How to Scan a Computer for Registry Errors
- 1). Open an Internet browser of your choice. Go to a website that maintains a directory and listing of computer software you can download for free, such as Softpedia, PC World, Sofotex or PCMag.com. Go to the "Utilities" or "System" section of the download website and look for the "Registry" sub-section. Or, type in "registry cleaner" in the site's search box and press "Enter."
- 2). Select a registry cleaner software program. Free registry cleaners include Glary Registry Repair by Glarysoft, Wise Registry Cleaner by Wise Cleaner, CCleaner by Piriform and Free Registry Cleaner by Eusing Software. Look in the written description for a list of the operating systems with which the software is compatible. Read the program features. Most registry cleaner software programs scan and find errors, clean junk files, such as empty, duplicate and leftover registry keys, and fix any errors or registry problems that it finds. Click the "download" link for the program. Save the installation file to your computer's hard drive.
- 3). Double-click or open the registry cleaner's installation file. Follow the on-screen prompts. Select a hard drive location in which you want to save the program. Select whether you want to create a desktop icon or Start Menu folder, if these are options. Click "Finish" to complete the program installation.
- 4). Open the registry scanner software--either by double-clicking its icon on your desktop or clicking on the program name from the Start Menu list of "All Programs."
- 5). Click the "Scan" or "Start" button in the registry cleaner program interface. Wait for the program to complete the scan. Look at the results of the scan and the registry errors that the program has selected or checked. Click the "Repair" or "Fix" button to have the problems and errors fixed automatically by the program. Close the registry cleaner software program.
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