benefits of registry cleaners

Howdy

Can please any one tell me, where I find hard data on the benefits of registry cleaners? Is it really necessary to use them?

 

Hi there, "hard data" is all over the place, try Google and you'll find lots and lots of "facts" and even more opinions. Here's my opinion: Be careful. Cleaning the registry of old entries left over from long gone programs and such is not itself dangerous. But, what can happen is that some programs that remove these entries can overdo it and remove entries that may be needed by other programs or a part of the system. If you feel the need for cleaning, find a cleaner that A: automatically backs up the registry before cleaning, or B: Gives an option to back it up and please make sure you use that option.



Registry entries are pretty safe to leave behind and honestly do not cause big problems with performance. Take up some space, yeah, but cause problems if left alone, nah

Edit: Oops, sorry Ronjor, you got there while I was typing

 

Registry cleaners are a relatively benign outlet for obsessive-compulsive tendancies.

 

Actually i see no benefit in using it,the OS is way smarter in managing the registry then whatever cleaner can do. leftovers due to uninstalls are not a problem,have no impact on proper working and speed,because of the way how windows read and write to the registry ( nonsequential ).

 

So you would say: not using a 'cleaner' is no loss?

 

I would say not only that, but you also get the benefit of no over-aggressive cleaning and accidentally getting rid of an entry that should be left alone.

 

This seems like a rational solution for those of us who have a limited knowledge of the registry and find our selves messing things up with registry cleaners (even the "benign " ones have caused me to re-image an OS).

I do use "NTREGOPT", ERUNTS "registry optimizer" with absolutely no problems; freeware as well . It is practically idiot proof as I can attest.

 

Why is all this not more widely known? Why are they even still selling cleaners? Silly questions...

Thank you all very much

 

To make money and give average users the illusion, they need it very badly.
When something looks very unlogical follow the money.

 

It is not uncommon to have a program not install properly due to crap left over in the registry from a previous install that was not properly removed during uninstall. I usually use REGEDIT rather than a cleaner, but that is one case where the registry is not "self maintaining".

 

I use a registry cleaner for any traces left over from a sloppy uninstall.
There was comparison done by the developer of jv16 PowerTools quite a few years ago. I don't have the link anymore or know if the test is still available.