Registry Cleaner - does one exists?

you should consider using
the cleaners that are highly
recommended by others
here and keep away from
those that are unknown
or unproven.

like many software, there
are phony registry cleaners
as well.

-------------

for all practical purposes, I
highly recommend you utilize
the one care safety scanner
at least once a month.

it has been highly tested and
proven safe by the makers
of windows:

http://onecare.live.com/site/en-US/a...leaner_why.htm

in addition to the above
you can also install a program
called pagedefrg and set it
to run at every boot.

it can be downloaded from
microsoft.com


as a final note, because
different registry cleaners
usually focus on different
aspects of the registry,

you can utilize another registry
cleaner in addition to microsofts.

--------------

incidentally, most people don't
know the difference between
a corrupt file system and
a dirty registry.

thus, running a registry
cleaner on a file system
that is crashing would only
make matters worst.

so remember to run a
check disk first, then
run a reg cleaner.

--------------

db·´¯`·...¸)))º
DatabaseBen, Retired Professional
- Systems Analyst
- Database Developer
- Accountancy
- Veteran of the Armed Forces

"nirvana is shared and not hoarded" - dbZen

"Sage - John Leonard" sagegrp@nowhere wrote in message ...
Is there a safe registry cleaner out there, that will work with Vista and XP?

What about RegDefense?

thx

Sage - John Leonard wrote:
Is there a safe registry cleaner out there, that will work with Vista
and XP?

What about RegDefense?

thx


There is no such thing as a "good" (meaning useful or beneficial)
registry cleaner, free or otherwise. Some are less harmful than others,
but because they're all nothing but snake oil, I won't recommend any.

Why do you even think you'd ever need to clean your registry? What
specific *problems* are you actually experiencing (not some program's
bogus listing of imaginary problems) that you think can be fixed by
using a registry "cleaner?"

If you do have a problem that is rooted in the registry, it would
be far better to simply edit (after backing up, of course) only the
specific key(s) and/or value(s) that are causing the problem. After
all, why use a chainsaw when a scalpel will do the job? Additionally,
the manually changing of one or two registry entries is far less likely
to have the dire consequences of allowing an automated product to make
multiple changes simultaneously. The only thing needed to safely clean
your registry is knowledge and Regedit.exe.

The registry contains all of the operating system's "knowledge" of
the computer's hardware devices, installed software, the location of the
device drivers, and the computer's configuration. A misstep in the
registry can have severe consequences. One should not even turning
loose a poorly understood automated "cleaner," unless he is fully
confident that he knows *exactly* what is going to happen as a result of
each and every change.

Having repeatedly seen the results of inexperienced people using
automated registry "cleaners," I can only advise all but the most
experienced computer technicians (and/or hobbyists) to avoid them all.
Experience has shown me that such tools simply are not safe in the hands
of the inexperienced user. If you lack the knowledge and experience to
maintain your registry by yourself, then you also lack the knowledge and
experience to safely configure and use any automated registry cleaner,
no matter how safe they claim to be.

More importantly, no one has ever demonstrated that the use of an
automated registry "cleaner," particularly by an untrained,
inexperienced computer user, does any real good, whatsoever. There's
certainly been no empirical evidence offered to demonstrate that the use
of such products to "clean" WinXP's registry improves a computer's
performance or stability. Given the potential for harm, it's just not
worth the risk.

Granted, most registry "cleaners" won't cause problems each and
every time they're used, but the potential for harm is always there.
And, since no registry "cleaner" has ever been demonstrated to do any
good (think of them like treating the flu with chicken soup - there's no
real medicinal value, but it sometimes provides a warming placebo
effect), I always tell people that the risks far out-weigh the
non-existent benefits.

I will concede that a good registry *scanning* tool, in the hands
of an experienced and knowledgeable technician or hobbyist can be a
useful time-saving diagnostic tool, as long as it's not allowed to make
any changes automatically. But I really don't think that there are any
registry "cleaners" that are truly safe for the general public to use.
Experience has proven just the opposite: such tools simply are not safe
in the hands of the inexperienced user.

A little further reading on the subject:

Why I don't use registry cleaners
http://www.edbott.com/weblog/?p=643

AumHa Forums • View topic - AUMHA Discussion: Should I Use a Registry
Cleaner?
http://aumha.net/viewtopic.php?t=28099



--

Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:
http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx/kb/555375

They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary
safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. ~Benjamin Franklin

Many people would rather die than think; in fact, most do. ~Bertrand Russell

The philosopher has never killed any priests, whereas the priest has
killed a great many philosophers.
~ Denis Diderot

I'm afraid I have to disagree on that one too. I have been using Ccleaner's
registry cleaner for a while now, backing everything up beforehand, and have
never had a problem caused. I think the main reason I use mine, is because
sometimes programs don't uninstall properly and leave tracks through the
registry, tracks I'd prefer not to have. Although yes, I agree, they are
potentially risky, but who causes errors in their computer as a result of
registry cleaning, except the people who can't recognize when an important
registry entry is being deleted? Only fools would click the 'Repair All'
option, in my opinion. I am aware of Microsoft's 'Install Clean-Up' program,
but even that leaves out some things that Ccleaner finds.

This is why I use registry cleaner(s).

-Sinbad


On 22/01/2009 15:35, in article , "John
John (MVP)" wrote:

No, these tools cause more harm than good. If you want to keep your
Windows installation in good working order don't clean your registry
with these useless programs!

John

Sage - John Leonard wrote:

Is there a safe registry cleaner out there, that will work with Vista
and XP?

What about RegDefense?

thx

"I am aware of Microsoft's 'Install Clean-Up' program,but even that
leaves out some things that Ccleaner finds."

The purpose of the Windows Installer Cleanup Utility is to remove
Windows Installer packages, e.g., *.msp files.

See what I mean? With all respect, you advocate fiddling with the
registry but you lack essential knowledge of Windows technology.

I use CCleaner as a cache cleaner. I do not use the registry cleaner
component, but I have asked it to "Analyze" my registry to see what it
suggests to remove. These are invariably benign fluff that wouldn't make
a bit of difference to my computer's speed or stability.
---
Leonard Grey
Errare humanum est

Sinbad The Sailor wrote:
I'm afraid I have to disagree on that one too. I have been using Ccleaner's
registry cleaner for a while now, backing everything up beforehand, and have
never had a problem caused. I think the main reason I use mine, is because
sometimes programs don't uninstall properly and leave tracks through the
registry, tracks I'd prefer not to have. Although yes, I agree, they are
potentially risky, but who causes errors in their computer as a result of
registry cleaning, except the people who can't recognize when an important
registry entry is being deleted? Only fools would click the 'Repair All'
option, in my opinion. I am aware of Microsoft's 'Install Clean-Up' program,
but even that leaves out some things that Ccleaner finds.

This is why I use registry cleaner(s).

-Sinbad


On 22/01/2009 15:35, in article , "John
John (MVP)" wrote:

No, these tools cause more harm than good. If you want to keep your
Windows installation in good working order don't clean your registry
with these useless programs!

John

Sage - John Leonard wrote:

Is there a safe registry cleaner out there, that will work with Vista
and XP?

What about RegDefense?

thx

On Fri, 23 Jan 2009 08:57:29 +0000, Sinbad The Sailor
wrote:

I'm afraid I have to disagree on that one too.


You are certainly free to disagree with John John's view (which is the
same as mine), but let me point out a couple of things.


I have been using Ccleaner's
registry cleaner for a while now,


That registry cleaner is safer than most (but *not* risk-free)


backing everything up beforehand,


That's certainly good to do.


and have
never had a problem caused.


There are *many* people who have similar experiences. None of us has
ever claimed that every time someone uses a registry cleaner, the
result is a problem. If that were the case, everyone would know that
they couldn't be used, and all registry cleaners would quickly
disappear.

But although no registry cleaner always causes a problem, there is
*always* a risk in using one. Since there is no benefit to using it,
running any risk at all is foolhardy.

So you've been lucky to not have a problem, and if you continue to use
it, I hope you continue to be lucky. But my advice is not to trust in
luck, and stop running the risks you are running, which provide you
with no benefit.



I think the main reason I use mine, is because
sometimes programs don't uninstall properly and leave tracks through the
registry,


That's unquestionably true.


tracks I'd prefer not to have.


You may prefer not to have them, but except for the tiny amount of
disk space they take, there is *no* disadvantage to their being there.
Running any risk at all (even if small) to get rid of them is a bad
bargain.


Although yes, I agree, they are
potentially risky, but who causes errors in their computer as a result of
registry cleaning, except the people who can't recognize when an important
registry entry is being deleted? Only fools would click the 'Repair All'
option, in my opinion. I am aware of Microsoft's 'Install Clean-Up' program,
but even that leaves out some things that Ccleaner finds.


If your knowledge of the registry is above that of most people, and
you are very careful in what you let the registry cleaner do, yes,
your risk is lower than that of most people. Nevertheless, it is not
zero, so I repeat my comment above: "except for the tiny amount of
disk space they take, there is *no* disadvantage to their being there.
Running any risk at all (even if small) to get rid of them is a bad
bargain."





On 22/01/2009 15:35, in article , "John
John (MVP)" wrote:

No, these tools cause more harm than good. If you want to keep your
Windows installation in good working order don't clean your registry
with these useless programs!

John

Sage - John Leonard wrote:

Is there a safe registry cleaner out there, that will work with Vista
and XP?

What about RegDefense?

thx


--
Ken Blake, Microsoft MVP - Windows Desktop Experience
Please Reply to the Newsgroup

Just because it has one, why is it safe? BTW,
Windows
Live Onecare is being discontinued.

No: It WAS discontinued, and then came back
reincarnated. You're out of step.



"Roy Smith" wrote in
message
...

"John John (MVP)" wrote
in
message
...
No, these tools cause more harm than good. If
you want
to keep your Windows installation in good
working order
don't clean your registry with these useless
programs!

John

Sage - John Leonard wrote:

Is there a safe registry cleaner out there,
that will
work with Vista and XP?

What about RegDefense?

If a registry cleaner is not safe, then why
does Windows
Live Onecare have one?

http://onecare.live.com/site/en-US/a...leaner_why.htm

Roy Smith wrote:


"John John (MVP)" wrote
in
message
...

No, these tools cause more harm than good. If
you want
to keep your Windows installation in good
working order
don't clean your registry with these useless
programs!

John

Sage - John Leonard wrote:

Is there a safe registry cleaner out there,
that will
work with Vista and XP?

What about RegDefense?


If a registry cleaner is not safe, then why
does Windows
Live Onecare have one?

http://onecare.live.com/site/en-US/a...leaner_why.htm

Perhaps you should ask why Onecare steadfastly
refused to
include a registry cleaner in its "paid for"
version,
maybe Onecare and the support team didn't want
to deal
with problems caused by useless registry
cleaners. You
should ask why any application that deals with
user
security and malicious pests surreptitiously
enables
ActiveX without asking or even informing unwary
users
that it has done so. And finally, you should
ask
yourself why Onecare is being discontinued.
John

And why it reappeared again.

Even if YOU know exactly what you're doing, you
don't
know what the registry cleaner is doing.

Nor do you know what most any of the programs on a
machine are doing, starting from the point where
they are installed and the registry hooks
prepared. Which leads to: So?

Avoid them.
"CBoom" wrote in message
...
I advise against using a registry cleaner
unless you
know exactly what you are doing

--
For tips, tricks and tutorials visit my blog
below:
http://computerboom.blogspot.com

"Sage - John Leonard" sagegrp@nowhere wrote
in message
...
Is there a safe registry cleaner out there,
that will
work with Vista and XP?

What about RegDefense?

thx

Sage - John Leonard wrote:
Is there a safe registry cleaner out there,
that will
work with Vista and XP?

What about RegDefense?

thx

lol, I KNEW the droids with the closed minds,
nothing to back up their claims and misinformation
would have to crawl out of the woodwork for this
one and there it is. This is the one that keeps
saying not to use a program written by someone who
knows the registry and how to program, and instead
use regedit, which you probably don't understand,
to fix a registry, which you also probably don't
understand.
He talks like a fix to the registry is a
one-location thing and it's done, when in fact
there are usually many locations related to a
possible program problem, each of which must be
considered. But mostly he's a closed minded
ignorant with a boilerplate he likes to use,
adding a mod here & there sometimes to further
differentiate it from where it was stolen from.
Then, to back himself up, he provides links to
discussions where he's used info very close to his
boilerplate, and submitted by him.

There is a small group of such ignorants here who
get really upset at being called on their
misinformation; they'll crawl into the pic soon
here, I'm sure, because every time someone calls
them they get more and more flustered and think
that by repeating the same misinformation over and
over someone might believe it.

This post in particular is interesting in the way
it conflicts with itself. But, it does make for a
comedic moment should one bother to read it, or at
least scan it quickly.

Thanks for this opportunity Bruce,

Twayne


Bruce C spewed:



There is no such thing as a "good" (meaning
useful or
beneficial) registry cleaner, free or otherwise.
Some
are less harmful than others, but because
they're all
nothing but snake oil, I won't recommend any.
Why do you even think you'd ever need to
clean your
registry? What specific *problems* are you
actually
experiencing (not some program's bogus listing
of
imaginary problems) that you think can be fixed
by using
a registry "cleaner?"
....
drivel snipped

bruce knows better and
enjoys the argument..: )

I wouldn't put to much
time in arguing with him,
especially since he has
already admitted to using
ccleaner regulary.

--

db·´¯`·...¸)))º
DatabaseBen, Retired Professional
- Systems Analyst
- Database Developer
- Accountancy
- Veteran of the Armed Forces

"nirvana is shared and not hoarded" - dbZen

"Twayne" wrote in message ...
Sage - John Leonard wrote:
Is there a safe registry cleaner out there, that will
work with Vista and XP?

What about RegDefense?

thx

lol, I KNEW the droids with the closed minds, nothing to back up their claims and misinformation would have to crawl out of the
woodwork for this one and there it is. This is the one that keeps saying not to use a program written by someone who knows the
registry and how to program, and instead use regedit, which you probably don't understand, to fix a registry, which you also
probably don't understand.
He talks like a fix to the registry is a one-location thing and it's done, when in fact there are usually many locations related
to a possible program problem, each of which must be considered. But mostly he's a closed minded ignorant with a boilerplate he
likes to use, adding a mod here & there sometimes to further differentiate it from where it was stolen from. Then, to back himself
up, he provides links to discussions where he's used info very close to his boilerplate, and submitted by him.

There is a small group of such ignorants here who get really upset at being called on their misinformation; they'll crawl into the
pic soon here, I'm sure, because every time someone calls them they get more and more flustered and think that by repeating the
same misinformation over and over someone might believe it.

This post in particular is interesting in the way it conflicts with itself. But, it does make for a comedic moment should one
bother to read it, or at least scan it quickly.

Thanks for this opportunity Bruce,

Twayne


Bruce C spewed:



There is no such thing as a "good" (meaning useful or
beneficial) registry cleaner, free or otherwise. Some
are less harmful than others, but because they're all
nothing but snake oil, I won't recommend any.
Why do you even think you'd ever need to clean your
registry? What specific *problems* are you actually
experiencing (not some program's bogus listing of
imaginary problems) that you think can be fixed by using
a registry "cleaner?"
...
drivel snipped

On Fri, 23 Jan 2009 08:57:29 +0000, Sinbad The
Sailor
wrote:

I'm afraid I have to disagree on that one too.


You are certainly free to disagree with John
John's view
(which is the same as mine), but let me point
out a
couple of things.

lol, but not yours. Right?



I have been using Ccleaner's
registry cleaner for a while now,


That registry cleaner is safer than most (but
*not*
risk-free)

No, It's AS safe as many of them. NO PROGRAM is
"risk-free". How well a program functions depends
on the author of the program and his abilities to
understand the job at hand. And of course, like
any other utility, whether the intent is to push
malware or provide a good program. Like any
other, it's a buyer-beware, even for freeware, and
sticking to those with good track records usually
gets you a good product.



backing everything up beforehand,


That's certainly good to do.


and have
never had a problem caused.


There are *many* people who have similar
experiences.
None of us has ever claimed that every time
someone uses
a registry cleaner, the result is a problem. If
that were
the case, everyone would know that they couldn't
be used,
and all registry cleaners would quickly
disappear.

Yup. Even if the eventuality you keep
pushing/harping on were true, people would catch
on and avoid them; not use them year after year as
I have, without a single problem, ever. The
biggest culprits I've seen for causing registry
problems has been poorly written code that craps
in the registry when it installs and when it runs.


But although no registry cleaner always causes a
problem,
....

But you said, and I quote:
"
There is no such thing as a "good" (meaning useful
or beneficial)
registry cleaner, free or otherwise. Some are
less harmful than others,
but because they're all nothing but snake oil,
...."


So you've been lucky to not have a problem, and
if you
continue to use it, I hope you continue to be
lucky. But
my advice is not to trust in luck, and stop
running the
risks you are running, which provide you with no
benefit.

That's baloney. Chances of running into a
ccleaner caused problem are no greater than any
other application and may in fact, due to some of
the safeties and health features of the registry,
probably a lot less so than other applications.



I think the main reason I use mine, is because
sometimes programs don't uninstall properly and
leave
tracks through the registry,


That's unquestionably true.


tracks I'd prefer not to have.


You may prefer not to have them, but except for
the tiny
amount of disk space they take, there is *no*
disadvantage to their being there. Running any
risk at
all (even if small) to get rid of them is a bad
bargain.

Single-tracked: That is not a major reason to use
a cleaner. It is one of a whole host of features
they can perform for the user. You always want to
single out one thing, which is also always
nonsense, and intimate that's what they're used
for.
If I remove a program and don't care to take
advantage of the settings I made and other files
created by the program, there is nothing wrong
with removing those entries. How many entries do
you suppose a program may create in the registry?
Ten, a hundred, a thousand? It's not one unless
it's maybe a VB6 application and the Add/Remove
entry, it's more than ten, and often more than a
hundred and closer to a thousand? In the counts I
have made one sample went well over 600, but
you're going to claim ignorance to having read the
past things I've posted about that. Those can,
over time, indeed slow things down. You're fond
of saying entries are directly addressed, and
yeah, they more or less are, for EVERY entry they
need in the registry. They aren't as "direct" as
you like to so vaguely point out, either.


Although yes, I agree, they are
potentially risky, but who causes errors in
their
computer as a result of registry cleaning,
except the
people who can't recognize when an important
registry
entry is being deleted? Only fools would click
the
'Repair All' option, in my opinion. I am aware
of
Microsoft's 'Install Clean-Up' program, but
even that
leaves out some things that Ccleaner finds.

That's a decent attitude and one that works.



If your knowledge of the registry is above that
of most
people, and you are very careful in what you let
the
registry cleaner do, yes, your risk is lower
than that of
most people. Nevertheless, it is not zero,

It is NEVER zero for ANY application! It's
windows' nature. Amongst the many things I've seen
happen to computers, I have NEVER had a problem
result from ANY registry cleaner that I chose and
used. Cleaners are closer to zero than most other
programs, though. Actually XP seems to be pretty
reliable these days; I haven't had a corruption
problem in a very long time.

so I repeat my
comment above: "except for the tiny amount of
disk space
they take, there is *no* disadvantage to their
being
there. Running any risk at all (even if small)
to get rid
of them is a bad bargain."

And that paragraph is just plain silly, even
comedic in nature. I liken them to a benign tumor
on the back of one's hand; it doesn't belong there
and eventually should be removed just to get it
out of the way of a future mishap. I suspect you
have never seen a 3 or more year old machine's
registry that has never been maintained. Or even
just a year, for that matter.

Thanks again for the opportunity,

Twayne







On 22/01/2009 15:35, in article
, "John
John (MVP)"
wrote:

No, these tools cause more harm than good. If
you want
to keep your Windows installation in good
working order
don't clean your registry with these useless
programs!

John

Sage - John Leonard wrote:

Is there a safe registry cleaner out there,
that will
work with Vista and XP?

What about RegDefense?

thx

Twayne wrote:

Roy Smith wrote:


"John John (MVP)" wrote
in
message
...


No, these tools cause more harm than good. If
you want
to keep your Windows installation in good
working order
don't clean your registry with these useless
programs!

John

Sage - John Leonard wrote:


Is there a safe registry cleaner out there,
that will
work with Vista and XP?

What about RegDefense?


If a registry cleaner is not safe, then why
does Windows
Live Onecare have one?

http://onecare.live.com/site/en-US/a...leaner_why.htm

Perhaps you should ask why Onecare steadfastly
refused to
include a registry cleaner in its "paid for"
version,
maybe Onecare and the support team didn't want
to deal
with problems caused by useless registry
cleaners. You
should ask why any application that deals with
user
security and malicious pests surreptitiously
enables
ActiveX without asking or even informing unwary
users
that it has done so. And finally, you should
ask
yourself why Onecare is being discontinued.
John


And why it reappeared again.

One has to wonder why it is that with the internet at your fingertips
that you don't bother to research anything before you post your
erroneous information.

John

John John (MVP) wrote:
Twayne wrote:

Roy Smith wrote:


"John John (MVP)" wrote
in
message
...


No, these tools cause more harm than good. If
you want
to keep your Windows installation in good
working order
don't clean your registry with these useless
programs!

John

Sage - John Leonard wrote:


Is there a safe registry cleaner out there,
that will
work with Vista and XP?

What about RegDefense?


If a registry cleaner is not safe, then why
does Windows
Live Onecare have one?

http://onecare.live.com/site/en-US/a...leaner_why.htm

Perhaps you should ask why Onecare steadfastly
refused to
include a registry cleaner in its "paid for"
version,
maybe Onecare and the support team didn't want
to deal
with problems caused by useless registry
cleaners. You
should ask why any application that deals with
user
security and malicious pests surreptitiously
enables
ActiveX without asking or even informing unwary
users
that it has done so. And finally, you should
ask
yourself why Onecare is being discontinued.
John


And why it reappeared again.

One has to wonder why it is that with the internet at your fingertips
that you don't bother to research anything before you post your
erroneous information.

John

Laziness?

Bill in Co. wrote:

John John (MVP) wrote:

Twayne wrote:


Roy Smith wrote:



"John John (MVP)" wrote
in
message
. ..



No, these tools cause more harm than good. If
you want
to keep your Windows installation in good
working order
don't clean your registry with these useless
programs!

John

Sage - John Leonard wrote:



Is there a safe registry cleaner out there,
that will
work with Vista and XP?

What about RegDefense?


If a registry cleaner is not safe, then why
does Windows
Live Onecare have one?

http://onecare.live.com/site/en-US/a...leaner_why.htm

Perhaps you should ask why Onecare steadfastly
refused to
include a registry cleaner in its "paid for"
version,
maybe Onecare and the support team didn't want
to deal
with problems caused by useless registry
cleaners. You
should ask why any application that deals with
user
security and malicious pests surreptitiously
enables
ActiveX without asking or even informing unwary
users
that it has done so. And finally, you should
ask
yourself why Onecare is being discontinued.
John


And why it reappeared again.

One has to wonder why it is that with the internet at your fingertips
that you don't bother to research anything before you post your
erroneous information.

John


Laziness?

He likes to wallow in his ignorance...

Twayne wrote:
On Fri, 23 Jan 2009 08:57:29 +0000, Sinbad The
Sailor


out of the way of a future mishap. I suspect you
have never seen a 3 or more year old machine's
registry that has never been maintained. Or even
just a year, for that matter.

You mean, it's missing it's oil change?
ROFL.