Solved Ccleaner has wrecked my system

[Rally]

Hi,

The title may seem alarmist as there seems to be so much support hereabouts for Ccleaner but I beleive it may be true. Let me explain.

Recently I noticed many of my icons had reverted to generic windows. So I tried a system restore. This failed with an error message saying some files could not be accessed and gave the code 0x80070005. After some advice searching I made sure I 'owned' my entire drive, turned off UAC, uninstalled antivirus software and tried again with the same result.

After more searching it was suggested that Ccleaner had deleted my c:\windows\installer folder. I looked and there was no such folder. As a result I cannot now re-install or uninstall a lot of my third party programs - including Microsoft Office :shock: . Missing icons was just the tip of the iceburg. I do believe Ccleaner is the culprit as it includes an option to turn off access to the system 'installer'.

I visited Piriform's site to discover that technical support is only offered if you pay for it :shock: .

Why would Ccleaner delete such an important folder? but more importantly how can I recover my system restore? I do not want to disable and then enable it as I need access to previous restore points (even though I don't know if this will even help).

Does anyone know of any way to regain the installation information which was held within the deleted 'installer' folder? What is a repair re-install?

I will not be using Ccleaner again and I cannot even tell them why. Imbecilic sharks.

 

[derekimo]

Welcome to the forum,

"c:\windows\installer folder" is hidden by default, did you unhide folders before looking for it?

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/394-hidden-files-folders-show-hide.html

Also some info on repair install,

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/3413-repair-install.html

 

[DeaconFrost]

I would be willing to bet that CCleaner had nothing to do with your issues. The system restores and other steps you tried probably compounded what was a simple fix. Starting from the beginning, instead of a system restore, you could have just followed the steps on here to rebuild your icon cache. It's a simple batch file to download and run.

I'll add this disclaimer first...that I don't tell others to disable system restore. However, I do on my person systems because it has never solved an issue for me, and has only left systems in an unstable state for me, much like you describe. Please note, I am not telling others to disable system restore...I just do so on my own systems because I'd rather solve the issue than roll back to a spot where it can reappear.

As for CCleaner, I've been using it for years, and have never been able to destroy or damage an install by using it. It sounds more like your registry was hosed by multiple system restores and trying to take ownership of a drive you already should have had ownership of.

 

[Rally]

Wow. 2 replies already.

@derekimo.
Thanks for the welcome. Yes my files are unhidden and I can see the folder now because I did manage to install a different version of Adobe reader.

@DeaconFrost
I too have been using Ccleaner for years with no problems until now. My Win7 installation is less than two months old and from the begining I was denied access to certain files/folders even though I am the only user and an administator. This was a surprise and frustration to me so I 're-owned' my C drive after searching here. This did the trick, or so I thought.
Now you have me thinking because, as I said, my install is not old and I cannot pinpoint exactly when this problem started. The fact remains, though, that the 'installer' folder vanished (I read here that this has been known with Ccleaner). Could 'owning' cause the dissappearance?

BTW I have not restored before in this install.

Also, rebuilding the icon cache was the first thing I tried before I realised my problems were more than just untidy icons - the 'installer' folder was missing.

 

[mjf]

This was a surprise and frustration to me so I 're-owned' my C drive after searching here. This did the trick, or so I thought.

Here is a snip of folder owners of my C: drive


Did you change ownership of System and TrustedInstaller folders? I wouldn't have thought that was a good idea and could lead to all sorts of trouble.

 

[seavixen32]

I realise it's closing the stable door after the horse has bolted, but before ever I use anything like CCleaner I backup the complete registry first..........just in case.

I think it's a useful utility, but it has to be used with care.

 

[mjf]

I wonder if CCleaner is the cause of the problem. CCleaner offers to backup your changes which I always do. A double click will restore the settings later.

 

[preiius]

I'm with mjf, I think taking ownership of your disk did more harm than good. Microsoft setup windows that way for a reason, don't mess with it if you don't know what you doing, especially the system folders. Only advice I can give you, is image, image, image!

 

[Bill2]

How recent are these events? You can try restoring pristine copies of reg hives from the regback folder (C:\windows\system32\config\regback) provided the copies predate the disastrous events. Heres the procedure, dont worry about the tiltle of the tut and skip steps 6,7,8 and 9 cos they dont apply in this case.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/139576-startup-repair-infinite-loop-recovery.html

 

[zigzag3143]

While Ccleaner is a useful tool in the hands of someone with experience it can be disastrous in the hands of the less skilled.

Win 7 is so much better at handling the registry that I would not recommend it and would STRONGLY suggest backing up the registry and the whole OS before if you insist on using it.

 

[JMH]

Sorry to read of your problems..

* General advice for others reading this thread.....
Always make sure you have
1.a current System Restore point created.
2.a recent "Back up" of your computer- preferably to an external HD.

* If you ever think your Registry needs to be cleaned, repaired, boosted, tuned-up, cured, tweaked, fixed, or optimized (it doesn't),

In other words, injudicious use of "Registry cleaners" can & does cause problems.

 

[DeaconFrost]

* If you ever think your Registry needs to be cleaned, repaired, boosted, tuned-up, cured, tweaked, fixed, or optimized (it doesn't),

I would agree completely, if the word cleaned was removed. CCleaner has helped me several times by cleaning my registry. I'll give you an example. ATI's drivers were less than stellar at cleaning up after an uninstall, and would often prevent me from reinstalling the newer, updated drivers. Whenever I would encounter this, I would run CCleaner on the registry, and then try the drivers again. Each time, they'd install perfectly.

 

[Rally]

How recent are these events? You can try restoring pristine copies of reg hives from the regback folder (C:\windows\system32\config\regback) provided the copies predate the disastrous events. Heres the procedure, dont worry about the tiltle of the tut and skip steps 6,7,8 and 9 cos they dont apply in this case.

http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/139576-startup-repair-infinite-loop-recovery.html

I really appreciate everyone's help and I hate to appear to poo poo it but everyting in the regback folder is dated the same date and I don't think it is long enough ago. Sytem restore has some restore points that may well be old enough but it won't work.

I am starting to think that Windows didn't install properly in the first place because it would deny me access to folders such as 'my documents' and 'windows' even though I am the only user. This is why I 're-owned' the entire C drive as suggested on this forum.

Quite separately I noticed one day that many of my icons were wrong. I tried rebuilding the icon cache without success but didn't worry too much untill I realised I could not re-install or uninstall many of my programs. This is when I learned (from this forum also) that Ccleaner may have deleted the 'installer' folder which was indeed missing.

I guess it may well be that the 're-owning' has stumped system restore. Oh poo.

If this is the case I see two options - live with it or fresh install (starts to pull out hair).

 

[JMH]

* If you ever think your Registry needs to be cleaned, repaired, boosted, tuned-up, cured, tweaked, fixed, or optimized (it doesn't),

I would agree completely, if the word cleaned was removed. CCleaner has helped me several times by cleaning my registry. I'll give you an example. ATI's drivers were less than stellar at cleaning up after an uninstall, and would often prevent me from reinstalling the newer, updated drivers. Whenever I would encounter this, I would run CCleaner on the registry, and then try the drivers again. Each time, they'd install perfectly.

It is important for us to always remember that people to whom we give advice are not always blessed with the same knowledge / ability & experience we have.

Therefore sometimes it is necessary to err on the side of caution.
Our personal experience is often irrelevant.

 

[pparks1]

Is your copy of Windows 100% legit?

 

[DeaconFrost]

It is important for us to always remember that people to whom we give advice are not always blessed with the same knowledge / ability & experience we have.

Therefore sometimes it is necessary to err on the side of caution.
Our personal experience is often irrelevant.

That's the sole reason I recommend CCleaner and no other app like it. It's virtually foolproof (tested on my father-in-law), and even gives you the chance to backup your registray (the changes, at least), so you can have a single double-click to roll back, should you need to.

CCleaner doesn't dig nearly as deep as some less-than-reputable cleaners do, so it is inherently safer to use.

 

[Outlander]

CCleaner is good. It did not wreck his system. One wrecks ones own system. CC does not click the buttons on it's own. It gives you fair warning. When you click OK you roll 'em. I've wrecked a few instaalls myself. Never let it bother me too much because that is how you learn. Mistakes are the really good teachers...especially the really painful ones! Besides there is nothing like a fresh install. Lost data? Meh, six months later you go what lost data?

 

[sandman]

I for years used to use these registry cleaners one in particular was reg supreme for years but with Windows 7 have refrained from using anything of that nature, except which I now use on 4 systems is the Revo-uninstaller for removing entries left over from program installs and to date (knock on wood) have never had an issue with the registry entries it suggests to remove after removing a program. I always look at the entries and make sure they are the ones I am susre are related to the removal and like i say I have had no issues to this day. Back up and restore points are always an also good practice for having something to fall back on in the event of a screw up . Tried Ccleaner just to see how it worked because it was on a clients system installed by them and did not like the interface and what it removed or could remove and cause problems not worth the gains in whatever performance in my book. Sorry I could not be of any help here. I always say a fresh install is a good learning experience.

 

[fseal]

Uuuuhh....

"After some advice searching I made sure I 'owned' my entire drive."

Whoever gave this advice was wrong, or maybe you misunderstood the scope of the advice...

If you in fact "Took Ownership" of your entire C drive, THAT is what has hosed your Windows install. A Repair Install /may/ fix it but likely you are looking at a complete reinstall.

You only "Take Ownership" of your own personal files on other drives or possibly in your Documents folder or that of another user if you want to take control of their files. NEVER of the entire Windows drive.

(P.s. you were denied access to "Documents and Settings" because it is not actually a folder but a link to your new Windows 7 User folder which you DO have access too. That folder link only exists for backwards compatibility for old and badly behaved XP programs. There was nothing wrong with the original install.)

 

[Rally]

If you in fact "Took Ownership" of your entire C drive, THAT is what has hosed your Windows install. A Repair Install /may/ fix it but likely you are looking at a complete reinstall.

So are we saying that 'taking ownership' deleted my 'installer' folder? How is this possible :shock: ?

Anyway, I have repaired my system. I tried a repair install but despite taking over four hours (including uninstalling SP1, some drivers and some programs then reinstalling afterwards) it did not work :banghead: .

I have now done a fresh install and I have no file access issues. As I suspected my original install must have been flawed which sent me down the ill advised (but very educational) path.

This is a great forum. Thanks to you all for your help. I will be adding to your reputations.