Recently I downloaded a program and during the installation it recommended that I install a utility to scan the registry for errors. This registry scanning utility showed there are 420 registry errors: 339 were system related and 81 were user related. The next screen asked whether I would like to fix these errors, but I have always been very cautionary in my approach to doing anything with the computer registry. Can you tell me whether I should proceed with fixing the errors?

It is good that you are being cautious about doing anything with the Windows registry, since changing the settings within the registry can have far-ranging and potentially adverse consequences. I recommend against using registry cleaning utilities since in my experience these generally cause more harm than good. While most have the intention of cleaning the registry and removing redundant entries, some such utilities can be quite aggressive and remove entries that should not be removed, causing fairly serious problems for the computer. This is why I recommend that after using the computer for around two years it is a good idea to backup all data you wish to keep and reinstall Windows, since that is the best way to clear out all of the accumulated redundant data on your computer in the safest manner.

You should also be aware that some of these registry cleaning and system fixing utilities can be a facade, claiming that you have problems which need to be fixed and then saying you need to pay to “unlock” the program so the problems can be resolved. Additionally, some such utilities can also be malware which intentionally causes your system harm. Since you agreed to the installation of this utility during the setup for another program (which is presumably reputable, since you triggered the installation) this is hopefully a legitimate utility. However, if you are unsure then Google the name of the utility to see what appears in the search results (particularly the opinions from other people who have used the utility). If this is found to be malware then you should immediately uninstall it from your computer and complete a full antivirus and antimalware scan of the computer, as it is unlikely the uninstall removed all the components (since malware is generally quite persistent). If you cannot remove all the components of the malware/utility you may wish to bring forward that reinstallation of Windows, since it is unlikely you will be able to completely remove the malware from your computer using any other means.

Overall, as a general rule of thumb, if you encounter a utility which claims to fix missing files, registry errors, and other issues which the computer may be experiencing, you should treat these with a degree of scepticism. While some are legitimate applications which are trying to help, you should be particularly wary if you see advertisements on websites claiming that your computer has errors which need to be fixed. In the first place, these are generic advertisements which are not specific to your computer so they immediately have little credibility. As such, you also need to consider the credibility of the actual utility if they use such advertising strategies.