Most people recognize it as "the blue screen of death." The computer crash screen can be a very frustrating experience. The sudden appearance of this screen is a terrifying, especially if you were about to finish something important and you forgot to save it.

All of your hard work is lost because your computer decided to give up and crash. Most people never expect their computer to crash, but they should understand everyone is prone to having computer failures.

The Early Signs

Prior to crashing, your computer will probably start to act differently. This can include things like going very slow and even freezing. This should be the first sign your computer is about to crash, or that there are problems with it. Your computer needs a little bit of fixing or tweaking so it can get back to proper working condition.

The first cause of a computer crash could be associated with recently installed hardware or programs. Check to make sure any new additions to your computer have been installed properly. Sometimes, your programs just need to be updated, especially if you are running a brand new operating system. Some older versions of hardware and software might not be compatible with your system at all, so do your research before you install anything.

The Registry

The registry can become corrupt and cause a lot of problems for your computer. The registry is what your Windows operating system is made of. If it gets too bloated and its files become unorganized, a crash is likely to occur. The registry files can be repaired, and better yet, kept in top condition by running a registry-cleaning program on a regular basis. This will in most cases prevent computer slow downs and crashes.

Your computer is able to perform several different types of tasks. It's not uncommon for it to get bogged down and tired. Crashing means serious problems are developing with your registry. This is something that can't be taken lightly. In fact, there could come a point when the registry gets so corrupted, only a complete hard drive reformat will help.

There is hope

On the other hand, I've seen it happen many times when somebody was advised it was time to reformat the hard drive and then re-install the operating system when this was not necessary. What really needed to be done was to have a technician scan for viruses and spyware from another computer.

Then when the computer got back up on its feet again, a registry cleaner finished the job of restoring the computer to excellent health. Of course, if the registry had been cleaned regularly in the first place, the computer may never have gotten to this critical stage of near death.

There was an old T.V. commercial where an automobile mechanic proclaimed, "You can pay me now or pay me later." He was referring to the fact you could pay a little more for a better oil filter now, or pay for a new engine later.

This axiom holds true for today's operating systems. You can spend a little time and incur a small expense now to keep your registry clean and organized, or you may lose all your files to a reformat later. If you ask me, it is an easy choice!