A file association is the program that windows associate with a file. Windows will detect what type of file it is and then associate it with the appropriate program and launch the program when the file is opened. Once we are done with the files we delete the files but the programs remain in the system. The list of such programs builds up over time and we need a windows registry cleaner to clean the registry of these redundant files and programs.

Windows uses a system called 'file association' to open a file with the correct program that the file was created in. If a file has an extension .doc then windows knows that the file is a word document and uses file association to open the file in the Microsoft Word application. Or if the file has a .bmp extension then file association will open the file in Microsoft Paint by default.

All these associations are retained in the registry of the system and there will be many times that files are downloaded from the internet and they come with their own third party program to run them. Once we are done with the files we delete the files but the programs remain in the system. The list of such programs builds up over time and we need a windows registry cleaner to clean the registry of these redundant files and programs.

A file extension is a set of alphabetical characters, sometimes these are alphanumeric, and these are placed at the end of the file name after a period. These extensions are also attached to the various software on the system such as .exe, which means the file is an executable program. These extensions are used to determine the type of data stored in them as well as to distinguish the type of program. This information is recorded in the registry and needs to be cleaned with a windows registry cleaner regularly.

The registry gets crammed with useless programs and files. These files and redundant data and information do nothing other than slow down the system. It is important to clean the registry of these files and programs or entries as they are called. There are many registry cleaners on the Internet that can do a good job of cleaning the registry. Typing in a set of keywords such as 'A must registry cleaner', 'free registry cleaner software', 'free XP registry cleaner' in a search engine will produce results that can lead you to the appropriate registry cleaner software you are looking for.

Windows and computer operating systems have used Filename extensions for decades, but they have become popular because the file systems included with DOS and Windows had limitations on filenames for many years, which pushed the use of filename extensions.

It will help to download one of these free registry cleaner software for your system and run it on your computer from time to time. This will keep your computer running well and get rid of the sluggishness of the system. In fact, if you find that your system is running slower than usual it is time to download a registry cleaner and utilize it on your system and get the PC back on track.