If you’re like most computer users, you really have no idea what the Windows registry is and what it does.  Nobody really mentions the registry much because it’s very complicated to deal with.  It’s pretty much just a filing system where programs write important settings and preference files.  The registry stores information about different user settings as well, such as mouse speed and desktop wallpaper, among other important things like printer preferences and file permissions.  If the registry gets cluttered then the computer could end up bogging down.  The best way to fix that problem is to clean out the registry.  The best registry cleaner for Vista will allow you to easily clear excess files and folders from your registry easily.