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If you have used a Registry cleaner and it damaged your system, here are tips to get a perfect clean reinstall so you can start fresh: Reinstalling Windows 7
If you have used a Registry cleaner and it damaged your system, here are tips to get a perfect clean reinstall so you can start fresh: Reinstalling Windows 7
Well after doing some testing I have concluded that the 2 programs I mentioned are indeed aware of a 64bit reg hive. I'm guessing it's just the programs themselves that are compiled in a 32bit architecture type. However I have decided to use RegScanner instead as it does exactly what I want and is very light weight - I loath bloatware.
Strangely enough I do vaguely recall Microsoft offering an online reg scanner once upon a time (during Vista's effective life cycle) but I have so far been unable to find it again.
EDIT: @gregrocker/Stormy What's with the massive white space use? o_O
I believe you're thinking of Windows Live OneCare. Microsoft discontinued all support as of April 11, 2011.
Windows Live OneCare - Home
It included several different scans including Microsoft's registry cleaner under the Tune up section.
File:Windows Live OneCare Safety Center.png - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Forgive me but I disagree that registry cleaners are completely useless because that is an opinion and not a general fact. Well they maybe indiscriminate but they offer the option to choose which to remove. One basic knowledge is to remove the specific things that are the exact entries of programs (they often have the program's name or company name in them) that you know are removed from the system that no other program that is still installed is associated with in any manner. Even leftover traces of malware can be fixed with a proper use of registry cleaners. Its just NOT for beginners and yes the claims that many of their authors present are bogus and exaggerated.
However testing Registry cleaners are in deed very dangerous. Might as well test them on a used Virtual Machine. If you want the nullify changes in the Registry at some point, you might as well backup the Registry with a program called ERUNT (designed for XP or Vista but still works on Windows 7) or use a program that makes an isolated environment like Sandboxie or virtualization apps like Returnil.
I too do not believe they should be indiscriminately suggested for use to the casual users that frequent these forums, even CCleaner needs supervision that most don't comprehend.
There's always this tutorial at the link below, if anyone's interested.
How to Backup and Restore the Windows 7 Registry
The only sensible thing to do with a reg cleaner is don't install it.