What should I look for in Windows registry repair software?
Good registry repair software will enhance your computing experience and eliminate related system seizures and crashes. By defragmenting your windows registry it should also optimize the way Windows stores information vital to the smooth operation of your system.
Since a poorly designed registry repair application could cause more problems than it solves, there are a number factors that we recommend you consider before you decide which particular utility to install:
Feature set
The best registry repair applications search for all types of possible problems. However, don’t be fooled when one scanner finds fewer “errors” than another, since the utility finding more errors does not necessarily have a better scanning engine.
Often, those registry repair utilities which find the greatest number of errors will not have a rigorous scanning engine or advanced error detection algorithms and, hence, may be finding errors where there aren’t any. For the same reason you should also make sure that the application lists all the errors, allowing you to select which errors to fix and which to omit.
Ease of use
Although software must be effective, it must also be simple to use irrespective of your level of technical expertise. Otherwise, you will just set it aside and never use the product. Even the most expert users hate software which is not intuitive and simple to use.
Installing and configuring the product should be simple. Luckily, many registry repair applications are available as downloads, free of charge. This allows you to ‘test’ the product before actually buying it. Look out for lengthy installation and configuration procedures and whether additional plug-ins or downloads are required to get the product to run immediately.
Well-designed products are generally laid out in highly user-friendly and attractive graphical user interfaces with logical sequences of actions. Furthermore they may have a complex and advanced set of features. Finally the information given by the user interface must also be comprehensive and easy to understand.
Help and support
Related to ease-of-use is the question of ensuring that the software contains a comprehensive help file that is regularly updated and which helps you through the rigors of registry repair. Not only should the help file contain information about what the product does and how to use it, but it must also build your knowledge of registries and what they do.
Just as important as a thorough help file is good customer support, that offers you assistance both before and after you have purchased the product. Watch out for support response times, the quality of vendor answers and whether they are really ready to help.
Trust, security and safety
Safety first! Repairing your registry is not easy and even if you get an automatic repair utility, how sure are you that your registry is not being damaged? Shy away from vendors who are generally unknown. Read their website well. Look at their products and “About us” sections and try and assess whether they are really a reliable technology company. One good indicator of competence is whether the company has been in the business for some time
The best registry repair software vendors usually provide a substantial amount of information on their products. Moreover, their products have regular updates and upgrades – this means that they have people working to improve their software because it is an important business. Don’t be afraid to ask them how long the product has been in development, before you even try the product.
Safety and trust are your main concern. Remember: mistakes in registry repair may lead to even greater problems, down the line, including data loss, system damage and the cost of computer technicians coming to reinstall your system from scratch.
Vendor reputation
Closely related to the safety and trust issue is the vendor’s reputation. Make sure that the vendor you are purchasing your product from is trustworthy and offers no-quibble money-back guarantees. Ensure that there are contact details (email addresses, telephone numbers and even a physical address) where the vendor may be contacted. Check that the vendor has won awards and has had good reviews. And, finally, find out what other customers have said about the product (where possible).
