Windows 7: Registry cleaner fixed a few things...

Well,

As with many others I've been feverishly googling to try and find solutions to the myriad of issues I've been having since installing Windows 7. Just before I chucked my PC out the window, I decided to give a registry cleaner a shot and sure enough it worked. When googling for a Windows 7 reg cleaner, I came upon quite a few sketchy looking ones, and then saw a references to CCleaner which I had used in the past.

It did the trick including resolving something that was making my windows update hang at a blank window. I'm sure it won't fix everything, but it sure cleaned up quite a few of the issues I was having. Of course this was after I downloaded ms debugging software, installed symbols and then realized I had absolutely no idea wtf I was looking at once I loaded a dmp file up...

Many members do not like registry cleaners. I do. They function well if you choose the right one and know what you're doing. Both are crucial to success in proper usage.

Yes, cleaning the registry can fix known problems such as trying to reinstall a stubborn app that was previously on system, amongst a myriad of other issues.

I find CCleaner and jv16 PowerTools great to have at disposal.

As far as using cleaners to gain space from cleaning the registry goes: This act is a waste of time, of no benefit and potentially detrimental to a functioning machine.

Is there a difference between the two?

Yes. Difference is: jv16 I always rely on and CC is my backup to give "last ditch effort."

As far as technical differences, I have not paid much attention to their routines. Rather, I check the keys by eye and make a decision for myself after scan, regarding whether the object(s) should be removed or not.