All computers start running slow eventually as the processing and memory demands increase. This article looks at a series of simple maintenance task which can rejuvenate a computer’s performance for free. A Reimage review is also included to show how commercial registry repair tools can also play a part in speeding up PCs through registry key optimization.

The tasks below are best practices in computer maintenance and repair and should ideally be run on a scheduled/regular basis:

• Check the disk drives have enough space. Microsoft recommends at least 10% for Windows to operate correctly.
• Reboot fully to clear the RAM cache. Many applications can leave residual data cached in RAM that only gets cleared on a full reboot (as opposed to ‘Hibernate’ mode).
• Run an anti-virus scan of the full system. Trojan viruses are particularly troublesome for using large amounts of CPU/RAM.
• Defragment all hard drives (every 3 to 5 weeks). Fragmented files increase the disk access times and RAM usage which reduces computer performance.
• Get the latest device drivers and critical updates from the Windows Update service. These patches often contain code improvements relating to performance.

The above actions will go some way to establishing a base performance and level of stability for your computer. Additional tuning is possible using registry repair tools such as Reimage.

The Reimage review process does a full scan of your computer’s registry and file system for faults and non-optimum settings. Their database containing thousands of optimized registry configurations is used as a template for setting your computer’s registry key to healthy settings.

The added benefit is that the scan checks system files, 3rd party applications and device drivers for errors, virus damage and checks the Reimage file store for more up to date file versions (which can be subsequently installed).

A series of maintenance tasks, like those above, provide a baseline of health and stability for your computer that reduces the potential for it to run slow. If these tasks fail to resolve your performance problems then it could be necessary to assess the hardware for faults – a task that is best completed by the computer supplier’s own engineers.

Computer repair and maintenance is made all the more difficult when a fatal blue screen error occurs in Windows. This article highlights an approach to repairing Windows when registry faults interfere with the system start-up, finishing up with a Reimage review to show how online repair services can help.

My home office desktop PC recently crashed during start-up showing the blue screen code 0x80072F76. The code refers to the registry file being corrupted (most likely due to software removals I had made to the PC).

The logical steps for resolution are as follows:

• Use another Windows user account. If the registry hive is only affected for one user then trying going is as administrator and salvaging your data.
• Boot in Windows safe mode. Once Windows is running you can roll back the faulty registry file (assuming you keep back up copies).
• Start Windows from the boot-disks and scan for faults. The system/hardware scans in this mode may pick up faults (e.g. disk errors). This is a long-shot but at the very least it discounts these possible causes.
• Automate the repairs using PC maintenance software (such as Reimage).

In my scenario, I ultimately used the online repair service Reimage. After downloading their boot application I was able to boot the computer, gain internet access and start the Reimage repair and scan process (this runs from within Internet Explorer).

The 25 minute scan checked the registry file, device drivers, application files, etcetera for errors and omissions. The resulting report highlighted over 50 registry key faults, many relating to the applications I had recently removed, which Reimage was able to proceed to fix. Registry keys are compared to their online knowledge base and set appropriately while application and OS files are upgraded/replaced using their repository of over 20 million files.

In this day and age where many people work from home it has become necessary to be able to do your own computer repair and maintenance work. It is reassuring to know that even the dreaded blue screen of death can be repaired, even if it does sometimes mean resorting to online PC repair software services.