Is Registry Defrag Useful?

[JamesJ]

I've used many so-called system optimizers and have found many of them to include a registry cleaner and a registry defrag. There have been times after uninstalling a program that there are many references left behind by the program that are found by the registry scanner. Junk that I would like to see removed. It's more piece of mind knowing that I removed unwanted entries. I'm not being very savvy as far as what these entries can do if left behind. Can they trigger malware? Can they access a web site without my knowledge? I just feel better removing them. Of course a registry scanner won't get everthing.
My question, I guess, after removing many entries in a situation like the one above, is it useful to defrag the registry? I honestly don't see any performance improvements in the few system optimizers that I have used.

Any thoughts are appreciated,
James

 

[netbox]

Any registry cleaners may cause harm on your pc & registry defragler are not even an optimizer IMO.. No performance boost you may gain from that.

Windows 7 are very good in handling registry hives than older OS like vista or xp..

Just my two cents.

 

[ibshaw]

I agree with the previous poster - leave registry maintenance to Win7 which is better at it than previous OS. I would also steer clear of registry cleaners, they can cause more harm than good and will not improve performance.

 

[seavixen32]

After CCleaner's aggressive registry cleaner screwed up my grandson's computer recently my advice would be to forget tampering with the registry.

As previous posters have said, Windows 7 does a pretty good job of taking care of business.

If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

 

[whs]

A safe way to bring your system to a screeching halt.

 

[Britton30]

I hate to be a spoiler but I've been using CCleaner's reg cleaner on Windows 7 since I installed it, both 32 and 64 bit without a hint of trouble. the "tweak tools" like AVG tools will brick a system, and defragging the registry is of no use. It is a selling point and won't help performance.

As an aside, CCleaner rarely finds anything with its reg cleaner anyway.

 

[StalkeR]

First off, if you are planing to do a registry defrag/cleanup or anything else with registrys, make sure to create a backup of them.
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/4230-registry-backup-restore.html

 

[ignatzatsonic]

It's more piece of mind knowing that I removed unwanted entries.

I just feel better removing them.

Deal with why removing unwanted entries should affect your "piece of mind" or make you feel better. Those are emotions.

 

[JMH]

{For the umpteenth time}

IMHO.

Current accepted wisdom with Win 7 is to NOT use a cleaner.

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

In other words, injudicious use of "Registry cleaners" CAN cause problems.

IMO - there is no reliable way for a third party program to know whether any particular key is invalid, redundant or neither.
Some registry cleaners may not know for sure whether a key is still being used by Windows or what detrimental effects removing it may have.
This has led to examples of registry cleaners causing loss of functionality and/or system instability.

FYI
Do I need a Registry Cleaner? | What the Tech

 

[wanchoo]

May be you should do it twice in a year or so.

However Registry Defrag doesn't change any data in the Registry like the Registry Cleaner does therefore it cannot mess up your system like the Registry Cleaner may. It is therefore abs safe to use.

I've used many so-called system optimizers and have found many of them to include a registry cleaner and a registry defrag. There have been times after uninstalling a program that there are many references left behind by the program that are found by the registry scanner. Junk that I would like to see removed. It's more piece of mind knowing that I removed unwanted entries. I'm not being very savvy as far as what these entries can do if left behind. Can they trigger malware? Can they access a web site without my knowledge? I just feel better removing them. Of course a registry scanner won't get everthing.
My question, I guess, after removing many entries in a situation like the one above, is it useful to defrag the registry? I honestly don't see any performance improvements in the few system optimizers that I have used.

Any thoughts are appreciated,
James

 

[JamesJ]

First, thanks much for all the opinions.
In my case I've been using these system optimizers for some time and I do agree defragging the registry doesn't do anything for performance.
I've used many system optimizers and have yet to have a problem with a registry cleaner. They have never trashed my system. And I can tell you that programs do leave stuff behind in the registry after uninstalling them (not it would cause any problems). But again, never have registry cleaners trashed my system... at least noticeably.

 

[Infinite]

IMHO, the only registry cleaner that works is yourself (if you know what your doing)

 

[jack1953]

This is only the second post in this thread concerning defragging the registry. The other poster says defragging the registry is a waste of time. Is that the consensus here? Defragging registry just a useless selling point? (No trying to start a debate, just trying to learn).

May be you should do it twice in a year or so.

However Registry Defrag doesn't change any data in the Registry like the Registry Cleaner does therefore it cannot mess up your system like the Registry Cleaner may. It is therefore abs safe to use.

I've used many so-called system optimizers and have found many of them to include a registry cleaner and a registry defrag. There have been times after uninstalling a program that there are many references left behind by the program that are found by the registry scanner. Junk that I would like to see removed. It's more piece of mind knowing that I removed unwanted entries. I'm not being very savvy as far as what these entries can do if left behind. Can they trigger malware? Can they access a web site without my knowledge? I just feel better removing them. Of course a registry scanner won't get everthing.
My question, I guess, after removing many entries in a situation like the one above, is it useful to defrag the registry? I honestly don't see any performance improvements in the few system optimizers that I have used.

Any thoughts are appreciated,
James

 

[ignatzatsonic]

I'd guess the consensus is that any "help" it provides is unnoticeable.

How could you tell if it helped?

Those that do it feel better for doing it, and that's OK by me.

As far as I know it can't hurt anything.

Drive fragmentation in general isn't a noticeable problem unless it gets really excessive, but many defrag religiously and feel neglectful if they don't.

Modern CPUs can blaze through the registry very quickly, fragmented or not.

If you feel better after you do it, do it. Whether it helps in any measurable way is another question entirely.

 

[whs]

It is as useful as a shot in the leg. But if you like to limp, go for it.

 

[jloc]

It is as useful as a shot in the leg. But if you like to limp, go for it.

Great use of a simile

 

[Animal5150]

I agree with most here in that messing with the registry cleaning defraging, ect can harm your system and even if not is general a waste of time. Even if it does not do any damage the good it does it usually not going to be noticeable. If and only IF you insist on using something then Ccleaner is one of the safest. Many people use it so you can find support

 

[bru]

I use CCleaner for temp files and for kicks I let it check the registry and not surprisingly it found many things. Even after looking in to some of them and knowing it would probably be ok to get rid of some of them I decided against it. So there they stay, clogging up my registry .

 

[Infinite]

It's useful for damaging your computer.

 

[WolfSoul]

As useful as programs like Tune Up Utilities?