cleaning registry

Hello, I am still getting acquainted with these forums; so, please forgive me (and give me some guidance) if I'm on the wrong one for this topic.

My specific tasks at present are:

1. To clean out my ADD/REMOVE window (It has thirteen entries in it that are absolete...are not installed nor used on this PC; yet, still show in the window. I am unable to remove it simply by selecting it and clicking the add/remove button.) I think I can remove these entries through the registry. Thus, I have already backed my registry up. Can anyone give me some guidance as to how to go into the registry and clean it?

I read somewhere that "Reg Cleaner" and/or "jv16 Power Tools" were good programs for cleaning the registry. Can anyone talk with me about these?

The other task I'm attacking concernes Zone Alarm. I have had ZA constantly running for nearly two years; and just this last month I have been bombarded with more ZA blocks showing up than the whole past two years. They seem to be coming from the same ports and IP addresses. I have saved them in ZA's log folder. But, I need to know who this is that keeps wanting to get into my PC. I am running the FREE version of ZA and cannot afford the "Pro". Can anyone give me guidance as to how I can discover who this is?

 

Yes, the jv16 cleaner is a good one BUT always use the Backup feature in case you remove something that you really needed.

Those hits on ZA, since they are all from the same address, may be coming from your ISP; they do that sometimes, checking up on you, but I'm not sure what they're checking for, perhaps someone more in the know than I am can tell us. IF that's all it is, it is harmless.

 

***. To clean out my ADD/REMOVE window (It has thirteen entries in it that are absolete...are not installed nor used on this PC; yet, still show in the window. I am unable to remove it simply by selecting it and clicking the add/remove button.******



MOT

try this.....click on start....then "run" when "run" opens presenting a lil window....type msconfig then click OK.............a new window will appear usuallu upper left side of monitor........you will see a Tab named StartUp....click on that TAB and open another window.......at the bottom left you will see CLEANUP....click on that.......be sure to click APPLY.......then close window...if you are prompted to re-start your computer do so.......if that does not clean those entries.........then consider a registry cleaner


ignor.....repeat ignor....the logging being made by zone alarm........if you had been hacked you would not be posting here......just be certyain to NEVER give any program SERVER RIGHTS.......NEVER!!!! we have all been getting hits by NETBIOS...port 1433......thousands of HITS.....plus there is the everyday usual HITS.......

also....noticed you posted a question regarding WINDOWS EXPLORER trying to access the internet.....BLOCK IT....an forget it....NORMAL BEHAVIOR unless certain THINGS are un-installed....not going there right not......

CAREFUL messing in the registry....BACKUP.....the registry................an if you do not know what you are doing...you most likely ..well....you guess


snowman

 

Motdaugrnds.I use jv16 Power Tools.I believe that it has an automatic backup feature.To be sure check the help files or FAQ at jv16.org.I have it set up to show only safe entries to remove.It doesn't show the entries that aren't safe or are necessary.I trust the program and rely on it.It does have more tools than Reg Cleaner.I run it after uninstall of any program on my system.But,we are talking about the registry here!You have to use some degree of caution when cleaning the registry.I normally remove ONLY the entries from programs that I personally uninstalled.For instance,if you uninstalled McAfee(an example)and Power Tools identify items as McAfee you remove them.The program does explain in a lot of cases why something is safe to remove.If something isn't familiar to you,err on the side of caution and leave it.

 

I also go for the jv16 Power Tools and what 'The Tester' said is correct [naturally ] and delete only the registry entries you *know* are invalid, like old programs you uninstalled and references are still there.

But in the Tools part of jv16 there is an entry/tab [forget just where, as at work and bored so cannot check] that you see of the *Installed* programs list [just like Add/Remove].

Look for the program you do not want listed and you have already uninstalled, highlight it, then click 'Remove' or 'Delete' [forget].

A warning will come up about if you remove the entry you will not be able to uninstall it, just OK that, as you have ALREADY uninstalled it.

But you *must* know that you have done an uninstall, otherwise, if you select delete and do remove a program you have NOT uninstalled, then you are in a heap of trouble!

Cheers.

 

I use RegCleaner. I have friend who is highly knowledgeable about computers (he owns the website that is rated at the top by Google for info on modems) and he recommended it over JV16 Power tools. He told me it is easier to get into trouble with the latter than with RegCleaner which he says is excellent. Until he recommended this, I had not used any registry cleaner as I had read that some can easily cause big problems...even if you are careful. I have been very happy with it and very comfortable in using it without worry.

 

Hi Mot
I´m not an expert but....
What´s your OS ? With 98 there is "scanregw" feature to scan first and as well to do the backup. Jv16 powertools creates backup too but then you have to realize that do not clean the backups away ! Otherwise Jv16 is a goodware, real perl.

To know more about attacks.....download Visual zone
http://www.visualizesoftware.com/

friendliest *Ari*