To clean or not to clean the Registry: that be the question

[Infinicore]

But I won't criticize anyone who's not willing to take a chance with their registry. I just had to rebuild a computer for someone who took a chance and decided to NOT have their computer maintained for over two years. That was one of those chances that didn't turn out so well.

I think that's like apples and oranges (comparison-wise); there's maintenance; and then there's cleaning the registry. Lets not get the Captain of the Titantic confused with a good one!!

[Just Plain Fred]

I didn't notice any difference at all so I think I will refrain from cleaning it in the future because it seems that having a registry cleaned is more likely to give you problems then not cleaning it and leaving it alone.

Banyarola,
Hello... Just like to give a slightly different approach .. I use jv-16 and CCleaner, as well as most ...and they are correct in what they are saying... Little or no difference, with the opportunity for disaster. However..what i do is this... When i want to remove some program after using an "Un-installer" i launch the registry editor and click "Edit" then "Find" Input the name of the offending program and hit "enter" ...After it (Registry Editor) finds the entry , i delete it ( you could export it if you want ) Then hit F-3 ...and repeat the process until nothing is left ... This way your usually only dealing with one thing at a time... other than spilling a beer on your keyboard Regards Fred

[bobprimak]

Banyarola,
Hello... Just like to give a slightly different approach .. I use jv-16 and CCleaner, as well as most ...and they are correct in what they are saying... Little or no difference, with the opportunity for disaster. However..what i do is this... When i want to remove some program after using an "Un-installer" i launch the registry editor and click "Edit" then "Find" Input the name of the offending program and hit "enter" ...After it (Registry Editor) finds the entry , i delete it ( you could export it if you want ) Then hit F-3 ...and repeat the process until nothing is left ... This way your usually only dealing with one thing at a time... other than spilling a beer on your keyboard Regards Fred

What you do manually is basically what Revo uninstaller does automatically. You are given the choice of what to actually delete or what to save before the uninstaller moves on to actually cleaning up the Registry.

And as for the general case of Registry cleaning, I have only one reason to clean my Registry in either Windows XP or Windows 7. That is to avoid boot time conflicts in the case of failed driver updates, program removals or updates, failed installs, or spyware cleanups. In other words, about once a month after MS Updates and software checking. Otherwise, there is no discernible benefit to cleaning the Registry -- it is not read line by line during boot up, and the amount of RAM used by loading it is insignificant on modern PCs with adequate system RAM to begin with. Compacting or defragmenting the Registry can cause irreparable harm and offers no benefit on a modern PC.

[Medico]

We read on a regular basis about someone who has developed a difficult to T/S problem that ultimately resulted from a poor uninstaller not doing a good job. These problems are often ultimately resolved by removing the offending culprits in the registry. Hmmm, isn't this exactly what is being discussed here? When doing a registry cleanup you have to be dilligent in checking what is being removed. When I uninstall an app using Revo Uninstaller Pro, I always then use CCleaner to look for leftover junk from that uninstall. I think this is the best use of these tools in registry cleaning. As stated previously I use CCleaner more often for general cleanup of temp. files.

As Bob has just stated, failed installs can also cause these type problems, and CCleaner can assist with this removal. You just have to watch what CCleaner finds and only remove the items that you truly want gone.

[vicescape]

Clean your system at regular times!
Junk slows down your system and caused crashes!!!
I lead help desk and have 30 years of experience!

[JGW321]

My experience has taught me that "cleaning" the registry does not shorten boot time or program load time at all.

Oh be fair Eikelein, it can take at least 100 milliseconds off the boot time in a bad case.

[shermank]

Fascinating thread, and it proves what most of us know...all computer setups are unique and there is no one size fits all solution.

I for one have not had much success with Easy Cleaner. When I have tried to do a reg clean, the program locks up and I have to use task manager to free things up.

I do like CC...and have good success. Whether the reg cleaner has actually done anything, I will leave to the real techies to decide.

I am surprised that no one has mentioned WinPatrol as an overall system checker. I have that set in my startups, so every time any new program attempts to install an active X or new startup, I can deal with it on a one by one basis. I am not at my home computer now, and cannot list what is there, but I have only a handful of programs on auto start.

As for virus protection I uninstalled AVG in favor of MSSE...small footprint, very efficient, imo.

Sherm

[SingerBill]

A good general-purpose cleaner for several areas is Glary Utilities, also recommended by F. Langa (as memory serves me). I've used it on several computers and decreased the boot time. You can use the one-click checks all option -- used it on my sister's comp. a few weeks ago and it took about 15 mins. to run the first time.

Of course, taking out all the unnecessary boot-up junk by using MSCONFIG will also decrease this boot-up time. Most of the add-ons will also want to start an update program every time you boot up your comp. Have fun -- BTW -- Glary Utilities is freeware.

[Foomer]

IMHO, no, registry cleaning won't improve boot-up time, but I do like to keep a 'clean house' … so I do use CCleaner's Registry Cleaner on occasion and only delete those entries that reference programs I know I have already deleted (hence the orphan). CCleaner's power is cleaning the more common repositories of 'junk' in Windows and Applications with just one utility (and you can exclude some of those 'log file' locations that are your preferences, as mentioned above). It's fairly thorough and you can review what it will delete and 'deselect' any entry of your choice. THEN, follow that up with a good defrag using MyDefrag 'System Disk Monthly' script (which places all files used when booting at the beginning of the disk, followed by 'most used programs', then 'regular files', and finally spacehogs) with files sorted by their 'fullpath', keeping it all in contiguous order. This can take hours to complete depending on your system set-up, and is best done as a ‘scheduled task’ when you are ‘logged off’ (not shut down) so additional files are available to the defragger. THAT will improve efficiency immensely. Also, like others have suggested, review your 'startups' with SysInternals Autoruns 'Logon' category and deselect any 'update' and 'loading of third party software' that you may not want in your boot-up sequence. This would surely get the results you are looking for in optimizing your PC. I have also found Revo Uninstaller (free) to do a better job at 'housekeeping' than the manufacturers 'Uninstall' alone, keeping your system in better shape (now that you have done a thorough cleaning). This, again, is just 'my' experience in cleaning up and optimizing PCs at our company. I won't throw stones at anyone whose opinions are of a different path. I just thank you for considering my experiences in your evaluation of this topic.

[best1syn2oil]

I am running XP Home SP3 and have used CCleaner for years with no issues. I do run jv16 Power Tools weekly and check what it finds in the Registry. I have had an issue or two, but have gone back and looked at what was removed that hosed an application and added it to the ignore list. I too use Revo Uninstaller Pro to rid myself of software as I go. By far the biggest improvement to performance has been not that I defrag, but as one other post mentioned, how it is done. I use Ultimate Defrag 3 and arrange the data very similar to the other poster. I check for updates to all applications weekly...when done I reboot, run CCleaner, jv16 Power Tools clean & fix and then run a Malware Bytes scan. After this (assuming a clean machine), I run thru Event Viewer to check on any issues. Next is Chkdsk (the results of which I check in Event Viewer) then run Ultimate Defrag. I then use True Image to make a full backup image to a dedicated drive.

[Infinicore]

IMHO, no, registry cleaning won't improve boot-up time, but I do like to keep a 'clean house'

To me, that's what it all boils down to; can the individual user stand the knowledge that there are useless or otherwise dead end registry entries, and leave them alone, or have to go after them at the risk of removing an entry or two that should not have been. Looking for particular entries associated with a program that one knows has been removed is a separate issue. Its the social aspect...the mindset we're dealing with here...and the reason that RAM managers still sell as well; why almost any "optimization" software still exists--to appeal to the human user, not the comptuer.

[CLiNT]

If I am called upon to help someone out with a slow or dysfunctional computer, there will be a better than average chance that a registry cleaning tool will be used.
Registry tools should never be used willy nilly on a daily basis and the user should always be looking closely at what is being done.

If you don't believe in registry cleaning tools then don't use them, this topic has been done to death already and it will never be resolved.

[Jagworld]

LOL, yep---- kind of used up on this registry thing.

I think (for the most part) we know that all serious registry guru's know that jv power tools is the holy grail of reggie tools and the last free download is @ if interested;

[DrWho]

There are several reliable registry cleaners, but if a person is not 100% convinced that they should use one.....then don't!
There is very little downside, either way.
Some people never clean out their car either, but it still runs.

Even Microsoft put out a program to clean Dead Links out of the registry, years ago.
I still use it occasionally and it still works great.

Happy Holidays Everyone!
The Doctor

[colinbain]

I have used cleaners since XP days. Most recently I used it on my wifes ("our") laptop (Win7) And then "we" started getting Microsoft Activation messages. Now, it may have been coincidence. We might have had a virus. I'm dead certain she, sorry, we didn't intentionally change any settings. I backed everything up. Thankfully its an HP with a recovery centre. I figure 6 hours minimum plus a troubled nights sleep. I won't be using a cleaner on Win 7.