How can I clean the registry of my computer to prevent it from slowing down or crashing?

How can I clean the registry of my computer to prevent it from slowing down or crashing?

Let me be blunt here... if you have to ask that question. Its way, way over your head to do yourself.

Thus your only option is buy a program that does it.

I understand that registry cleaning isn't easy. Seems like it is only possible to be done by geniuses like “smoothy”. However, I need the advice of nice people who can recommend an effective registry cleaner

Welllll.
Manually doing this is NOT recommended as you can do more harm than good, BUT there are a number of reliable registry cleaners around.
One of the best is Ccleaner from Piriform.
It cleans the kludge that all windoze machines suffer from, also the registry and gives you great control on start up operations as well as installed applications.
Best of all it's FREEEEEE.

Available here: CCleaner - Download (http://www.piriform.com/ccleaner/download)

CCCleaner

CCCleaner
Is that the Soviet version ;)

I understand that registry cleaning isn't easy. Seems like it is only possible to be done by geniuses like “smoothy”. However, I need the advice of nice people who can recommend an effective registry cleaner

Gee... a smartazz too... go dink around with your registry... PLEASE, pretty please,. then return and ask us how to reload your operating system.

Particularly since you think we read minds since you NEVER asked for a specific PROGRAM... before you got cocky with that answer.. You asked how to do it meaning how to do it manually.

I've been working with and on computers 33 years up to and including the big mainframes during those years... how long have you?

welllll.
Manually doing this is not recommended as you can do more harm than good, but there are a number of reliable registry cleaners around.
One of the best is ccleaner from piriform.
It cleans the kludge that all windoze machines suffer from, also the registry and gives you great control on start up operations as well as installed applications.
Best of all it's freeeeee.

Available here: ccleaner - download (http://www.piriform.com/ccleaner/download)

Thank you!