How to Speed Up the Windows XP Registry

The Windows XP registry creates new registry entries for new programs that are installed on the computer. Sometimes programs do not clean up after themselves properly when performing an uninstall, and can leave behind useless files in the registry. These garbage registry entries cause Windows XP much confusion, and can slow down the overall system performance speed. CCleaner, RegSeeker and Micrsoft's own RegClean utility are three free programs designed to speed up the Windows XP registry.

Instructions:

1. Download, install and run CCleaner (see Resources). The free CCleaner software is designed to clean common junk files from the computer's hard drive and registry. Click the "Registry" button on the left-hand side of the main program screen to access the registry-cleaning function. Click the "Scan for Issues" button, then use the "Fix selected issues" button to fix any errors that are found.
2. Download, install and run RegSeeker (see References). RegSeeker is a freeware tool designed to help manage some of the more troublesome areas of the Windows XP registry. Click the "Clean the Registry" link on the left-hand side of the main program window to begin cleaning and fixing any errors.
3. Download and run the Microsoft RegClean utility (see References). Click the "Start" button to scan the registry for errors. After the scan has completed, follow the on-screen prompts to fix any errors found.