Registry cleaning?

[Huey]

Ive just started using this handy program called AAtools (http://www.wugnet.com/shareware/spow.asp?ID=445), was playing with the registry cleaner and wondering if someone could give me some advice as to what registry keys i should be using and which i can get rid of?

The scan processed 178724 keys and it said that there were 90 "invalid entries".

Here are a few examples of the "invalid" files :
C:\WINDOWS\System32\MSXML3A.DLL PATH: Software\ Microsoft\ Windows\ CurrentVersion\ SharedDlls

C:\WINDOWS\System32\blank.htm PATH: Software\ Microsoft\ Internet Explorer\ Main

C:\Documents and Settings\Default User\Application Data\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Quick Launch\Windows Media Player.lnk PATH: Software\ Microsoft\ MediaPlayer\ Setup\ CreatedLinks

C:\DOCUME~1\****\LOCALS~1\Temp\_iu14D2N.tmp PATH: Software\ Microsoft\ Windows\ ShellNoRoam\ MUICache

C:\Program Files\Real\RealOne Player\normal.vs|normal PATH: Software\ RealNetworks\ RealPlayer\ 6.0\ Preferences\ CurrentSkin

C:\WINDOWS\System32\CMMGR32.EXE,1 PATH: Software\ Classes\ Connection Manager Profile\ DefaultIcon

C:\Program Files\Real\RealOne Player\datacache.zip PATH: Software\ Classes\ Software\ RealNetworks\ Update\ 6.0\ Preferences\ Components\ Player

Thats just a few. So can i delete most if not all of these? Anyone have any links where i can learn whats what? Or will i have to go through them all myself and figure out whats what? Also some keys seem to be listed from files that dont exist anymore so im guessing i can get rid of the obvious ones?

Anyway thanks for any advice in advance.

Cheers... Huey.

[MickeyTheMan]

Huey,
If you have to ask, then i'd suggest you don't play with your registry.
If you do, then you better make an image before you start, as you will quickly find a mistake can be very costly !

[TonyKlein]

I'm with Mickey.

If you want absolute certainty (impossible, incidentally) , each registry key needs to be examined in detail, looking for dependencies, checking installed software, and so on.

Anything anyone advises you as to whether you can or can't remove a certain key is at best an educated guess.

[Huey]

Thanks for the advice guys... i guess it will give me something interesting to do :)

I was in the hope that maybe someone has used a similar program though because the program specifically is a registry cleaner and i assumed that i could delete all the 90 "invalid keys"? I just didnt want to jump the gun and do something i could seriously regret. I also thought that registry cleaning was the next step from using a program like AdAware and could help me identify more security and spyware risks.

But one thing I am certain of though is that it has to be possible to at least understand and identify what those 90 keys are used for... i just thought someone could give me some direction... its all good ;)

[TonyKlein]

Although the keys are often comparable, the data therein are highly system specific, depending on installed hardware, software, configuration.

I suppose that your Registry Cleaner makes backups of what it removes.

I'd check that before doing anything.

If you're certain it does, you could give it a go.

If anything were to misbehave, restore the backups, reboot, and you ought to be back in business.

No guarantees, though.

[Loki]

Hi Huey,

AAtools backs up the Reg Keys that you delete. I would suggest that you make a backup of your Registry before you delete anything. Then delete one key at a time and see if you have any problems. But be very careful the Registry is the backbone of your system make a mistake and you may have to re-install your OS. Please be careful.

[Stu]

Follow what these guys say if your not sure dont mess with it.I made that mistake once with a program called nuts an bolts it offered to clean up my registry so i let it lol worse mistake i ever made totallly fragged the registry and forced me to format and re-install again.Goodluck and be careful. ;)

[spy1]

I've really got to wonder why you're not simply using either RegCleaner or jv16PowerTools - kind of hard to screw up with either of those as long as you don't let them remove anything except what it marks safe to remove. Pete

[MyNethingyman]

I would like to second Pete's advice...please think about it.

[the Tester]

I use Reg Cleaner 4.3 by Jouni Vuorio.It is a nice program and has a back up.I've used it a lot,mostly cleaning my registry of programs I have deleted .It is newbie friendly.I won't get into the manual registry cleaning because I know that right now it's over my head.A plus about this particular Reg Cleaner is it has the windows logo.It is xp compatable.I am careful and I haven't had a problem with it's use yet. :)

[Huey]

-{ Quote: "I've really got to wonder why you're not simply using either RegCleaner or jv16PowerTools - kind of hard to screw up with either of those as long as you don't let them remove anything except what it marks safe to remove. Pete " }-

-{ Quote: "I use Reg Cleaner 4.3 by Jouni Vuorio.It is a nice program and has a back up.I've used it a lot,mostly cleaning my registry of programs I have deleted .It is newbie friendly.I won't get into the manual registry cleaning because I know that right now it's over my head.A plus about this particular Reg Cleaner is it has the windows logo.It is xp compatable.I am careful and I haven't had a problem with it's use yet." }-

Thanks guys.. I will give the reg cleaner a look ;)