Windows registry can be thought of as a massive database of settings and so many other values that, if left neglected, can fill up with broken registry items. These orphaned registry items can easily stack up whenever you remove any old software or upgrade your Windows.
Malicious programs and viruses can also pile up damaged registry items. Too much building up of broken registry items poses adverse impacts to the system’s performance, especially when it searches for an important entry that is missing or has somehow been corrupted.
We understand that being a typical user, you will never feel the need to access the Windows registry, but many services of your system and third-party programs definitely require registry items to work. Plus, what if your system starts irritating you with a registry error every time you open a program?
What Is Windows Registry?
Windows registry files are responsible for maintaining the individual program’s vital information and settings, the system’s operating-system configurations, hardware devices, and user preferences. When new software is installed on a computer, new registry files are added to the Windows registry.
What Are Computer Broken Registry Items?
A corrupted or broken registry entry is what a broken registry is. An abrupt shutdown of the computer might cause a damaged registry. You should get rid of it as quickly as possible because it may slow down your computer.
What Causes Broken Registry Items And How To Repair Broken Registry Items Freely?
The entry of malware or viruses, ill-configured registry bits, and unexpected system shutdown failures are the chief causes of faulty registry items.
That could be a flaw in your system’s security system. You can utilize available free cleaners or do it manually from your PC. Furthermore, you can try various alternative methods to repair corrupted registry entries, including the ones listed above.
Here are a few free solutions for repairing broken registry entries:
- Several Registry entry repair applications are available for free, including CCleaner, Jet clean, and Registry repair.
- Download a free Registry cleaner and avoid visiting your local computer repair center.
Hence, now that you know what are broken registry items and that, being the nerve center of the system’s OS, they should be well maintained, let’s quickly discuss all the ways to fix broken registry items.
How to Fix Broken Registry Items Windows 10
Using Automatic Repair
Unlike former Windows versions, version 10 is pretty advanced when it comes to carrying nifty tools for automatic system maintenance. One such tool is the Automatic Repair tool which is very useful for fixing every obvious issue lurking within a system.
The tool is capable enough to repair broken registry items too, but may not fix those caused by third-party apps. The following steps will instruct you on how to clean registry windows 10:
- Right-click your system’s Start button and enter Settings.
- In the Settings menu, go to Update & Security, then Recovery.
- An Advanced Setup window will open, under which will be a Restart Now option. Click to proceed.
- Windows will reboot and display a Choose An Options menu. Click on Troubleshoot > Advanced Options > Startup Repair.
- Next, you’ll be instructed to sign in. Here, use your Microsoft or local user account, whichever you prefer.
Once you are done signing in as per the instructions, the Automatic Repair tool will begin detecting any issues within the system and repair them one by one. However, you will still need to acquaint yourself with the other solutions mentioned below to fix third-party registry items in Windows 10.
Using System File Checker
Another way to resolve this problem is to utilize a System File Checker. A broken registry item issue often arises due to missing or broken files. The System File Checker in Windows 10 is a built-in tool that will look for corrupted or missing files in your PC’s directory and will help repair them.
The below-mentioned steps will show how to remove broken registry items by using the System File Checker tool.
- Access your system’s search bar and input Command Prompt.
- Right-click the Command Prompt option and click Run As Administrator to get to the cmd interface.
- In the interface, input the command “SFC /scannow” and press enter to proceed.
The inputted command will initiate checking protected files and replace all the damaged ones with their cached copies. The complete scanning process will consume a considerable time which can not stop in between; thus you need to be very patient while it’s done.
When the scan ends, you can restart your PC to check if the broken registry items error on Windows 10 happens.
Running the DISM Command
Like File Checker and the Automatic Repair Tool, running the DISM Command is also a useful way to detect and repair broken registry items in Windows 10 automatically. For that:
- Access the run prompt by pressing together the Windows plus R key.
- Input cmd or Command Prompt.
- Press Ctrl + Shift + Enter all at once to provide administrative privileges.
- Next, input “DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /ScanHealth” and press Enter.
- Wait for the procedure to finish and check to see if the damaged items are wiped out
Performing Disk Cleanup
Luckily, the Disk Cleanup Feature can be availed no matter what version of the Windows OS is housed within your device. The features can efficiently remove unnecessary files on the system that is responsible for conserving far too much space.
Unnecessary files also include broken registry items that are very important to remove for your system’s better performance. To do so:
- Press the Windows and S key simultaneously to open up the PC’s search bar
- Input Disk Cleanup and select the first option that comes up
- Next, choose the drive from which your system’s Windows is kept.
- Press the “Clean Up System Files” option and again enter the drive
- Select all the options and click on OK
This will clean all unimportant files from the system, including damaged registry items, and help the computer speed up.
Resetting Windows System
Unfortunately, if the windows registry items in your system are damaged beyond repair, your only option is to consider resetting the OS. This means reviving Windows to its default settings via a neat reinstallation process that’s less tough than installing the Windows entirely.
It would be great if you make sure to backup all your files before doing so, as the reset might result in losing all former installed programs, settings, personalization, and more. To clean the registry by resetting Windows 10, follow these steps:
- Assuming your PC won’t boot normally with severe registry damage, you need to force access to the Advanced Options menu. Restart your computer and press the F8 or F11 button till the spinning cursor appears.
- If this doesn’t work, force the system to restart at least two times during the bootup process. This way, Windows will load the Advanced Options menu automatically.
- Next, select Troubleshoot and then click on Reset This PC.
- The system will ask you whether you want to save all your files or simply wipe everything. Choose what you prefer.
The reset process will initiate and can not be halted till it is fully completed.
Conclusion
The Windows Registry is a complex web of settings that, if damaged, can bring down an entire system. Utilizing the methods above, you should be able to repair damaged registry items on your PC.
Try all of them, and if nothing proves fruitful, registry items are way more damaged than your expectations, and resetting the Windows should be your last resort. Finally, protect your PCs from Malware as nothing causes more registry damage than a hostile program lurking illegitimately inside a system.
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