How to Fix Registry Errors in Windows 7

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Your Windows 7 registry contains the entire "blueprint" of your Windows installation. If your registry gets corrupted, either through a bad driver, a failed uninstallation, or a variety of other reasons, you can usually quickly fix it by performing a system restore to a time when the computer was working properly. You can also use registry cleaning programs like CCleaner to scan for and fix errors.

Method 1
Method 1 of 2:

Performing a System Restore

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  1. If a recent change to your system caused errors in your registry, you can revert your computer's settings using a Restore Point. There are a couple of different ways to open the System Restore window:
    • Click the start menu and type "restore". Select "System Restore" from the list of results.
    • Press ⊞ Win + Pause and click the "Advanced system settings" link. Click the System Protection tab. Click the System Restore button.
  2. If your computer has System Restore enabled, Windows will select the most recent restore point. Restore points are created when major changes to the system are made. If you don't have any restore points, click here to try another method.
    • Click the "Show more restore points" box to see previous restore points if the error has been around for a while.
    • Each restore point will have a timestamp as well as a brief description of why the restore point was created.
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  3. Scan for affected programs . This will show you all of the programs and drivers that will be deleted from the computer, as well as programs that will likely not work correctly after restoring.
    • A system restore will not affect any of your personal files.
  4. Next and then Finish to start the restore process. This may take a few minutes. Your computer will reboot once the restore is complete.
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Method 2
Method 2 of 2:

Using CCleaner

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  1. CCleaner is a free utility made by Piriform. You can download it from piriform.com/ccleaner/ . The free version is sufficient for repairing the registry.
    • When installing CCleaner, most users can leave the settings as they are.
  2. This program will scan your registry for errors, and then attempt to fix them for you.
  4. This will make CCleaner scan for as many errors as possible.
  5. Click the "Scan for Issues" button CCleaner will begin scanning your registry, and any errors will be displayed in the right frame.
  6. By default, all of the problems that are found will be checked.
  7. This will help ensure that you can restore your settings if something goes wrong with CCleaner.
  8. You can review each fix manually, but you can typically trust CCleaner to make the correct repair.
  10. If the problems persist, you may need to reinstall Windows 7 .
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Community Q&A

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  • Question
    Why did my laptop keyboard stop working after I received a .bat file?
    Community Answer
    A .bat file is a kind of script file in DOS, OS/2 and Microsoft Windows. It consists of a series of commands to be executed by the command-line interpreter, stored in a plain text file. So in summary, the sender might've broken your computer on purpose.
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  • Question
    What if system restore does not work?
    Community Answer
    You will probably be forced to reformat. Attempt to fix the registry. If that doesn't work, your operating system is probably fried.
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