14 DAY TRIAL // If you are running Windows, no matter the edition, you must have faced registry trouble at least once. Actually, this is the toughest part of Windows. The registry contains all the settings of the operating system, all the settings for the applications installed, all the file associations, every action you take from the interface is possible because the registry allows it.
And if your computer is slow in its activity or if errors seem to appear out of nowhere, then it is time to start fixing your registry. Obviously, you cannot do that unarmed and get away with it unharmed. Manual editing of the registry is not recommended by anyone except if you really know what you are doing.
Finding a tool for the task is easy; the Internet is crawling with all sorts of registry fixers, some of them just waiting to help you in fixing some of the errors while others giggling in the hope that they can do some damage (if it happened to me it could happen to anyone).
Free Registry Fix (don't be fooled by the name) is a $29.95 solution for cleaning your XP registry. Installing it on Vista will give you a warning saying that the application will not do as good as it would on XP. Testing the application is limited to eliminating 50 issues detected in your registry, so a kind of testing can be performed.
The great looking interface allows easy use of the application and a novice could get along quite well with the software. All the options available are running down in the left hand side of application window. There aren't too many of them, but it seems that safety is Free Registry Fix's priority as it comes with an undo option and a backup function.
These two come in handy when false positives are eliminated and the computer starts acting erratic. Undo will bring the registry configuration previous to the elimination of the issues. Backup will record the configuration of the entire registry and if something goes wrong, you can perform a rollback to a safe registry configuration.
Free Registry Fix also offers free access to the registry, directly from the interface. Usually one would access Windows Registry Editor by typing "regedit" in Run dialog box. With Promosoft's registry cleaner this can be achieved with a simple click of the RegEdit button in the interface.
The registry areas in sight of Free Registry Fix are quite a few and besides looking in the regular registry places like Application Paths, File Types, Fonts, ActiveX, Startup, Windows Shortcuts, Missing Links or Installed Files, the application will also verify the temporary files, Internet Explorer Objects, Startup entries, Unused Software Entries, QuickLaunch links, Typed URLs or Application IDs.
Considering the scan agenda of the application, it is only natural that the process should take a bit longer than with other registry cleaners on the market. Do not get alarmed by the impressive number of issues discovered in your registry. Not all of them are influencing the activity of your computer and some of them won't even affect the performance.
After the scan is over, you will be presented with a brief report revealing the areas that contained issues and their number. A more detailed log which shows every issue detected by Free Registry Fix can be accessed from Reporting menu. The next step is getting rid of the problems. The limitations of the trial impose a maximum limit of 50 problems to be removed from your computer. However, as you can see from the screenshots below, Free Registry Fix cheated a bit and fixed only 48 of them, out of 59.
During all the tests performed in our laboratory, the software acted normal and created absolutely no problem. Scanning the registry with other similar applications and eliminating the detected issues resulted in a reduced number of problems discovered by Free Registry Fix at the next scan.
After eliminating the problems, the application will not require a reboot for the changes to take effect, so you can clean your PC's registry with no fear that you will be interrupted from your work. To make the registry cleaning process more comfortable, the developer added a scheduler. This way, you no longer have to remember to scan your registry for issues in order to keep your computer in tip top condition. The job will be done automatically and you will be notified.
However, the scheduler is not quite restrictive in what concerns the options available. You cannot set the scan to take place at any time you wish. The process can be set to happen every day at 12 o'clock, every eight hours or every four hours. Also, there is no option enabling it to take place at computer turn on if the scheduled time is missed.
The Good
Very easy to configure and use, Free Registry Fix does a good job with your registry. The scheduling option, as crippled as it is, is definitely an asset for the application.
Undo Fixes and Backup options, the two safety nets provided, will help you to revert to a previous registry configuration in case something goes wrong.
The Bad
The limitation imposed is simply not aiding at all in making a decent opinion on the application. The schedule is not flexible at all and comes with only three fix options.
The name of the application is misleading. There is nothing free about the software. The pop up window after removing the 50 free registry entries allowed by the trial version can be closed only by clicking on the Upgrade Now button.
For this price, I was also expecting a registry defragmentation option. The moment you press Scan button, the application will start the operation no warnings ahead. Also, the user does not have the choice of selecting the areas of the registry to be cleaned. You either perform a full registry scan or none at all.
The Truth
The price is a bit stiff for what the application has to offer. For the trial version, you will receive a cute, clean and simple interface and the permission to remove a total of 50 registry issues. I have a feeling that the application will detect over 100 problems on your computer if you haven't cleaned it recently.
In case it screws up your computer, you can use the Undo Fixes option and return to the previous, stable state of the registry.
Here are some snapshots of the application in action:
