Please recommend a registry cleaner

[theaudioanalyst]

I have used Ccleaner and REVO to clean and maintain my Windows environment.

So I am looking for your thoughts and comments as to what you recommend for cleaning Windows and Windows registry. And if you could add why I would really appreciate it. I feel that registry health is key to Windows functions. I chose Ccleaner and REVO after asking a similar question over four years ago. Thanks in advance. Stu

 

[Callender]

Personally I would not recommend any "Automatic registry cleaning" but rather a scan then manually remove entries based upon the results and even then only with a system image backup available.

I use several softwares for this but never use Ccleaner registry cleanup.

 

[LMiller7]

There really are no problems with registry cleaning - if it could be done reliably. But there lies the problem. Registry cleaners have set themselves an impossible task and thus fail to accomplish it.

In most cases it is impossible to be 100% certain that a specific registry entry is unneeded or in error. As a result a registry cleaner must make many guesses. Most will be correct, but some will be wrong. The results of that are unpredictable but generally unpleasant.

The registry itself does not contain the information necessary for validating it's contents. The information needed would have to be provided by the registry cleaner itself. That itself would be a big problem, but an even bigger one is how to obtain the information. Much of the Windows registry is officially undocumented, and for good reason. But I will leave that for another time. The situation with applications is worse. The information that developers provide regarding how their products use the registry is conspicuous by it's absence.

What is a poor registry cleaner to do? The only thing it can do, make a guess and hope for the best.

The benefits of registry cleaner are best found in the ads of the registry cleaners. In the real world the benefits remain as elusive as they ever were. The risks are better known.

 

[ICIT2LOL]

If I migth put in my two cents worth I use CCleaner and always save the results so I can merge back the found issues.

But in any case I always every time I clean install and before I make any manual changes in the registry do this http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/4230-registry-backup-restore.html

I know the registry does changes a fair bit as it ages but at least the bare essentials are saved.

 

[LMiller7]

I recognize the that a registry cleaner may have some use in the hands of an expert to solve a specific problem. Such an expert will understand the risks and limitations of a registry cleaner end be prepared to deal with any problems that may arise. The problem is that registry cleaners tend to be used by people who have only a vague understanding of what the registry is and that is a dangerous combination.

A registry cleaner is a powerful tool which requires knowledge and experience to be used safely and effectively. In the hands of a skilled surgeon a scalpel is a life saving tool. In the hands of the unskilled it is dangerous.

 

[Layback Bear]

I use Ccleaner often on it's default settings for cleaning out junk.

Seldom do I use the registry section of Ccleaner.
When I do use the registry section I research what Ccleaner is trying to clean.
If I don't know or can't figure out what is being cleaned and why, I just leave them alone.

Anytime and I mean anytime a person changes things in the registry you can get in serious trouble quickly if done wrong.

May I also add that programs that state they are Tuneup Program are scary. You never know what they are doing so I recommend staying away from them.

 

[RolandJS]

There are three words to remember before using registry cleaners: backup, backup, backup.
Seriously, I've been using Auslogics and Wise registry cleaners for some time now, while never using registry compress, Auslogics and Wise have not caused any problems. Also, anything that says MRU - leave it be, else one must lose all the preSet programs/explorer sizings and placings.
Sometimes, I use RegSeeker or Norton Utilities 16 for follow-through. If I want real adventure, I'll once or twice yearly use jvPowerTools.

 

[Brds7t7]

I've been using Ccleaner for years and it hasn't caused me any issues yet. Seems pretty reliable, although you can never be too careful with the registry. One wrong entry removed can cause a heap of issues.

I also have an older version of TuneUp Utilities (before AVG took it over and bloated it). I only run it very rarely and never set anything on it to run automatically. It has a couple of good functions but most I would never use.
As already mentioned, regular backups/images are a life saver.

 

[scr]

Beyond the removal of uninstalled software left behind I'm unclear as to the advantages of repeated registry cleaning. I kind of understood the need in XP and prior and would see an improvement in operation after it was completed. Having spent considerable time in the past to carefully determine and research each key removed, to the best of my ability, I did not see any noticeable improvement in the operation of my Windows 7 system.

Basically I quit cleaning the registry several years ago, exception being left over software, and I still do not notice any change in my systems operation. Boot and shutdown times have remained relatively constant as well as program operations. In the end I decided that it wasn't worth the time, trouble or risk. My system does not change much. I'm content with the software I use and only update it if there is a security risk or a feature that I like/need which is rare. I dread Windows Updates but do them reluctantly.

However, I am ready to start again if there is a possible significant and noticeable system improvement I'm missing out on.

 

[Brds7t7]

Beyond the removal of uninstalled software left behind I'm unclear as to the advantages of repeated registry cleaning. I kind of understood the need in XP and prior and would see an improvement in operation after it was completed. Having spent considerable time in the past to carefully determine and research each key removed, to the best of my ability, I did not see any noticeable improvement in the operation of my Windows 7 system.

Basically I quit cleaning the registry several years ago, exception being left over software, and I still do not notice any change in my systems operation. Boot and shutdown times have remained relatively constant as well as program operations. In the end I decided that it wasn't worth the time, trouble or risk. My system does not change much. I'm content with the software I use and only update it if there is a security risk or a feature that I like/need which is rare. I dread Windows Updates but do them reluctantly.

However, I am ready to start again if there is a possible significant and noticeable system improvement I'm missing out on.

Hi Stan, I wouldn't say you'll gain a lot (if anything) performance wise, reg cleaners usually just help to remove a lot of remnants of old software that's been uninstalled.
There can be all sorts of things left over. Toolbar remnants, Autoplay entries that relate to removed software and a whole lot of other things. It can also depend on how good the 3rd party software installer is.

For example, I recently removed Dropbox on my system as I use other cloud storage and the desktop client became a little bloated in my opinion (wanting to take over when I inserted my camera, etc). After I had uninstalled and rebooted, the Dropbox Autoplay entries still existed. A quick run of CCleaner and they were removed easily. Out of all the reg cleaners I would say that's the safest one to try.

Windows usually does a decent enough job of uninstalling software though. Although some software can leave a lot of crud behind.

 

[scr]

Hi Lee, I do remove the odd left over uninstalled software keys, after a back up and with a CCleaner backup, as I have found them to be somewhat bothersome. But that's as far as I go now. I spent a lot of time exploring software and after making my choices I did a clean install so things don't change very much now.

Some things will be different in about four months as I make some extreme life style changes and I will have high speed Internet for the first time in my life. So I'm sure I'll be doing some new software but I'll do a clean install again after I figure it all out.

I did carry some XP habits over when I first went to Windows 7 and paid the price. I also discovered the importance of backups icnic: the hard way.

Thanks for the information.

 

[RolandJS]

"...Although some software can leave a lot of crud behind..." Revo Uninstaller free or Pro will help with those pesky uninstalls.

 

[shadow2201]

I've been using CCleaner for years on a vast amount of computers, and have never had it delete a file it shouldn't have. Not saying that someday it won't, but as far as I'm concerned, I've probably run it thousands of times on different computers and have never had it take any files away that it shouldn't. Obviously it's up to you to determine if you want to risk messing something up by running it, but so far it hasn't done anything to make me shy away from using it's registry cleaner.

Earlier posts are right tho, no matter how much you trust something, you should always make a backup of the registry before you mess with a registry cleaner.

 

[whs]

I have learned that reg-cleaners are pretty useless. They can do more harm than good. Ccleaner though seems to work OK and I have never seen a negative report of it. Whether it helps any is another question.

 

[scr]

I've been using CCleaner for years on a vast amount of computers, and have never had it delete a file it shouldn't have. Not saying that someday it won't, but as far as I'm concerned, I've probably run it thousands of times on different computers and have never had it take any files away that it shouldn't. Obviously it's up to you to determine if you want to risk messing something up by running it, but so far it hasn't done anything to make me shy away from using it's registry cleaner.

Earlier posts are right tho, no matter how much you trust something, you should always make a backup of the registry before you mess with a registry cleaner.

Unfortunately my luck ran out rather quickly several years back. I must admit that I was new to Win 7 and completely trusted CCleaner and didn't give what it was doing a second thought. Nor did I have any backups. I know much better ...Now! I'm aware that a lot of people use the program without negative results I just wasn't one of them. I still use it but with extreme rarity and an over abundance of caution.

On Edit:
I've also developed a OCD condition about backups

 

[RolandJS]

"...I've also developed a OCD condition about backups..." Hey, so have I, with eight usb ext HDs for three computers.
You and I are in great shape, so long as only our partitions, and not the Loo, backup.

 

[ICIT2LOL]

Yes well I use CC a fair bit and one always has the saved stuff to merge back if things go pear shaped which they never have with me. Plus I always back up the reg on a clean install I know stuff is added after but it still has the basic stuff.

What I have found though is that certain softwares for example Symantec leave reg entries even though one uses the official Norton removal tool - even Revo will not clear that crap out.