right click mouse and select "". The file with the .REG extension will be automatically imported into your system's registry.

1. Manually restoring the registry

If necessary, you can restore the registry manually via command line. In some cases, Windows will boot into safe mode, then you will need to restore the registry manually.

This process requires more technical knowledge than the previous part of the article, so we warn beginners in advance. Some of the instructions in this method need to be followed before problems arise, but if you're reading this, you're already 2 steps ahead!

For this method to work, you will need an original Windows disk or an ISO image of your operating system. The Windows disc can be used to force boot into recovery mode if pressing F8 does not help.

If all else fails, you can take it out HDD and from the problematic computer and connect it to another. We need access to files, so it doesn't matter what computer the drive is connected to. In fact, if the problems are that serious, connecting hard drive to another car is a good option.

• Make sure to enable display of hidden and system files:
  • Start > Control Panel > Design and personalization > Folder properties.
• Make sure you have a Windows disc or ISO image on a USB drive.

If your computer does not boot into recovery mode automatically, click F8 while turning it on to access the boot options screen. Here you need to select the "".

As mentioned above, booting into Safe Mode on Windows 8/8.1 works slightly differently and you will be able to launch Command Prompt from the " Additional settings ", located in the category " Troubleshooting", without having to go into safe mode.

Depending on your current system settings and the problems you are experiencing, you may need to log into your account. Make sure you log in as an administrator, otherwise the commands we will run will not work.

Select " Command line ».

We will assume that Windows is located in the C:\> directory. It definitely won’t be in the X:\> directory, unless of course you specifically installed the system there. To find your root directory, use the following command:

dir C:\Win*

dir D:\Win*

dir E:\Win*

After entering each command, press Enter. The command line will tell you the contents of the directory, so you'll know which one you need when you see system folders Windows.

Now enter these commands:

Cd /d C:\windows\System32\config

xcopy *.* C:\RegBack\

cd RegBack

Check the dates of the files in the RegBack directory. If the files date back to a time when the problems you are fixing had not yet occurred, you can go ahead and enter the following commands:

copy /y software ..

copy /y system ..

copy /y sam ..

Please note that the double dots at the end are part of commands!

Then restart your computer. You have successfully restored the registry manually, you will receive +1 to your knowledge!

Windows has a pretty good built-in recovery system. So, unless you have it enabled or someone else has disabled it, you can use this option before running advanced commands on the command line.

System Restore in Windows 8 implemented somewhat differently. Press the keys Windows+S and enter the line “ restored" Select "" from the list of results. This will open the System Properties window. Go to the System Protection tab, where you can check if protection is enabled, change settings, and create a restore point.

Malware and viruses can disable system restore and delete restore points. Moreover, your own antivirus may resist attempts to copy or modify key Windows settings, nullifying the actions of the recovery system. However, as shown above, during each critical update, your system should automatically create a restore point.

However, make sure this feature is enabled and create a fresh restore point for your peace of mind.

1. Use Linux-based Live CD/USB

If you lose your Windows disk, you still have boot options. Windows users who have lost access to their system can use a Linux-based Live CD or USB to perform a variety of tasks that do not require Windows boot. In our case, we will focus on editing the Windows registry from Ubuntu. This is quite an advanced method, but it can come in handy given the number of tutorials and the fact that Ubuntu is completely free.

Check out this list of system recovery discs. Some of them can be used from outside of Windows, others require a download, and others are somewhere in between. All of them are real masterpieces that can save your system.

When should you not worry?

We said that we will explain to you in which cases you should not change or correct your registry. And we didn't lie. This applies to most problems.

Of course, some malware and virus removal guides will tell you to find and delete every single registry entry, and in some cases they are right. But most often, using applications to quickly clean the registry will lead to absolutely nothing.

Not all people who advise cleaning the registry are charlatans. Those who actually know what they are doing can really improve the performance of your device slightly. In addition to this, the registry can be used to make several improvements to appearance Windows. For example, get rid of the annoying shortcut symbol.

But as we already said, before you start editing the registry, make a backup copy of it. And a copy of the backup, just in case.

What happens if I delete...

...the entire registry?

Luckily for us, Windows has many security mechanisms. If you don't understand how to perform advanced commands, you won't be able to simply delete the registry. From this, your system would explode, destroying our entire universe with it.

But seriously, Windows doesn't want you to delete it. Registry browsing begins very early in the boot process, so the operating system creates several hidden backups stored in different folders and necessary for launch. You may encounter messages about critical errors while Windows searches the registry for key data. But, if System Restore is enabled, you should always have a point to return to. We are speaking must be, because this is not always true.

It's better not to try to delete it at all. Windows registry. Seriously.

Conclusion

Bugs, problems, viruses, ransomware, fraudulent and malicious applications. All this happens sometimes. Protect yourself by:

• Create a restore point
• Make a system image
• Back up your registry

And save it all to an external hard drive for your own safety!
Do you have a recovery horror story? What actions did you take to correct the errors? Tell us about it in the comments.

Every user operating system Windows sooner or later encounters various problems in its operation, which can manifest themselves in decreased performance, errors in program operation, etc.

Problems in the operating system are usually caused by . The registry is the place where all the configuration parameters of the system itself and the installed application software are stored.

And this article will discuss ways to clean the registry and eliminate errors in it.

How to check the registry for errors in Windows 7?

Before cleaning the registry, you must first remove “garbage” from your computer in the form of unnecessary programs and files. If you remove “garbage” from the system after cleaning the registry, then data about deleted programs and files will not be erased from it, which will make the cleaning less effective.

So, to remove unnecessary programs, use the special section of the Control Panel. To do this, type “Programs and Features” in the Start menu and open the found section. The section is a list of programs installed on the computer that can be removed by double-clicking the left mouse button.

After removing unnecessary programs, it is advisable to perform a disk cleanup, which will finally remove all “garbage” from the system. To do this, type “Disk Cleanup” in the Start menu and open the found utility. After launch, the utility will automatically scan your computer for unnecessary files. All that remains is to check all the boxes in the list and click “Ok”.

Program for fixing Windows registry errors

Now you can start cleaning the registry and correcting errors in it. For this purpose we will use the CCleaner program. Download free version programs can be found at piriform.com/ccleaner/download/standard.

After downloading, run the installer and click “Install“.

After installation is complete, launch CCleaner using the “Run CCleaner” button.

In the main program window, go to the “Registry” tab.

On the left you can select sections in which to clean and eliminate errors. It is recommended to select all sections.

To scan, click the “Search for problems” button and wait for the results. Once the scan is complete, click “Correct Selected.”

The program will offer to make a backup copy of the changes made.

Since the probability of system failure after cleaning is negligible, the message can be ignored. But if you are very afraid for your system, for example, because very important data is stored on the computer, then make a backup copy.

The program will then open a dialog box in which you can automatic mode Correct all errors at once using the “Fix marked” button.

This completes cleaning the registry and correcting errors - the program did everything for you. But it is still advisable to repeat the procedure several times until the list of found errors shows the inscription “No problems found.”

The thing is that correcting some errors may lead to the occurrence of others. Therefore, repeating the procedure many times will make the cleaning better. After cleaning, be sure to restart your computer.

This procedure should be repeated at least once every three months. Although, if you often install various software or work with large volumes of files, then cleaning should be done more often.

If the procedures performed did not live up to expectations and errors in the computer’s operation were not eliminated, then you should probably think about reinstalling the operating system or looking for problems in the computer’s hardware...