Debate on Registry Cleaners

Fruit2O wrote:
> I have received advice that I should - and should not - use registry
> cleaners. I should: because a bloated registry slows down everything
> and can cause confusion with apps.


Unfortunately, that claim is completely untrue.


> I shouldn't: because some
> cleaners may remove important information.
>


This is true.


> I have several registry cleaners and they all remove different items.
> This leads me to believe that none of them is safe AND effective. Even
> though I back up the Registry before each 'clean,' I sometimes don't
> realize that there's a problem with an app because I don't use it
> right away - and I have a lot of apps. Therefore, for the time being,
> I have stopped using registry cleaners


Very good.


> (except for Regclean by
> Microsoft).
>

Not so good. RegClean was designed for Win9x operating systems, and
didn't work real well on them. It's been discontinued and unsupported
for years, now. I certainly wouldn't advise trying to use it on a
modern OS.


> I'm looking for arguments for both positions and, if there's a safe
> AND effective registry cleaner out there, what is recommended?
>

None.


> Let's face it: most of the entries that are recommended to delete are
> not readily recognizable by the typical user. So how is one to really
> know what is safe to remove and what is not safe?
>

One should not turn loose a poorly understood automated "cleaner,"
unless he is fully confident that he knows *exactly* what is going to
happen as a result of each and every change. Having seen the results of
inexperienced people using automated registry "cleaners," I can only
advise all but the most experienced computer technicians (and/or
hobbyists) to avoid them all. Experience has shown me that such tools
simply are not safe in the hands of the inexperienced user.

If you lack the knowledge and experience to maintain your registry
by yourself, then you also lack the knowledge and experience to safely
configure and use any automated registry cleaner, no matter how safe
they claim to be.


--

Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:
http://dts-l.org/goodpost.htm
http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html

They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary
safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. -Benjamin Franklin

Many people would rather die than think; in fact, most do. -Bertrand Russell

no argument from me.

it seems you have the necessary
tools and have the required experience
to reach your own conclusions....


"Fruit2O" <jz137xww.DeleteThis@cox.net> wrote in message
news:f0dcl2dmds6dpocbulb6ldbp27rsksi5io@4ax.com...
>I have received advice that I should - and should not - use registry
> cleaners. I should: because a bloated registry slows down everything
> and can cause confusion with apps. I shouldn't: because some
> cleaners may remove important information.
>
> I have several registry cleaners and they all remove different items.
> This leads me to believe that none of them is safe AND effective. Even
> though I back up the Registry before each 'clean,' I sometimes don't
> realize that there's a problem with an app because I don't use it
> right away - and I have a lot of apps. Therefore, for the time being,
> I have stopped using registry cleaners (except for Regclean by
> Microsoft).
>
> I'm looking for arguments for both positions and, if there's a safe
> AND effective registry cleaner out there, what is recommended?
>
> Let's face it: most of the entries that are recommended to delete are
> not readily recognizable by the typical user. So how is one to really
> know what is safe to remove and what is not safe?
>
> Responses please?

Few people report any significant or even noticeable improvement with
registry cleaners.
I suggest people not use them.

If you do use a registry cleaner, I suggest you fully understand exactly
what every key modified/deleted by the cleaner does before allowing the
action to take place.
Significant research with questionable benefit is necessary.

--
Jupiter Jones [MVP]
http://www3.telus.net/dandemar
http://www.dts-l.org


"Fruit2O" <jz137xww.TakeThisOut@cox.net> wrote in message
news:f0dcl2dmds6dpocbulb6ldbp27rsksi5io@4ax.com...
>I have received advice that I should - and should not - use registry
> cleaners. I should: because a bloated registry slows down everything
> and can cause confusion with apps. I shouldn't: because some
> cleaners may remove important information.
>
> I have several registry cleaners and they all remove different items.
> This leads me to believe that none of them is safe AND effective. Even
> though I back up the Registry before each 'clean,' I sometimes don't
> realize that there's a problem with an app because I don't use it
> right away - and I have a lot of apps. Therefore, for the time being,
> I have stopped using registry cleaners (except for Regclean by
> Microsoft).
>
> I'm looking for arguments for both positions and, if there's a safe
> AND effective registry cleaner out there, what is recommended?
>
> Let's face it: most of the entries that are recommended to delete are
> not readily recognizable by the typical user. So how is one to really
> know what is safe to remove and what is not safe?
>
> Responses please?

Fruit2O wrote:

> I'm looking for arguments for both positions and, if there's a safe
> AND effective registry cleaner out there, what is recommended?

You'll NOT find anything conclusive on this topic.

THAT I will GUARANTEE!

I've used many - without a problem - and I've been putzing around with
PCs since DOS 3.1.

Jupiter Jones [MVP] wrote:

> Few people report any significant or even noticeable improvement with
> registry cleaners.

That says it all.

Forget all the rest of the replies that suggest that if you use a
cleaner, ARMAGEDDON will befall you.

"Bruce Chambers" <bchambers DeleteThis @cable0ne.n3t> wrote in message
news:Oz$qCUdBHHA.4472@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl...

I'll just second (Third?) what you and Ken wrote. Registry entries that need
fixed need to be fixed on an individual basis.

Charlie

Fruit2O <jz137xww.DeleteThis@cox.net> wrote:

>I have received advice that I should - and should not - use registry
>cleaners. I should: because a bloated registry slows down everything
>and can cause confusion with apps. I shouldn't: because some
>cleaners may remove important information.

Just use NTREGOPT it defrags the registry,
http://www.larshederer.homepage.t-online.de/erunt/
ERUNT is very handy as well.

--
Type or die.
http://cognitivelabs.com/word_shoot.htm

"Fruit2O" <jz137xww RemoveThis @cox.net> wrote in message
news:f0dcl2dmds6dpocbulb6ldbp27rsksi5io@4ax.com...
>I have received advice that I should - and should not - use registry
> cleaners. I should: because a bloated registry slows down everything
> and can cause confusion with apps. I shouldn't: because some
> cleaners may remove important information.

Those who think a bloated registry slows things down do not know how a
registry works. The registry is not some (possibly) humongous list in RAM
that has to be searched, top-to-bottom, for every little event. (Even if it
were, the largest list could still be searched at RAM speed in nanoseconds.)

The registry is more like a file. When the OS wants something, it goes
directly to the something and gets what is needed. If the registry contains
unnecessary entries, they're simply never accessed.

On Sat, 11 Nov 2006 15:54:29 -0800, Pennywise DeleteThis @DerryMaine.Gov wrote:

> Fruit2O <jz137xww DeleteThis @cox.net> wrote:
>
>>I have received advice that I should - and should not - use registry
>>cleaners. I should: because a bloated registry slows down everything
>>and can cause confusion with apps. I shouldn't: because some
>>cleaners may remove important information.
>
>Just use NTREGOPT it defrags the registry,
>http://www.larshederer.homepage.t-online.de/erunt/
>ERUNT is very handy as well.

Thanks - I already use both.

Thank you all for your advice. It seems to be unanimous and I won't
be using ANY registry cleaners from now on.

On Sat, 11 Nov 2006 15:44:30 -0500, Fruit2O <jz137xww.TakeThisOut@cox.net> wrote:

>I have received advice that I should - and should not - use registry
>cleaners. I should: because a bloated registry slows down everything
>and can cause confusion with apps. I shouldn't: because some
>cleaners may remove important information.
>
>I have several registry cleaners and they all remove different items.
>This leads me to believe that none of them is safe AND effective. Even
>though I back up the Registry before each 'clean,' I sometimes don't
>realize that there's a problem with an app because I don't use it
>right away - and I have a lot of apps. Therefore, for the time being,
>I have stopped using registry cleaners (except for Regclean by
>Microsoft).
>
>I'm looking for arguments for both positions and, if there's a safe
>AND effective registry cleaner out there, what is recommended?
>
>Let's face it: most of the entries that are recommended to delete are
>not readily recognizable by the typical user. So how is one to really
>know what is safe to remove and what is not safe?
>
>Responses please?

"Ken Blake" <kblake.TakeThisOut@this.is.an.invalid.domain> wrote in message
news:uZC7JRdBHHA.204@TK2MSFTNGP04.phx.gbl...
> "Fruit2O" <jz137xww.TakeThisOut@cox.net> wrote in message
> news:f0dcl2dmds6dpocbulb6ldbp27rsksi5io@4ax.com...
>
>>I have received advice that I should - and should not - use registry
>> cleaners.

Snip
>
> Good. You should stop using Regclean too.
>
> I always recommend against the routine use of registry cleaners. Routine
> cleaning of the
> registry isn't needed and is dangerous. Leave the registry alone and don't
> use a registry cleaner. Despite what many people think, and what vendors
> of registry cleaning software try to convince you of, having unused
> registry entries doesn't really hurt you.
>
> The risk of a serious problem caused by a registry cleaner erroneously
> removing an entry you need is far greater than any potential benefit it
> may have.
>
>
> --
> Ken Blake - Microsoft MVP Windows: Shell/User
> Please reply to the newsgroup

What do you feel about using Start/Run/Scanreg /opt /fix as an alternative
way to keep the Registry from bloating?

Jim

In article <#79D5uhBHHA.3536@TK2MSFTNGP03.phx.gbl>,
"Jim Cladingboel" <carramar.DeleteThis@tpg.com.au> wrote:

> What do you feel about using Start/Run/Scanreg /opt /fix as an alternative
> way to keep the Registry from bloating?

That's a Win9x command. Not useful in XP.

--
Sharon F
MVP - Windows Shell