G
Guest
HI. Is it safe to delete registry using ccleaner?
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David Harrison
I have never had any problems using ccleaner. There is an option that pops up to allow a backup of any changes you make.
BTW I think it is a great program!
BTW I think it is a great program!
F
Frank Saunders, MS-MVP OE
lonely_2006 said:HI. Is it safe to delete registry using ccleaner?
No.
A
antioch
lonely_2006 said:HI. Is it safe to delete registry using ccleaner?
If you are computer technically challenged as myself, then do NOT touch your
registry, unless you get a step-by-step guide from within a group.
I have made two changes to my Registry and each time I did it with help,
here in the groups.
Both have caused no problems for me.
If you want a programme to do the work for you, it is my opinion from other
threads, that these programmes are not 100% safe to use or reliable.
Again, if you do not know what you are doing in Registry, then don't use a
programme either.
I did once, a couple of years ago and I immediately regretted it.
Rgds
Antioch
J
John Barnett MVP
This is a difficult one. David say's Yes, Frank say No!
The general principle here is that unless you have enough knowledge to
manually remove registry entries then it is safer to leave well alone. By
manually i mean going into the registry, searching for a specific key,
knowing what it does and what impact it will have if it is removed.
However, there are times when you don't have the time to manually edit the
registry. This is where registry editors/cleaners have become so popular.
There are two applications i would trust my registry entires to. The first
is the freeware CCleaner and the second AMUST registry cleaner (although
this one you have to pay for).
As David say's regarding CCleaner "There is an option that pops up to allow
a backup of any changes you make" This is also true of AMUST. Without a
backup you are really in trouble.
As my contibution to the debate i would agree with both David and Frank, but
would add just one caveat. Know what is being deleted before clicking the OK
button. Obviously AMUST gives you more control over what is deleted compared
to CCleaner. At least with AMUST you can be selective to what is removed.
CCleaner doesn't give you any option other than to remove all.
Handled with care and a little knowledge CCleaner does a superb job. AMUST
is a little more selective (see the reivew on my website
http://xphelpandsupport.mvps.org Click the reviews tab and read review
number 7) Incidentally, the latest version of AMUST 'does' now backup
resgistry data prior to cleaning.
--
John Barnett MVP
Associate Expert
http://xphelpandsupport.mvps.org
The information in this mail is supplied "as is". No warranty of any kind,
either expressed or implied, is made in relation to the accuracy,
reliability or content of this mail. The Author shall not be liable for any
direct, indirect, incidental or consequential damages arising out of the use
of, or inability to use, information or opinions expressed in this mail..
The general principle here is that unless you have enough knowledge to
manually remove registry entries then it is safer to leave well alone. By
manually i mean going into the registry, searching for a specific key,
knowing what it does and what impact it will have if it is removed.
However, there are times when you don't have the time to manually edit the
registry. This is where registry editors/cleaners have become so popular.
There are two applications i would trust my registry entires to. The first
is the freeware CCleaner and the second AMUST registry cleaner (although
this one you have to pay for).
As David say's regarding CCleaner "There is an option that pops up to allow
a backup of any changes you make" This is also true of AMUST. Without a
backup you are really in trouble.
As my contibution to the debate i would agree with both David and Frank, but
would add just one caveat. Know what is being deleted before clicking the OK
button. Obviously AMUST gives you more control over what is deleted compared
to CCleaner. At least with AMUST you can be selective to what is removed.
CCleaner doesn't give you any option other than to remove all.
Handled with care and a little knowledge CCleaner does a superb job. AMUST
is a little more selective (see the reivew on my website
http://xphelpandsupport.mvps.org Click the reviews tab and read review
number 7) Incidentally, the latest version of AMUST 'does' now backup
resgistry data prior to cleaning.
--
John Barnett MVP
Associate Expert
http://xphelpandsupport.mvps.org
The information in this mail is supplied "as is". No warranty of any kind,
either expressed or implied, is made in relation to the accuracy,
reliability or content of this mail. The Author shall not be liable for any
direct, indirect, incidental or consequential damages arising out of the use
of, or inability to use, information or opinions expressed in this mail..
J
John Barnett MVP
Just a correction to my last post. CCleaner 'does' give the option to choose
which items to delete. It is basically a case of checking what CCleaner
wishes to delete and, if you are in any doubt, removing the tick mark next
tot hat item so it is not deleted.
Apologies for the original incorrect information on CCleaner
--
John Barnett MVP
Associate Expert
http://xphelpandsupport.mvps.org
The information in this mail is supplied "as is". No warranty of any kind,
either expressed or implied, is made in relation to the accuracy,
reliability or content of this mail. The Author shall not be liable for any
direct, indirect, incidental or consequential damages arising out of the use
of, or inability to use, information or opinions expressed in this mail..
which items to delete. It is basically a case of checking what CCleaner
wishes to delete and, if you are in any doubt, removing the tick mark next
tot hat item so it is not deleted.
Apologies for the original incorrect information on CCleaner
--
John Barnett MVP
Associate Expert
http://xphelpandsupport.mvps.org
The information in this mail is supplied "as is". No warranty of any kind,
either expressed or implied, is made in relation to the accuracy,
reliability or content of this mail. The Author shall not be liable for any
direct, indirect, incidental or consequential damages arising out of the use
of, or inability to use, information or opinions expressed in this mail..
K
Ken Blake, MVP
David said:I have never had any problems using ccleaner. There is an option that
pops up to allow a backup of any changes you make.
Assuming that it's safe to use because you never had a problem with it is
like assuming that it's safe to drive a car without a seatbelt because you
never got hurt doing so.
Although most of the time you get away with it, using a registry cleaner
*is* dangerous. My advice is not to use a registry cleaner. The registry
doesn't need to be cleaned. Extra registry entries don't hurt you. The risk
of a registry cleaner hurting you (deleting an entry you need) isn't
necessarily enormous, but it's much greater than any potential benefit it
may have.
L
l
I agree, however, I have used it to look for specific entries, when for
example, I'm having trouble with a program and although I seem to have
deleted all the right things, I cannot reinstall because there are just
enough left over entries roaming around the computer. I can use a registry
cleaning tool to look for the reaming items, using the specific name, like
Ahead, or Nero and delete them.
But, as an all around cleaner, naw. In fact, even though you make a backup,
the backup can contain hundreds of things that have been deleted, and it may
be only 2 of those hundreds that need to be reinserted into the registry,
but in order to do that you have to restore the entire backup file.
example, I'm having trouble with a program and although I seem to have
deleted all the right things, I cannot reinstall because there are just
enough left over entries roaming around the computer. I can use a registry
cleaning tool to look for the reaming items, using the specific name, like
Ahead, or Nero and delete them.
But, as an all around cleaner, naw. In fact, even though you make a backup,
the backup can contain hundreds of things that have been deleted, and it may
be only 2 of those hundreds that need to be reinserted into the registry,
but in order to do that you have to restore the entire backup file.
K
Ken Blake, MVP
l said:I agree, however, I have used it to look for specific entries, when
for example, I'm having trouble with a program and although I seem to
have deleted all the right things, I cannot reinstall because there
are just enough left over entries roaming around the computer. I can
use a registry cleaning tool to look for the reaming items, using the
specific name, like Ahead, or Nero and delete them.
Such specific uses are of course much safer, and for someone who knows what
he's doing, I don't object to it.
But almost everyone who asks in the newsgroups what registry cleaner to use
is someone who has "heard" somewhere that it's a good idea to now and then
clean the registry of everything unneeded as a prophylactic measure. That's
exactly the kind of thing that can get you into trouble, and that's why I
always recommend against them.
B
Bruce Chambers
lonely_2006 said:HI. Is it safe to delete registry using ccleaner?
*NO!* Deleting the entire registry, regardless of the tool used, will
render the computer unusable.
--
Bruce Chambers
Help us help you:
They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary
safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. -Benjamin Franklin
G
Guest
--
windows xp laptop user
windows xp laptop user
Bruce Chambers said:*NO!* Deleting the entire registry, regardless of the tool used, will
render the computer unusable.
--
Bruce Chambers
Help us help you:
They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary
safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. -Benjamin Franklin
Thanks everybody. I am novice so I am not going to use it.
B
BobN
HI. Is it safe to delete registry using ccleaner?
I assume that you mean is it safe to delete certain registry entries. You
really do not want to delete your registry do you? Ccleaner is an
excellent program, and it has been used by literally millions of people
over the years. I use it regularly. You should also use the free ERUNT
utility which will do a proper backup of your registry every day.
B
BobN
Such specific uses are of course much safer, and for someone who knows what
he's doing, I don't object to it.
But almost everyone who asks in the newsgroups what registry cleaner to use
is someone who has "heard" somewhere that it's a good idea to now and then
clean the registry of everything unneeded as a prophylactic measure. That's
exactly the kind of thing that can get you into trouble, and that's why I
always recommend against them.
Not cleaning the registry of uninstalled programs that leave registry
entries will get you in more trouble.
B
BobN
HI. Is it safe to delete registry using ccleaner?
The basic arguement being made is that unless you know that something is
wrong with your car, do not take it in for an oil change. Something might
go wrong.
B
Bruce Chambers
BobN said:Not cleaning the registry of uninstalled programs that leave registry
entries will get you in more trouble.
No, it won't. Such orphaned entries are almost always completely benign.
--
Bruce Chambers
Help us help you:
They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary
safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. -Benjamin Franklin
B
Bruce Chambers
BobN said:The basic arguement being made is that unless you know that something is
wrong with your car, do not take it in for an oil change. Something might
go wrong.
It's clear that you lack a fundamental understanding of the Windows
registry. Cleaning out temporary files and defragging the hard drive is
a computer-related preventative maintenance process that would be more
closely analogous to changing a car's oil. Turning an untrained
computer user loose in the registry is more closely analogous to using a
match to see if there's any gasoline in the tank.
--
Bruce Chambers
Help us help you:
They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary
safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. -Benjamin Franklin
A
antioch
Sorry
That is not the way I have read many threads on the subject - if it aint
broke don't fix it - leave registry alone until there is a problem in it
that needs fixing.
If you do not feel you have the technical ability then ask and get help.
Antioch
That is not the way I have read many threads on the subject - if it aint
broke don't fix it - leave registry alone until there is a problem in it
that needs fixing.
If you do not feel you have the technical ability then ask and get help.
Antioch
K
Ken Blake, MVP
BobN said:Not cleaning the registry of uninstalled programs that leave registry
entries will get you in more trouble.
Not at all true. Unneeded entries just sit there unused and do nothing to
hurt you.
J
John John
Bruce said:No, it won't. Such orphaned entries are almost always completely
benign.
It is more important to clean out your belly-button lint than it is to
clean your registry. Do not stick sharp objects in your belly-button
and do not use registry cleaners to sanitize your registry.
John
G
Guest
Thanks everybody. I got the answer.