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There are many excellent programs that are entirely free. Why should a registry cleaner be any different?

The short answer is, most of the excellent free programs are for Linux, which is in itself free. Linux doesn't use a registry. The registry is exclusively Windows, and is probably the most important reason why Windows is so slow and cumbersome compared to other operating systems.

Every time you install a program, or upload files from your digital camera, or do virtually anything on your computer, Windows makes a note about it in the registry. This is "Supersize Me" for computers! When you remove the program, or the photos, or whatever, the registry entries tend to stay behind. So you end up with a supersize, obese registry that slows the computer down as Windows searches through the layers to find the programs or files you want.

The best way to clean the registry won't cost you anything. It's absolutely free. Just reformat your hard drive, then re-install Windows and the programs you are currently using. Your PC will be as quick and nimble as when you first bought it. Most computer professionals do this every six months or so.

However, if you're just a normal person, this can be a terrifying thing to do. That's why registry cleaners were invented: they're like magic diet pills for the registry. They go in and take out the fat: all the links and duplicates to information and programs that are no longer there.

Initially, Microsoft provided a free registry cleaner but discontinued that program, though you can still find copies of it. If you are foolish enough to hunt it down and try it, prepare to be baffled. Microsoft RegClean opens up a small window that tells you "RegClean is checking a part of your registry for errors." Progress bars come and go until you get the message "Finished checking. Waiting to fix errors." Click "Fix Errors" and get the message "RegClean is finished!" Afterwards, your computer runs as slow as ever. Free program, waste of time.

Glarysoft is a fine free program. It's easy to use, it gives a nice report, and it tells you which errors are absolutely safe to fix and which ones may cause problems. If you're short of cash, and need urgent help, it's well worth looking at. Plus you can upgrade to a paid version ($39.95) when you're ready, and get enhanced scanning and registry fixing.

But let's compare it with some of the most popular paid-for programs. Various review sites offer RegistryFix ($37 + taxes), RegCure ($29.95) and Registry Mechanic ($29.95) .

On a test machine, Glarysoft found 706 problems.
RegistryFix (the most expensive) found 1595.
RegCure found 1410.
Registry Mechanic found 909.

After removing the 706 problems using Glarysoft, RegistryFix found 1152, RegCure found 950, and Registry Mechanic found 519.

The arithmetic doesn't add up. That doesn't necessarily mean that the programs are all finding different problems or just making things up. They all give you a list of the problems, that you can read through if you have a mind geared to that kind of detail. It's probably just a question of depth of analysis: a single orphan DLL can generate multiple errors. But it does show the free program is nowhere near as comprehensive as those you must pay for.

If you're looking for a sparkling registry, remember that reformat and reinstall is always your best option. Failing that, a registry cleaner may help - but you do have to put your money into it.

Learn more about this author, Janet Pieterse.
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