The Registry is a key component of the Windows operating system, so much so that without it Windows would not even run. When a new piece of hardware or software is installed in Windows, it stores its configuration into the Registry. This allows Windows to retrieve that information at later dates such as when it is starting up.

As Windows starts it will read the configuration in the Registry and know what drivers need to be loaded, what settings to be applied, and what resources need to be allocated in order for the equipment to work. Because this information is stored in the Registry on the hard drive, Windows has this information available each time it boots up.

The Registry though is not only for operating system settings: user preferences and application settings are stored in the Registry as well. When you change your desktop background or screen saver, these details are stored in the Registry. When you shut down Windows then start it up again at a later date, your preferences are available and loaded automatically. Application settings such as what directory you would like to download files to or what your default font is in a word processor are stored here as well. As you can see, the Registry contains information that is not only vital to the use of the operating system, but also essential in allowing you to customize Windows to your particular needs.

Over time with normal use, your computer's Registry will become bloated and filled with obsolete or unnecessary entries. This is especially true as software, drivers, and hardware components are added and removed from your computer.

With so many additions, deletions and other modifications, your Windows Registry can become filled with issues such as empty destinations, orphaned references, or it can even become corrupted. The need for you to clean obsolete Registry settings or repair your Registry issues becomes essential to ensure optimum performance of your PC.