First of all you’ll want to update your antivirus definitions and run a full scan. The same goes for your spyware cleaner. A virus on Windows 98 or spyware running in the background will cause a major slow down. If you do not have a good spyware cleaner you will have to download one.

Next go to my computer and select your hard drive, right-click on it and hit properties from there you can run the disk cleanup tool. Go to your control panel and click the add remove programs. Remove any programs you no longer use. The more programs you have on the hard drive slower your applications will load.

Remove any unused icons from your desktop, the same from your taskbar. Most people don’t know it but these will slow down your PC. Next you will want to do a complete defrag. It is recommended that you start it before going to bed since it may take a very long time.

The biggest reason Windows 98 will slow down is because of registry errors. Your Windows 98 registry is a heart of your operating system. Anytime you install or uninstall software it creates registry keys. Most uninstall software does not remove the registry key created when you installed the software. This creates an orphaned registry entry, belonging to nothing. Over time your registry becomes bloated and slow. Windows 98 looks at these orphaned files and tries to reference software it relates to. Since it cannot find it Windows 98 will stall before moving on.

This is a big cause of slow boot times or slow shutdowns. Some Windows 98 computers will freeze when shutting down because of registry errors. Other symptoms of registry errors are freezing, blue screens, slow applications, slow start up, corrupt shutdowns, jerky mouse operation, and some computers will reboot for no reason. This is very annoying when you’re in the middle trying to do something.

There are some registry cleaners you can download for free but the fact is they don’t do a complete job. They do not do is deep scan like a good professional version will. You really do get what you pay for in this case. If you want to prove this fact yourself try a free one can compare to a paid registry cleaner. The paid one will find twice as many errors and files that need correcting. Most free tools are written that way on purpose so you upgrade to their Pro version.

Investing in a good registry cleaner is well worth the investment. You should perform weekly maintenance on your registry. Most programs will allow you to schedule maintenance so you do not forget. Another great feature of some of the top registry cleaners is that it allows you to remove programs from your start up with a click of your mouse. This will greatly reduce your start up times.

If you followed the advice in this article your Windows 98 computer should be running like it did when you first bought it. Most people are amazed at how much faster and smoother their computer runs after spending a couple hours on it. You may just put off buying a new computer after all.

First of all let’s explain what a registry cleaner does. Your Windows registry is the heart of your operating system. When you install or uninstall software you create registry keys. The uninstall program that comes bundled with software does not remove the registry entries they create. This leaves behind orphaned registry keys, causing your system to become bloated over time.

You need to clean these periodically. Viruses, spyware and improper shutdowns can also damage or corrupt your registry files. This is the number one cause for having a slow computer and other such errors like blue screens, freezes, mouse freezing, rebooting, invalid shortcuts, slow applications, slow boot times, slow shutdowns. Or in very bad cases your computer may not be able to boot at all.

You will want to look for a registry cleaner that is easy to use set up. With your purchase you should be able to get lifetime updates for free, and have access to their tech support. The Registry cleaners on our main page all provide that and more. You can feel safe using any one of them.

There are some free registry cleaners out there that you can use but, they’re not really recommended. When compared side by side with a professional registry cleaner they have been proven to only find half as many errors than a paid version. They do not provide deep scan of your registry and therefore miss many files that need repair or deleting.

There are also some old programs out there that haven’t been updated in a long time and will not work with Vista. You need to watch out for these. Some poorly written programs can do more damage than good.

Registry cleaning and maintenance is not a one-time process, you should preform weekly scans on your registry to keep your computer running smooth and fully optimized. A good registry cleaner is a wise investment for any computer owner. Maintaining your computer properly will avoid major problems later on.

If you’re not sure you have a registry problem or need a registry cleaner visit our main page and download one of the free trials. You can scan your computer and see how many errors you need to correct. From there you can make your decision on whether to purchase the registry cleaner or not.

If you have had no major problems up to this point you’re doing good. However, you may have noticed your system has been getting a little slower, or you’re getting more frequent errors. Signs of a corrupt or bad registry are slow startups, blue screen errors, slow shutdowns, freezes, crashes, slow program load times, and another general errors.

Perhaps you have never had a registry problem or perform maintenance on it before. So far you’ve been lucky if that is the case. Registry maintenance should be performed on a weekly basis. If you have not scanned your system in a long time you’ll be amazed at the amount of errors you will find. Each time you install or uninstall software, you create a registry key. Uninstall software usually does not remove the key when you remove software. This creates orphaned registry entries and over time your system becomes bloated and slow.

To repair and clean your system, you will need third-party software designed to do this. There are a few free versions that you can use, but they’re not recommended. They don’t deep scan your registry and therefore don’t do a complete job. They are possibly designed that way so you’ll buy their pro version or upgrade. You’re much better investing in a professional registry repair program right from the start. Plus you will receive lifetime updates and professional tech support if you ever need them.

Not all Registry repair cleaners are created equal, so you want to do your homework before you make your purchase. One feature, you will want to look for is the option to perform scheduled scans. This way you can set it up and forget it. Plus the option to remove programs from your start up is nice. Removing unneeded programs from your start up will speed up your boot time immensely.

Most programs will let you create a restore point or backup before you change anything. This is always a good idea, just in case your system loses power or crashes before the scan is complete. Some computers will have such a corrupt Registry they will just shut off and reboot for no reason. Windows 98 is especially prone to this problem.

Properly maintaining your Windows registry is like giving your PC a good tuneup. You will be amazed at how much faster it boots and loads programs. In most cases, unless you have a hardware problem, it will also clear up any of your errors. You just may put off purchasing that new computer or upgrading your operating system a little longer.