Double optimization: defragment your hard drive and Windows registry. How and why is the registry defragmented Program for defragmenting the registry windows 8.1

  • 01.10.2020

Sooner or later, each user comes to the stage when he wants to speed up the computer. At this stage, he gets acquainted with the basic methods that can help him get what he wants. One of the easiest and most effective ways to do this is by cleaning and defragmenting the registry. Knowing how to use this tool is especially important if Windows has been running for a long time without reinstalling.

What is a registry and what actions can you take with it? The system registry is a large one that stores all the basic data used in the operation of the system. This includes installed settings, a complete list of programs, their components, and much more. In the course of its activity, Windows makes queries to this database many times per second. Naturally, as well as other elements of the life of the operating system increase the amount of data contained and contribute to the accumulation of various "software garbage". These "leftovers" and begin to interfere with the normal functioning of the computer.

In order to correct this state of affairs, it is necessary to periodically carry out procedures such as cleaning and defragmenting the registry. Cleaning can be done independently, or you can use specialized software. As for the programs for removing various unnecessary elements of the system, there are quite a few of them. A simple Internet search will help you choose a free assistant to perform this function.

To clean up manually, you should write the "regedit" command in the line that is called through "Start", "Run". As a result, the "Registry Editor" will open, where you need to select a section containing the word "user" at the end of its name. This is usually the second folder from the top. In the list that opens, you need to find the "Software" directory. It is there that many unnecessary elements of existing and removed programs remain. After searching, you can remove any of these components by pressing the Delete key.

Defragmenting the registry in Windows 7, as well as in other versions, is a very important optimization point. It is impossible to carry out this process manually, so the software should be called for help. Most modern programs allow you to schedule this action, performing it each time before the system boots or after a certain period of time.

In order for this important process to be successful, several points must be known and taken into account.

1. While the program for defragmenting the registry is performing its main function, all other programs should be closed.

2. Carrying out the procedure may be accompanied by discoloration of the picture on the monitor, etc. If such situations arise, you should simply continue to wait. In no case should you resort to any action, as this may adversely affect the final result.

It is very important that the registry is cleaned and defragmented regularly. This will help keep your system clean and speed up your computer.

Testing and cleaning your computer. Program overview

Defragment the registry

As you know, the speed of a computer depends on many factors, and one of the most important is the state of its registry. While the computer is running, the registry is completely loaded into RAM, so it is desirable to keep it as small as possible. To do this, you need to regularly, about once a month, clean the registry with special cleaning programs. In addition, defragmentation of the registry can significantly reduce the size of the registry. Similar to the hard drives of a computer, fragmentation of the registry slows down the system. Defragmenters compress the Windows registry by removing empty blocks of data and fixing structural defects. As a result, you end up with a compact and well-organized registry that consumes fewer system resources and takes less time to process application and operating system requests.

Some registry cleaners already have a separate defragmentation function built in, such as one of the best free registry cleaners Wise Registry Cleaner 4 Free from Wise Cleaner or Glary Utilities universal system optimizer. In other cases, the developers offer separate utilities for defragmenting the registry.

Let's look at an example of the built-in registry defragmenter. In the latest versions of the previously reviewed program Wise Registry Cleaner 4 Free(see the article "Cleaning the Windows registry - quickly, efficiently, free") the developers have enabled the function of defragmenting the registry by adding the item Compression to the main menu - fig. 1.


Fig. 1.

Please note that in order to analyze the status and perform registry defragmentation, it is advisable to close all other programs, and also disable the antivirus. After clicking on the icon Compression a window for selecting the defragmentation mode will appear. Press the button Registry analysis- fig. 2:



Fig. 2. Registry analysis with Wise Registry Cleaner

After the end of the analysis process, the "before and after" state of the registry will be shown and you will be prompted to defragment it. If you deem it necessary, then press the corresponding button - fig. 3:



Fig. 3.

After you finish defragmenting the registry, you will need to restart your computer. Thus, as always, in the program Wise Registry Cleaner everything is organized clearly and clearly

Like other programs of this company, Auslogics Registry Defrag completely Russified and has a simple and intuitive interface. It is best to download the latest version of Registry Defragmenter from the official website of the company. The size of the installation file is about 4 MB, it works with all versions of Windows, supports 32-bit and 64-bit systems.

After installing and launching the program in the main window, you can immediately select the registry scan - the button Analysis(fig. 4).



Fig. 4. Auslogics Registry Defrag main window

The current processes of the program are displayed in the diagram - Fig. 5:



Fig. 5. Registry analysis

At the end, the result of the analysis is displayed, and if the registry is fragmented, then it is proposed to perform defragmentation. At the end of the process, as a bonus, a quick scan of the computer's system disk is launched to identify software "garbage". True, to remove it when you click on the button Remove file junk you will be offered to buy a system optimizer program BoostSpeed- fig. 6.



Fig. 6. Registry defragmentation results

In other programs for cleaning the registry, the defragmentation function works similarly to the examples considered and does not cause any difficulties in its use.

June 29, 2013

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Fragment of the system registry in the RegEdit program

During the installation and removal of various programs, in system registry a variety of "garbage" may remain: program settings, links to shortcuts, incorrect file extensions, and much more.

Over time, a large number of such outdated registry settings can significantly slow down the operating system, lead to crashes and various problems, interfering with the normal functioning of Windows.

To clean up and tweak the registry you can manually edit its parameters using the built-in RegEdit program, but this option is suitable only for very experienced users, because the risk of deleting or changing important system parameters is extremely high.

To run the RegEdit utility, open the Start menu and type in the search box the word "regedit" Select the "RegEdit" link in the search results. Especially for those who do not have time to familiarize themselves with all the registry parameters, many programs have been written that automatically find and correct erroneous and obsolete entries. We recommend using the CCleaner and Defraggler programs you already know from the previous steps in the system optimization course.

Registry cleaning

The first step in optimizing the registry is cleaning up various garbage. For these purposes, we use the well-proven CCleaner program (read about where to find and how to install CCleaner and Defraggler in the first step of the manual: Cleaning and defragmenting the hard disk, or download the official website of the program). Run the application with administrator rights, select the "Registry" tab and click on the "Search for problems" button, as shown in the image:

After completing the search, click on "Fix". The program will offer to save backup copies of the changes made, it is not necessary to do this, but, when using for the first time, we recommend, just in case, to save a copy of the registry. In the window that appears, click on "Fix marked" and confirm your choice.

In order to prevent the occurrence of various problems in the future, We recommend that you clean the registry regularly... Repeat this operation at least once a month and immediately after removing any software from your personal computer. After cleaning the registry, you can safely start defragmenting it.

Defragment the registry

Windows 7 and Vista Registry is susceptible to fragmentation, due to which access to it gradually slows down. Over time, this leads to a slowdown in the system as a whole. Regular defragmenters, unfortunately, cannot access registry files while the operating system is running, so for these purposes you need to use specialized software.

Fortunately, the Defraggler program, which we have already used in the section Cleaning and defragmenting a hard disk, has the functionality we need. You can also download Defraggler on the official developer resource. Since the registry can only be defragmented before the operating system is loaded, the program will do its job just before Windows starts. To do this, start Defraggler and activate the " Defragment system files at boot". We recommend that you install the program every time you start the PC, because after the first defragmentation, this process will take a few seconds and the registry will never be further fragmented.

The Windows Registry is a database in the system32 folder that stores all system settings and settings. Over time, install and uninstall several programs on your computer. Often times, you change system settings and change them again - all of which can lead to faulty registry keys, lost keys, and invalid registry entries. If you remove these invalid registry entries by using a registry cleaner, spaces will also remain in the registry and registry hives.

Free registry defragmentation

Defragmenter registry help remove storage directories and bloated spaces from registry and shrink the registry. We've already seen if there is registry defragmentation makes sense or not If you decide to use Registry Defragmenter to defragment your Windows Registry, here are some free examples you can take a look at.

Logical registry defragmentation

March 2020 Update:

We now recommend using this tool for your error. In addition, this tool fixes common computer errors, protects you from file loss, malware, hardware failures, and optimizes your PC for maximum performance. You can quickly fix problems with your PC and prevent other programs from appearing with this software:

  • Step 1: Download PC Repair & Optimizer Tool(Windows 10, 8, 7, XP, Vista - Microsoft Gold Certified).
  • Step 2: Click " Start Scan”To find Windows registry problems that may be causing PC problems.
  • Step 3: Click " Fix everything»To fix all problems.

The register is very similar to hard drives. When you start working on your computer, programs very often access the registry. By adding and removing entries, the registry can create invalid entries and bloat and become fragmented over time. To some extent, a fragmented registry can affect the performance of your computer. Auslogics Registry Defrag can defragment and shrink the Windows registry in less than a minute. The program scans the registry, removes hidden places, and also reduces the size of the registry. The program also offers to remove your unnecessary files. It seems to be the only free software that offers a good user interface and shows registry fragmentation. It also automatically creates a system restore point before the operation starts, which is a good thing.

I have used this free registry defragmentation software on Windows 7 and Windows 8 and found it to be quite safe.

When installing this freeware, remember to turn off the options to make Ask.com your home page.

Free registration Defrag

Free Registry Defrag helps you shrink and optimize your registry by removing gaps and wasted space to improve system performance. I have used this registry defragmenter on Windows 7 and Windows 8 from time to time and found it quite safe.

Registrar Lite Registry Manager

Registrar Registry Manager Lite is a free tool for system administrators and power users who often need to work with the Windows Registry. This tool provides a complete and secure solution for working with the registry and maintaining it on your desktop and on remote computers on the network. It also includes a registry defragmenter as well as many other registry management tools.

Registry compressor

Like other programs, Registry Compressor does not remove or add anything to the registry. It converts the registry into new files, eliminating all extra storage space and reducing the size of the registry.

WinUtilities Registry Defrag

WinUtilities Registry Defrag checks your registry for fragmentation. Before starting the scan, you will be prompted to close all other applications. You must do this because any changes made to the registry after running Registry Defrag will be lost after restarting.

Using a free registry defragmentation

Using Free Registry Defrag can defragment and compact.

The Windows registry is the main database for storing all information about the configuration of the computer, operating system settings and program settings. The registry contains data that Windows and programs access hundreds of times per second during system boot and operation. For this reason, a cluttered and fragmented registry can seriously slow down your computer.

Fragment of the Windows 7 system registry in the RegEdit program

OS settings Windows 8, Windows 7 and Vista

During the installation and removal of various software, in Windows system registry a variety of "garbage" can remain: program settings, links to shortcuts, incorrect file extensions, and much more.

Over time, a large number of such outdated registry settings can significantly slow down the operating system, lead to crashes, freezes and various problems, interfering with the normal functioning of Windows.

To run the RegEdit utility, open the Start menu and type in the search box the word "regedit" Select the "RegEdit" link in the search results.

For Windows 8: open the search bar with the keyboard shortcut + (Win + Q) Enter "Regedit", and select the item of the same name in the search results. To tune and clean the registry you can manually edit its parameters using the built-in program RegEdit, but, this option is suitable only for very experienced users, because the risk of deleting or changing important system parameters is extremely high.

Especially for those users who do not have time to familiarize themselves with all the registry settings, many programs have been created that can automatically find and fix erroneous and obsolete entries. We recommend using the reliable and time-tested free programs and that are already familiar to you from the previous articles.

How to clean the Windows registry

The first step in optimizing the registry is cleaning up various garbage. For these purposes, we always use the best in our opinion program for cleaning the registry - CСleaner, which has proven itself in this field (where to download and how to install CCleaner and Defraggler - read in the first step of the manual: or just download for free from the official website of the program or from in one click).

After installation, run the application with administrator rights, select the "Registry" tab and click on the "Search for problems" button, as shown in the image:


After completing the search, click on "Fix". The program will offer to save backup copies of the changes made, it is not necessary to do this, but, upon first use, we still recommend that you save a copy of the registry just in case. In the window that appears, click on "Fix marked" and confirm your choice. The program will automatically clean the registry from a variety of garbage that violates the integrity of the registry.

In order to prevent the occurrence of various problems in the future, We recommend that you clean the registry regularly... Repeat this operation at least once a month and immediately after removing any software from your personal computer. After cleaning the registry, you can safely start defragmenting it.

Defragment the registry

Windows XP owners can use the free PageDefrag utility to defragment the registry. You can download it on the official Microsoft Technet website: http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/bb897426.aspx.Windows 7/8 and Vista Registry is prone to fragmentation just like other files on the hard drive, due to which the speed of data access is gradually decreasing. Over time, this leads to a slowdown in the system as a whole. Regular defragmenters, unfortunately, cannot access the registry files while the operating system is running, so for these purposes it is necessary to use specialized software.

The Defraggler program, the capabilities of which we have already used in the article, has the functionality we need. You can also download the current version of Defraggler on the official developer resource or at. Since the registry can only be defragmented before the operating system is loaded, the program will do its job just before Windows starts. To do this, run Defraggler and activate the option "Defragment system files at boot" by setting the checkbox to "Always".


After restarting the computer, immediately before starting the desktop, the following information will be displayed on the screen:


The duration of the program depends on the degree of registry fragmentation. As a rule, the first time the process can take quite a long time, but all subsequent ones - no more than one or two seconds. To disable registry defragmentation, simply run Defraggler and inactivate the option.

To fully unleash the full potential of the system, we recommend that you read other useful articles about and tuning Windows for maximum performance.