Registry Mechanic 8.0

Although not feature-rich, Registry Mechanic checks your registry for errors that can slow down and crash your computer. The utility can find a wide range of defects, including references to already uninstalled programs, missing help files and broken shortcuts, virtual devices, start-up programs, fonts, and configuration files. It also can automatically repair invalid entries at Windows start-up.

The Quick Scan has been abandoned in this version in favor of an exceedingly fast and comprehensive Deep Scan. The program also makes backups, so it's easy to restore a fix gone wrong. The left-nav-based interface is uncomplicated and easy to use, and fortunately there are some extra horses to support this former one-trick pony: other features include a defragger, a "registry compacter," and a system optimizer.

It's too bad, then, that the stringent restrictions on the trial version make it difficult to analyze the effectiveness of the program. The trialware allows for only five sections of the registry to be repaired, the compacter was similarly crippled, and the defrag and system optimization buttons had no effect. Given these handicaps, our recommendation of Registry Mechanic is also hamstrung.

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