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#1
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editing the registry
when i run regedit, i can see that there are still several references in the
registry to some programs that i have long since uninstalled. specifically, i can see these under HKEY_CURRENT-USER/Software/. For example, there is a folder there for Nero, which i have long since trashed, as well as a few others. although i have run a couple of registry editors, which appeared to clean something or another in the registry, these references persist. is there any reason i cannot just open the registry editor, highlight the folder, and delete it? if i know the program is gone, what would be the harm? thanks. |
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#2
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editing the registry
The keys you describe have no effect on your computer, so you gain
nothing by removing them. On the other hand, making a mistake while editing the registry can cause real problems for your computer. That's why the cognoscenti don't tinker with the registry and don't use so-called cleaners. You are welcome to join the ranks of the enlightened. Edit the registry when you have a specific need (and 'cleaning' is not a specific need) and when you are following specific instructions. Always backup your registry first - there is no 'undo' in regedit. --- Leonard Grey Errare humanum est jw72253 wrote: when i run regedit, i can see that there are still several references in the registry to some programs that i have long since uninstalled. specifically, i can see these under HKEY_CURRENT-USER/Software/. For example, there is a folder there for Nero, which i have long since trashed, as well as a few others. although i have run a couple of registry editors, which appeared to clean something or another in the registry, these references persist. is there any reason i cannot just open the registry editor, highlight the folder, and delete it? if i know the program is gone, what would be the harm? thanks. |
#3
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editing the registry
"jw72253" wrote: when i run regedit, i can see that there are still several references in the registry to some programs that i have long since uninstalled. specifically, i can see these under HKEY_CURRENT-USER/Software/. For example, there is a folder there for Nero, which i have long since trashed, as well as a few others. although i have run a couple of registry editors, which appeared to clean something or another in the registry, these references persist. is there any reason i cannot just open the registry editor, highlight the folder, and delete it? if i know the program is gone, what would be the harm? thanks. You can either use one of these tools to clean up the orphans registry for uninstalled software which left behind: http://www.ccleaner.com or "AutoRuns for Windows v8.61 By Mark Russinovich and Bryce Cogswell" http://www.microsoft.com/technet/sys.../Autoruns.mspx HTH. nass --- http://www.nasstec.co.uk |
#4
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editing the registry
On Tue, 15 Jul 2008 13:39:06 -0700, jw72253
wrote: when i run regedit, i can see that there are still several references in the registry to some programs that i have long since uninstalled. specifically, i can see these under HKEY_CURRENT-USER/Software/. For example, there is a folder there for Nero, which i have long since trashed, as well as a few others. Such is a very common occurrence. However, note that these leftover registry entries take up a tiny amount of disk space, and don't hurt you in any way. although i have run a couple of registry editors, Bad move. Registry cleaning programs are *all* snake oil. Cleaning of the registry isn't needed and is dangerous. Leave the registry alone and don't use any registry cleaner. Despite what many people think, and what vendors of registry cleaning software try to convince you of, having unused registry entries doesn't really hurt you. The risk of a serious problem caused by a registry cleaner erroneously removing an entry you need is far greater than any potential benefit it may have. If you haven't been burned by the registry editors you've run, consider yourself lucky. which appeared to clean something or another in the registry, these references persist. is there any reason i cannot just open the registry editor, highlight the folder, and delete it? if i know the program is gone, what would be the harm? thanks. *If* you do it with care, and don't accidentally delete something that is needed, you are correct that there will be no harm. On the other hand, there is also no benefit. Given that there is no benefit to doing what you propose, and that there is *always* a risk of error, I think it's a bad bargain. I'm sure I have many such leftover entries in my own registry, but I just leave them alone. -- Ken Blake, Microsoft MVP - Windows Desktop Experience Please Reply to the Newsgroup |
#5
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editing the registry
Ken,
your message states "Please reply to the newsgroup," but i am new to this place and not sure how to do that. i can see only one option regarding replies. i was under the impression that windows had to read the registry while loading, and that a longer registry would take longer to read. so, i figured removing any irrelevant entries would expedite the process. is this not true? thanks. john "Ken Blake, MVP" wrote: On Tue, 15 Jul 2008 13:39:06 -0700, jw72253 wrote: when i run regedit, i can see that there are still several references in the registry to some programs that i have long since uninstalled. specifically, i can see these under HKEY_CURRENT-USER/Software/. For example, there is a folder there for Nero, which i have long since trashed, as well as a few others. Such is a very common occurrence. However, note that these leftover registry entries take up a tiny amount of disk space, and don't hurt you in any way. although i have run a couple of registry editors, Bad move. Registry cleaning programs are *all* snake oil. Cleaning of the registry isn't needed and is dangerous. Leave the registry alone and don't use any registry cleaner. Despite what many people think, and what vendors of registry cleaning software try to convince you of, having unused registry entries doesn't really hurt you. The risk of a serious problem caused by a registry cleaner erroneously removing an entry you need is far greater than any potential benefit it may have. If you haven't been burned by the registry editors you've run, consider yourself lucky. which appeared to clean something or another in the registry, these references persist. is there any reason i cannot just open the registry editor, highlight the folder, and delete it? if i know the program is gone, what would be the harm? thanks. *If* you do it with care, and don't accidentally delete something that is needed, you are correct that there will be no harm. On the other hand, there is also no benefit. Given that there is no benefit to doing what you propose, and that there is *always* a risk of error, I think it's a bad bargain. I'm sure I have many such leftover entries in my own registry, but I just leave them alone. -- Ken Blake, Microsoft MVP - Windows Desktop Experience Please Reply to the Newsgroup |
#6
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editing the registry
On Wed, 16 Jul 2008 15:54:01 -0700, jw72253
wrote: Ken, your message states "Please reply to the newsgroup," but i am new to this place and not sure how to do that. i can see only one option regarding replies. You may not even realize that this is a newsgroup, not really a web site. I see that you are using the awful web interface to read this newsgroup--it's the slowest, clunkiest, most error-prone method there is. Do yourself a favor and switch to a newsreader, such as Outlook Express, which comes with Windows. See http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/ou...snewreader.htm When I say "Please reply to the newsgroup," what I mean is do not try to reply to me by private E-mail. i was under the impression that windows had to read the registry while loading, and that a longer registry would take longer to read. so, i figured removing any irrelevant entries would expedite the process. is this not true? thanks. No. Any difference is insignificant. You'd never notice it. "Ken Blake, MVP" wrote: On Tue, 15 Jul 2008 13:39:06 -0700, jw72253 wrote: when i run regedit, i can see that there are still several references in the registry to some programs that i have long since uninstalled. specifically, i can see these under HKEY_CURRENT-USER/Software/. For example, there is a folder there for Nero, which i have long since trashed, as well as a few others. Such is a very common occurrence. However, note that these leftover registry entries take up a tiny amount of disk space, and don't hurt you in any way. although i have run a couple of registry editors, Bad move. Registry cleaning programs are *all* snake oil. Cleaning of the registry isn't needed and is dangerous. Leave the registry alone and don't use any registry cleaner. Despite what many people think, and what vendors of registry cleaning software try to convince you of, having unused registry entries doesn't really hurt you. The risk of a serious problem caused by a registry cleaner erroneously removing an entry you need is far greater than any potential benefit it may have. If you haven't been burned by the registry editors you've run, consider yourself lucky. which appeared to clean something or another in the registry, these references persist. is there any reason i cannot just open the registry editor, highlight the folder, and delete it? if i know the program is gone, what would be the harm? thanks. *If* you do it with care, and don't accidentally delete something that is needed, you are correct that there will be no harm. On the other hand, there is also no benefit. Given that there is no benefit to doing what you propose, and that there is *always* a risk of error, I think it's a bad bargain. I'm sure I have many such leftover entries in my own registry, but I just leave them alone. -- Ken Blake, Microsoft MVP - Windows Desktop Experience Please Reply to the Newsgroup -- Ken Blake, Microsoft MVP - Windows Desktop Experience Please Reply to the Newsgroup |
#7
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editing the registry
you are correct, Ken, in that i was not really aware of my "being in a
newsgroup." i have followed your advice (thank you very much), and i configured OE as a newsgroup reader, which loads now automatically from Outlook 2007. it does appear to work more quickly and efficiently than the IE approach. frankly, it was an interesting digression as i learned a little more about the interaction of these two programs and about the microsoft newsgroup server. i always appreciate finding a good use for one of the standard windows programs, especially when it is one of the little programs that seemed to have no value for me otherwise. i figured OE was irrelevant since i was using Outlook, but i can see that it is not at all. moreover, it satisfies my needs quite well enough, and i have no need to install a third-party program, or an add-on, to get the job done. this is likely the last response you will see from me using this logon name and method. i have changed both, as the instructions you sent suggested, in order to avoid spammers. talk to you later, incognito. again, thank you. john "Ken Blake, MVP" wrote: On Wed, 16 Jul 2008 15:54:01 -0700, jw72253 wrote: Ken, your message states "Please reply to the newsgroup," but i am new to this place and not sure how to do that. i can see only one option regarding replies. You may not even realize that this is a newsgroup, not really a web site. I see that you are using the awful web interface to read this newsgroup--it's the slowest, clunkiest, most error-prone method there is. Do yourself a favor and switch to a newsreader, such as Outlook Express, which comes with Windows. See http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/ou...snewreader.htm When I say "Please reply to the newsgroup," what I mean is do not try to reply to me by private E-mail. i was under the impression that windows had to read the registry while loading, and that a longer registry would take longer to read. so, i figured removing any irrelevant entries would expedite the process. is this not true? thanks. No. Any difference is insignificant. You'd never notice it. "Ken Blake, MVP" wrote: On Tue, 15 Jul 2008 13:39:06 -0700, jw72253 wrote: when i run regedit, i can see that there are still several references in the registry to some programs that i have long since uninstalled. specifically, i can see these under HKEY_CURRENT-USER/Software/. For example, there is a folder there for Nero, which i have long since trashed, as well as a few others. Such is a very common occurrence. However, note that these leftover registry entries take up a tiny amount of disk space, and don't hurt you in any way. although i have run a couple of registry editors, Bad move. Registry cleaning programs are *all* snake oil. Cleaning of the registry isn't needed and is dangerous. Leave the registry alone and don't use any registry cleaner. Despite what many people think, and what vendors of registry cleaning software try to convince you of, having unused registry entries doesn't really hurt you. The risk of a serious problem caused by a registry cleaner erroneously removing an entry you need is far greater than any potential benefit it may have. If you haven't been burned by the registry editors you've run, consider yourself lucky. which appeared to clean something or another in the registry, these references persist. is there any reason i cannot just open the registry editor, highlight the folder, and delete it? if i know the program is gone, what would be the harm? thanks. *If* you do it with care, and don't accidentally delete something that is needed, you are correct that there will be no harm. On the other hand, there is also no benefit. Given that there is no benefit to doing what you propose, and that there is *always* a risk of error, I think it's a bad bargain. I'm sure I have many such leftover entries in my own registry, but I just leave them alone. -- Ken Blake, Microsoft MVP - Windows Desktop Experience Please Reply to the Newsgroup -- Ken Blake, Microsoft MVP - Windows Desktop Experience Please Reply to the Newsgroup |
#8
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editing the registry
On Thu, 17 Jul 2008 09:28:01 -0700, jw72253
wrote: you are correct, Ken, in that i was not really aware of my "being in a newsgroup." i have followed your advice (thank you very much), and i configured OE as a newsgroup reader, which loads now automatically from Outlook 2007. it does appear to work more quickly and efficiently than the IE approach. Great! glad you tried it, and glad that you like it. frankly, it was an interesting digression as i learned a little more about the interaction of these two programs and about the microsoft newsgroup server. i always appreciate finding a good use for one of the standard windows programs, especially when it is one of the little programs that seemed to have no value for me otherwise. i figured OE was irrelevant since i was using Outlook, but i can see that it is not at all. No, Outlook does E-mail, but not newsgroups, as I guess you've seen by now. moreover, it satisfies my needs quite well enough, and i have no need to install a third-party program, or an add-on, to get the job done. this is likely the last response you will see from me using this logon name and method. i have changed both, as the instructions you sent suggested, in order to avoid spammers. talk to you later, incognito. again, thank you. You're welcome. Glad to help. "Ken Blake, MVP" wrote: On Wed, 16 Jul 2008 15:54:01 -0700, jw72253 wrote: Ken, your message states "Please reply to the newsgroup," but i am new to this place and not sure how to do that. i can see only one option regarding replies. You may not even realize that this is a newsgroup, not really a web site. I see that you are using the awful web interface to read this newsgroup--it's the slowest, clunkiest, most error-prone method there is. Do yourself a favor and switch to a newsreader, such as Outlook Express, which comes with Windows. See http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/ou...snewreader.htm When I say "Please reply to the newsgroup," what I mean is do not try to reply to me by private E-mail. i was under the impression that windows had to read the registry while loading, and that a longer registry would take longer to read. so, i figured removing any irrelevant entries would expedite the process. is this not true? thanks. No. Any difference is insignificant. You'd never notice it. "Ken Blake, MVP" wrote: On Tue, 15 Jul 2008 13:39:06 -0700, jw72253 wrote: when i run regedit, i can see that there are still several references in the registry to some programs that i have long since uninstalled. specifically, i can see these under HKEY_CURRENT-USER/Software/. For example, there is a folder there for Nero, which i have long since trashed, as well as a few others. Such is a very common occurrence. However, note that these leftover registry entries take up a tiny amount of disk space, and don't hurt you in any way. although i have run a couple of registry editors, Bad move. Registry cleaning programs are *all* snake oil. Cleaning of the registry isn't needed and is dangerous. Leave the registry alone and don't use any registry cleaner. Despite what many people think, and what vendors of registry cleaning software try to convince you of, having unused registry entries doesn't really hurt you. The risk of a serious problem caused by a registry cleaner erroneously removing an entry you need is far greater than any potential benefit it may have. If you haven't been burned by the registry editors you've run, consider yourself lucky. which appeared to clean something or another in the registry, these references persist. is there any reason i cannot just open the registry editor, highlight the folder, and delete it? if i know the program is gone, what would be the harm? thanks. *If* you do it with care, and don't accidentally delete something that is needed, you are correct that there will be no harm. On the other hand, there is also no benefit. Given that there is no benefit to doing what you propose, and that there is *always* a risk of error, I think it's a bad bargain. I'm sure I have many such leftover entries in my own registry, but I just leave them alone. -- Ken Blake, Microsoft MVP - Windows Desktop Experience Please Reply to the Newsgroup -- Ken Blake, Microsoft MVP - Windows Desktop Experience Please Reply to the Newsgroup -- Ken Blake, Microsoft MVP - Windows Desktop Experience Please Reply to the Newsgroup |
#9
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editing the registry
Ken,
I appreciate your advice about not editing the registry unnecessarily. However, I have an irritation with one program, which I can eliminate by editing the registry if i do so correctly. The program, Norton System Works, has a maintenance routine called Norton WinDoctor, which reports this error to me whenever I run its process: The key, "CLSID\{1171A62F-05D2-11D1-83FC-00A0C9089C5A}\InprocServer32," refers to a missing file, "C:\WINDOWS\system32\Macromed\Flash\Flash9b.oc x." Most of the problems like this found by WinDoctor it can fix itself; but it cannot fix this one. It will continue to report this problem until one of two things happens. First, I can install FlashPlayer on my system even though i do not need it. Secondly, I can edit the registry manually to remove this entry. Now, I am not an especially anal minded person, but this problem is surely an eyesore to me. i have researched and fixed all the other peculiar error messages that could not be fixed automatically; and i am now down to this last one. so, it has to go too. Can you think of any reason why i should not edit the registry and simply delete this key? thanks. john "Ken Blake, MVP" wrote in message ... On Wed, 16 Jul 2008 15:54:01 -0700, jw72253 wrote: Ken, your message states "Please reply to the newsgroup," but i am new to this place and not sure how to do that. i can see only one option regarding replies. You may not even realize that this is a newsgroup, not really a web site. I see that you are using the awful web interface to read this newsgroup--it's the slowest, clunkiest, most error-prone method there is. Do yourself a favor and switch to a newsreader, such as Outlook Express, which comes with Windows. See http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/ou...snewreader.htm When I say "Please reply to the newsgroup," what I mean is do not try to reply to me by private E-mail. i was under the impression that windows had to read the registry while loading, and that a longer registry would take longer to read. so, i figured removing any irrelevant entries would expedite the process. is this not true? thanks. No. Any difference is insignificant. You'd never notice it. "Ken Blake, MVP" wrote: On Tue, 15 Jul 2008 13:39:06 -0700, jw72253 wrote: when i run regedit, i can see that there are still several references in the registry to some programs that i have long since uninstalled. specifically, i can see these under HKEY_CURRENT-USER/Software/. For example, there is a folder there for Nero, which i have long since trashed, as well as a few others. Such is a very common occurrence. However, note that these leftover registry entries take up a tiny amount of disk space, and don't hurt you in any way. although i have run a couple of registry editors, Bad move. Registry cleaning programs are *all* snake oil. Cleaning of the registry isn't needed and is dangerous. Leave the registry alone and don't use any registry cleaner. Despite what many people think, and what vendors of registry cleaning software try to convince you of, having unused registry entries doesn't really hurt you. The risk of a serious problem caused by a registry cleaner erroneously removing an entry you need is far greater than any potential benefit it may have. If you haven't been burned by the registry editors you've run, consider yourself lucky. which appeared to clean something or another in the registry, these references persist. is there any reason i cannot just open the registry editor, highlight the folder, and delete it? if i know the program is gone, what would be the harm? thanks. *If* you do it with care, and don't accidentally delete something that is needed, you are correct that there will be no harm. On the other hand, there is also no benefit. Given that there is no benefit to doing what you propose, and that there is *always* a risk of error, I think it's a bad bargain. I'm sure I have many such leftover entries in my own registry, but I just leave them alone. -- Ken Blake, Microsoft MVP - Windows Desktop Experience Please Reply to the Newsgroup -- Ken Blake, Microsoft MVP - Windows Desktop Experience Please Reply to the Newsgroup |
#10
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editing the registry
Just export the key and make a restore point before you delete the key.
-- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- www.paulsxp.com www.paulsxp.com/forum www.supportspace.com/home/home.s2?aiu=paulm --------------------------------------------------------------------------------- "jw72253" wrote in message ... Ken, I appreciate your advice about not editing the registry unnecessarily. However, I have an irritation with one program, which I can eliminate by editing the registry if i do so correctly. The program, Norton System Works, has a maintenance routine called Norton WinDoctor, which reports this error to me whenever I run its process: The key, "CLSID\{1171A62F-05D2-11D1-83FC-00A0C9089C5A}\InprocServer32," refers to a missing file, "C:\WINDOWS\system32\Macromed\Flash\Flash9b.oc x." Most of the problems like this found by WinDoctor it can fix itself; but it cannot fix this one. It will continue to report this problem until one of two things happens. First, I can install FlashPlayer on my system even though i do not need it. Secondly, I can edit the registry manually to remove this entry. Now, I am not an especially anal minded person, but this problem is surely an eyesore to me. i have researched and fixed all the other peculiar error messages that could not be fixed automatically; and i am now down to this last one. so, it has to go too. Can you think of any reason why i should not edit the registry and simply delete this key? thanks. john "Ken Blake, MVP" wrote in message ... On Wed, 16 Jul 2008 15:54:01 -0700, jw72253 wrote: Ken, your message states "Please reply to the newsgroup," but i am new to this place and not sure how to do that. i can see only one option regarding replies. You may not even realize that this is a newsgroup, not really a web site. I see that you are using the awful web interface to read this newsgroup--it's the slowest, clunkiest, most error-prone method there is. Do yourself a favor and switch to a newsreader, such as Outlook Express, which comes with Windows. See http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/ou...snewreader.htm When I say "Please reply to the newsgroup," what I mean is do not try to reply to me by private E-mail. i was under the impression that windows had to read the registry while loading, and that a longer registry would take longer to read. so, i figured removing any irrelevant entries would expedite the process. is this not true? thanks. No. Any difference is insignificant. You'd never notice it. "Ken Blake, MVP" wrote: On Tue, 15 Jul 2008 13:39:06 -0700, jw72253 wrote: when i run regedit, i can see that there are still several references in the registry to some programs that i have long since uninstalled. specifically, i can see these under HKEY_CURRENT-USER/Software/. For example, there is a folder there for Nero, which i have long since trashed, as well as a few others. Such is a very common occurrence. However, note that these leftover registry entries take up a tiny amount of disk space, and don't hurt you in any way. although i have run a couple of registry editors, Bad move. Registry cleaning programs are *all* snake oil. Cleaning of the registry isn't needed and is dangerous. Leave the registry alone and don't use any registry cleaner. Despite what many people think, and what vendors of registry cleaning software try to convince you of, having unused registry entries doesn't really hurt you. The risk of a serious problem caused by a registry cleaner erroneously removing an entry you need is far greater than any potential benefit it may have. If you haven't been burned by the registry editors you've run, consider yourself lucky. which appeared to clean something or another in the registry, these references persist. is there any reason i cannot just open the registry editor, highlight the folder, and delete it? if i know the program is gone, what would be the harm? thanks. *If* you do it with care, and don't accidentally delete something that is needed, you are correct that there will be no harm. On the other hand, there is also no benefit. Given that there is no benefit to doing what you propose, and that there is *always* a risk of error, I think it's a bad bargain. I'm sure I have many such leftover entries in my own registry, but I just leave them alone. -- Ken Blake, Microsoft MVP - Windows Desktop Experience Please Reply to the Newsgroup -- Ken Blake, Microsoft MVP - Windows Desktop Experience Please Reply to the Newsgroup |
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