What do I do when a major application messes up or slows down my PC regularly?

Joel R. Hall, San Jose, California

If your word processor or other application repeatedly crashes Windows or slows it to a crawl, use the program's own repair tools. Uninstall and reinstall the application only after all of your efforts at repair fail to correct the issue.

Before you change anything, back up your Registry: Go to "Block Spying Cookies, but Keep the Helpful Ones" and scroll to "Back Up the Registry in XP and Vista."

Next, check the app's menus for an update option, or search the vendor's site. If you have the latest version already or if the update doesn't solve the problem, enter the program name and any appropriate keywords in a search engine--something like "adobe reader" 8 "slow down". You may find a fix or a workaround.

If your only option is reinstallation, use the program's own uninstaller, which may be on its Start menu submenu. If no such option exists, find the program's listing in Control Panel's Add/Remove Programs applet (called 'Programs and Features' in Vista).

I recommend using HoverDesk's free RegSeeker to clear the Registry of the program before you reinstall it.

Keep in mind that the culprit may be another program that conflicts with the one you've been blaming. Close all of your other applications, load the one you've just uninstalled and reinstalled, and see whether the problem persists. If it doesn't, try methodically running it with each of the other programs one at a time to find the works-gummer-upper.

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