registry cleaner for 64 bit

  • Thread starter Thread starter Mister Scary
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M

Mister Scary

Such software does not exist, and it makes me angry. When I upgrade to
Vista it will be to make the leap to 64 bit. But I will not do so if what I
consider essential software does not exist to support the operating system.
 
Most experts would say that registry cleaners are entirely unnecessary, and
often harmful.

SteveT
 
not only experts.
Having worked in tech support for two major companies, I suggest only one
use for so-called programs.
They *might* help stabilize a system for a short time, while recovering from
serious problems, before a complete OS installation.
(which would also remove the offending "cleaner", which should not be
re-installed)

The risk of damage to a critical OS tool is far greater than savings of a
few bytes in the registry.
Although many techs still use them, the company policy even 7 years ago, was
to never use these things.
I've had many a disagreement with all sorts of company policies, management,
and authority in general.
This one, from both direct and indirect experience, I agree with.
 
It's more essential that you not use any registry cleaner - they are
probably the number one cause of problems in Windows machines. They
frequently misidentify and remove essential entries, later leaving the user
clueless as to why something isn't working.

The only time one should use a tool of this type is when it is specific to
removing the remnants of a program and is provided by the software vendor.
Never, ever use a general registry cleaning tool - period.

--
Best of Luck,

Rick Rogers, aka "Nutcase" - Microsoft MVP

Windows help - www.rickrogers.org
My thoughts http://rick-mvp.blogspot.com
 
Mister said:
Such software does not exist, and it makes me angry. When I upgrade to
Vista it will be to make the leap to 64 bit. But I will not do so if
what I consider essential software does not exist to support the
operating system.
Click to expand...


Why do you even think you'd ever need to clean your registry? What
specific *problems* are you actually experiencing (not some program's
bogus listing of imaginary problems) that you think can be fixed by
using a registry "cleaner?"

If you do have a problem that is rooted in the registry, it would
be far better to simply edit (after backing up, of course) only the
specific key(s) and/or value(s) that are causing the problem. After
all, why use a chainsaw when a scalpel will do the job? Additionally,
the manually changing of one or two registry entries is far less likely
to have the dire consequences of allowing an automated product to make
multiple changes simultaneously. The only thing needed to safely clean
your registry is knowledge and Regedit.exe.

The registry contains all of the operating system's "knowledge" of
the computer's hardware devices, installed software, the location of the
device drivers, and the computer's configuration. A misstep in the
registry can have severe consequences. One should not even turning
loose a poorly understood automated "cleaner," unless he is fully
confident that he knows *exactly* what is going to happen as a result of
each and every change.

Having repeatedly seen the results of inexperienced people using
automated registry "cleaners," I can only advise all but the most
experienced computer technicians (and/or hobbyists) to avoid them all.
Experience has shown me that such tools simply are not safe in the hands
of the inexperienced user. If you lack the knowledge and experience to
maintain your registry by yourself, then you also lack the knowledge and
experience to safely configure and use any automated registry cleaner,
no matter how safe they claim to be.

More importantly, no one has ever demonstrated that the use of an
automated registry "cleaner," particularly by an untrained,
inexperienced computer user, does any real good, whatsoever. There's
certainly been no empirical evidence offered to demonstrate that the use
of such products to "clean" WinXP's registry improves a computer's
performance or stability. Given the potential for harm, it's just not
worth the risk.

Granted, most registry "cleaners" won't cause problems each and
every time they're used, but the potential for harm is always there.
And, since no registry "cleaner" has ever been demonstrated to do any
good (think of them like treating the flu with chicken soup - there's no
real medicinal value, but it sometimes provides a warming placebo
effect), I always tell people that the risks far out-weigh the
non-existent benefits.

I will concede that a good registry *scanning* tool, in the hands
of an experienced and knowledgeable technician or hobbyist can be a
useful time-saving diagnostic tool, as long as it's not allowed to make
any changes automatically. But I really don't think that there are any
registry "cleaners" that are truly safe for the general public to use.
Experience has proven just the opposite: such tools simply are not safe
in the hands of the inexperienced user.

A little further reading on the subject:

Why I don't use registry cleaners
http://www.edbott.com/weblog/?p=643

AumHa Forums • View topic - AUMHA Discussion: Should I Use a Registry
Cleaner?
http://aumha.net/viewtopic.php?t=28099


--

Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:


http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx/kb/555375

They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary
safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. ~Benjamin Franklin

Many people would rather die than think; in fact, most do. ~Bertrand Russell

The philosopher has never killed any priests, whereas the priest has
killed a great many philosophers.
~ Denis Diderot
 
Such software does not exist, and it makes me angry. When I upgrade to
Vista it will be to make the leap to 64 bit. But I will not do so if what
I consider essential software does not exist to support the operating
system.
Click to expand...
Why do you feel a registry cleaner is essential?
 
IMO the only registry cleaner that's worth using is one that makes you choose
each and every item to "clean" - if it automates the process there's a chance
of error. And I've experienced my share of errors with them - that's why I
don't use or recommend them to anyone.

- John
 
You don't need a registry cleaner; in fact registry cleaners cause more
problems than they actually cure. I don't use a registry cleaner and haven't
done so since Windows XP. My philosophy is 'if you can't edit the registry
manually, then leave well alone.'

--

--
John Barnett MVP
Windows XP Associate Expert
Windows Desktop Experience

Web: http://xphelpandsupport.mvps.org
Web: http://vistasupport.mvps.org
Web: http://www.silversurfer-guide.com

The information in this mail/post 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/post. 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/post..
 
Mister said:
Such software does not exist, and it makes me angry.
Click to expand...

Why would a lack of harmful software make you angry? For most people, it's
the other way around.
 
Victek said:
Why do you feel a registry cleaner is essential?
Click to expand...
They are useful when uninstalls don't go smoothly. The technique I used in
the past was to go through the registry and edit it
by hand when I had problems.

There are two registry cleaners from Microsoft Gold Certified Partners.
Uniblue Registry Booster and Systweak Advanced
System Optimizer. I have used Registry Booster many times and not had any
problems with it.
 
Registry cleaners do more harm than good. There isn't one that is consistent
They are best left well alone.

I recently was asked to look at Wise Registry Cleaner and Regcure. Both
produced so many false positives it was unbelievable. On the first run Wise
informed me that 450 registry items needed deleting. After deleting these
(without checking, because that's what most people do (and this was a test
machine)), Luckily the PC restarted. The next step was to try Regcure which
came up with a whopping 1800 entries to delete. Quite a big difference, you
will agree.

My motto is 'if you are not competent to edit the registry manually, then
leave well alone.'


--

--
John Barnett MVP
Windows XP Associate Expert
Windows Desktop Experience

Web: http://xphelpandsupport.mvps.org
Web: http://vistasupport.mvps.org
Web: http://www.silversurfer-guide.com

The information in this mail/post 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/post. 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/post..
 
Gordon said:
Never heard of him. Who is Mark Russinovich? Does he post here as MVP?
Not that I've seen......
And IMHO they are STILL snake oil. Yes I've tried them from 95 up to XP
and had NO appreciable increase in performance....
Click to expand...


Who is Mark Russinovich? Google is your friend. If Mark says it, it's
true. The important thing here is that most knowledgeable people will
say to stay away from cleaners. An important point is that Mark, in his
blog, was fixing a definite problem not just general cleaning. Another
point is that Mark knows what the hell he's doing. Most of us don't. The
only reason I can think of for not using cleaners (I don't) is that if
you don't know what you're doing you will destroy your OS, so I agree
with you that they shouldn't be used unless you need to solve a problem.

--
Dave T.


You can't imagine the extra work I had when I was a god. - Hirohito,
Emporer of Japan
 
Dave T. said:
Who is Mark Russinovich? Google is your friend. If Mark says it, it's
true.
Click to expand...

I was being sarcastic, in that "andysacks" assumed that we ALL know who he
is.....


The important thing here is that most knowledgeable people will
say to stay away from cleaners. An important point is that Mark, in his
blog, was fixing a definite problem not just general cleaning. Another
point is that Mark knows what the hell he's doing. Most of us don't. The
only reason I can think of for not using cleaners (I don't) is that if you
don't know what you're doing you will destroy your OS, so I agree with you
that they shouldn't be used unless you need to solve a problem.
Click to expand...

Most of them tend to be advertised as "tune-up" utilities, not as specific
problem solvers... ;-)
 
I won't consider it because of the gimmicky ad pop-ups telling me that it is
my last chance to get an immediate
price discount or some such. Similarly, I can't stand Advanced System
Optimizer because it won't let you leave the
web page.

Everyone has bashed registry cleaners but no one has told about a bad
experience with my own choice,
Uniblue Registry Booster.

To say that, in general, registry cleaners are junk is to say nothing at
all. Of course they are junk in general, I've known
that for a long time.
 
Try ' Best Registry Cleaner' (http://www.win7zilla.com) to Clean your
registry.

Hope you will fix your problem.
Click to expand...



It's much more likely that using a registry cleaner will *create* a
problem.

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.

Read http://www.edbott.com/weblog/archives/000643.html
 
--->
It's much more likely that using a registry cleaner will *create* a
problem.

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.

Read http://www.edbott.com/weblog/archives/000643.html
Click to expand...

Welcome to 'beat your head against a wall 101' Ken. I bet you have this
text stored in a file don't you. :grin:

Questor
 
Hi, KiethJohn.

I agree with Ken.

Reminds me of the practical joke that was common in the early days of
telephones. A prankster would call and say, "Mrs. Jones, this is the phone
company calling to let you know that today is when we blow out the phone
lines. So please cover all your nice furniture and leave your phone
receiver off the hook. We'll use a powerful blower here at the telephone
office and it will blow all the accumulated dust and debris out. Sadly, the
dust will all come out through your receiver and we just wanted you to be
prepared." The pranksters enjoyed visiting Mrs. Jones later in the day,
saying they had been trying to phone her and asking why her phone was off
the hook - and why her furniture was covered.

I think "registry cleaners" basically just "blow the dust out" of the
Registry. They do about as much good as those old pranksters - and often
more harm. :>(

RC
--
R. C. White, CPA
San Marcos, TX
(e-mail address removed)
Microsoft Windows MVP
Windows Live Mail 2009 (14.0.8089.0726) in Win7 Ultimate x64
 
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