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Registry cleaner



 
 
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  #1  
Old June 21st 04, 02:42 PM
Just Me
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Registry cleaner

Is there a good free program for removing unused entries in my registry?

Computer is quite old and has had many things installed and removed over the
life of its XP OS.

Thanks


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  #2  
Old June 21st 04, 03:42 PM
Ashleigh
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Registry cleaner

I know you wont like the answer, but the only garanteed way of cleaning up the registry (and the system root for that matter) is to backup anything important and format and rebuild the box, mine usually get done every 12 - 18 months.

Dont half make your PC feel fast afterwards


"Just Me" wrote:

Is there a good free program for removing unused entries in my registry?

Computer is quite old and has had many things installed and removed over the
life of its XP OS.

Thanks



  #3  
Old June 21st 04, 03:42 PM
Will Denny
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Registry cleaner

Hi

The XP Registry looks after itself. Using any of these 'cleaners' can cause
more harm than good.

--

Will Denny
MS-MVP Windows - Shell/User
Please reply to the News Groups


" Just Me" wrote in message
...
| Is there a good free program for removing unused entries in my registry?
|
| Computer is quite old and has had many things installed and removed over
the
| life of its XP OS.
|
| Thanks
|
|

  #4  
Old June 21st 04, 03:42 PM
Just Me
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Registry cleaner



I think I'd like that but what about window validation - is that a problem?

What do you back up? I mean just app data? Email?

Thanks


"Ashleigh" wrote in message
...
I know you wont like the answer, but the only garanteed way of cleaning up

the registry (and the system root for that matter) is to backup anything
important and format and rebuild the box, mine usually get done every 12 -
18 months.

Dont half make your PC feel fast afterwards


"Just Me" wrote:

Is there a good free program for removing unused entries in my registry?

Computer is quite old and has had many things installed and removed over

the
life of its XP OS.

Thanks





  #5  
Old June 21st 04, 03:42 PM
Catalin
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Registry cleaner

Hi.
Kindly check Tune Up utility. Just check www.tuneup.de Is a good one, but as ussual, take precaution. Backup your file, create a restore point, a check point and then run this utility.
Another one id Register Mechanic. Check with any search engine, but be aware, what is free sure is not ... very good.
Regards,
Catalin

"Just Me" wrote:

Is there a good free program for removing unused entries in my registry?

Computer is quite old and has had many things installed and removed over the
life of its XP OS.

Thanks



  #6  
Old June 21st 04, 03:42 PM
Ashleigh
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Registry cleaner

Windows activation should not be a real problem (as long as the version you have is legit). Backup I would run the transfer user's and settings application (on the XP cd) and make sure you get all your email/documents also make a backup of you c:\documents
and settings folder (got almost everything you may need in it), also backup any game saves you want (if you do) and any data that's not stored under docs and settings (DVD writers are a godsend for this sort of thing), REMEMBER rather backup too much than
not enough!

Then when your happy you have everything you need then fdisk the drive and boot from the cd.

"Just Me" wrote:



I think I'd like that but what about window validation - is that a problem?

What do you back up? I mean just app data? Email?

Thanks


"Ashleigh" wrote in message
...
I know you wont like the answer, but the only garanteed way of cleaning up

the registry (and the system root for that matter) is to backup anything
important and format and rebuild the box, mine usually get done every 12 -
18 months.

Dont half make your PC feel fast afterwards


"Just Me" wrote:

Is there a good free program for removing unused entries in my registry?

Computer is quite old and has had many things installed and removed over

the
life of its XP OS.

Thanks






  #7  
Old June 21st 04, 03:42 PM
Just Me
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Registry cleaner

Thanks a lot

"Ashleigh" wrote in message
...
Windows activation should not be a real problem (as long as the version

you have is legit). Backup I would run the transfer user's and settings
application (on the XP cd) and make sure you get all your email/documents
also make a backup of you c:\documents and settings folder (got almost
everything you may need in it), also backup any game saves you want (if you
do) and any data that's not stored under docs and settings (DVD writers are
a godsend for this sort of thing), REMEMBER rather backup too much than not
enough!

Then when your happy you have everything you need then fdisk the drive and

boot from the cd.

"Just Me" wrote:



I think I'd like that but what about window validation - is that a

problem?

What do you back up? I mean just app data? Email?

Thanks


"Ashleigh" wrote in message
...
I know you wont like the answer, but the only garanteed way of

cleaning up
the registry (and the system root for that matter) is to backup anything
important and format and rebuild the box, mine usually get done every

12 -
18 months.

Dont half make your PC feel fast afterwards


"Just Me" wrote:

Is there a good free program for removing unused entries in my

registry?

Computer is quite old and has had many things installed and removed

over
the
life of its XP OS.

Thanks








  #8  
Old June 21st 04, 03:42 PM
Just Me
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Registry cleaner

I'll be careful. Don't you trust their backup feature?

"Will Denny" wrote in message
...
Hi

The XP Registry looks after itself. Using any of these 'cleaners' can

cause
more harm than good.

--

Will Denny
MS-MVP Windows - Shell/User
Please reply to the News Groups


" Just Me" wrote in message
...
| Is there a good free program for removing unused entries in my registry?
|
| Computer is quite old and has had many things installed and removed over
the
| life of its XP OS.
|
| Thanks
|
|



  #9  
Old June 21st 04, 03:42 PM
Just Me
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Registry cleaner


"Catalin" wrote in message
...
Hi.
Kindly check Tune Up utility. Just check www.tuneup.de Is a good one, but

as ussual, take precaution. Backup your file, create a restore point, a
check point and then run this utility.
Another one id Register Mechanic. Check with any search engine, but be

aware, what is free sure is not ... very good.

I know - I'm thinking of reinstalling anyway so no big deal if things go
bad.
thanks


Regards,
Catalin

"Just Me" wrote:

Is there a good free program for removing unused entries in my registry?

Computer is quite old and has had many things installed and removed over

the
life of its XP OS.

Thanks





  #10  
Old June 21st 04, 03:42 PM
Jim Byrd
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Registry cleaner

Hi Just Me - In my experience all of these Reg cleaners, even the best, are
fraught with danger. I advise against using them except in one specific
instance, that is when you have one that is capable of doing specific Reg
searches, and you NEED (not just WANT) to remove the remaining traces of
something that didn't get uninstalled correctly. (and you didn't have
foresight enough to install it using Total Uninstall,
http://www.geocities.com/ggmartau/tu.html or direct dwnld he
http://files.webattack.com/localdl834/tun234.zip, in the first place.)

Lastly, if you must screw around with your Registry, then at least get
Erunt/Erdnt, and run it before you do the Reg clean. You'll then have a
true restore available to you. Read below to see why you might not just
using the Reg cleaner's resto

Get Erunt here for all NT-based computers including XP:
http://home.t-online.de/home/lars.he...runt/index.htm I've set it up to
take a scheduled backup each night at 12:01AM on a weekly round-robin basis,
and a Monthly on the 1st of each month. See here for how to set that up:
http://home.t-online.de/home/lars.he...unt/erunt.txt, and for some
useful information about this subject.

This program is one of the best things around - saved my butt on many
occasions, and will also run very nicely from a DOS prompt (in case you've
done something that won't let you boot any more and need to revert to a
previous Registry) IF you're FAT32 OR have a DOS startup disk with NTFS
write drivers in an NTFS system. (There is also a way using the Recovery
Console to get back to being "bootable" even without separate DOS write NTFS
drivers, after which you can do a "normal" Erdnt restore.) (BTW, it also
includes a Registry defragger program). Free, and very, very highly
recommended.

FYI, quoting from the above document:

"Note: The "Export registry" function in Regedit is USELESS (!) to make a
complete backup of the registry. Neither does it export the whole registry
(for example, no information from the "SECURITY" hive is saved), nor can the
exported file be used later to replace the current registry with the old
one. Instead, if you re-import the file, it is
merged with the current registry, leaving you with an absolute mess of old
and new registry keys.

--
Please respond in the same thread.
Regards, Jim Byrd, MS-MVP



In ,
Just Me typed:
Is there a good free program for removing unused entries in my registry?

Computer is quite old and has had many things installed and removed over

the
life of its XP OS.

Thanks


  #11  
Old June 21st 04, 03:42 PM
Will Denny
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Registry cleaner

Hi

Unfortunately not all of these 'cleaners' have a backup/undo option - which
is where the problems start. A System Restore sometimes doesn't work
properly because of the degree of alterations made to the Registry.

--

Will Denny
MS-MVP Windows - Shell/User
Please reply to the News Groups


" Just Me" wrote in message
...
| I'll be careful. Don't you trust their backup feature?
|
| "Will Denny" wrote in message
| ...
| Hi
|
| The XP Registry looks after itself. Using any of these 'cleaners' can
| cause
| more harm than good.
|
| --
|
| Will Denny
| MS-MVP Windows - Shell/User
| Please reply to the News Groups
|
|
| " Just Me" wrote in message
| ...
| | Is there a good free program for removing unused entries in my
registry?
| |
| | Computer is quite old and has had many things installed and removed
over
| the
| | life of its XP OS.
| |
| | Thanks
| |
| |
|
|
|

  #12  
Old June 21st 04, 04:48 PM
Just Me
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Registry cleaner


"Will Denny" wrote in message
...
Hi

Unfortunately not all of these 'cleaners' have a backup/undo option -

which
is where the problems start. A System Restore sometimes doesn't work
properly because of the degree of alterations made to the Registry.


Not good news
Thanks


--

Will Denny
MS-MVP Windows - Shell/User
Please reply to the News Groups


" Just Me" wrote in message
...
| I'll be careful. Don't you trust their backup feature?
|
| "Will Denny" wrote in message
| ...
| Hi
|
| The XP Registry looks after itself. Using any of these 'cleaners' can
| cause
| more harm than good.
|
| --
|
| Will Denny
| MS-MVP Windows - Shell/User
| Please reply to the News Groups
|
|
| " Just Me" wrote in message
| ...
| | Is there a good free program for removing unused entries in my
registry?
| |
| | Computer is quite old and has had many things installed and removed
over
| the
| | life of its XP OS.
| |
| | Thanks
| |
| |
|
|
|



  #13  
Old June 21st 04, 04:48 PM
Just Me
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Registry cleaner

Thanks for ALL the info

"Jim Byrd" wrote in message
...
Hi Just Me - In my experience all of these Reg cleaners, even the best,

are
fraught with danger. I advise against using them except in one specific
instance, that is when you have one that is capable of doing specific Reg
searches, and you NEED (not just WANT) to remove the remaining traces of
something that didn't get uninstalled correctly. (and you didn't have
foresight enough to install it using Total Uninstall,
http://www.geocities.com/ggmartau/tu.html or direct dwnld he
http://files.webattack.com/localdl834/tun234.zip, in the first place.)

Lastly, if you must screw around with your Registry, then at least get
Erunt/Erdnt, and run it before you do the Reg clean. You'll then have a
true restore available to you. Read below to see why you might not just
using the Reg cleaner's resto

Get Erunt here for all NT-based computers including XP:
http://home.t-online.de/home/lars.he...runt/index.htm I've set it up

to
take a scheduled backup each night at 12:01AM on a weekly round-robin

basis,
and a Monthly on the 1st of each month. See here for how to set that up:
http://home.t-online.de/home/lars.he...unt/erunt.txt, and for some
useful information about this subject.

This program is one of the best things around - saved my butt on many
occasions, and will also run very nicely from a DOS prompt (in case you've
done something that won't let you boot any more and need to revert to a
previous Registry) IF you're FAT32 OR have a DOS startup disk with NTFS
write drivers in an NTFS system. (There is also a way using the Recovery
Console to get back to being "bootable" even without separate DOS write

NTFS
drivers, after which you can do a "normal" Erdnt restore.) (BTW, it also
includes a Registry defragger program). Free, and very, very highly
recommended.

FYI, quoting from the above document:

"Note: The "Export registry" function in Regedit is USELESS (!) to make a
complete backup of the registry. Neither does it export the whole registry
(for example, no information from the "SECURITY" hive is saved), nor can

the
exported file be used later to replace the current registry with the old
one. Instead, if you re-import the file, it is
merged with the current registry, leaving you with an absolute mess of old
and new registry keys.

--
Please respond in the same thread.
Regards, Jim Byrd, MS-MVP



In ,
Just Me typed:
Is there a good free program for removing unused entries in my registry?

Computer is quite old and has had many things installed and removed over

the
life of its XP OS.

Thanks




  #14  
Old June 21st 04, 04:48 PM
Just Me
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Registry cleaner


"Ashleigh" wrote in message
...
Windows activation should not be a real problem (as long as the version

you have is legit).


It is but won't MS think I installing on a second machine?
If I format the disk and install windowsXP
will I have to call MS or will the internet validation work?

Thanks again


Backup I would run the transfer user's and settings application (on the XP
cd) and make sure you get all your email/documents also make a backup of you
c:\documents and settings folder (got almost everything you may need in it),
also backup any game saves you want (if you do) and any data that's not
stored under docs and settings (DVD writers are a godsend for this sort of
thing), REMEMBER rather backup too much than not enough!

Then when your happy you have everything you need then fdisk the drive and

boot from the cd.

"Just Me" wrote:



I think I'd like that but what about window validation - is that a

problem?

What do you back up? I mean just app data? Email?

Thanks


"Ashleigh" wrote in message
...
I know you wont like the answer, but the only garanteed way of

cleaning up
the registry (and the system root for that matter) is to backup anything
important and format and rebuild the box, mine usually get done every

12 -
18 months.

Dont half make your PC feel fast afterwards


"Just Me" wrote:

Is there a good free program for removing unused entries in my

registry?

Computer is quite old and has had many things installed and removed

over
the
life of its XP OS.

Thanks








  #15  
Old June 22nd 04, 03:42 PM
Alex Nichol
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Registry cleaner

Just Me wrote:


I think I'd like that but what about window validation - is that a problem?



If you mean 'activation', no it isn't. On the same hardware you can
activate as many times as you like; trouble only arises if you make
quite a lot of different hardware changes. And at that it is a minor
hassle to phone a toll free number

What do you back up? I mean just app data? Email?


Email is data too. A lot of help is given by the Files and Settings
Transfer system - read Gary Woodruff's article at
http://aumha.org/win5/a/fast.htm

But I would *not* be doing this just to tidy the registry. If you have
a lot of programs you have installed and you want to be rid of the lot
so as to make a new start, then yes. But if you have properly
uninstalled ones you do not want there should be little overhead left,
compared with the size of the registry at its smallest, and the effort
is not justified provided the machine works.

If you do decide to: do a reinstall of the system after booting the XP
CD direct. Enter Setup, and after the license agreement take New
Install. When it asks you to confirm where, hit ESC; select and delete
the current partition and make a new RAW one to be formatted at the next
stage

The important point is the delete. Without that it will just go ahead
and make a new install over the top of the old one

You will then need to ensure that the firewall is in action before going
on the net even for a minute and be prepared for reinstalling all
updates. Not trivial. Worth getting the consolidated CD of security
updates (which includes SP1) which is free - order at
http://www.microsoft.com/security/protect/cd/order.asp

It is getting a bit out of date, but if you also got the downloads for
the following on a broadband , especially
http://support.microsoft.com/?scid=kb;en-us;835732 (Sasser worm patch)
and the
837009 (OE Cumulative)
832894 (IE Cumulative)
828741 (XP Cumulative)
828028 (ASN 1)
837001 (Jet Engine)

and burned them to CD too, you would be near up to date


--
Alex Nichol MS MVP (Windows Technologies)
Bournemouth, U.K. (remove the D8 bit)
 




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