Registry Cleaner/repairer

[fubz]

What would you guys reccomend as a good registry cleaner/repairer. I know there are 1001 of them, but there has to be one or two that really stand out.

While I'm at it asking... what other tools should I have to make sure my computer is nice and tidy?

Edited February 12, 2006 by fubz

[MrBill]

What would you guys reccomend as a good registry cleaner/repairer. I know there are 1001 of them, but there has to be one or two that really stand out.

While I'm at it asking... what other tools should I have to make sure my computer is nice and tidy?

I would not even worry about a registry cleaner. They usually do more harm then good. If you aren't having any major issues, I would not worry about it. Do you have a firewall that works both Incoming and Outgoing?

A spyware program like Spybot Search & Destroy? A spyware program like SpywareBlaster? And of course a Anti Virus Program

I delete my Cookies, Temp Files and Clear History and run Disc Cleanup with ALL the boxes checked at least once or twice a week. Other then that a Defrag every couple of months and that is about it.

Need a link to Spybot and Spyware Blaster, go to www.majorgeeks.com and click on Spyware on the right side and go from there.

[xxkbxx]

I'm a big fan of Registry Mechanic - it costs a little bit of money, but you can't realisticly expect any freeware to help your registry

[shanenin]

you can't realisticly expect any freeware to help

their is is some really good freeware out there: all of the OSs based on the free linux kernel, the gimp, dvd shrink, dvd dycrypter, mplayer, k3b(dvd/cd player software), firefox, and tons more.

[fubz]

Alright guys, thanks, looks like im set

[Mainter]

i use pc on point i found it to be a real good registry cleaner and they have a little registry cleaner in a freeware program called CCleaner never had any problems after cleaning

[shanenin]

I have never cleaned my registry, in all honesty, do you think it really helps?

[fubz]

It supposidly is suppose to....

but maybe that was back when computers were 33mhz and 64kb of ram....

Edited February 12, 2006 by fubz

[TheTerrorist_75]

If you are not careful with CCleaner it can cripple your registry.

[martymas]

i agree about ccleaner being dangerous.

i used it for some time.

until i discovered it had taken out an application dll file.

which made me have to reinstall xp.

i emailed them

and the reply i recieved was they

had to remodify it because of this problem

dont get me wrong.

it is a good program

but needs to be studies before it is used

now i dont need a program like that

all i do is use the resources.

in xp

and i have been trouble free

i would like to go back and use ccleaner

but that little incedent

scared the s-----t out of me

marty

[thesidekickcat]

Hi folks,

Yes I have been wondering about these cleaners too. And also scared of them because I am not a techie able to fix any problems they might cause.

Been having more than usual amount of trouble with Norton AV and FW lately, so am going to switch to F-Secure Internet Security Suite I think, but wanted to make sure all traces of Norton are wiped off my system (though I think the F-Secure site said it removes conflicting stuff so that may be enough after I do normal add/remove of Norton stuff I hope!!!)

I downloaded CCleaner (crap cleaner), but have not used it yet.

To scared to try it, though if Norton makes any more trouble I might get desperate enough to do it. Norton's removal instructions have been changing alot lately and getting more involved over time. I am finally at the place that I would rather switch than fight it anymore.

Pat

God bless everyone.

[TheTerrorist_75]

I find that to remove any anti-virus program it is best to do so in Safe Mode and make sure it isn't running on the taskbar.

[thesidekickcat]

Thanks for the reply.

I recently read that Norton uses the new Windows installer, so supposedly it wont uninstall in Safe Mode because of that. Though will try it anyways. Thanks.

Pat

God bless everyone

[bearskin]

Thanks for the reply.

I recently read that Norton uses the new Windows installer, so supposedly it wont uninstall in Safe Mode because of that. Though will try it anyways. Thanks.

Pat

God bless everyone

may have a look at this:

http://service1.symantec.com/SUPPORT/tsgen...005033108162039

[thesidekickcat]

Thanks Bearskin,

Yes I have read that one, and have it as a backup plan. (though they keep on modifying it).

My problem seems to be that I have some bits and pieces of an older 2003 version according to the Automated Assistant and LiveUpdate errors, even though I used their special tool to get rid of it before installing the later 2005AV and 2004FW versions that I have now. Also the LiveUpdate had me install the newest LiveUpdate which I should have followed my gut that it was wrong thing to do, so now have scads of LiveUpdates or parts there of in my system. And now LiveUpdate is not working without failure errors, so am using Intelligent Updater. Personally I am ready to switch rather than fight it anymore, even though I have a brand new Norton 2005 Internet Security on hand just in case I needed to do a clean install, before Automated Assistant informed me what the problem was finally. I think it came to the surface after Norton did the update that brought those hidden rootkit folders to surface a few weeks ago, before that I had no idea what was causing all the problems.

I just read today in the Jan 2006 issue of PC World (go to find.pcworld.com/49964 to get free copy of this tool) (I was reading old issues while doing an online scan) that Microsoft has a Windows Installer Cleanup Utility, that may clean things up for me after I uninstall Norton stuff from Add/Remove Programs. Will check it out this week, and download it if it works on my Windows 2000. Will let everyone know what I find out.

Pat

God bless everyone.

[thesidekickcat]

I said I'd be back to tell you what I found out about the Windows Installer Clean Up Utility tool. So here goes.

First I found it mentioned in the Jan 06 issue of PC World magazine in an article called Gunk Busters.

PC World mag Gunk Busters Cleaning Windows

Next is the Microsoft article with link to tool download on this Windows Installer Clean Up Utility tool.

Microsoft article and link to download of Windows Installer Clean Up Utility

Be careful not to take out needed stuff if you use this program.

I have it downloaded, not going to use it unless I need to. I did check what it listed, and there are about 5 or 6 Symantec items in it. So that will be one way to check if they are really removed when I use the add/remove for Norton stuff.

In case anyone wonders why I don't use the Symantec tools, the biggest reason is I don't trust them anymore to not cause more trouble for me besides what previous ones did. Plus the more I look at just that one sheet of instructions the more I get cold feet over doing any of it, plus I would have to rerun the previous tool that didn't completely work in the first place that is giving all the troubles now. So the potential for more trouble is more than I can handle as a non-tech person. So as I said before, I would rather switch than fight. I still don't know why they can't make it simpler to fully get rid of older versions by just doing an uninstall in Add/Remove!!! It seems like they want to sell to the ordinary person, but only techs can deal with any problems they give with poor uninstall proceedures!!! Great AV and FW protection, but terrible at being user friendly from one version to next for normal users!!!

Pat

God bless everyone.

Edited February 17, 2006 by thesidekickcat

[Chappy]

I'm against using registry cleaning tools myself, and I've seen far more damage done to systems from them than I ever have seen any good.

Unless you have a very specific problem like Pat's, where you know exactly what kind of things to look for, (Symantec/Norton entries), registry cleaners notoriously show false positives and say they can be deleted, when in reality they're still in use.

Unless you know how to recognize any false positives that these cleaners may target, I STRONGLY recommend that you don't use them.

In almost all cases, a few orphaned keys left behind from an uninstalled program or two, are NOT going to affect the OS in any negative way, and it will not slow your computer noticably at all. These orphaned keys are ignored by the system since nothing is left to call for their use any more, and as I said....I've seen more problems caused by these things than I've ever seen fixed.