I am going to give my vote to Registry Life which is free and is the one I use, I like it because it does a very thorough job and it also compacts the registry.
http://www.chemtable.com/RegistryLife.htm
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This is what I've used for years and I've *never* had issues created by using it. It will strip out dead or orphaned entries in the registry...
Mark Russinovitch [guy who started Sysinternals & Winternals] has stated that compacting the registry does little to improve performance of the Windows registry.
When a program is installed it appears to add folders and files into the registry.I doubt that the registry is seen correctly because of virus alterations.You can do some things in the registry,add files and change values.A small change can yield much.
http://www.techrepublic.com/blog/window-on-windows/disable-the-windows-mobility-center-with-a-registry-tweak/4052
http://www.techrepublic.com/blog/window-on-windows/disable-the-windows-mobility-center-with-a-registry-tweak/4052
I am using Ccleaner. It works but not up to the marks. And I think no registry cleaner works perfect. The reason is it just remove a temporary files and folders and some unwanted registries. While when you try to reinstall the same software which you have uninstall previously then it could not reinstall because computer says the software is already install in a system. This happens in all OS like Windows and Mac OS even. So then which one should we use which gives you a perfect work functionality.
I like CCleaner because it's also portable.
Don't remember which registry cleaner but it did such a good job in removing registry entries that it also removed the registration and serial number to an app!
Don't remember which registry cleaner but it did such a good job in removing registry entries that it also removed the registration and serial number to an app!
I use that for applications which won't uninstall correctly, it seems to work well and delete all the crap that often get left on your system by standard uninstallers.
While on surface it appears that registry cleaners help, in many cases they do
more harm. The few milliseconds gained from removing "dead" entries can more
than be offset by the inadvertant removal of entries needed. I've seen more than
a few Windows systems totally hosed because someone ran a registry cleaner on
it and allowed it to remove what it detected as "bad" entries. Sure, way back in
the Win9X days, cleaning the registry could boost startup time for Windows, but
current professional opinion is against the routine use of "snake-oil" remedies
such as registry cleaners by less-than-knowledgable users to "keep your system
running smoothly". Modern Windows systems do a good job of ignoring invalid
registry entries anyway.
more harm. The few milliseconds gained from removing "dead" entries can more
than be offset by the inadvertant removal of entries needed. I've seen more than
a few Windows systems totally hosed because someone ran a registry cleaner on
it and allowed it to remove what it detected as "bad" entries. Sure, way back in
the Win9X days, cleaning the registry could boost startup time for Windows, but
current professional opinion is against the routine use of "snake-oil" remedies
such as registry cleaners by less-than-knowledgable users to "keep your system
running smoothly". Modern Windows systems do a good job of ignoring invalid
registry entries anyway.
Yes, wizard57: "snake-oil" may well be the the proper term for them.
I wonder if there are benchmarks that show _any_ benefit of these utilities? Having read good reviews of CCleaner I had a go in XP with using the latest CCleaner available - using the default settings - and the result was very close to a disaster. Fortunately I had a backup of my registry and after a couple of hours with cold sweat on my forehead I was back in business. I really had trouble getting the computer boot up let alone run just about any executable.
Yes, the CCrap only did it once but that was more than enough for me. God only knows the damage it might have done had I not backed up the registry. As for the workstation it is still working perfectly after four years from this incidence. This experience answered the most important question there is: Why fix it if it is not really broken?
I wonder if there are benchmarks that show _any_ benefit of these utilities? Having read good reviews of CCleaner I had a go in XP with using the latest CCleaner available - using the default settings - and the result was very close to a disaster. Fortunately I had a backup of my registry and after a couple of hours with cold sweat on my forehead I was back in business. I really had trouble getting the computer boot up let alone run just about any executable.
Yes, the CCrap only did it once but that was more than enough for me. God only knows the damage it might have done had I not backed up the registry. As for the workstation it is still working perfectly after four years from this incidence. This experience answered the most important question there is: Why fix it if it is not really broken?
Like virtually any generalized statement, dismissing the tools right off the bat is short sighted. They have their place.
If the user regularly installs and uninstalls software or makes other changes to their system then a registry cleaner is an essential tool. It is a very rare program that properly cleans up after itself during the uninstall. That leftover junk does nothing but decrease system stability.
If the user's system is stable and rarely changes, then a registry cleaner is mostly pointless. There is simply nothing to clean.
I've personally used most of the tools on this list with excellent results. I've eliminated BSODs and a variety of other troublesome issues. From my experience speed is not a big benefit. It simply isn't enough to notice, but the stability improvements are very noticeable.
If the user regularly installs and uninstalls software or makes other changes to their system then a registry cleaner is an essential tool. It is a very rare program that properly cleans up after itself during the uninstall. That leftover junk does nothing but decrease system stability.
If the user's system is stable and rarely changes, then a registry cleaner is mostly pointless. There is simply nothing to clean.
I've personally used most of the tools on this list with excellent results. I've eliminated BSODs and a variety of other troublesome issues. From my experience speed is not a big benefit. It simply isn't enough to notice, but the stability improvements are very noticeable.
I posted the following on 2 Sep 2011 in a discussion about which registry cleaner is "better". The "best" is to leave the registry alone unless something is actually broken:
"Registry cleaners as performance boosters are and always have been digital snakeoil. Useless at best, dangerous at worst. Macecraft (makers of a registry cleaner called jv16 powertools) compared 31 of the most popular registry cleaners (including their own) and noted their scanning speed, errors found, false positive rate, if they uninstalled themselves cleanly, if they bundled themselves with crapware like Yahoo toolbar, installation size, price, whether or not it tries to auto-start with Windows...
...but they didn't test the "reason" most people use these things: system speed increase. Know why? Because none of them can increase performance. Fix specific errors associated with a problem program that didn't uninstall correctly? Possibly. Speed up Windows? Dream on."
"Registry cleaners as performance boosters are and always have been digital snakeoil. Useless at best, dangerous at worst. Macecraft (makers of a registry cleaner called jv16 powertools) compared 31 of the most popular registry cleaners (including their own) and noted their scanning speed, errors found, false positive rate, if they uninstalled themselves cleanly, if they bundled themselves with crapware like Yahoo toolbar, installation size, price, whether or not it tries to auto-start with Windows...
...but they didn't test the "reason" most people use these things: system speed increase. Know why? Because none of them can increase performance. Fix specific errors associated with a problem program that didn't uninstall correctly? Possibly. Speed up Windows? Dream on."
If it doesn't speed it up; so what! I use it to clean up after malware fights, and bad installs, and dysfunctional applications. I can't count the times I've used it to fix problems with applications that needed a clean install to become functional again. Just uninstalling and reinstalling didn't work - running CCleaner between operations like that DID make things happen!
I know I've been successful at speeding up clients who have so much crud in their system from novice activity, that running CCleaner has definitely and NOTICEABLY sped up their PCs. I know it has on my PCs as well. If it doesn't work for everybody else, I could care less, I get tired of all the negative reactions about reg cleaners, because I personally witness the success of using them every day. So once again - Who cares?
I know I've been successful at speeding up clients who have so much crud in their system from novice activity, that running CCleaner has definitely and NOTICEABLY sped up their PCs. I know it has on my PCs as well. If it doesn't work for everybody else, I could care less, I get tired of all the negative reactions about reg cleaners, because I personally witness the success of using them every day. So once again - Who cares?
I considered the knowledge that registry cleaners were unnecessary after Windows 2000 to be common. Why are these guys writing about registry cleaners at all?
Your knowledge of computers is no better than your typing. Why all the entry breaks?
"Professional opinion"? Really? Who's?
"Snake-oil remedies"? Really? The 5 mentioned are, and have been, widely accepted and respected for years.
They've even survived the boof-headed comments such as yours.
"Professional opinion"? Really? Who's?
"Snake-oil remedies"? Really? The 5 mentioned are, and have been, widely accepted and respected for years.
They've even survived the boof-headed comments such as yours.
100% agree with the sentiments of wizard57m, I would never recommend any of these programs.
For such a miniscule gain there is potentially so much lost.
For such a miniscule gain there is potentially so much lost.
Actually, I spent several hours watching Siemens tech support fixing registry errors caused by software they recommended. Ran ccleaner and was able to finish the remaining 8 installs without issue. Turns out Auslogics Registry Cleaner does the job faster and on the first pass.
Hardly a miniscule gain, but this issue is as contentious as explaining to drivers why they need to wear seat belts before they get to the main road. AFAIK, some techs have no problem with corrupted Windows registries because they are on the clock.
Hardly a miniscule gain, but this issue is as contentious as explaining to drivers why they need to wear seat belts before they get to the main road. AFAIK, some techs have no problem with corrupted Windows registries because they are on the clock.
My experience is that whilst newer (faster) computers may see little gain from running a registry cleaner or defragging, there are a lot of older and slower computers that do benefit from both. If I do reccomend / use a Registry cleaner then I generally use CCleaner because, as noted, it is a low risk cleaner and does a backup by default (my experience with it is very good). On the strength of the article I think I will give Comodo a try - in a careful way of course :- )
Well if you're thinking of using Comodo I can only share my experience -it may have just been unusual & I was unlucky. But first time I used it it caused a start up error. Didn't notice for a few days System Restore had also stopped working. I wouldn't touch it again, but thats me.
"With rampant and careless software installation, the registry gets mucked up quickly."
Rampant? Careless?
I've been running my W2K installation for over ten years, and as far as I know, the Registry is working properly.
PS: I assume the Comodo product is so-called because it speeds up Registry operations, and the Registry is no longer "draggin".
Rampant? Careless?
I've been running my W2K installation for over ten years, and as far as I know, the Registry is working properly.
PS: I assume the Comodo product is so-called because it speeds up Registry operations, and the Registry is no longer "draggin".
COMODO registry cleaner crashed my Windows XP Pro. I called their tech support and was told I had to sign up for their support which likely would have required a credit card.
The guy who made those recommendations should never be allowed to do so on the Tech Republic web site again - he obviously doesn't know what he is talking about. I'll never take any suggestions for software from this site again.
The guy who made those recommendations should never be allowed to do so on the Tech Republic web site again - he obviously doesn't know what he is talking about. I'll never take any suggestions for software from this site again.
I agree with Mark! I installed Comodo and it occupied 100% of my cpu time for hours. Once I uninstalled Comode, my Windows 7 machine returned to normal. Garbage!
I also got done by Comodo and I couldn't agree more - last time I'm taking any recommendations on software from here.
Tried several when beginning in IT. Know better now Revo does enough for all
This free package hasn't given me any problems with Windows 7. It includes a set of utilities: disk cleaner that finds and cleans out a heap of junk files; registry cleaner/defragger that finds and cleans out a lot of junk entries; reg back-up; broken shortcuts fixer/remover; startup manager and RAM optimizer, which can both be very useful when I'm working on a notebook with limited RAM; and various other utilities and optimizers. It's also very efficient at getting rid of junk browser extensions that have a tendency to install themselves without asking.
I have used Glary U a lot on friends computers after removing viruses with Malwarebytes this combo has always worked for me. i have used it on XP, Vista and Windows 7. I might try the ones in the article if there is a problem that Glary U won't fix.
me too man me too. I like this combo. I used to use Adaware but Glary and Malware is nice. We had a company wide Virus/Malware and we used Malwarebytes and it took care of about 1/2 of them. We did the rest with a really nice expensive tool. I forget if it were Sophos but there you go for average users Glary/Malwarebytes combo is really nice.
I also happen to use a "cleaner" when I notice there are "unwanted entries" in my registry. Mainly to remove the "trash" when allready knowing there ARE unwanted entries (or suspect). Still I dont really see an improvement of the speed or responds.
As asked above, - I wonder if there are BENCHMARKS proving the reall benefit of a registry cleaning. Though, with these cleaners or "built in accessories", there is a positive and at times security issue, in deleting temporary files, cookies and a disk defrag at times (some skip defrag, because it's too slow. And sure it is, if seldom run).
As asked above, - I wonder if there are BENCHMARKS proving the reall benefit of a registry cleaning. Though, with these cleaners or "built in accessories", there is a positive and at times security issue, in deleting temporary files, cookies and a disk defrag at times (some skip defrag, because it's too slow. And sure it is, if seldom run).
I've never seen any legitimate testing showing a speed increase from using any registry cleaner.
As Jayne Cobb would say:
"Ten percent of nothin' is, let me do the math here... nothin' and a nothin', carry the nothin'..."
As Jayne Cobb would say:
"Ten percent of nothin' is, let me do the math here... nothin' and a nothin', carry the nothin'..."
Was it because someone has test results showing registry cleaners make a system faster? If so, please share. I'd love to see results of BootRacer (boot speed), SuperPi (cpu), SiSoft Sandra (memory), HD Tach (disk io), along with PCMark/3DMark test taken before and after.
Also, please note I'm talking about REGISTRY cleaning, not add-on features these programs tend to bundle in like disabling startup programs and defragging the hard drive. I've noticed those who believe these products increase speed tend to say "I used X and my machine was faster afterwards" without isolating the registry cleaner during their "testing". If the speed increase is due to disabling programs, there is no need for a registry cleaner - just use MSConfig and/or HijackThis. If it is actually due to a cleaner registry, lets see some testing methodology and some benchmarks.
Also, please note I'm talking about REGISTRY cleaning, not add-on features these programs tend to bundle in like disabling startup programs and defragging the hard drive. I've noticed those who believe these products increase speed tend to say "I used X and my machine was faster afterwards" without isolating the registry cleaner during their "testing". If the speed increase is due to disabling programs, there is no need for a registry cleaner - just use MSConfig and/or HijackThis. If it is actually due to a cleaner registry, lets see some testing methodology and some benchmarks.
I've seen the positives from the hard knocks road, that is all I need. Those stinking test companies are all in the pockets of some big corps, like Symantec or such anyway, why believe them?
What do the various creators of the testing software listed above have to gain by falsifying results? How could they all get together and falsly show there was no performance increase? Why would Symantec or other unnamed "big corps" be interested in paying them to hide performance benefits of registry cleaners? Wouldn't the "big corps" be more interested in trying to sell cleaners of their own... if they actually worked?
Solution: run your own tests.
If conspiracy theories keep you from trusting results from any of the above, download the open source Phoronix Test Suite, go over the code yourself, compile it, and use that. Results will still be the same: "cleaning" of registry results in no measurable speed increase.
Solution: run your own tests.
If conspiracy theories keep you from trusting results from any of the above, download the open source Phoronix Test Suite, go over the code yourself, compile it, and use that. Results will still be the same: "cleaning" of registry results in no measurable speed increase.
Mark Russinovitch [guy who started Sysinternals & Winternals] has stated that compacting the registry does little to improve performance of the Windows registry. THe text is available if you Google it. Removing a bunch of lines [let's say 200] in a registry that probably is in the 10s of thousands wouldn't speed things up.
@markku.niskanen :
I am sorry to say so, but if you run a newly installed program without verifying (customizing) the default settings, you are asking for trouble. In these cases, not the program, but the user is to blamE; CCleaner never gave me any problem on XP SP3. I never blindly allow a program to run with default settings.
Registry cleaners ? I'm glad they're around.
I am sorry to say so, but if you run a newly installed program without verifying (customizing) the default settings, you are asking for trouble. In these cases, not the program, but the user is to blamE; CCleaner never gave me any problem on XP SP3. I never blindly allow a program to run with default settings.
Registry cleaners ? I'm glad they're around.
I use Advanced Windows System Care for the heavy stuff.
And TweakNow for the occasional wipe.
Advanced Windows Sys Care if you ever use it will keep you forever.
It has so many good features they're too long to list. It even
goes and gets MS Updates and checks for vulnerabilities. It checks for Disk Errors,
defrag's, checks for unused shortcuts, has a passive file defense mech. for the Sys32 folder and a Sys optimization for internet connections that actually works great. You can't do without it and AVAST! Anti Virus. Avast!'s top of the line virus software is better than anything out there by miles. Their "Sandbox" virus checker stops disaster cold. Use these two apps knowledgably, your PC worries are OVER! REALLY!!
And TweakNow for the occasional wipe.
Advanced Windows Sys Care if you ever use it will keep you forever.
It has so many good features they're too long to list. It even
goes and gets MS Updates and checks for vulnerabilities. It checks for Disk Errors,
defrag's, checks for unused shortcuts, has a passive file defense mech. for the Sys32 folder and a Sys optimization for internet connections that actually works great. You can't do without it and AVAST! Anti Virus. Avast!'s top of the line virus software is better than anything out there by miles. Their "Sandbox" virus checker stops disaster cold. Use these two apps knowledgably, your PC worries are OVER! REALLY!!
I was reading about the makers of MBAM filing suit against the owners of iObit for stealing the source code for MBAM. I don't know about you, but I don't trust a company to be bought out by a Chinese concern and suddenly seeing information like that. Some of my clients have intellectual property that needs to be safe. No way I'm trusting iObit ever again.
I use Wintools.net Pro during many years in Windows XP and Windows 7 and also CCleaner without any problems.
I use the free Glary Utilities, in addition to cleaning the registry it mas many more options like deleting temporary files, finding duplicate files, etc.
I recommend Ccleaner as the only Reg cleaner to use.. if you MUST use one. The registry is not a playground for the inexperienced or ill-informed. Be advised that is you have multiple users on a PC Mucking around in the registry even to clean it can spell disaster. What may be useless for one user may be required for another and Ccleaner at least is only looking at the current user. For those that are constantly installing software to try this out or check that out. I recommend spending your hard earned cash on VMWare. Test your software in a virtual environment first. Rather than trying to undo things after the fact.
I think ERUNT and NTREGOPT are often overlooked.Neat and light,when used in tandem,I have found them fast and error-free with an auto-backup option which comes in useful after crashes.Also.de-cluttering a bulky registry often makes my system go faster.
Auslogics' Registry Cleaner wins this race, hands down. Iobit (Advanced System Care) got caught stealing:
http://www.google.com/search?q=iobit+Advanced+System+Care+caught+stealing&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a
http://www.google.com/search?q=iobit+Advanced+System+Care+caught+stealing&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a
Glary is an old workhorse that will never disappear. I highly recommend it, to people who are not PC challenged.
"I recommend xxxx as the only Reg cleaner to use.. if you MUST use one."
You people are a sorry bunch of "experts". You can't even agree amongst yourselves if the registry needs to be cleaned or when or how. What do users at all levels of competency take away from this thread? More confusion than before they read it, that they can decide for their unqualified selves what is needed, and that any program or none are all the same. Disgraceful.
Lose the false pride, get on bended knee and go to MS and ask for help. And before you tell me how bad MS is, note that your whole career is based around MS products.
You people are a sorry bunch of "experts". You can't even agree amongst yourselves if the registry needs to be cleaned or when or how. What do users at all levels of competency take away from this thread? More confusion than before they read it, that they can decide for their unqualified selves what is needed, and that any program or none are all the same. Disgraceful.
Lose the false pride, get on bended knee and go to MS and ask for help. And before you tell me how bad MS is, note that your whole career is based around MS products.
Most people on here agree: reg cleaners are to be used if you constantly install and uninstall software. Furthermore, you should always backup your registry before cleaning it, and if you're not sure what you're doing, don't clean it at all (at least until you learn more about the registry).
As for the difference in opinion regarding what software is "best", it's a matter of preference. Go ahead, ask what OS is best and see if you get just one answer. Most likely, there will be some people defending Windows, some defending OS X, and some defending various Linux distros.
So, to answer your question: "What do users at all levels of competency take away from this thread?" They get a neat list of pros and cons to reg cleaners, who should use them, and a number of different reg cleaners to try. However, users with little to no reading comprehension, get mad and write comments like yours.
EDIT: Fixed some spelling errors.
As for the difference in opinion regarding what software is "best", it's a matter of preference. Go ahead, ask what OS is best and see if you get just one answer. Most likely, there will be some people defending Windows, some defending OS X, and some defending various Linux distros.
So, to answer your question: "What do users at all levels of competency take away from this thread?" They get a neat list of pros and cons to reg cleaners, who should use them, and a number of different reg cleaners to try. However, users with little to no reading comprehension, get mad and write comments like yours.
EDIT: Fixed some spelling errors.
And found no general agreement. You may want to re-read it.
Without knowing whether or not the registry should be cleaned, it is frivolous to yak about supposed merits of registry cleaning programs. That's like kids who have no monitor discussing video games.
Re reading comprehension, feel free to post general agreements of this thread as to whether registry cleaning is required.
Without knowing whether or not the registry should be cleaned, it is frivolous to yak about supposed merits of registry cleaning programs. That's like kids who have no monitor discussing video games.
Re reading comprehension, feel free to post general agreements of this thread as to whether registry cleaning is required.
"If the user regularly installs and uninstalls software or makes other changes to their system then a registry cleaner is an essential tool. [...] If the user's system is stable and rarely changes, then a registry cleaner is mostly pointless" - mckinnej
"The registry is not a playground for the inexperienced or ill-informed. [...] For those that are constantly installing software to try this out or check that out." - Cynyster
"My rule of thumb is to do a backup, go ahead and run the scan. If you recognize an entry and KNOW it belongs to uninstalled software, go ahead and allow the cleaner to delete that entry" - Jim Johnson (Note the reference to uninstalled software)
"If you uninstall an application, be sure you've completely deleted it's directories first" - jelabarre (Note, again, the reference to the uninstalling of software)
From the author himself: "With rampant and careless software installation, the registry gets mucked up quickly." - Jack Wallen
Most of the other posts discuss which software is best, and I think we already covered that. Anything else?
"The registry is not a playground for the inexperienced or ill-informed. [...] For those that are constantly installing software to try this out or check that out." - Cynyster
"My rule of thumb is to do a backup, go ahead and run the scan. If you recognize an entry and KNOW it belongs to uninstalled software, go ahead and allow the cleaner to delete that entry" - Jim Johnson (Note the reference to uninstalled software)
"If you uninstall an application, be sure you've completely deleted it's directories first" - jelabarre (Note, again, the reference to the uninstalling of software)
From the author himself: "With rampant and careless software installation, the registry gets mucked up quickly." - Jack Wallen
Most of the other posts discuss which software is best, and I think we already covered that. Anything else?
mckinnej and Cynyster - "if a user regularly installs and uninstalls software", they should use a vm test bubble (also an added layer of protection against downloaded programs of unknown rootkit/virus/malware/poor coding status) or revert to a disk image after testing.
Jim Johnson and Jack Wallen - a good rule to avoid damage, but what benefit is removing a pointer to nothing? At best, you didn't do anything. At worst, that entry wasn't pointing to nothing.
Jack Wallen - a better option is don't do "rampant and careless software installation." Test in a vm or use known good images to revert to.
Why do the vast majority of people use registry cleaners? Because their system is running slow or unstable. Chance a registry cleaner is going to speed up their system = 0. If you disagree, please show test results showing otherwise. I would love to see them. Chance it is going to make the system stable = about the same chance that it will make a system unbootable (either by the program's fault or user error). If you're going to use one you might as well just do a System Restore, revert to image, or do a repair install. Those options are all safer, require less technical knowledge, and have higher success rates.
Jim Johnson and Jack Wallen - a good rule to avoid damage, but what benefit is removing a pointer to nothing? At best, you didn't do anything. At worst, that entry wasn't pointing to nothing.
Jack Wallen - a better option is don't do "rampant and careless software installation." Test in a vm or use known good images to revert to.
Why do the vast majority of people use registry cleaners? Because their system is running slow or unstable. Chance a registry cleaner is going to speed up their system = 0. If you disagree, please show test results showing otherwise. I would love to see them. Chance it is going to make the system stable = about the same chance that it will make a system unbootable (either by the program's fault or user error). If you're going to use one you might as well just do a System Restore, revert to image, or do a repair install. Those options are all safer, require less technical knowledge, and have higher success rates.
Fisrt off, why did you reply to my comment? You are arguing against the opinions of others, not mine. I was simply pointing out that there IS a general consensus as to when registry cleaners are useful.
I'll give a chance for a rebuttal though, here are my two cents: In an ideal world of software, reg cleaners aren't useful. Software developers learn to make programs that clean up after themselves and the Windows registry doesn't get clogged up. However, this is usually not the case. And so, over time, you get registry keys that (as you stated) point to nothing.
The problem is that although the latest versions of Windows are getting better at ignoring invalid registry keys, a large amount of these can clog up your system and impair performance (mainly stability-wise; for instance, invalid registry keys can cause otherwise unexplicable crashes and BSODs). Such an amount of invalid registry keys could develop over the lifetime of a Windows OS. Now, the case could be made that one could manually remove the keys, but that would take a very long time. Hence the careful use of reg cleaners (backup your reg, inspect what is going to be deleted) can greatly help speed up this process.
However, as with any tool, one must be careful while using it and take the necessary precautions (like I said before, backups and inspecting what is being removed, for starters). Of course, if a person doesn't know what they are doing, they shouldn't be using a reg cleaner. That being said, in the hands of someone knowledgeable cleaning the regsitry can be less of a hassle than a sys restore, reverting to an image or performing a repair install (all of which, however, are valid options if you don't feel comfortable with the reg cleaner).
EDIT: Remember tht most users don't run VM's. So they clog up the registry. And when machines with registry errors are brought to us for repairs, a reg cleaner may be a useful tool. However, I do agree that the speed gains from using a reg cleaner are (usually) barely noticeable.
I'll give a chance for a rebuttal though, here are my two cents: In an ideal world of software, reg cleaners aren't useful. Software developers learn to make programs that clean up after themselves and the Windows registry doesn't get clogged up. However, this is usually not the case. And so, over time, you get registry keys that (as you stated) point to nothing.
The problem is that although the latest versions of Windows are getting better at ignoring invalid registry keys, a large amount of these can clog up your system and impair performance (mainly stability-wise; for instance, invalid registry keys can cause otherwise unexplicable crashes and BSODs). Such an amount of invalid registry keys could develop over the lifetime of a Windows OS. Now, the case could be made that one could manually remove the keys, but that would take a very long time. Hence the careful use of reg cleaners (backup your reg, inspect what is going to be deleted) can greatly help speed up this process.
However, as with any tool, one must be careful while using it and take the necessary precautions (like I said before, backups and inspecting what is being removed, for starters). Of course, if a person doesn't know what they are doing, they shouldn't be using a reg cleaner. That being said, in the hands of someone knowledgeable cleaning the regsitry can be less of a hassle than a sys restore, reverting to an image or performing a repair install (all of which, however, are valid options if you don't feel comfortable with the reg cleaner).
EDIT: Remember tht most users don't run VM's. So they clog up the registry. And when machines with registry errors are brought to us for repairs, a reg cleaner may be a useful tool. However, I do agree that the speed gains from using a reg cleaner are (usually) barely noticeable.
"speed gains from using a reg cleaner are (usually) barely noticeable."
Why then would you use it? What quantifiable gain will you achieve? And how would one ascertain that no damage has been done, as damage may not be noticed for a long time?
Why then would you use it? What quantifiable gain will you achieve? And how would one ascertain that no damage has been done, as damage may not be noticed for a long time?
I can obviously see the result of using reg cleaners like JV16 and CCleaner. I don't need a stinking test article to tell me they work - I see it working every day I help my clients, and that is all I need. Do I need to be told a skunks butt smells? Do I need a test result? No.
If MS went under tomorrow, my career would be alive and well. My career is not based around their products. I'm happy in UNIX, Linux and Cisco IOS as well. I'm sure their are many others the same. That said, I have used MS for support a few times, and would again, but not for registry issues.
Registry cleaners have saved my bacon. I've also seen them so totally flumix a system that it becomes unusable (you DID backup before doing this didn't you Mr./Ms. ...?)
My rule of thumb is to do a backup, go ahead and run the scan. If you recognize an entry and KNOW it belongs to uninstalled software, go ahead and allow the cleaner to delete that entry. Unless you are absolutely, positively certain, leave it alone. In short, NEVER let a Registry cleaner just have its way with your system. ALWAYS do an item by item eyeball.
Sure its slow. But how much time does it take to rebuild a corrupted system?
My rule of thumb is to do a backup, go ahead and run the scan. If you recognize an entry and KNOW it belongs to uninstalled software, go ahead and allow the cleaner to delete that entry. Unless you are absolutely, positively certain, leave it alone. In short, NEVER let a Registry cleaner just have its way with your system. ALWAYS do an item by item eyeball.
Sure its slow. But how much time does it take to rebuild a corrupted system?
About an hour if you have a good base system image to start with.
and where, pray tell, do you get the "good base system image" for joe smoe's computer that happened to wander into your shop looking for a repair? Not everyone is working in a corporate or internal IT environment.
To get a good base image to reinstall a specific machine from, I like to get a complete image of the hard drive.. Clonezilla Live is my choice since it's free and has never failed me. The drawback is that it can take some time depending on the speed of the CPU (for compression) and the space in use on the drive. But if you have the computer for the better part of a day it shouldn't be an issue.
I have been in the IT game for a long time and statistically, registry cleaners do hold significant value. I don't care what you are doing in IT... back up your data first. Duh. Any program, software, or system modification can cause problems. In fact, you can do nothing and a system can crash. It really does happen. There are some software applications that do react poorly to registry cleaners... of course. But there are also many times these cleaners do exactly what they are meant to do and work just fine.
I start with Ccleaner when cleaning a clients computer. Then run Ncleaner which does a bit more on the rigistry side. Maybe the invalid registry entries won't speed up a computer substantially...although I've seen it happen in my 20 years...there is such a thing as "housecleaning" that includes all software and hardware. It also lets the non techie customer feel a bit more secure knowing you are doing all you can.
I would suppose, though, that if I were paid by the 'hour' by an employer and not by the 'job' in my own computer business as I am, I wouldn't have much use for 'little' remedies and time for deep troubleshooting either. I also wouldn't have the loyal customers who rely on my services to save their computers.
I would suppose, though, that if I were paid by the 'hour' by an employer and not by the 'job' in my own computer business as I am, I wouldn't have much use for 'little' remedies and time for deep troubleshooting either. I also wouldn't have the loyal customers who rely on my services to save their computers.
Part of the trick I find with registry cleaning is you have to get rid of any obsolete files it may be referring to first. If you uninstall an application, be sure you've completely deleted it's directories first. Empty your temp directories. Empty your recycle bin. Then run a registry cleaner. Follow that with NTregopt to defrag the registry. Boot with a liveCD, delete pagefile.sys and create a zero-byte file in it's place. Then defrag the drive. sometimes you'll need to do some steps over again. Once you've done all of these the system will be MUCH better.
Of course, my favourite registry and system cleanup tool for Windows systems is a Linux install CD .
Of course, my favourite registry and system cleanup tool for Windows systems is a Linux install CD .
Wise registry cleaner is the only one - I tested quite a few of them - that did not mess up my configurations of IIS, MySql, MS Sql, PHP & Visual Studio environments...
I've tried a few of them on Vista - they all did damage that took a while to repair. Sometimes malfunctioning seems to be due to stuff that didn't uninstall properly; that sometimes happens with M$ Office. Revo Uninstaller (free version) has worked for me in such cases.
Sorry for the bad experiences! For me CCleaner has worked fine for Vista x64. In fact I doubt it would be running very well at all, the way some installers work. I eventually wised up and added REVO pro, so that I could track some of the ridiculous changes some applications make to the registry.
On some Vista installs I don't have time to run the Norton removal tool, so I uninstall it normally and delete the program folder and run CCleaner, and I get almost as good results as using REVO Pro! So far - all of these instances were Vista Home Premium x64.
On some Vista installs I don't have time to run the Norton removal tool, so I uninstall it normally and delete the program folder and run CCleaner, and I get almost as good results as using REVO Pro! So far - all of these instances were Vista Home Premium x64.
Has any one tried Abexo? I have used most of the mentioned cleaners and I've had mixed results. I use Glary and ccleaner for a quick clean but for a deep clean, I really like Abexo. Just sayin.
I tend to be a sucker for this type of thing, so I downloaded the Wise Cleaner. The first thing I saw was it asked if I wanted to set a restore point. I clicked yes and it showed a message "Setting restore poing..."
If they have an error like this right off the bat, I wonder if I want to let them modify my registry (I didn't.).
My other thought on this is if registry cleaning is so important, why doesn't Microsoft provide a cleaner? I would think they would know best how to do this.
Just sayin'.
If they have an error like this right off the bat, I wonder if I want to let them modify my registry (I didn't.).
My other thought on this is if registry cleaning is so important, why doesn't Microsoft provide a cleaner? I would think they would know best how to do this.
Just sayin'.
Sysinternals did a better job of producing system tools for Microsoft operating systems than MS did. MS recognised this and bought them, keeping most of the tools alive (I think they trashed the BSOD screensaver).
Just because MS had the engineers and process to create an OS does not mean they had the best engineers to create something to utilise their system.
Kudos to all those who saw ways to improve an existing system.
Just because MS had the engineers and process to create an OS does not mean they had the best engineers to create something to utilise their system.
Kudos to all those who saw ways to improve an existing system.
It asked if you wanted to create a restore point (backup the registry), you said yes, then it said it was doing it ("Setting restore point...") Where exactly is the error? Did you receive an error message after this?
As I recall, MS made RegClean back in the 95/98/W2K days. Pretty sure it stopped working by XP, they just stopped updating it. Don't know why, it solved many problems for me back in the day. I use CCleaner now to find the garbage I know is left behind after removing bloatware, crapware, and any other ----ware you can think of
As I recall, MS made RegClean back in the 95/98/W2K days. Pretty sure it stopped working by XP, they just stopped updating it. Don't know why, it solved many problems for me back in the day. I use CCleaner now to find the garbage I know is left behind after removing bloatware, crapware, and any other ----ware you can think of
"Setting restore poing..." instead of "Setting restore point..."
This isn't a typo in some far-off corner of the program that could easily be overlooked by QA. Having a typo where everyone who ever uses the program will see it is a pretty good indicator of how much time and attention was spent on the rest of the program.
This isn't a typo in some far-off corner of the program that could easily be overlooked by QA. Having a typo where everyone who ever uses the program will see it is a pretty good indicator of how much time and attention was spent on the rest of the program.
Re: Rodo1 An exellent question! i've wondered the same thing for a very long time!
Actually they had one called RegClean that was used until early last decade. It was pulled sometime after Win XP came out. No idea why.
I use these upon occasion and have found that they do speed up my system to a certain degree but it does beg the question: after all these years why doesn't Microsoft provide a tool to clean the very core of its product? I find Wise Registry Cleaner to be the best and safest product right now.
I do not think it affects performance, but it sure makes me feel better about my computer! 
Another free app is Advanced System Care. It has a registry cleaner as part of the total package. Does anyone else use this or have comments about this software?
If you use a REAL uninstaller program, one that logs changes made to the system when installing new software, then registry cleaners are not as important. The problem with Ccleaner, and many other registry cleaner programs, is that they don't compact the registry after cleaning. Registry Life has this important feature. Programs like iTunes, QuikTime, any Adobe software leave a huge footprint in the registry. When you uninstall these programs, or when you run a registry cleaner, it leaves numerous vacant spaces that accumulate and bloat the registry file size. A good registry cleaner should include a utility for compacting the registry. Otherwise, only half the job is done. Cleaning the registry alone may not speed the system up very much. Cleaning AND compacting the registry makes a bigger difference.
The reasons for a registry cleaner may vary, but the most common problem is how the registry can impact performance and speed. Usually, most users do not even realize the need until the registry is quite clogged up and the registry is often not the only problem. In near desperation, I recently used PC Tune Up and had marvelous results. Because my results were so good, I cannot help but suggest it as a worthwhile alternative among "for pay" alternatives. Free cleaners may be quite good, but may only deal with the registry in a one-dimensional way. PC Tune seems to offer a more complete solution. Time will tell, but so far I am very pleased. Since it is a "for pay" company, I can expect that they will have technical support and stand behind the products performance. Meanwhile, the company allowed a free trial which proved the worth of the product. I plan to try the product in other PC's soon. That is the best recommendation I can make.
The list omits Little Registry Cleaner - possibly nobody else likes it?
sourceforge.net/projects/littlecleaner
To me registry cleaners are pretty much the same.
My personal opinion is that the more you interfere the more likely you will do something wrong.
LRC creates restore points and if I remember correctly can also restore the registry from any of your restore points from the application, it checks after a clean, gives plenty of options without making the user navigate a maze of options before it's usable. I can't really speak of other cleaners - lack of experience.
When helping friends who "cannot find" installation disks so I can't reimage I do head for LRC. Recently a friend swore blind that the only registry cleaner to trust was CCleaner. I user LRC and then ran CCleaner and to my surprise there were a large number of "errors" detected by CCleaner after LRC had been run.
When I looked over what CCleaner was removing I thought I would actually prefer to leave entries like those in place. Optimising the registry is a great idea, so what is optimal? If you don't know what the registry entries you removed were for chances are you won't know how to recreate them if/when you need them.
My very small sample of 1 showed CCleaner was a lot more aggressive, and so would make the registry smaller (hence faster reads) but LRC was more conservative and would leave the computer in a state I was more comfortable with when I returned it to my less IT capable friend.
Choose your tool.
I don't go in for registry cleaners in my workplace or on my personal machines. If I really think there are problems that can't be solved in a normal matter of course I reinstall the OS.
I have all my programs and data stored on a NAS, and in the cloud - not tricky these days.
It's my preference to trade off increase my planned downtime, and reduce unplanned downtime.
sourceforge.net/projects/littlecleaner
To me registry cleaners are pretty much the same.
My personal opinion is that the more you interfere the more likely you will do something wrong.
LRC creates restore points and if I remember correctly can also restore the registry from any of your restore points from the application, it checks after a clean, gives plenty of options without making the user navigate a maze of options before it's usable. I can't really speak of other cleaners - lack of experience.
When helping friends who "cannot find" installation disks so I can't reimage I do head for LRC. Recently a friend swore blind that the only registry cleaner to trust was CCleaner. I user LRC and then ran CCleaner and to my surprise there were a large number of "errors" detected by CCleaner after LRC had been run.
When I looked over what CCleaner was removing I thought I would actually prefer to leave entries like those in place. Optimising the registry is a great idea, so what is optimal? If you don't know what the registry entries you removed were for chances are you won't know how to recreate them if/when you need them.
My very small sample of 1 showed CCleaner was a lot more aggressive, and so would make the registry smaller (hence faster reads) but LRC was more conservative and would leave the computer in a state I was more comfortable with when I returned it to my less IT capable friend.
Choose your tool.
I don't go in for registry cleaners in my workplace or on my personal machines. If I really think there are problems that can't be solved in a normal matter of course I reinstall the OS.
I have all my programs and data stored on a NAS, and in the cloud - not tricky these days.
It's my preference to trade off increase my planned downtime, and reduce unplanned downtime.
It may be "snake oil" but I've used ToniArts Easy Cleaner for years and it has never harmed my computer. It also has other utilities but I generally stay way from them. Happy with this one.
You should use one and ONLY one tool:
Macecraft jv16 PowerTools (used to be called RegSupreme Pro)
I have used this tool for the past decade on over 1,000 computers ranging from Windows ME/2000 to Windows 7/2008R2, and NEVER once had it cause a problem.
Macecraft jv16 PowerTools (used to be called RegSupreme Pro)
I have used this tool for the past decade on over 1,000 computers ranging from Windows ME/2000 to Windows 7/2008R2, and NEVER once had it cause a problem.
Need some help on how to clean my registry of malicious file because i install and uninstall regularly and i have over a thousand error in my registry that need to be cleaned up they make my system slow.
A few years, CC Cleaner broke my windows XP installation. Eventually got it to run, using the recovery disk. I have never used another registry cleaner, since.
It was my first and last experience with them.
It was my first and last experience with them.
Thanks for this article. It was very informative and money saving. I have recommended it to all of my friends.
Be Warned
Going to download TweakNow RegCleaner identifies a Malware on their primary website (Sophos Antivirus Message).
Gudulzz
Going to download TweakNow RegCleaner identifies a Malware on their primary website (Sophos Antivirus Message).
Gudulzz
I have been using jv16 for a long time. I know it is not free but it is often given away if you look around. My personal experience of cc hasn't been very good as I find I have lost licence keys from time to time! I too usually use revo when uninstalling and I have now paid out for pro as I have had so much benefit from it in the past
WinUtilities seems to do a little better than CCleaner without multiple passes, but it's not nearly as deep as Comodo. Thanks for the tip!
Never could figure out why there is all this flaming in these discussions: as though if your opinion isn't the same as mine, then I must be an idiot or something. Or how some people declare their opinions to be the only one of value - end of discussion. Doesn't seem very mature: no place for it in a discussion like this, IMO. But, I'm just a single participant...
I think the exchange of opinions on this and other topics that affect our professional lives is of much greater value than Jack's article alone: everyone's opinions here are of value to me, although I do tend to skip over the comments made by those who attack others (even when I agree with them).
I'm not so interested in speeding up my computers with a registry cleaner as I am with keeping them clean. A registry without extraneous or orphaned keys will likely scan faster with malware cleaning products, and trigger fewer alerts during those scans.
Besides, nobody can convince me that my car will go faster or get better fuel economy if I vacuum the carpets, but I do it anyway!
I had never heard of Comodo before: thanks Jack. I have used CCleaner many times without a problem, but I still always do the offered backup. My success with it, however, does no more prove that it is completely safe than a negative experience with it proves it's not.
I've learned a lot in this thread - thanks to all!
I think the exchange of opinions on this and other topics that affect our professional lives is of much greater value than Jack's article alone: everyone's opinions here are of value to me, although I do tend to skip over the comments made by those who attack others (even when I agree with them).
I'm not so interested in speeding up my computers with a registry cleaner as I am with keeping them clean. A registry without extraneous or orphaned keys will likely scan faster with malware cleaning products, and trigger fewer alerts during those scans.
Besides, nobody can convince me that my car will go faster or get better fuel economy if I vacuum the carpets, but I do it anyway!
I had never heard of Comodo before: thanks Jack. I have used CCleaner many times without a problem, but I still always do the offered backup. My success with it, however, does no more prove that it is completely safe than a negative experience with it proves it's not.
I've learned a lot in this thread - thanks to all!
Enough opinions have been made, so no need for another one.
However, the only registry cleaner I have had problems with (to the limit of turning a PC to a brick) is CCleaner, and that was by using its default settings.
So before you praise it to heavens, please be careful.
For the past couple of years, I have been using "Free Windows Registry Repair".
I have never had an issue with it, and it automatically backs up the registry before it does anything.
Usually I don't have too much junk in the registry because I use Revo Uninstaller (portable), which does a great job cleaning up any thing that the built-in uninstaller in a piece of software leaves behind (from the registry, My Documents, ..., to application data, to program files, ..., etc.), and it gives me the choice of what left-overs to delete or not to delete.
I think to each their own preferences, some are happy cleaning up the registry periodically, and others prefer to leave it alone.
The bottom line is that it is very risky to mess up with the registry if you do not know what you are doing. In such case, leave it alone, or have someone who knows (really knows, not claims that he knows) do the registry work.
However, the only registry cleaner I have had problems with (to the limit of turning a PC to a brick) is CCleaner, and that was by using its default settings.
So before you praise it to heavens, please be careful.
For the past couple of years, I have been using "Free Windows Registry Repair".
I have never had an issue with it, and it automatically backs up the registry before it does anything.
Usually I don't have too much junk in the registry because I use Revo Uninstaller (portable), which does a great job cleaning up any thing that the built-in uninstaller in a piece of software leaves behind (from the registry, My Documents, ..., to application data, to program files, ..., etc.), and it gives me the choice of what left-overs to delete or not to delete.
I think to each their own preferences, some are happy cleaning up the registry periodically, and others prefer to leave it alone.
The bottom line is that it is very risky to mess up with the registry if you do not know what you are doing. In such case, leave it alone, or have someone who knows (really knows, not claims that he knows) do the registry work.
What several of us are forgetting is that the registry is nothing more than a database, specifically a relational database. And just like any database, as records information is entered, deleted, or changed, holes in the data fabric are created. Additionally as this data is altered, it creates dead links and faulty data. Just like there are utilities, albeit usually propetary to optimize and compact the database, part of which removes those dead realtionship links. The end result makes the computer go faster because it takes less time to load the registry and the PC does not have deal with those dead links that also generates errors. How much PC performance improves depends up on how much the registry gets optimized, cleaned and compacted.
I use a registry cleaner on all my clients and my own systems and know there is a performance improvement. Though I am looking for anew registry cleaner. This article will be useful.
I use a registry cleaner on all my clients and my own systems and know there is a performance improvement. Though I am looking for anew registry cleaner. This article will be useful.
You forgot to mention that the Comodo System Cleaner changes your DNS setting to their machines and if you remove it there is no simple mechanism for returning it to what it was. I did not accet this so I'm not certain if it keeps changing to their servers each time you use it. I found all of this out by a simple reading of thei license agreement.
So far there isn't any issue with DNS. I restored the registry to the back up & stopped the automatic start up. However, there isn't an uninstall application and Windows does not show it in the Add/Remove program list.
This software company is a preditor and the guy who recommended Comodo should be sweeping floors & scrubbing toilets - not doing software reviews.
This software company is a preditor and the guy who recommended Comodo should be sweeping floors & scrubbing toilets - not doing software reviews.
Auslogics Registry Cleaner is my tool of choice - quick, efficient, stable and compatible - one of a group of 'housekeeping' utilities from Auslogics that have never let me down.
I unfortunately became very tired by the time I had read not much more then a few posts on this article and just wanted to mention one thing. My apologies if it is already mentioned as I had not seen it.
The title, the item at the top of the article, reads "File free Windows registry cleaners to keep your system running smoothly". The article then goes on to give more information about the issues that can arise from a "mucked up registry" (sorry, I just loved that way of saying it so had to use it). I did not really find any place where the article drags on and on about how cleaning the registry boosts your computers speed and was more focused on system stability gained from a cleaner registry.
So now that this part is clear we can move past all of the negative comments about how registry cleaners don't boost your speed by themselves as this was not the primary focus of this article and the only mention of it was minor at best.
The main benefit that a registry cleaner can give anyone is a more stable system. Just keep in mind that if your not really seeing any stability issues of any kind, and yes that means you should check the Event Viewer for errors, then you do not really need to worry about cleaning the registry to help keep your system stable (running smoothly as the article put it in the title). Just do not down plan the importance of a registry cleaner for the average user out there that is in no way able to manually clean up the registry (what a nightmare even for some one who could, don't forgeincrediblyadably large this is).
The title, the item at the top of the article, reads "File free Windows registry cleaners to keep your system running smoothly". The article then goes on to give more information about the issues that can arise from a "mucked up registry" (sorry, I just loved that way of saying it so had to use it). I did not really find any place where the article drags on and on about how cleaning the registry boosts your computers speed and was more focused on system stability gained from a cleaner registry.
So now that this part is clear we can move past all of the negative comments about how registry cleaners don't boost your speed by themselves as this was not the primary focus of this article and the only mention of it was minor at best.
The main benefit that a registry cleaner can give anyone is a more stable system. Just keep in mind that if your not really seeing any stability issues of any kind, and yes that means you should check the Event Viewer for errors, then you do not really need to worry about cleaning the registry to help keep your system stable (running smoothly as the article put it in the title). Just do not down plan the importance of a registry cleaner for the average user out there that is in no way able to manually clean up the registry (what a nightmare even for some one who could, don't forgeincrediblyadably large this is).
That CCleaner is just a damn good file cleaner - it is one of the FEW products that can get rid of Zombie cookies, and it finds them in the damnedest places! Also, if you operate as you should in a limited user environment, CCleaner will rid you of all virus/malware files lurking in the temp folders, usually before they can do any harm at all. This all counts for one heck of a lot. If you never used the registry cleaner - this would still make Cr@pCleaner worth it! 
disable all forms of "history", "user tracking", "document lists" etc.
both in the OS and in IE
having done this to every install I never have a system that "gets slow"
including a 9 year old XP install
problem with a bloated registry is it can't shrink
even if items are removed from it the space remains allocated but blank
kinda like tossing out old tax records and replacing the papers with blank sheets
once it has grown it won't shrink
both in the OS and in IE
having done this to every install I never have a system that "gets slow"
including a 9 year old XP install
problem with a bloated registry is it can't shrink
even if items are removed from it the space remains allocated but blank
kinda like tossing out old tax records and replacing the papers with blank sheets
once it has grown it won't shrink
need some input on what the top 5 registry fixes are.
Please help! thanks
Please help! thanks
I get questions similar to yours from my clients. Because they are novices, I recommend only two free utilities. CCleaner and Revo Uninstaller Free. The programs are easy to install, and when each program is finished and pops up, you will see very simple controls.
With CCleaner - bear in mind that it does several things other than clean the registry. Only clean the registry when it is needed; these situations I list here:
1. After a particularly nasty virus/malware infection. This only after your anti-virus or anti-malware has concluded deletion operations
2. After unsuccessful installations. Anytime you update an application, or install something, and it is failing to operate, or is unstable. Uninstall it and run the reg cleaner in CCleaner, and ALWAYS click [YES] when it asks you if you want to backup the registry. Create a file folder for the backups and keep the latest ones for posterity. This is so you can find them, if you suspect a cleaning is causing unexpected results.
3. In the case of XP - there will be an accumulation of backup reference files for uninstalling hotfixes. These become unimportant after a Service Pack rollup, so they can be deleted. In fact they can be deleted anyway, because you can always restore to an eariler time anyway.
4. After a year or more of updating and installing/ uninstalling applications, I've found running the registry cleaner certainly doesn't hurt, and usually results in a noticeable performance gain in stability or smoother application operation.
5. If a conflict between two applications happens and one has to be uninstalled. It is always a good practice to run the reg cleaner. Sometimes you will actually be able to re-install the application without conflict after cleaning. Also, I've had applications whose drivers won't work, or otherwise won't operate properly until I uninstall it and clean the registry. Sometimes this can be driver remnants from totally unrelated previous software, that doesn't exist on the system anymore!
Revo uninstaller can solve a lot of these problems at the installation/unistallation level. However - if the application asks for a reboot after uninstalling with Revo, the registry tracking will disappear; so you will need to trace the application as it is actually being installed to gain any true advantage with this. This would probably require buying a license to get that feature, I'm not sure. You could remove all registry entrants without rebooting, but I feel this is not only redundant but probably ill advised. If in the last step you have files, folders, or DLLs leftover, and you delete them, it might not hurt to run the CCleaner reg cleaner, just to tie up loose ends. This despite the moderate level cleaning done by Revo during the uninstall process.
I hope this was what you were needing, as I wasn't really sure by your question, but maybe this will help any other new Tech Republic members coming upon this article.
With CCleaner - bear in mind that it does several things other than clean the registry. Only clean the registry when it is needed; these situations I list here:
1. After a particularly nasty virus/malware infection. This only after your anti-virus or anti-malware has concluded deletion operations
2. After unsuccessful installations. Anytime you update an application, or install something, and it is failing to operate, or is unstable. Uninstall it and run the reg cleaner in CCleaner, and ALWAYS click [YES] when it asks you if you want to backup the registry. Create a file folder for the backups and keep the latest ones for posterity. This is so you can find them, if you suspect a cleaning is causing unexpected results.
3. In the case of XP - there will be an accumulation of backup reference files for uninstalling hotfixes. These become unimportant after a Service Pack rollup, so they can be deleted. In fact they can be deleted anyway, because you can always restore to an eariler time anyway.
4. After a year or more of updating and installing/ uninstalling applications, I've found running the registry cleaner certainly doesn't hurt, and usually results in a noticeable performance gain in stability or smoother application operation.
5. If a conflict between two applications happens and one has to be uninstalled. It is always a good practice to run the reg cleaner. Sometimes you will actually be able to re-install the application without conflict after cleaning. Also, I've had applications whose drivers won't work, or otherwise won't operate properly until I uninstall it and clean the registry. Sometimes this can be driver remnants from totally unrelated previous software, that doesn't exist on the system anymore!
Revo uninstaller can solve a lot of these problems at the installation/unistallation level. However - if the application asks for a reboot after uninstalling with Revo, the registry tracking will disappear; so you will need to trace the application as it is actually being installed to gain any true advantage with this. This would probably require buying a license to get that feature, I'm not sure. You could remove all registry entrants without rebooting, but I feel this is not only redundant but probably ill advised. If in the last step you have files, folders, or DLLs leftover, and you delete them, it might not hurt to run the CCleaner reg cleaner, just to tie up loose ends. This despite the moderate level cleaning done by Revo during the uninstall process.
I hope this was what you were needing, as I wasn't really sure by your question, but maybe this will help any other new Tech Republic members coming upon this article.
As for the difference in opinion regarding what best reg cleaner is "best", it's a matter of choice but i thought we shuld always take opinion from experts recently i visited http://www.best-registry-cleaners-review.com/ I found it a very good and informatory website.
I've learned a LONG time ago to ignore sites like that. Web of Trust has never let me down so far.
These days there are couple of scam registry cleaners so be careful and use a safe registry cleaner.A safe registry cleaner has the following Features:
Scan And Cleanup
Registry Defrag
Startup Optimizer.
Scan And Cleanup
Registry Defrag
Startup Optimizer.
I have tested a lot of cleaner, especially ccleaner removes important data, you can do a simple test and try to install the Samsung KIES software then run ccleaner and see how ccleaner will ruin this software. For me the safest cleaner is WinSysClean, I never had problems with the PCs after I use it.
if you do the backup that it asks you to - if you get unexpected results - simply double click the backup file and voila! your are back to normal. In all the hundreds of computers I've worked on, I've never had ONE problem with CCleaner. Piriform has a number one product over there.
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