Registry Cleaner's

[Badcompany]

Hello Forum,
Which is the best Registry Cleaner for fixing problem's, Amust or Regsupreme.
Badcompany.

[InfinityAz]

I've used Regsupreme (or pro or JV16) for years and I have never had a problem. If I had to choose only one, this would be it.

I tried AMUST but still don't trust it the way I trust Regsupreme.

[CJsDad]

You can also try Ace Utlilities.

As with any registry cleaner just make sure you know what you're about to remove and always have a backup to your registry before cleaning anything, you dont want to remove something and regret it later later.
I've known people to click the "clean" button as soon as the scan is finished without even taking the time to see what is being removed.

[crookit]

I've used jv16 for a number of years, just fine for me.

[murphy2006]

Do you really need a Registry Cleaner?:)

[ErikAlbert]

-{ Quote: "Do you really need a Registry Cleaner?:)" }-
I'm not sure yet, but it's my intention to avoid the use of registry cleaners in the future. There are other ways to keep your registry clean IMHO.
I never noticed any improvement after using a registry cleaner.
Better 10 registries too many, than one too short. :)

[Jaws]

-{ Quote: "I've used jv16 for a number of years, just fine for me." }-
I agree. Been using the free version for years. Never had a problem whatsoever and that includes removing the red and green entries. The automatic backup give peace of mind.

-{ Quote: "Do you really need a Registry Cleaner?" }-
NO. It's just for the anal obsessive.;D

HTH

[Badcompany]

I am totally confused over this issue, This is my first computer so i have very limited knowledge. I thought cleaning the registry was the same as servicing your car.
Badcompany:-\

[ErikAlbert]

-{ Quote: "I am totally confused over this issue, This is my first computer so i have very limited knowledge. I thought cleaning the registry was the same as servicing your car.
Badcompany:-\" }-
Badcompany,
Registry cleaning is a 'dangerous' activity for users with a limited knowledge.
Try 5 popular registry cleaners and you will notice that the results aren't the same.
Different registry cleaner = different programmer = different quality.

My personal choice of registry cleaner will be based on this :
1. I will install winXPproSP2 (only that) and 5 well-known registry cleaners.
2. I will run all five one by one.

Because my harddisk has ONLY winXPproSP2, I expect that all 5 registry cleaners will report NOTHING because at that moment my harddisk is clean and contains only valid winXPproSP2-registries.

If they all reported something, I will take the one with the lowest number of reported registries.
All the reported registries are in that case false positives without any doubt.

If one of them didn't report anything, I will take that one for sure, because that could be the safest one.

To keep my registry clean, I will use Total Uninstall to uninstall softwares.
Most softwares have a bad uninstaller and don't remove everything from your harddisk and registry is often forgotten.
Total Uninstall does a better job.

[Badcompany]

Hi Erikalbert,
Thank you for your very clear reply, it sounds very logic.I have a program could Window Washer I think I would be beter to stick with this one. It cleans anything left behind after a uninstall.Do you know the program.
Badcompany.:)

[WSFuser]

doesnt Window Washer just clean junk files from ur computer? afaik, it doesnt do anything to the registry except maybe clear MRU entries.

i myself prefer the free CCleaner. it does a good job of cleaning unnecessary files and it also has its own registry cleaner.

[Badcompany]

-{ Quote: "doesnt Window Washer just clean junk files from ur computer? afaik, it doesnt do anything to the registry except maybe clear MRU entries.

i myself prefer the free CCleaner. it does a good job of cleaning unnecessary files and it also has its own registry cleaner." }-

Hi WSFuser,
I have read that CCleaner is dangerous if you don't have a good knowledge of the registry.

[WSFuser]

-{ Quote: "Hi WSFuser,
I have read that CCleaner is dangerous if you don't have a good knowledge of the registry." }-
well i neither use registry backups or have good knowledge of the registry, but so far everything is going well for my comp.

guess im pretty lucky ;D

[ErikAlbert]

-{ Quote: "doesnt Window Washer just clean junk files from ur computer? afaik, it doesnt do anything to the registry except maybe clear MRU entries.
" }-
I've just read the homepage and nothing is mentioned about registry cleaning.
So your memory doesn't have any security holes yet.

[aigle]

I have a very limited knowledge but I think the registry cleaners are just promoted from bussiness point of view. No actual benefit. If u really need to clean some bad regitry enteries that can be done manually and it is not needed unless u get some malware that needs manual cleaning, of course not job of a biginner or u will need a spoon-feeding tutorial.

[Eldar]

-{ Quote: "I have a very limited knowledge but I think the registry cleaners are just promoted from bussiness point of view. No actual benefit." }-Not true, but perhaps for some it coud be true.:-\
If you do install/uninstall a lot of software your registry becomes cluthered with junk you don't need. Bad uninstallers or uninstallers which leave traces inside your registry or some who don't even work.

After some time it becomes a big registry file which leads to slower startup times for your PC, because every time your PC starts up it has to load your registry. You'll also see the difference once your registry has been cleaned and optimized. :)

Even using a tool such as Total Uninstall is no guarantee that everything got removed, although in most cases it does an excellent job.

I've been using a lot of registry cleaners like Registry Mechanic, Ccleaner, RegSeeker, ... but in the end I decide to only use three of which I'm more then satisfied.
Those are RegSupreme, Ace Utilities and TuneUp Utilities. 8)
For as long as I've been using them I never experienced any problems, besides you still need to look at what you're removing/fixing, as well as let the cleaners take a backup prior to deleting anything. -{ Quote: "If u really need to clean some bad regitry enteries that can be done manually and it is not needed unless u get some malware that needs manual cleaning, of course not job of a biginner or u will need a spoon-feeding tutorial." }-Not recommended to go clean yourself something inside this registry. In case you do something wrong and didn't take a backup, it could mean reinstalling your OS. :(

That's also why registry cleaners are recommended for most people who don't have a clue about the registry. It does the job for them and in most cases it does it well, depending on the registry cleaner they used.

From first experience I know a good registry cleaner can prevent having a lot of problems with junk left inside that registry. You only have to look at uninstalling Norton and you'll know why.

In any case this was just my 0.2 eurocent, but my PC runs smoother since I use those tools. :D

[ErikAlbert]

-{ Quote: "Even using a tool such as Total Uninstall is no guarantee that everything got removed, although in most cases it does an excellent job." }-

Did you use the free version or the very last paid version of "Total Uninstall" to make the above statement ?
I'm only asking this, because I'm planning to use "Total Uninstall".

If it's true, it won't bother me, because my reasoning is as follows :

1. As you said, in most cases it will do an excellent job and will remove the software completely and that is enough for me.

2. Because "Total Uninstall" seems to fail sometimes, I can use Total Uninstall to remove the software.
After that I can run a registry cleaner to remove the leftovers of the removed software.
That makes the use of a registry cleaner much safer, because you will be looking for specific registries that can be recognized and remove them with a valid reason.

This is much better than using a registry cleaner for periodical cleaning, where you don't look for specific registries and just remove them without having a real reason, than just cleaning.

3. One question.
When you install a software, monitored by Total Uninstall, can you see each object of this software, that has been installed on your harddisk, like folders, files and registries ?
If it does, that would be good for me, because I can use that info for another purpose.

TIA.

[Eldar]

-{ Quote: "Did you use the free version or the very last paid version of "Total Uninstall" to make the above statement ?
I'm only asking this, because I'm planning to use "Total Uninstall"." }-Never used the free version, only paid version here. ;D -{ Quote: "2. Because "Total Uninstall" seems to fail sometimes, I can use Total Uninstall to remove the software." }-It failed on me two times already, but that could be due to something else. (conflict with software?)
In this case I had to remove manually the folders and used my registry cleaners to remove the rest. :thumb:
-{ Quote: "After that I can run a registry cleaner to remove the leftovers of the removed software." }-If Total Uninstall does its job then you won't have to use a registry cleaner.
First you remove the software by using the uninstaller and afterwards you use TU to remove the bits left. 8) -{ Quote: "That makes the use of a registry cleaner much safer, because you will be looking for specific registries that can be recognized and remove them with a valid reason." }-See answer above. -{ Quote: "This is much better than using a registry cleaner for periodical cleaning, where you don't look for specific registries and just remove them without having a real reason, than just cleaning." }-If I use my registry cleaners, I always let them make a backup and I look at all the entries in the log prior to removing them.
That's just common sense, but until now it never went wrong. :D -{ Quote: "3. One question.
When you install a software, monitored by Total Uninstall, can you see each object of this software, that has been installed on your harddisk, like folders, files and registries ?" }-It shows you a lot of things, because it takes a snapshot of all the changes made and not only for the folders, files and registry entries.
Not an expert on it, but it gives you a very detailed log. 8)

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y239/eldarwyn/Wilders/total_uninstall_interface.jpg

[ErikAlbert]

Eldar,
Many thanks for the log. It looks good enough to use it for other purposes.
That was the second reason, why I was interested in "Total Uninstall". ;D

[Eldar]

My pleasure ErikAlbert. ;)
You won't regret buying this excellent tool. :thumb:

[TheQuest]

Hi, murphy2006


-{ Quote: "Do you really need a Registry Cleaner?:)" }-
Microsoft seem to think so:- Windows Live Safety Center (http://spaces.msn.com/safetycenter/Blog/cns!8A533CD69529D377!706.entry)

Take Care,
TheQuest 8)

PS: I have used jv16 [all flavors] for what seem forever

[ErikAlbert]

-{ Quote: "Microsoft seem to think so:- Windows Live Safety Center (http://spaces.msn.com/safetycenter/Blog/cns!8A533CD69529D377!706.entry)
" }-
I don't think it was Microsoft's idea to provide a registry cleaner, because there wasn't any in the beginning.
Their users wanted a registry cleaner. :)

[Meriadoc]

-{ Quote: "I am totally confused over this issue, This is my first computer so i have very limited knowledge. I thought cleaning the registry was the same as servicing your car.
Badcompany:-\" }-

You'd think so, but just be careful the good advice here if you are going to use them is backup.
In my registry I have entries pointing (simply) no where, apparently on first look entries left over from uninstalling, but not so. They are pointing to parts of a program not used yet, or pointing to files that WILL be installed (first use install.) So you do really have to be carful and check what you are doing. Some cleaners have the option of staying away from certain areas, and some do a good job of fixing a problem.

[WSFuser]

Microsoft did at one time release a registry cleaner, RegClean (http://www.majorgeeks.com/download458.html). its currently not supported but still a neat utility.

[TheQuest]

Hi, ErikAlbert

-{ Quote: "I don't think it was Microsoft's idea to provide a registry ......

Their users wanted a registry cleaner. :) " }-
That must be a First then. ::), ;D

Take Care,
TheQuest 8)

[ErikAlbert]

Eldar,
I've have been re-reading your post with the nice log of "Total Uninstall" and I don't understand something in your procedure for uninstalling softwares, which look like this :
(I didn't see this the first time, because your log was an eye-catcher for me ;D )

1. First you uninstall the software with its own uninstall program, which is also used in "Add/Remove Programs" of Windows.
2. Then you run "Total Uninstall" to remove possible leftovers.
3. Then you run your registry cleaner to remove possible leftovers in the registry.

I would use this procedure :
1. First I would run "Total Uninstall" using its uninstall function to remove the software.
2. Then I would run my registry cleaner to remove possible leftovers in the registry.

Is there a SPECIAL reason, why you don't do it my way ?
Is the uninstall function of "Total Uninstall" not working properly or what ?
TIA.

[Carver]

-{ Quote: "Microsoft did at one time release a registry cleaner, RegClean (http://www.majorgeeks.com/download458.html). its currently not supported but still a neat utility." }-
I believe it came out in 1995, at was safe and effective. In 2002 it stopped removing leftover files from programs that were uninstalled. So I downloaded TweakNow RegCleaner. It worked for me, at the time I had Windows 98 through. Now I have Windows XP Home, and it is not effective for me. I use a combo of Ccleaner;Regseeker; Tumeup Utilities.

[aigle]

-{ Quote: "I use a combo of Ccleaner;Regseeker; Tumeup Utilities." }-

Sorry, but I just feel it fairly over-kill!

[Eldar]

-{ Quote: "Is there a SPECIAL reason, why you don't do it my way ?" }-It's my preference to do it this way, because what hasn't been
uninstalled by the program's uninstaller will be removed when TU is used. -{ Quote: "Is the uninstall function of "Total Uninstall" not working properly or what ?" }-No, it's working perfectly. :thumb:
Some previous topics about Total Uninstall:
- Total uninstaller (http://www.wilderssecurity.com/showthread.php?t=122841)
- A Reliable Uninstaller Program ?? (http://www.wilderssecurity.com/showthread.php?t=109244)
- Question re Total Uninstall (hhttp://www.wilderssecurity.com/showthread.php?t=99293)

Not to take this topic too much off track I want to add that I too use a combo of registry cleaners.
My preference to do it this way, because what doesn't get picked up by one, will probably be picked up by another. 8)
As always, take a backup prior to deleting/fixing anything and look at the log carefully.

A sunny, happy weekend to all. ;)

[ErikAlbert]

Eldar,
OK. I will do it my way, because it's shorter and my preference is to be lazy. Thanks for the usefull links.
I sincerely hope that "Total Uninstall" uninstalls itself properly or I have another problem. ;D