Solved Registry Cleaners in 2014

[msalton1]

I've always avoided registry cleaners and still do. In fact, I have the registry cleaning aspect of Ccleaner disabled. But I'm wondering how power users feel about registry cleaners in the Windows 7 & 8 era. I know people still use them (but in my experience, those are the same people who download Driver Finders and other unsavory 'free' software). Is it a viable maintenance procedure these days, or does win 7 & 8 render them obsolete?

Salt

 

[carwiz]

I normally use CCleaner at the end of each day because I'm all over the web and IE cache files can get huge. (All scripts, buttons and images are stored for each page visited.) I like it because I can clear IE cache and cookies but save some of my sign-on cookies--It's selective. And, I'm selective with the boxes that are checked. I don't just arbitrarily "clean" everything. I run the Registry scan maybe once a week just to check it but nothing ever shows up.

 

[andrew129260]

Ccleaner is the old registry cleaning program I use. And I only do it once every few years. I also only remove keys I know for certain are not needed.

Basic rule.

"If thou does not know what the reg key is for, thou shall leave it alone."

 

[windude99]

I don't use any of that software. The closest I get is maybe an occasional Revo Uninstall, but even that I use rarely. Windows 7 manages itself well and the Disk Cleanup utility is pretty good. You can even clean up old updates that have been replaced which is not something (as far as I know) that you can do in CCleaner. I like to keep my Windows installations unmodified for the most part.

 

[Tews]

My opinion on these type of programs is simple... snake oil... to be avoided at all costs.

 

[tjg79]

I use CCleaner for both the file system and the registry at least twice a day. Before I shutdown, I clean both the file system and the registry and after each reboot. It's especially good to run it after removing programs and after updates. I've never had a problem with CCleaner since I started using it at least five years ago. If you use it regularly, your system doesn't have a chance to get cluttered with crap.

It's free and it works well. Be careful with the free download and install though, because it will attempt to install free toolbar crap. I always have to disable my virus protection and firewall to download, because they block anything with toolbar crap hitching along for the ride. During the install, be careful to uncheck any free toolbar options.

Regards

 

[Layback Bear]

I use CCleaner and sometime the Registry part.
If I find something that I don't know what it is I don't remove it. When I get in the mode I will Google the unknown items to see if I can find out what they are.

I NEVER turn off my security programs to download anything.
If my security programs don't like something I don't want it.

 

[tjg79]

I use CCleaner and sometime the Registry part.
If I find something that I don't know what it is I don't remove it. When I get in the mode I will Google the unknown items to see if I can find out what they are.

I NEVER turn off my security programs to download anything.
If my security programs don't like something I don't want it.

I only turn off the security for a download from the Piriform website. CCleaner is well established as a reliable utility, but you get toolbars with the free version. My security is so tight, it won't allow anything to download if it has a Google toolbar included. I ensure the toolbar option is not checked during the install.

 

[msalton1]

The registry cleanup concept looks to be pretty much as it's always been...mixed opinions.

Thanks for the opinions. I guess my current (and long held) philosophy can stand...don't really use them.

CCleaner is well established as a reliable utility, but you get toolbars with the free version

I use the portable version...no installer and no toolbars. It comes in a zip file on the builds page. Not sure what the difference is between the portable and the installed function-wise, but I don't think I'm missing anything.

Again, thanks for all of your comments.

Salt

 

[tjg79]

On my last session with MS Support to resolve a genuine Win 7 issue, the MS Support tech took control of my desktop to check my system. He downloaded a few third party malicious software tools, but also used my CCleaner that I had installed. He used the CCleaner registry cleaner and recommended that I do so regularly. I viewed that incident as a validation for the CCleaner registry cleaner. If you Google registry cleaners, you find an enormous number of sites offering free registry cleaner that are your typical scam crap loading software. CCleaner is very different from this crowd. Most of the registry cleaners you find on the web are the equivalent of the driver update software, which is another load of crap.

 

[andrew129260]

I don't use any of that software. The closest I get is maybe an occasional Revo Uninstall, but even that I use rarely. Windows 7 manages itself well and the Disk Cleanup utility is pretty good. You can even clean up old updates that have been replaced which is not something (as far as I know) that you can do in CCleaner. I like to keep my Windows installations unmodified for the most part.

Before disk cleanup added that function, disk cleanup imho was not worth running. CCleaner was also faster. Since Microsoft added that function to disk cleanup (and ccleaner does not offer it, nor would I trust it for that function) I use both disk cleanup and then ccleaner.

Take note though:

Cleaning this stuff will not increase performance. The only time it does is when a pc has been running for 6 months to a year or more without any of the cleaning being done. For example, the only time you notice a improvement is when ccleaner cleans a 1GB or more off, then you will notice.

Windows does manage itself quite well. In windows xp days, ccleaner was almost a must.

In windows 7, it has maintenance checks and performance checks that run every 2 weeks and attempts to improve performance.

 

[windude99]

I don't use any of that software. The closest I get is maybe an occasional Revo Uninstall, but even that I use rarely. Windows 7 manages itself well and the Disk Cleanup utility is pretty good. You can even clean up old updates that have been replaced which is not something (as far as I know) that you can do in CCleaner. I like to keep my Windows installations unmodified for the most part.

Before disk cleanup added that function, disk cleanup imho was not worth running. CCleaner was also faster. Since Microsoft added that function to disk cleanup (and ccleaner does not offer it, nor would I trust it for that function) I use both disk cleanup and then ccleaner.

Take note though:

Cleaning this stuff will not increase performance. The only time it does is when a pc has been running for 6 months to a year or more without any of the cleaning being done. For example, the only time you notice a improvement is when ccleaner cleans a 1GB or more off, then you will notice.

Windows does manage itself quite well. In windows xp days, ccleaner was almost a must.

In windows 7, it has maintenance checks and performance checks that run every 2 weeks and attempts to improve performance.

I do agree that there isn't much of a performance improvement. Years ago, I used to run CCleaner (with CCenhancer for a while, which I do NOT recommend) but got little, if any performance increase. Then, I reformatted my PCs and left CCleaner off. I wanted to let Windows do what it was supposed to do and maintain it the way it was designed to be maintained. A lot of the problems with performance are from five things:
1. Hardware
2. Viruses
3. Too many startup programs
4. Bloated antivirus
5. Bad drivers
If you can fix those top five things, your performance should be good. If not, it is some other issue that you can start a thread about.

 

[msalton1]

I do agree that there isn't much of a performance improvement. Years ago, I used to run CCleaner (with CCenhancer for a while, which I do NOT recommend) but got little, if any performance increase. Then, I reformatted my PCs and left CCleaner off. I wanted to let Windows do what it was supposed to do and maintain it the way it was designed to be maintained. A lot of the problems with performance are from five things:
1. Hardware
2. Viruses
3. Too many startup programs
4. Bloated antivirus
5. Bad drivers
If you can fix those top five things, your performance should be good. If not, it is some other issue that you can start a thread about.

I find that windows 7 still doesn't do a good job of dumping temp files. I use it for that and to delete white listed cookie accumulation.

 

[andrew129260]

I do agree that there isn't much of a performance improvement. Years ago, I used to run CCleaner (with CCenhancer for a while, which I do NOT recommend) but got little, if any performance increase. Then, I reformatted my PCs and left CCleaner off. I wanted to let Windows do what it was supposed to do and maintain it the way it was designed to be maintained. A lot of the problems with performance are from five things:
1. Hardware
2. Viruses
3. Too many startup programs
4. Bloated antivirus
5. Bad drivers
If you can fix those top five things, your performance should be good. If not, it is some other issue that you can start a thread about.

I find that windows 7 still doesn't do a good job of dumping temp files. I use it for that and to delete whitelisted cookie accumulation.

@windude99

I agree 100% for the problems with performance.

@msalton1

You are right, it doesn't. I cannot tell you how many times I have run ccleaner and it deleted over 10GB of internet temp files on someones pc. 10GB!!

Windows does need to do better with that. A lot better.

The average customer does not know they should empty that folder out every now and then.

Internet explorer is supposed to only save the data amount indicated below but for some reason this does not work and the computer gets filled to the brim with temp files. I suspect it has to do with the preserve option in the second screenshot. (By default it is checked, I have unchecked it on mine.)

 

[msalton1]

I use Firefox, which also seems to take liberties with cache limits. I moved the cache folder and system/user temp folders to a separate partition. These locations are added to the custom folders in CCleaner, accept for FF, that is...would allowing CC to delete all the sub dirs in the cache folder be problematic, or would FF just recreate them?

 

[windude99]

I do agree that there isn't much of a performance improvement. Years ago, I used to run CCleaner (with CCenhancer for a while, which I do NOT recommend) but got little, if any performance increase. Then, I reformatted my PCs and left CCleaner off. I wanted to let Windows do what it was supposed to do and maintain it the way it was designed to be maintained. A lot of the problems with performance are from five things:
1. Hardware
2. Viruses
3. Too many startup programs
4. Bloated antivirus
5. Bad drivers
If you can fix those top five things, your performance should be good. If not, it is some other issue that you can start a thread about.

I find that windows 7 still doesn't do a good job of dumping temp files. I use it for that and to delete whitelisted cookie accumulation.

@windude99

I agree 100% for the problems with performance.

@msalton1

You are right, it doesn't. I cannot tell you how many times I have run ccleaner and it deleted over 10GB of internet temp files on someones pc. 10GB!!

Windows does need to do better with that. A lot better.

The average customer does not know they should empty that folder out every now and then.

Internet explorer is supposed to only save the data amount indicated below but for some reason this does not work and the computer gets filled to the brim with temp files. I suspect it has to do with the preserve option in the second screenshot. (By default it is checked, I have unchecked it on mine.)

Disk Cleanup has options to clean temporary files and to clean temporary internet files. You can also run Disk Cleanup as an administrator and it will find more stuff. I do think it is crazy that there was 10gb of internet temporary files.

 

[Layback Bear]

Go to Internet Options.
Advanced

Scroll down to Empty Temporary Internet files folder when browser is closed. Put a check mark.

I also use Ccleaner before every shut down.

 

[andrew129260]

Go to Internet Options.
Advanced

Scroll down to Empty Temporary Internet files folder when browser is closed. Put a check mark.

I also use Ccleaner before every shut down.

Yes that is an option. Unfortunately though it is not the default. I just want some type of cleaning for windows to do it automatically on that folder after a little while.

 

[Callender]

Ccleaner Toolbars

Ccleaner - I always install the Slim version and it contains no toolbars. Then I add CCEnhancer.

See last link on page: CCleaner - Builds

CCEnhancer - SingularLabs

Then I trim the cleaners that I don't need.

As for registry cleaners - I do use them but always find stuff that needs to be excluded from cleaning and always have several system image backups available and have screwed things up numerous times in the past due to letting a registry cleaner run in full auto mode.

 

[mt12345]

I always have to disable my virus protection and firewall to download, because they block anything with toolbar crap

what AV and FW you use?