I can also recommend a program called
Winshredder 2.0 that my Dad and I have been using successfully for a few months. When you delete a file it gets rid of all the 'residue' and you'll find your computer runs much faster.
Regarding REGEDIT, that's a good idea just to have a look and make sure it's not running. If you use AOL you might want to uncheck that too, as it makes your computer run faster.
