CCleaner. Is it safe?

I have been using CCleaner for about two weeks now and it seems like a very powerful cleaning tool. However I read on a forum recently that it can sometimes get rid of things that you actually need, especially when using it's reg. cleaning function. Actualy I had a problem with it myself. It got rid of the help file for my Gdata AVK anti virus program. Fortunately I was easily able to get the file back since I had backed up the reg. (a CCleaner option). What do you think of the safety of CCleaner? Have you heard of any problems with it? Big C says that he has stopped using it due to some problems he ran into. Any sugestions on a safe way to use it or any other good but safer programs? Do you think that CCleaner is safe to use on the reg. as long as you back it up? Is it completely safe to use in it's non-registry cleaning mode?

Thanks for any feedback, sorry for all the questions.

 

CCleaner is generally pretty safe as far as registry cleaners go. Keep in mind that any registry cleaner runs the risk of removing something that shouldn't be, and always make backups of what you remove.

 

I use ccleaner for file clean-up. The only problem I have ever run into was a problem accessing Yahoo mail using FireFox after running ccleaner. This problem goes away if I clean Firefox's cache.

I use RegCleaner for registry cleaning and I have not had a problem.

Rich

 

I never had a problem with CCleaner...

It's a very useful program and is growing very well...

 

What he said.

 

Thanks Notok- Good advise.

 

Thanks richrf. I have RegCleaner too. Have had it for about a month and have run it many times. Never had a problem with it. I think I will start using it just for reg. cleaning like you do, with CCleaner for file cleaning. I also have Regestry Mechanic and have used it many times over several months with no problems, but my impression is that it does not due as through a job as RegDefend. But for some reason I trust Registry Medhanic's safety more than RegDefend. Maybe because I have had the program a lot longer. What do you and others think of the two programs, safety and reg. cleaning wise?

Edit: Sorry, I meant I have RegSeeker not RegDefend. How do the two compare? I don' know anything about RegDefend.

 

Thanks VaMPiRiC for the response.

 

Thank you Jaguar.

 

I like CCleaner alot because of its simplicity and because it's free of charge.
What I like the most about CCleaner is how it takes care of my cookie directory.

If you turn on the right switch, CCleaner cleans your computer after each reboot.
So CCleaner allows you to be lazy, it works for YOU.

I also agree with every member in this thread that the registry cleaner is a bit risky like any other registry cleaner. So watch out.

Keep also in mind that most registry cleaners have DIFFERENT results.
It's up to you to find one, that makes you happy, if that is even possible.
I'm still not happy, there are so many of them. Pfffff.

 

The pleasure is all mine...

 

I use CCleaner all the time, it is rather safe, it has never removed any entry that would've caused any catastrophic system damage, the worst thing it has done is remove my entry for .XPI Firefox installation file association, but other than that, nothing, just make sure to keep registry backups (Both full reg backups and the backups CCleaner makes.) and you should be fine.

 

Speaking of which, Notok....does anyone know of a disk cleaner (NOT registry) that has the ability to make a back-up before cleaning/removal? I seriously doubt it...but it never hurts to ask.

Also, between CleanUp! and Eraser for freebies...which cleaner would other rate as the better between these two?