editing the registry

  • Thread starter Thread starter jw72253
  • Start date Start date
J

jw72253

when i run regedit, i can see that there are still several references in the
registry to some programs that i have long since uninstalled. specifically,
i can see these under HKEY_CURRENT-USER/Software/. For example, there is a
folder there for Nero, which i have long since trashed, as well as a few
others. although i have run a couple of registry editors, which appeared to
clean something or another in the registry, these references persist. is
there any reason i cannot just open the registry editor, highlight the
folder, and delete it? if i know the program is gone, what would be the
harm? thanks.
 
The keys you describe have no effect on your computer, so you gain
nothing by removing them. On the other hand, making a mistake while
editing the registry can cause real problems for your computer. That's
why the cognoscenti don't tinker with the registry and don't use
so-called cleaners. You are welcome to join the ranks of the enlightened.

Edit the registry when you have a specific need (and 'cleaning' is not a
specific need) and when you are following specific instructions. Always
backup your registry first - there is no 'undo' in regedit.
 
jw72253 said:
when i run regedit, i can see that there are still several references in the
registry to some programs that i have long since uninstalled. specifically,
i can see these under HKEY_CURRENT-USER/Software/. For example, there is a
folder there for Nero, which i have long since trashed, as well as a few
others. although i have run a couple of registry editors, which appeared to
clean something or another in the registry, these references persist. is
there any reason i cannot just open the registry editor, highlight the
folder, and delete it? if i know the program is gone, what would be the
harm? thanks.
Click to expand...

You can either use one of these tools to clean up the orphans registry for
uninstalled software which left behind:
http://www.ccleaner.com
or
"AutoRuns for Windows v8.61 By Mark Russinovich and Bryce Cogswell"
http://www.microsoft.com/technet/sysinternals/ProcessesAndThreads/Autoruns.mspx
HTH.
nass
 
when i run regedit, i can see that there are still several references in the
registry to some programs that i have long since uninstalled. specifically,
i can see these under HKEY_CURRENT-USER/Software/. For example, there is a
folder there for Nero, which i have long since trashed, as well as a few
others.
Click to expand...


Such is a very common occurrence. However, note that these leftover
registry entries take up a tiny amount of disk space, and don't hurt
you in any way.

although i have run a couple of registry editors,
Click to expand...


Bad move. Registry cleaning programs are *all* snake oil. Cleaning of
the registry isn't needed and is dangerous. Leave the registry alone
and don't use any registry cleaner. Despite what many people think,
and what vendors of registry cleaning software try to convince you of,
having unused registry entries doesn't really hurt you.

The risk of a serious problem caused by a registry cleaner erroneously
removing an entry you need is far greater than any potential benefit
it may have.

If you haven't been burned by the registry editors you've run,
consider yourself lucky.


which appeared to
clean something or another in the registry, these references persist. is
there any reason i cannot just open the registry editor, highlight the
folder, and delete it? if i know the program is gone, what would be the
harm? thanks.
Click to expand...


*If* you do it with care, and don't accidentally delete something that
is needed, you are correct that there will be no harm. On the other
hand, there is also no benefit.

Given that there is no benefit to doing what you propose, and that
there is *always* a risk of error, I think it's a bad bargain. I'm
sure I have many such leftover entries in my own registry, but I just
leave them alone.
 
Ken,

your message states "Please reply to the newsgroup," but i am new to this
place and not sure how to do that. i can see only one option regarding
replies.

i was under the impression that windows had to read the registry while
loading, and that a longer registry would take longer to read. so, i figured
removing any irrelevant entries would expedite the process. is this not
true? thanks.

john
 
Ken,

your message states "Please reply to the newsgroup," but i am new to this
place and not sure how to do that. i can see only one option regarding
replies.
Click to expand...


You may not even realize that this is a newsgroup, not really a web
site. I see that you are using the awful web interface to read this
newsgroup--it's the slowest, clunkiest, most error-prone method there
is. Do yourself a favor and switch to a newsreader, such as Outlook
Express, which comes with Windows. See
http://www.michaelstevenstech.com/outlookexpressnewreader.htm

When I say "Please reply to the newsgroup," what I mean is do not try
to reply to me by private E-mail.

i was under the impression that windows had to read the registry while
loading, and that a longer registry would take longer to read. so, i figured
removing any irrelevant entries would expedite the process. is this not
true? thanks.
Click to expand...


No. Any difference is insignificant. You'd never notice it.
 
you are correct, Ken, in that i was not really aware of my "being in a
newsgroup." i have followed your advice (thank you very much), and i
configured OE as a newsgroup reader, which loads now automatically from
Outlook 2007. it does appear to work more quickly and efficiently than the
IE approach.

frankly, it was an interesting digression as i learned a little more about
the interaction of these two programs and about the microsoft newsgroup
server. i always appreciate finding a good use for one of the standard
windows programs, especially when it is one of the little programs that
seemed to have no value for me otherwise. i figured OE was irrelevant since
i was using Outlook, but i can see that it is not at all. moreover, it
satisfies my needs quite well enough, and i have no need to install a
third-party program, or an add-on, to get the job done.

this is likely the last response you will see from me using this logon name
and method. i have changed both, as the instructions you sent suggested, in
order to avoid spammers. talk to you later, incognito. again, thank you.

john
 
you are correct, Ken, in that i was not really aware of my "being in a
newsgroup." i have followed your advice (thank you very much), and i
configured OE as a newsgroup reader, which loads now automatically from
Outlook 2007. it does appear to work more quickly and efficiently than the
IE approach.
Click to expand...


Great! glad you tried it, and glad that you like it.


frankly, it was an interesting digression as i learned a little more about
the interaction of these two programs and about the microsoft newsgroup
server. i always appreciate finding a good use for one of the standard
windows programs, especially when it is one of the little programs that
seemed to have no value for me otherwise. i figured OE was irrelevant since
i was using Outlook, but i can see that it is not at all.
Click to expand...


No, Outlook does E-mail, but not newsgroups, as I guess you've seen by
now.

moreover, it
satisfies my needs quite well enough, and i have no need to install a
third-party program, or an add-on, to get the job done.

this is likely the last response you will see from me using this logon name
and method. i have changed both, as the instructions you sent suggested, in
order to avoid spammers. talk to you later, incognito. again, thank you.
Click to expand...


You're welcome. Glad to help.


 
Ken,

I appreciate your advice about not editing the registry unnecessarily.
However, I have an irritation with one program, which I can eliminate by
editing the registry if i do so correctly. The program, Norton System
Works, has a maintenance routine called Norton WinDoctor, which reports this
error to me whenever I run its process:

The key, "CLSID\{1171A62F-05D2-11D1-83FC-00A0C9089C5A}\InprocServer32,"
refers to a missing file, "C:\WINDOWS\system32\Macromed\Flash\Flash9b.ocx."

Most of the problems like this found by WinDoctor it can fix itself; but it
cannot fix this one. It will continue to report this problem until one of
two things happens. First, I can install FlashPlayer on my system even
though i do not need it. Secondly, I can edit the registry manually to
remove this entry. Now, I am not an especially anal minded person, but this
problem is surely an eyesore to me. i have researched and fixed all the
other peculiar error messages that could not be fixed automatically; and i
am now down to this last one. so, it has to go too.

Can you think of any reason why i should not edit the registry and simply
delete this key? thanks.

john
 
Just export the key and make a restore point before you delete the key.

--
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
www.paulsxp.com
www.paulsxp.com/forum
www.supportspace.com/home/home.s2?aiu=paulm
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

jw72253 said:
Ken,

I appreciate your advice about not editing the registry unnecessarily.
However, I have an irritation with one program, which I can eliminate by
editing the registry if i do so correctly. The program, Norton System
Works, has a maintenance routine called Norton WinDoctor, which reports
this error to me whenever I run its process:

The key, "CLSID\{1171A62F-05D2-11D1-83FC-00A0C9089C5A}\InprocServer32,"
refers to a missing file,
"C:\WINDOWS\system32\Macromed\Flash\Flash9b.ocx."

Most of the problems like this found by WinDoctor it can fix itself; but
it cannot fix this one. It will continue to report this problem until one
of two things happens. First, I can install FlashPlayer on my system even
though i do not need it. Secondly, I can edit the registry manually to
remove this entry. Now, I am not an especially anal minded person, but
this problem is surely an eyesore to me. i have researched and fixed all
the other peculiar error messages that could not be fixed automatically;
and i am now down to this last one. so, it has to go too.

Can you think of any reason why i should not edit the registry and simply
delete this key? thanks.

john
Click to expand...
 
Back
Top