So the first thing you will want to do, unless you have automatic updates enabled, is to run your Windows update. Download and install all updates. If you disabled the automatic option for some reason it is a good idea to leave it enabled, this way you stay on top of all your updates automatically. Next you will want to do general maintenance on your computer. Start by running the cleanup program on your hard drive.

After that make sure you do not have a virus or spyware running in the background. Some spyware infections can use hog a lot of your computer’s resources, leaving little for operating the programs you want to use. You can turn off Vistas eye candy and other options that you really don’t need. You can always turn them back on later if they do not solve your problem. While they look nice they use up a lot of memory and other resources. Go to my computer, right-click and select properties. Go to the advanced tab and under preforming settings you can select adjust for best performance.

The most common cause for program crashes is because of registry errors. Like most people you have probably tried to install older programs on Vista there were not compatible and then uninstalled them. The problem is that most uninstall programs do not do a complete job. They leave behind registry keys and entries. Over time your registry becomes bloated or corrupted. Improper shutdowns, viruses, spyware, and corrupt software will also damage your registry resulting in program crashes.

Your registry needs to be referred to every time you start your computer or load software. Damaged entries will cause program crashes. To correct this problem you will need to use a registry cleaner and repair program. Since Windows does not come with one you will need to find and download a third-party software to do this. If you don’t have one already you should invest in a good registry repair software program. While there are a couple of free ones, I would not trust my computer to them. Deleting the wrong registry key or changing the wrong file can make your computer unusable.

Many older programs that were made for the earlier versions of Windows, like XP will not operate correctly on Vista. There is one thing you can try however before you uninstall them. Right click on the icon that is not working and select properties. Click the compatibility tab and select the box that says run this program in XP compatibility mode. Some older programs will then work and you will not have to uninstall them.

Maintaining your Windows registry is like giving your PC a good tuneup. You will keep your boot times to a minimum and correct most problems if you are experiencing crashes. Most programs will enable you to schedule routine maintenance. You should scan and clean your registry files at least once a week. If you have a large hard drive, you can schedule it to run at night when you’re not using your PC.

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Vista is a great operating system. However, some older programs will not run properly. Most people find this out by trying to install them and then uninstalling them when they don’t work. Whenever you uninstall a program most of the time all the files do not get deleted. The software will leave behind orphaned registry files. Over time, your registry will get bloated and full of corrupt files that try to reference software that isn’t there anymore.

Every time you boot your computer your PC tries to refer to these files that are no longer there or corrupted, which will really slow down your boot time or cause other major problems. There is no program that was built into windows for cleaning and optimizing your PC. So you will need to download a third-party program to do this.

Slow boot times, blue screens, freeze ups, slow loading programs, and other general errors are signs of corrupted reference files.

Some of the older scanners and cleaners were not made for Vista. So you may need to purchase a new version or if this is your first time buying a cleaner/scanner you will want to make sure it is compatible with your operating system.

Do your homework before you make your purchase. Since all software is not created equal. Some have features the others don’t, which are really nice to have like automated and scheduled scans, automatic updates, and other features that allow you to remove programs from your start up with the ease.

Investing in good piece of software for registry repair is a wise investment for any computer. You will have it for years to come. Most of them will allow you to use it on multiple computers. So for the one-time fee, you can maintain all the computers in your home or office. Cleaning the registry is something that should be done at least once a week. Doing so will keep your PC running smoothly and fully optimized.

Preforming regular maintenance on your computer will avoid future problems, data loss, or complete hard drive failure. You should also do regular spyware scans, anti virus scans as well as normal cleanups. Most people do not do any maintenance to their computer and till they have a problem. Don’t be one of them.

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Here’s a few tips you can try to fix your slow startup problem. First of all you want to disable any programs that are in the startup menu that you do not absolutely need. There is no sense in waiting for programs to load that you don’t use on a regular basis. Or if you are not sure which one is slowing your startup. You can disable them one at a time.

If that did not help, you can disable your Windows sidebar. You’ll also want to remove any icons from your desktop that you do not absolutely need. The same goes for your task bar and quick start menu. All of these will slow down your boot time.

Check to make sure your anti virus program is not scanning at startup. Some programs are set to scan. When windows boots, by default. You will also want to do a full anti virus scan to make sure you don’t have a worm or any other type of virus that is working in the background slowing your operations down.

The biggest reason for a slow boot time is a corrupt or damaged Registry. The registry will become corrupted from installing and uninstalling programs. Perhaps you have loaded programs onto your new Vista computer and were not compatible and then uninstall them. They leave behind files, which Windows tries to reference on startup. Since they are no longer on your computer. Your system goes through a long search trying to find them. You need to clean and optimize your Windows registry to eliminate any bad or orphaned files.

You can do this manually if you are an experienced computer technician. It is not recommended for most users. Windows does not have a built-in tool for repairing, cleaning, or optimizing your registry. You will need to download and run a third-party registry repair program to do this.

A good piece of software that will do this for you with a click of the mouse is a wise investment for any computer. You will have it for years to come, and can schedule it to do weekly maintenance. This will keep your PC fully optimize and running fast. It’s like giving your computer a tuneup.

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If you are getting system crashes, blue screens,freezes, general error messages, slow applications or extremely slow boot times here are a few things you can try. If you trouble began after installing a program or new software. The first thing you can try is the go back and restore feature is built into your operating system.

To find that feature on your computer, start by going to your control panel, in the left menu make sure you are in control panel home, and click backup and restore. Click use system restore to undo changes and fix problems. Follow the prompts, and pick a restore point that was created before your problems began. In most cases this will restore your computer and eliminate your errors.

If that did not cure your problem you more than likely have a registry error. You can edit and repair your Windows registry manually but is not recommended. If you delete or change the wrong file your computer will not be able to restart. You will need to download and run a third-party Registry repair program.

Windows registry becomes corrupt from installing and removing software. Orphaned files are left behind, causing your registry to become bloated and slow. This will also cause system errors and other problems. It can also become corrupt from viruses, Trojans, spyware, or corrupt software.

Older programs are not compatible with Vista, as you may have found by, installing them and not being able to run the program on your new computer. Most uninstall options that come with software do not do a thorough job and leave behind a registry key.

Incorrect system shutdown power losses and crashes can cause further damage to your registry. A good professional repair program is a wise investment for any computer. They are simple to use, and you can schedule them to scan at times when you’re not using your computer. Scanning and repairing your system is like giving your computer a tuneup. You will eliminate unneeded files and your system will no longer look for software that is no longer there. Greatly increasing your computers speed and performance and decrease your boot time. It will also repair most common errors.

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