Windows 7: Registry Cleaners

I know what you're thinking and I completely agree with you. No one should ever use these types of programs. They cause more problems then they solve. However...On occasion I get re-curious as to the state of this type of software and every couple of years i'll re-visit them to test their abilities. Perhaps out of curiosity then anything else. But as par for the course, I like to get others input before spending time on them.

My aims this time round is to determine which reg cleaners are 64bit capable (as opposed to those that just claim to be) and which aren't and which are actually just plain old malware. There is also the requirement that they be completely free.

The contenders this time are:
- Ace Utilities
- TweakNow RegCleaner 2011

So far a scan of their installers doesn't reveal any malware and an attempt install shows that they all try to install to \\program files (x86)\. This leads me to believe that they are only 32bit aware cleaners and as such, would be insufficient/ineffective on a 64bit installation.



Anyone else know about any 64bit reg cleaning software?

Just say no.

If not, keep this handy: Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) Posting Instructions - Windows 7 Forums

Actually Greg wouldn't this be a better link?

Installation & Setup - Windows 7 Forums

As it would be on a test box, a re-installation is not an issue. However, there are legitimate uses for such software. Namely the odd quirks that can arise during the life of a windows install.

My most recent example was an alert from windows security centre telling me that a program that i had un-installed a while back is no longer 'protecting' me lol. Obviously the program in question has not un-installed properly and the usual culprit are left over reg keys. This is where a reg cleaner comes in.

Now i'm not foolish enough to just let a reg cleaner clean anything and everything it wants. I have enough technical experience to know what i'm looking at. I.e. Going line by line through the reg cleaners report until I track down the offending entry. Of course I could do this manually but 1. it's more time consuming and 2. There may be some branches that contain the problematic reg key I would not expect it in.

Cleaning up after sloppy programming is...annoying.

If you want to play with them and destroy Windows 7 installations, then there is no reason at all why you shouldn't do so.

If you want to edit something in the registry use regedit, coupled for instance with this;

RegScanner: Alternative to RegEdit find/search/scan of Windows

This is better;

http://www.resplendence.com/registrar

There are no sensible uses for registry "cleaners".

QUOTE
"Sorry for the wall-o-text but it appears this forums editing capabilities are either limited or malfunctioning".
UNQUOTE

You probably have "Noscript" running. It disables various editing functions.

Regards....Mike Connor

Thanks for that. I'll look into using a scanner instead. Which is essentially what I use reg cleaning software for anyway - their algorithms. Also, you were right about noscript Sometimes I forget it's running - although it is strange that it did not hinder my first post.

My pleasure.

Regards....Mike Connor

Use the Reg tab on CCleaner, a genius app which is perhaps the most highly respected tool in the tech world.

CCleaner has a less aggressive Registry cleaner but that does not make it completely safe, especially that the Registry cleaner on CCleaner has been made slightly more aggressive in the last two versions.

Registry cleaners are not completely useless and in fact useful in removing rogue keys that make these unwanted things happen or degrade performance in time that is if you really know how to use properly and wisely. I still use Registry cleaners at this point but in a more controlled manner.

It appears that quite a few people use them. The trouble is that beginners and others who don't know any better read various things about "registry cleaners" and believe them.

For somebody who does not know what they are doing, and even for some who think they do, registry cleaners are not only completely useless they are DANGEROUS.

If you use ANY PROGRAM AT ALL which deletes or changes registry keys and is not entirely under your control, then you are simply asking for trouble, and it is only a matter of time before you will get it.

This is not a "maybe", or a "perhaps", it is a CERTAINTY !

When otherwise sensible people start saying "well, there are some uses for them", and other qualifying statements, then you actually encourage people to damage their systems.

There is no sensible use for "registry cleaners", period.

The registry scanner in CCleaner is NOT an indiscriminate registry "Cleaner". It scans for what it thinks might be problems and gives you the option to delete them.

The vast majority of "Registry cleaners" are either complete scams designed to worry people and trick them out of money for useless and dangerous crap, which is often infected with spyware, trojans and other malware, or at the very least they are dangerous because they INDISCRIMINATELY remove registry entries. None of them work, because they are completely useless anyway. Removing various supposedly "Invalid" or "Leftover"registry entries wont make a blind bit of difference to your machine. Unless such entries are actively affecting the system they are completely irrelevant.

As anybody with a little knowledge of Windows 7, and an ounce of sense, will tell you.

----DON'T USE REGISTRY CLEANERS-----

Unless you don't care about damaging your system.

Regards....Mike Connor