Author Topic: What's the best registry cleaner? Ask Leo says: none (Read 92852 times)

supertechnogeek · « **Reply #25 on:** December 26, 2007, 04:44 AM »

I do the same, you should get Acronis True Image for backup, I use this tools for 3 years and recently join them as affiliate as well.

Direct link is here =>http://www.acronis.com/
Affiliate link is here => <a href="http://www.review-re.../products/trueimage/"> Acronis True Image </a>

I have tried Newer version of Acronis True Image (I didn't upgrade, still using version 10), they have a very cool features called Try&Decide. When activated you can try anything on your computer including registry repair, you can try to corrupt your windows and Acronis True Image will record every action you take on your drive.

After testing, you can easily restore it to previous stat. But I still prefer to backup manually before using this Try&Decide feature (Only available in version 11).

Please don't take my word for it, try for yourself. I only share the best I used, there are still many best thing out there...

f0dder · « **Reply #26 on:** December 26, 2007, 07:43 AM »

ows registry is the tree structure, and many software design to "full explore" this function with each every information, configuration all stored into the registry, and the only result is slowing down the system.
-supertechnogeek (December 25, 2007, 08:27 PM)

That's bull. Registry lookups are very efficient since binary search is used for looking up keys; this basically means that the number of keys has to double for one extra compare instruction to be necessary.

Oh, and when you're an affiliate or have any form of connection with a product you're posting about, you should state this very clearly in the post. Nobody here likes hidden agendas.

icekin · « **Reply #27 on:** December 31, 2007, 09:07 AM »

Another vote for Regseeker from me. I've tried using jv16 Power Tools in the past, but while its a good program, its risky and deletes several important registry keys. Well, its screwed up my PC before. I've also used the registry cleaner on WinXP Manager, which is likewise, very powerful, but risky. The best method is to use applications that can simply be unarchived and run and only create .ini files. Thinstall applications are also another option, but Thinstall costs a lot of money. Other good registry cleaners I've come across include EasyCleaner and CCleaner's Registry Clean Function.

I've heard many tech site authors strongly recommend registry mechanic. I tried the demo, but did not find it to be all that impressive for a shareware application. Any other dc users tried it?

Armando · « **Reply #28 on:** December 31, 2007, 11:34 AM »

I did try registry mechanic, but a long time ago. I think it was good... or was it ? But how shall I really be able to tell ?
Actually, like some here, I stopped using registry cleaners (and in facts most cleaners, registry or not!) after experiencing problems related to these, sometimes weeks or even months after cleaning my machine.

There were a couple of times where some software problems were actually instantly solved by cleaning the registry with TuneUp Utilities registry cleaner (the only one that actually never did anything wrong to my machine -- but I've stopped using it anyway... + it's outdated...) (can't remember exactly what the problem was... it was at least 2-3 years ago).

Lashiec · « **Reply #29 on:** December 31, 2007, 01:26 PM »

RegSeeker... >_<

40hz · « **Reply #30 on:** March 18, 2009, 09:53 AM »

This was my second attempt to repair my computers registry and thanks to your post, it’s FINALLY fixed. Perfect Optimizer worked on both my desktop and laptop computer. I will be recommending this best registry cleaner to all my friends .
-dangdang7262 (March 18, 2009, 08:48 AM)

That's quite interesting dangdang7262...because nobody has mentioned Perfect Optimizer in this topic but you.

You also seem to have mentioned it in a few other places too:

http://m.digg.com/users/dangdang7262

cyberdiva · « **Reply #31 on:** March 18, 2009, 10:48 AM »

I'm another very happy user of JV PowerTools Registry Cleaner. I've used it for years, always in "Normal" (as opposed to "Aggressive") mode. I've almost always told it to fix everything it has identified, and I've always had it make a backup. Frankly, it has never removed anything I later found I needed (knock on wood

). The only other registry cleaner I've ever tried was the one in Advanced Windows Care Professional. I used it only once. I first ran JV PowerTools, and it found about 70 registry entries to fix or remove. I then ran the registry cleaner in Advanced Windows Care Professional. It found more than 900 additional entries. That made me uncomfortable, not with JV PowerTools but with AWC. My guess is that AWC was taking a much more aggressive approach, one that JV PowerTools offers but cautions about. I've never found that approach necessary, and I prefer to err on the side of caution.

Carol Haynes · « **Reply #32 on:** March 18, 2009, 01:23 PM »

I sound like a broken watch but registry cleaners are pointless and dangerous. So you have a few out of date entries knocking about (so what) and you probably have hundreds of unused entries installed by common applications such as Windows and Office (to name only two) that deliberately insert empty registry keys that are only filled when you download a particular plugin or what ever.

Just because you don't perceive immediate problems doesn't mean they don't appear down the line. The main problem is that by the time you have a problem you don't even think to blame the registry cleaner.

I am not saying MS is perfect (I know they are not) but if you have a few minutes to spare try installing in VirtualPC Windows Vista or XP clean install (you don't need to activate it) and an MS Office product. Then run any of the registry cleaners and look at how many 'errors' exist on a newly installed system. Many cleaners will literally find hundreds.

I used to use JV Powertools but gave up after I noticed that in a multiboot system it was 'fixing' registry problems in automatic mode with files on the wrong partition (i.e. a different version of windows altogether).

40hz · « **Reply #33 on:** March 18, 2009, 01:44 PM »

The free version of Glary Utilites ( http://www.glaryutilities.com ) has a very safe Registry cleaner (along with some other nice utilities) that gets the job done with minimal risk.

I sound like a broken watch but registry cleaners are pointless and dangerous. So you have a few out of date entries knocking about (so what) and you probably have hundreds of unused entries installed by common applications such as Windows and Office (to name only two) that deliberately insert empty registry keys that are only filled when you download a particular plugin or what ever.

Just because you don't perceive immediate problems doesn't mean they don't appear down the line. The main problem is that by the time you have a problem you don't even think to blame the registry cleaner.
-Carol Haynes (March 18, 2009, 01:23 PM)

Apparently individual mileage will vary with this sort of utility. I've used Fix-it Utilities and Glary Utilities for several years now, and I have yet (knock wood) to experience the problems Carol has run into. On more than one occasion, Fix-It has succeeded in correcting some annoying issues that would otherwise have required large amounts of research (or a system reinstall) to correct.

Of course, there's always some risk when you mess with the Registry - even if you know what you're doing. So it's probably best to match your tools to your level of knowledge. And when in doubt - don't.

Stoic Joker · « **Reply #34 on:** March 20, 2009, 09:44 AM »

I sound like a broken watch but registry cleaners are pointless and dangerous. So you have a few out of date entries knocking about (so what) and you probably have hundreds of unused entries installed by common applications such as Windows and Office (to name only two) that deliberately insert empty registry keys that are only filled when you download a particular plugin or what ever.

Just because you don't perceive immediate problems doesn't mean they don't appear down the line. The main problem is that by the time you have a problem you don't even think to blame the registry cleaner.

I am not saying MS is perfect (I know they are not) but if you have a few minutes to spare try installing in VirtualPC Windows Vista or XP clean install (you don't need to activate it) and an MS Office product. Then run any of the registry cleaners and look at how many 'errors' exist on a newly installed system. Many cleaners will literally find hundreds.

I used to use JV Powertools but gave up after I noticed that in a multiboot system it was 'fixing' registry problems in automatic mode with files on the wrong partition (i.e. a different version of windows altogether).
-Carol Haynes (March 18, 2009, 01:23 PM)

Um... Actually I think it's "broken Record"...

...But either way I'll signup to sit with you on the replayed point as I agree completely.

Darwin · « **Reply #35 on:** March 20, 2009, 11:38 AM »

But either way I'll signup to sit with you on the replayed point as I agree completely.
-Stoic Joker (March 20, 2009, 09:44 AM)

Moi aussi! I think in the hands of someone who knows what s/he is doing and who takes the time to consider each change suggested by a registry cleaner, a registry cleaner may not do any harm and may even do some good in cleaning up after naughtly uninstallers. However, for the vast majority of people (myself included), who do not take the time to go through all of the suggested changes to vet them before letting a registry cleaner "do its thing", I suggest following Brave Sir Robin's example:

Brave Sir Robin ran away.
Bravely ran away, away!
When danger reared its ugly head,
He bravely turned his tail and fled.
Yes, brave Sir Robin turned about
And gallantly he chickened out.
Bravely taking to his feet
He beat a very brave retreat,
Bravest of the brave, Sir Robin!

He is packing it in and packing it up
And sneaking away and buggering up
And chickening out and pissing off home,
Yes, bravely he is throwing in the sponge...

cmpm · « **Reply #36 on:** March 20, 2009, 11:42 AM »

a very good and powerful cleaner
in fact so good-be careful with some of the cleaners
i just use the registry cleaner with this one
sometimes the other cleaners, but they may clean too much
be sure you know what it's taking out

the registry cleaner part is safe
and i use it without problems

http://www.nirmaltv....eg...t-registry-fix/

the home page is in another language so i posted this blog about it

here's the home page-

http://www.vitsoft.org.ua/index.htm

i've used (and still do) regseeker, glary, ccleaner and atf cleaner, cleanup! and atf as well as cleanup! has nothing to do with the registry-just threw them in

anyway I use the cleaner for files in ccleaner mainly for saving cookies i don't want deleted, so on the other cleaners i skip the cookies

since i've been using Vit, the other registry cleaners don't find much.

But watch out for the other cleaners in Vit, they are powerful. too powerful with a novice. Perhaps the reg cleaner part also.
But it does show exactly what it will do before you click 'Fix'.
With options to uncheck fixing anything.

Darwin · « **Reply #37 on:** March 20, 2009, 11:58 AM »

Just to add to my earlier comment - my problem with registry cleaners in general is that there are more often than not FAR too many fixes suggested for me to go through carefully to critically evaluate whether or not I agree with them. Thus, the danger is very real that I'll bork my system unintentionally... Thus, my "response" to cmpm's note above is to reiterate and add to what I said in my previous post:

Be damned sure you back up your registry before making any changes to your registry and most important check each suggested change before letting a registry cleaner make changes to your system.

Overall, I've found it far easier to simply leave my registry alone. With XP and now Vista, just like RAM cleaners and pagefile tweaking I no longer see the need...

Just my two bits.

f0dder · « **Reply #38 on:** March 20, 2009, 12:21 PM »

Darwin: yup, too overzealous, and "cleaning" the registry means just about nothing wrt. performance anyway (defragging is what matters).

Wrt. pagefile, 'tweaking' the size is more or less useless, and the various "1.5x system memory", "no! 2x system memory!" etc. is silly. Either you get enough RAM to turn it off completely, or you set a bigger-than-ever-needed minimum size (to avoid ever having to grow, possibly resulting in fragmentation). If you feel you do need a pagefile, it can help moving it to "the physical disk with the least traffic" (which might very well be your system disk - the blind advise of "don't put pagefile on your system disk" is as silly as anything).

cmpm · « **Reply #39 on:** March 20, 2009, 01:33 PM »

It's true that most keys found in a good registry clean don't matter much. They can pile up and sometimes , not often, fix problems and speed up the computer a bit.

Here's a shot of a scan I just did. Not a lot, 84 I think. Just from Windows registry tracking everything you install or change, basically. Keeping settings for programs as well, that you may not have any more.

Anyway here's the shot, and I run it occasionally cause after a while there is 100's.

f0dder · « **Reply #40 on:** March 20, 2009, 02:12 PM »

Remember that the registry is sorted and uses binary search when looking for keys. For those of you without computer science education, this means that to find one key out of 4.2 billion, only 32 compares are needed. In other words, even cleaning out thousands of entries is pretty darn irrelevant

(Oh, the binary search is per key (and subkey etc), by the way - where do you find more than a few thousand sub-key entires?)

cmpm · « **Reply #41 on:** March 20, 2009, 02:21 PM »

well hell, fodder now i gotta scan again

i didn't click fix

let me see if i can generate a report that can be posted

cmpm · « **Reply #42 on:** March 20, 2009, 03:10 PM »

most is coming from clsid, although some hits were in history
maybe thats the same
i got three shots for ya
if you double click on a single entry
it takes you to the key in the registry
and btw i just rearranged my icons on the desktop
put them in their category folders

not sure if this is what you want to see but there is no full blown report, and my screen won't accomadate everything
so that's the reason for shifting some columns
plus i'm download happy too

which means i'm uninstalling a few things as well-all the time lol...

cmpm · « **Reply #43 on:** March 20, 2009, 03:14 PM »

btw folks the best 'cleaner' i know of is ATF-Cleaner
developed by a tech at geekstogo.com
nothing to do with the registry
but stuck/broken downloads, videos won't play and more can be fixed with this gem-
most of the time

http://www.geekstogo...-Cleaner-file21.html

PhilB66 · « **Reply #44 on:** March 20, 2009, 08:40 PM »

btw folks the best 'cleaner' i know of is ATF-Cleaner
developed by a tech at geekstogo.com
-cmpm (March 20, 2009, 03:14 PM)

ATF-Cleaner by http://www.atribune.org/

cmpm · « **Reply #45 on:** March 20, 2009, 09:30 PM »

yeah....learning is fun

PhilB66 · « **Reply #46 on:** March 20, 2009, 10:03 PM »

yeah....learning is fun
-cmpm (March 20, 2009, 09:30 PM)

Glad to be part of the process

winkyg · « **Reply #47 on:** April 06, 2009, 02:42 AM »

I have a Vista x64 laptop. I've tried several cleaners and have come to the fact that such utilities could do much more harm to Windows rather than repair it.
I was adviced to try Digeus Registry Cleaner and since then I've been using it for a couple of monthes. It appears to be a safe cleaner to use even on Vista x64. The only thing noone shoulf forget is to backup the registry each time before fixing it.

PhilB66 · « **Reply #48 on:** April 06, 2009, 03:29 AM »

@winkyg

Is it good for getting rid of SPAM post like yours?

f0dder · « **Reply #49 on:** April 06, 2009, 04:29 AM »

Phil: doesn't have google hits for any full sentences and URL doesn't have referrer links...

* f0dder shrugs.