The best way to keep your computer up to speed and performing its best is to be equipped in both a physical and mental sense for any possible breakdowns. There is no getting around the fact things happen to computers. However, when you are properly prepared, these things will usually be short lived and nothing more than a mere inconvenience. It is when we go through life believing nothing will ever happen to our computer, we are opening ourselves up to possible disaster!

One thing we need to be aware of is the fact Windows operating systems use a central data base structure known as a registry. This registry keeps track of everything the computer is composed of. When anything changes, the registry stores this change so the next time the CPU is looking for directions to its next instruction, the registry can accurately show it where this instruction is. Probably, there are computer engineers who would describe this explanation of a registry's function as overly simplified but hopefully it gets across the point a registry is responsible for knowing where all the pieces to a PC's operating functions are.

The Registry Flaw

The problem with how the registry functions is that changes made in the computer, such as new software, new users, changes in the users profiles and sharing, etc, all make new entries in the registry. This is great but the old registry entries tend to stay in the registry. This fact makes the operating system have to find its way around by using trial and error.

In other words the OS gets pointed in the wrong direction by an old registry entry. Once it finds this entry leads it nowhere, it has to return to the registry to get the next, hopefully correct direction. As you might imagine, this extra work will slow down computer operations. As registry corruption builds, the computer will get slower and slower. When corruption in the registry becomes rampant, the computer will become subject to freezes, errors and even the blue screen failure. This is true even though the blue screen failure is normally associated with viruses and spyware.

Minimizing Computer Problems

Keeping a registry cleaner installed on your computer and using it regularly will nip these problems in the bud. Not only does using a registry cleaner repair computer problems that may be creeping up inside the computer, is it also one of the best preventative medicines available for a PC. Using this preventative medicine can help keep major headaches from developing.

In conclusion, here are the things all PC owners should do in order to be prepared for the worse and keep potential computer disasters to small inconveniences:

· Use a virus scanner regularly
· If this scanner does not eradicate spyware, use a separate spyware cleaner
· Use a registry cleaner regularly
· Use a driver scanner, if needed and most importantly,
· Keep a backup of your files.