CCleaner Fail?

gregrocker · 03 Jul 2012

After fifteen years it looks like I may have finally double-confirmed a case of CCleaner messing up a program. So after insisting that others provide documentation for years here about claims that CCleaner can mess up your System, I am providing it myself:

My sister uses a program called Bayscribe to transcribe medical notes for hospitals from home. She has had an issue where it's audio component fails to start on two occasions after running CCleaner. Apparently it depends upon a temporary file to run which CCleaner empties. The result is it generates a message saying that a [temporary] file is no longer available to start the audio service. I saw this error message.

This is not the Registry cleaner component of CCleaner, but the Disk Cleaner. In order to miss the file one would have to deselect Temporary Files which is often the bulk of what it finds. I believe it found 4gb when when it last cleaned up her machine, just before this error occurred.

Apparently the issue has occurred twice, the second time after CCleaner was reinstalled due to forgetting about the issue. It is noteworthy to me because it represents the first time I've seen first hand a confirmed case of CCleaner removing a file that causes a program not to be able to run.

Her company tech support told her this is a known issue with CCleaner and to remove it.

Golden · 03 Jul 2012

One failure only? But how many millions of good fixes on thousands upon thousands of applications Greg. Thats not a bad track record

solarmystic · 03 Jul 2012

That's pretty sad that you had to discover it 1st hand, and for it to happen on a mission-critical (work related) system is even worse..

Isn't there a temporary workaround you can do to alleviate this problem until the maker of CCleaner fixes the issue?

Will identifying the files and sub folders required by the application in the temp folder and adding them to the Exclude section of the Options Tab on the sidebar resolve the issue?

gregrocker · 03 Jul 2012

Golden - I agree and often defend CCleaner by stating I've put it on installs representing countless thousands of uses without fail. And we have helped popularize it here exponentially. My own defenses against "hearsay" problems have been passionate - maybe too much so. This issue wasn't even with the Reg cleaner which is most at issue.

Surely this is a poorly written program that depends on a temporary file to run each time. Aren't temporary files meant to be cleaned out periodically without discernment?

Solar - Her tech support insists she uninstall CCleaner and don't seem to care what the file is/was. If this is their standard advice I wonder why CCleaner hasn't come across the issue yet for a major medical transcription program. Their previous thoroughness may be slipping, or they may depend more on us to report these things, as I've done.

Golden · 03 Jul 2012

Greg,

Did you drop them a ticket?
HELP | BayScribe

Arc · 03 Jul 2012

Greg we may think it otherwise that it is the issue of the program that it needs a temporary file to start the service ?

The inbuilt disk cleanup also wipes the temp out. What happens there if the cleaning is done by using the disk cleanup but not ccleaner ? If the program still fails to run ?

Outlander · 03 Jul 2012

You of course checked to see if your audio service is on automatic?

gregrocker · 03 Jul 2012

It is an audio component of the Bayscribe program, what she runs to hear the notes she is transcribing.

DeaconFrost · 03 Jul 2012

I think Arc is on to something. Temp files can be cleaned out without any type of third-party app at all, so this sounds to me like BayScribe is just one very poorly written piece of software.

gregrocker · 03 Jul 2012

Golden said:

Greg,

Did you drop them a ticket?
HELP | BayScribe

LOL. I wanted to click Send on your screenshot!

I'll do that ,and attach a link to this thread so they can see the discussion about their program writing abilities in the top tech forum on the web.