If your Windows computer is running slow or giving you error messages, it may be time to clean out the registry. The registry is a database that stores information about your computer’s configuration. Over time, it can become cluttered with old or broken data. This can cause your computer to run slowly or generate error messages. Fortunately, you can clean out the registry with a few clicks. This article will show you how to delete broken registry items on Windows.
The Windows Registry is a hierarchical database that stores all of the settings and options for your Windows operating system. Over time, as you install and uninstall programs, delete and create files, and change settings, the Registry can become cluttered and filled with errors. This can lead to stability and performance problems with your PC.
Fortunately, you can use the Registry Editor to delete broken registry items and help improve the stability and performance of your PC. In this article, we’ll show you how to do that.
Before we begin, it’s important to note that making changes to the Registry can be dangerous. If you delete the wrong registry key, you could cause serious problems with your PC. That’s why it’s always a good idea to create a backup of the Registry before making any changes.
To create a backup of the Registry, open the Registry Editor and select File > Export. Choose a location to save the backup file and give it a name. Then, click Save.
Now that you’ve created a backup, let’s take a look at how to delete broken registry items.
To do that, open the Registry Editor and navigate to the following key:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FileExts
Under the FileExts key, you’ll see a list of all the file extensions on your system. Each file extension has its own key, and under each key, you’ll see a list of the programs that are associated with that file extension.
For example, under the .txt key, you’ll see a list of the programs that are associated with .txt files.
To delete a broken registry item, simply delete the key for the program that you want to remove. For example, to delete the registry entry for Notepad++, you would delete the following key:
HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FileExts\.txt\UserChoice
After you delete the key, the next time you try to open a .txt file, Windows will display a list of programs that you can use to open the file. Notepad++ will no longer be an option.
If you want to delete multiple registry items at once, you can use the Registry Editor’s search function to find all of the keys that you want to delete. To do that, select Edit > Find from the Registry Editor’s menu.
In the Find dialog box, type the name of the program that you want to remove. Make sure that the “Keys” option is selected, and then click Find Next.
The Registry Editor will then search for all of the keys that contain the program’s name. To delete the keys, simply press the Delete key on your keyboard.
Remember, it’s always a good idea to create a backup of the Registry before making any changes. That way, if you accidentally delete the wrong key, you can restore your Registry from the backup.
Table of Contents
What is a Registry?
A registry is a database that stores settings and options for your computer, and is where Windows keeps most of its configuration information. The registry is organized into a series of keys, and each key contains a series of values. When you make changes to your system, such as installing a new program or driver, the registry is updated with new information.
If you delete a key or value from the registry by mistake, it can cause problems with your computer. In some cases, you may not be able to start your computer at all. If you’re having problems with your computer, and you think the registry may be to blame, you can try deleting some of the keys or values.
Before you make any changes to the registry, it’s important to back it up. That way, if something goes wrong, you can restore the registry to its previous state.
To delete a key or value from the registry:
1. Start Registry Editor. To do this, click Start, type regedit in the Search box, and then press Enter.
2. Locate the key or value that you want to delete.
3. Right-click the key or value, and then click Delete.
4. Click Yes to confirm the deletion.
5. Close Registry Editor.
What are Broken Registry Items?
The registry is a central database that stores all the files, settings, and options for your computer. Windows uses the registry to remember a variety of things about your computer, including what programs are installed, what settings you have chosen, and what hardware is connected.
The registry is constantly being used by Windows, and is constantly being updated. Over time, the registry can become cluttered with old and outdated entries. These entries can eventually cause problems with your computer, and can even prevent Windows from starting.
If you suspect that your registry has become cluttered with old and outdated entries, you can use a registry cleaner to scan your registry and remove these entries. Registry cleaners are specialised programs that are designed to clean and repair the registry.
There are a number of registry cleaners available, and they all have their own advantages and disadvantages. You should always use a reputable registry cleaner, and you should always create a backup of your registry before you use a registry cleaner.
If you want to delete broken registry items on your Windows computer, you can use a registry cleaner to scan your registry and remove these entries. Registry cleaners are specialised programs that are designed to clean and repair the registry. There are a number of registry cleaners available, and they all have their own advantages and disadvantages. You should always use a reputable registry cleaner, and you should always create a backup of your registry before you use a registry cleaner.
How to Delete Broken Registry Items
The Windows Registry is a database of information about all the software and hardware installed on your computer. Over time, the Registry can become cluttered with old or outdated data, which can lead to errors and stability issues.
If you’re having problems with your computer, one of the first things you should do is clean up the Registry. In this article, we’ll show you how to delete broken registry items in Windows.
Before we begin, it’s important to understand that making changes to the Registry can be dangerous. If you delete the wrong data, you could cause serious problems. For that reason, it’s always a good idea to create a backup of the Registry before making any changes.
To delete broken registry items, follow these steps:
1. launch the Registry Editor by pressing Windows + R, then type “regedit” and press Enter.
2. In the Registry Editor, use the left sidebar to navigate to the following key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\ShellIconOverlayIdentifiers
3. On the right side of the Registry Editor, you’ll see a list of values. These values are the icons that appear in the Windows Explorer.
4. To delete a value, right-click it and select “Delete.”
5. Repeat this process for each value you want to delete.
6. Once you’ve deleted all the values, close the Registry Editor and restart your computer.
Summary
If you’re like most Windows users, you have a few broken registry items lurking around. These can be caused by a variety of things, including uninstalling programs, installing new programs, and even just using your computer over time. While most of these broken registry items won’t cause any problems, they can clutter up your registry and slow down your computer. So, it’s a good idea to clean them out from time to time.
There are a few different ways to delete broken registry items. You can use a third-party registry cleaner, or you can do it manually. We’ll show you how to do both.
If you want to use a registry cleaner, we recommend CCleaner. It’s a free program that does a great job of cleaning up your registry. Just download it, install it, and run it. Then, click the “Cleaner” button and select the “Registry” option. CCleaner will scan your registry and delete any broken items it finds.
If you prefer to do things manually, you can use the Registry Editor to delete broken registry items. Just open the Registry Editor (press the Windows key + R, type “regedit” into the Run dialog, and press Enter), navigate to the key or value that’s causing the problem, and delete it. However, be very careful when editing the registry. If you delete the wrong thing, you could cause serious problems. So, it’s always a good idea to back up your registry before making any changes.
That’s all there is to it! Now you know how to delete broken registry items, either with a registry cleaner or manually.
Resources
If you’re looking to clean up your Windows registry, one place you’ll want to check is for broken registry items. These are items in the registry that point to files or other registry keys that no longer exist. While they don’t necessarily cause problems, they can bloat the registry and slow down your computer. Here’s how to delete them.
First, open up the Registry Editor by hitting Start and typing in “regedit.” Press Enter to open it up.
In the Registry Editor, use the left sidebar to navigate to the following key:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\FileExts
This key contains a lot of information about file extensions and how they’re associated with programs on your computer.
Next, click on the arrow next to the “FileExts” key to expand it. You should see a list of subkeys that correspond to different file extensions.
Click on each of these subkeys in turn and look at the “UserChoice” key. This key stores information about which program is set as the default for opening a particular file type.
If the “UserChoice” key exists, delete it.
You may also see other keys that are named after programs. These keys store information about specific file types that are associated with that program. For example, there may be a key named “txtfile” that stores information about how Windows should handle .txt files.
If you see any keys that are named after programs that you no longer have installed, you can delete them as well.
Once you’ve gone through all the keys, close the Registry Editor and restart your computer. The changes you made should take effect immediately.
