Don’t worry; we have included some serious registry tools to make sure your computer is in proper working order.  Today we look at the Registry Cleaner, perhaps one of the most efficient ways to recoup processing power. 

Advantages to Windows Registry
You may be wondering why something so disorganized would be so crucial to your Windows machine.  The truth is that while people critique Windows Registry as redundant, it’s actually a smart method for your computer to keep track of how you use it.  Consider that when you make a change to a program (like telling Firefox to open certain tabs when you launch) your computer has to somehow remember that decision. 

All of this used to be done in .INI files, or in simple terms, plain text documents filled with code that tell a program what to do.  If we still had one user per computer this system might suffice, but with multiple users and multiple needs, it was time for a change.  Updates also became a problem, as two updates attempting to change the same value caused conflicts that could crash programs.  

As Windows evolved it became necessary to log different keys that would apply to each user on a machine.  It also helped those tech savvy users who wanted to manually adjust their own registry values.  Most users will never need to manually edit registry values, but the current Windows Registry gives the user control over the values that matter most.  The registry is a great tool, and if you know how to manually edit your keys you can do quite a bit with it. 

Taking Control of Your Registry 
Fix-It Utilities’ Registry Cleaner is a safe way for you to clean your registry of values it doesn’t need.  There are two types of Registry Cleaners you can run:

• • Express: This Cleaner removes unnecessary items
• • Advanced: Deletes items based on specific settings you define

The average computer user will almost never need to use the Advanced Registry Cleaner. To use the Express Registry Cleaner:

• • Close all programs and Open Fix-It Utilities
• • From the “Home” window, click “Cleanup”
• • Click “Registry Cleaner”
• • Select one or more items to remove them from the registry and finish by clicking “Apply”
• • Save results and restart your computer

Once the computer has been restarted, your changes will be in place and you should notice a difference in speed. 
*Tip: Fix-It Utilities includes something called “Undo It” in case you make a mistake with any of the tools in the suite. You can find this tool in “Home” under “Recover”.

Working with the Advanced Registry Cleaner
The Advanced Registry Cleaner organizes your registry into categories. 

• • Green dots indicate categories Fix-It Utilities is sure you are safe to remove. 
• • Yellow dots indicate that the category contains some safe values, but not all. 
• • Red dots tell you that the category is probably not safe and you should only erase these values after you have made a backup, and only if you have a thorough understanding of the Windows Registry.

Clean Your Registry!
Cleaning your registry is one of the most commonly overlooked ways to make your PC run faster.  Fix-It Utilities gives anyone, regardless of skill level, absolute control over their registry. Make a backup before you start, but try out the registry cleaner.  You’ll be surprised at the difference you’ll see after just one scan. 

Here are a few practical tips to help you stay organized using the “Optimize” menu from Fix-It Utilities.

Using Subfolders on your Drive
The quickest way to get buried in clutter is to start placing finished documents into My Documents without using a  subfolder.  Over time, you’ll notice your document folder will start to look like a disaster area.  Before you get overwhelmed with similarly named documents, develop a system for subfolders, and your information will stay organized:

• Try splitting documents up into work and personal folders.
• Keep clients or a payroll? Have a folder for “clients” and a subfolder for each person. 
• This tip is basic, but if you get off to a good start by organizing your documents, your computer will be much easier to maintain over time. 

What to Do With Media Files
Keeping media on your hard drive can consume a lot of memory.  Most of today’s computers have a partition for the Windows Operating System and Microsoft recommends leaving at least half of that drive freeto keep Windows running at maximum efficiency.  Your user folder, which houses your documents, photos, media and other information, is often stored on the partition for the Operating System.  When you download media files this folder can quickly become full. This data overload not only causes the Operating System to function at a lower level but also takes away valuable drive space.

Invest in a portable solution for storing media to dramatically decrease the space you consume:

• Burn media to a disc like CD or DVD. 
• Transfer media to a Flash Drive
• Backup your media files to an external hard drive. 
• Transferring media files to another storage medium frees up space on your drive.  This is also a solid backup strategy and will help your computer perform better overall. 
• *Tip: If you accidentally delete a media file like a photo or an MP3, Fix-It Utilities has a media recovery tool to locate the lost data.

Removing Clutter from Your Drive
Fix-It Utilities includes a fast defragmentation tool that organizes files and consolidates space.  Compressing files in this manner keeps your computer from having to waste time locating crucial data. 

• The defrag tool also includes a special setting specifically for decreasing boot up times on your PC. 
• We recommend running a full system scan to remove temporary files, cached files and cookies that can cause a slow computer. 
• *Tip: Fix-It Utilities comes with the powerful Start Up and Shut Down Analyzer. Detect what makes your computer boot up or shut down slowly and fix issues directly from within Optimize menu

Uninstall Unused Programs
If you’re never going to use a program, or you didn’t like it after you tried it, uninstall it from your Control Panel.  Uninstalling works best when you are only running that wizard, so keep other programs closed unless you need them (for example, using Firefox to read an installation guide while you work). 

Installed programs write new entries in your system registry and create a folder normally in C:\Program Files.  When a program is uninstalled, you might notice a pop up explaining that some elements could not be removed.  Normally, uninstalled programs leave behind dummy folders, hidden data, and old registry values.  Once you’ve finished uninstalling programs, use Fix-It Utilities to run a scan and remove these files.  In just a few easy steps, you’ll have a clean hard drive.

Increasing Internet Efficiency with Fix-It Utilities
Fix-It Utilities includes integrated virus and malware protection to help you browse the internet safely, and get the most out of your connection speeds.  Malware and other forms of malicious software can not only slow down your computer but also affect your bandwidth usage. 

For instance, if you had accidentally downloaded a keylogger, you might notice a decrease in speed as your data is transmitted to the source.  Fortunately, Fix-It Utilities can remove malware, spyware, keyloggers and rootkits, all of which are major sources of PC speed deficiencies. 

*Tip: Fix-It Utilities receives hourly virus definition updates, ensuring your protection is always up to date. 

Optimize your internet connection with the Internet Optimizer Tool and increase browsing times, downloads and surf speeds for both Internet Explorer and Firefox.

There are a variety of ways for hackers to catch you unaware, but after reading this article, you’ll know better what to what to look out for in the future. Remember, the best virus protection  is to not be a part of the chain that distributed it!

Viruses through Email
All viruses must be downloaded onto your computer, or transmitted via some kind of file exchange. This actually works in your favor, because if you know how to check a file for infection, you can stop the infection before it starts!  Many email providers, like Gmail, even scan your files for you to ensure you’re not receiving anything that will do something harmful to your machine.  However, let’s say you’re not a Gmail user and you receive a suspicious file from a friend. Before you think about downloading that file, make sure you’ve used the Fix-It Utilities Email Defense tool to protect yourself:

• In Settings, click “Email Defense” tab
• Click “Enable Email Defense”Email defense works for most email clients including Mozilla Thunderbird and Microsoft Outlook. 
  *Tip: If your provider uses non standard ports, be sure to configure them properly

Viruses through Facebook
Unfortunately, Facebook is one of the worst offenders when it comes to passing viruses to your friends. You have to be very careful before clicking on videos and links while using Facebook because you may not really know what you’re clicking on.  Usually it’s a phishing scam, where the hacker redirects you to a page that looks remarkably similar to another login page you would use (like a duplicate of the Facebook home page).  Lately, Facebook has seen viruses spreading with a trick that cons users into updating their Flash. It’s easy to see through if you know what you’re looking for:

• Look at the URL; if it’s not YouTube, it’s not legitimate.
• Look at the page of the friend you got the link from. If It’s a virus, you’ll see the same link go out to many people.
• Also look for links that have lead-ins that are poorly written or poorly phrased, especially if your friends are really picky about their grammar. These signs are subtle, but easy to spot now that you know how to find them.

Viruses through USB
Recently, a strange virus named Stuxnet was found in Iran. The virus was engineered specifically to attack nuclear centrifuges – so all of you reading this article should be safe from its attack – but the questions remains…how did computers that weren’t hooked up to the general internet still get infected? The answer is simple: USB!

Through brilliant reverse engineering, Stuxnet trackers discovered that the virus was transmitted via flash drives that the techs took with them to complete their work at home. These techs would pick the virus up from the sites they visited, and the virus would attach itself to documents and other files that would end up on the thumb drive. Plugging-in these drives led to the attack and the rest is history. 

Though this attack was focused on one type of machine, and used for a very specific purpose, the transmission of the virus is nothing new. There are two things you can do if you believe you’ve encountered an infected USB Drive:

Use Fix-It Utilities SMART Disk Check to check the integrity of the file storage
Run an antivirus scan on the thumb drive and begin virus removal
*Tip: Use a “Custom Scan” to run an anti-virus scan on specific files or folders (for example, your Flash Drive, or its files)
This is probably one of the most uncommon methods to transmit a virus, but you should know how to defend yourself in case of any situation that may arise.  Properly analyzing each can be the best way to fight against viruses. Know what you’re looking for, and you’ll be able to stop it before it becomes a problem.

The truth is, nothing is more frustrating than wasting time working with a sluggish, error-ridden PC when your time needs to be spent on work itself. Well, now’s the time to face your PC problems head on because Fix-It is the perfect registry fix solution!

With Fix-It Utilities™ Professional, the most comprehensive and versatile computer diagnostic and repair software on the market today, not only will you have your PC running like new, with regular use, Fix-It Utilities prevents PC problems before they occur! And after all, shouldn’t that be the ultimate goal? In today’s world your time and money are simply too valuable to waste on outside PC repairs when, with just a few clicks of your mouse, you can repair and maintain your PC any time, day or night! Top-rated by computer professionals all over the world, Fix-It Utilities is one of the most reliable registry fix solutions on the market. It doesn’t just take care of a handful of problems; it attacks and fixes ALL the problems plaguing your PC.

Three Easy Ways to Fix My PC with Fix-It Utilities

1) Scan and Identify PC Problems

Run its 250+ diagnostic tests and let Fix-It quickly make the repairs for you. Just a few clicks of the mouse…

• Speeds up and optimize the Windows startup
• Finds and fixes Windows registry errors
• Defrags and cleans out your hard drive clutter
• Optimizes Internet speed and memory performance

Does your PC crash, freeze and restart randomly? Fix-It Utilities…

• Fixes Windows security flaws
• Removes malware, viruses and spyware
• Recovers deleted folders, files and data
• Restores your system when your PC won’t boot

2) Analyze, Fix & Repair Your PC
Want to delve deeper into how your PC works? Fix-It’s detailed analysis results are organized and easy-to-understand. Once you have the results you’ll see just how versatile Fix-It Utilities really is! Strapped for time? You can safely repair everything with just One Click. Want more control? You can easily exclude any item from repair, get further insight or select targeted repairs.

3) Automate Your PC with Active Intelligence

Stop worrying about whether or not tomorrow will present yet another PC problem! Set up Fix-It Utilities’ Active Intelligence technology to constantly and silently monitor and fix any problems automatically. Monitor hard drive status, available disk space, hard drive fragmentation, registry errors, excess temp files and startup applications. Plus with regular use of Fix-It Utilities Active Intelligence, you’ll reduce start up times, improve read-write performance by and prevent data loss by identifying hard drive problems before they happen!