What good registry programs are available?

Hi everyone,I'm afraid this subject has been beaten to death but here goes.
What is the most popular program for fixing registry problems?A search on the Internet brings up to many options.I get the feeling that these are not all legit.Are there any major software makers that make a program that cures registry problems?I have come across names such as FileCure,Registry Cleaner,Regzooka,Registry Fix,Registry Easy,and more.I think some of these companies have multiple products that do the same thing.

Thank You
Mike

 

You need to be very cautious about using registry cleaners. They can do more harm than good. I presume you've already read similar comments since you said "this subject has been beaten to death". So, I'm wondering why you even need to ask.

Anyway, these registry cleaners from various vendors vary in their handling and aggressiveness in removing registry entries. CCleaner is often recommended here in the forum because it is known be quite safe to use. Many other registry cleaners may find more registry entries to remove than CCleaner but this is also why they can be dangerous.

So, I suggest you stick with CCleaner or at least one of the registry cleaners available for download from majorgeeks.com. I've used CCleaner for years and never had a problem as a result of using it. Another one I've used on occasion and also not had a problem with is Eusing Free Registry Cleaner. Both can be downloaded from majorgeeks.com.

 

If using Windows XP, you will probably get more benefit in system performance by using NTREGOPT in addition to CCleaner.

 

Thanks all for the replies.I'm going to check out CCleaner.This was my first post on this forum and its good to know that support is just a click away.

Thanks
Mike

 

Hi ! There are a ton of discussions about Registry Cleaners on this forum and all the other forums. Some forums will warn you about discussing this topic and threaten you with banning if you pursue bringing it up. I can't prove they help and they can definitely mess you up. For those opposed to cleaners; one question, why do you do a fresh install every so often so you can have the feel of a new PC?? I have heard that a million times. The registry is a mystery to most us and I for one believe it can build up with left overs. No one disagrees with cleaning junk and temps. to keep your PC running smooth, but warn you about cleaning the registry and rightfully so. I have yet to see a list of things that you could safely remove from the registry You would think that some where there is a geek that could recommend some safe ones to remove. I can name two I'm pretty sure are safe to remove. ARP's amd MRU's If you haven't ran a cleaner in a long time, you will see a ton of these. I'm sure their are more that are safe to remove and it's time we get some help on the safe ones to remove. In the mean time I agree with the forum leaders use CCleaner if you want to clean your registry. I have used Eusing for years. Never had a problem. I'm also smart enough to create a back up image of my OS once a month on a USB. I have restored the entries removed by Eusing just to check it out. It restores what it deletes or that's how I see it. Does it help any thing; I can't prove it but it makes me feel better and has never caused me any problems. I see both sides and there are way smarter people than me. What works for one person may not work for another. Not recommending them and I'm not condemning them.
oneeyejack!

 

Hi I think I have a healthy Registry. It's not fragmented according to Eusing. If it's bloated, I can't tell it. It says about the same size all the time. Yes I use Eusing registry cleaner. To me it's a good thing that my registry isn't growing. I have never defrag the registry because Eusing says I don't need too. I would like to compare my registry with others. Here's mine; let me see yours:-D:-D:

 

Hi! Lets cut to the chase. This is the way I see this topic. You want to clean your registry and keep it clean?? Down load ERUNT from Major Geeks. Back up your registry with ERUNT. Down load Eusing registry cleaner from Major Geeks and run it. Pull the trigger and let Eusing clean your registry. Run your PC for 30 days. If you think Eusing screwed some thing up restore what Eusing deleted. If you still think it screwed up your PC restore your registry with ERUNT
If you really want to do this the right way; get a program like Arconis or Macrium Reflect and create an image of your OS. Get a external USB and make a back up image of your OS at least once a month. This is really a non issue with me. I don't have the knowledge that is supported on this forum, but I didn't just fall off a turnip truck either. This to me is way to simple and is made to difficult IMHO. My 7 year old Dell runs like a top. Better than the first day I plugged her in. I'm self taught and learn from forums like Major Geeks and friends. I try to learn at least one new thing every day. Thank you for reading my reply.
oneeyejack

 

Hi!! If you do not understand what is written in post #8 or the other post's in this thread; my advise is forget about the registry. Leave it alone. You have heard from those that should know that it will probably not help your PC run any better and could cause you a whole lot of grief. I love fooling around in the registry. I think I know what I'm doing. If I don't , I have a back up image of my OS on two external USB's and my secondary drive. I can be back up and running in a hour or less. I'm sorry for hogging your thread. I'm old and this is one of my passions. Sorry , I'll get off my stump now. The best thing you will ever do my friend is buy a USB and back up your OS at least once a moth. Good night and good hunting.

 

Hi oneeye-

Doing a restore after 30 days could be problematic.

1) If you have added software during that time, any registry entries that the software had created
will then be missing.
2) If you have removed software during that time, any registry entries that the software had created
will then be BACK in the registry.
3) If you have installed any Microsoft Critical Updates, those registry entries would then
be missing and you will need to go back to MS Update and redo those updates.

I've used Eusing registry cleaner several times and found that After the very First cleaning,
it tends to "find" the same or similar entries each time. Even if it has been run two days earlier,
I see many of the same type of entries in the list to be removed. So removing them repeatedly seems to be of little benefit.
Personally, I just rely on CCleaner.

Since you have ERUNT, you should also have NTREGOPT which comes with that package.
If you are cleaning the registry to optimize performance, then you should also use NTREGOPT regardless of what EUSING says.
Do a system reboot after NTREGOPT has run.

 

Hi!! First of all I agree 100% with what your saying. Second of all I do not rely on ERUNT. That was for members that do not know how to create a image of their OS. I have a current back up image of my OS on two external USB's and also my secondary drive. I make a back up image of my OS a least once a month. The up dates that I would miss if I restored my image would be very few. I have never needed to restore any registry entries with CCleaner or Eusing. I do not know the benefit of removing entries removed by Eusing or CCleaner. I use registry cleaners because I can and they do not scare me. I repeat, every thing you said is 100% correct. I was giving the worst case if you encountered problems. Every thing that you mentioned should have caused you to create a back up image of your registry or your OS.
Thank you for your reply!!

 

Thanks One Eyed Jack for the input.I downloaded CCleaner for now and have not gone any deeper into it then that for the moment.It still begs the question why the top software companies do not address this problem or maybe they do and I'm just missing it.I see plenty of adds for fixes from companies that I've never heard off.It's almost like a gold rush out there.I see new ones ever time I do a search.
Thanks again for sharing.

Mike

 

No program is going to 'fix' a Registry problem. If you think you might have a Registry problem you have to troubleshoot and research it thoroughly before applying a specific fix to it. Even then, there are some Registry keys and settings that can't be 'fixed'.

CCleaner checks a few small sections of the Registry for errors, if you allow it to fix any errors found, all it does is delete the entries - a fix might require reinstalling a program or applying a specifically written Registry patch.

I reckon around 30% of Windows and software problems we see asked about on forums could be traced back to careless use of Registry 'cleaners'!

 

Hi satrow!
I hear you. I have been using CCleaner and Eusing for years. They have never caused me one problem. I don't doubt that registry cleaners cause problems. 30% may be a little high. I have yet to see any one helping a member on Major Geeks ask that person if they used a Registry cleaner. If they are really that bad, I think that question should come up right away. Both CCleaner and Eusing make back ups. If they have caused a problem, restoring what they deleted should fix the problem but, I may be wrong about that. Now if we are talking about some of these really harsh registry cleaners, stay away from them, unless you really understand the registry. I recommend CCleaner to everyone. I have people call me and stay it screwed their PC up. I hear some really wild stories. When we get down to their problem, CCleaner had nothing to do with their problem. Once again the question; do they really help your PC run better?? I can not prove that. It just makes me feel better knowing I got rid of some places where malware likes to hide. Yes malware likes to attach to those broken registry entries. The registry is where these programs like MBAM go and find viruses. Damn I'm windy. Sorry

 

One last comment Mike. You don't run CCleaner registry cleaner every day. Once a month is plenty.
PS I would love to hear any stories from anyone that can prove that CCleaner screwed their PC up. CCleaner would also like to hear those stories!! I haven't heard one story here on Major Geeks(400,000+ and growing) guests and members. Surely someone has a story???

 

Do you think they'd actually remember or tell us what they've run in the last year or more? And for multi-user computers?

Did you ask those people whether they'd previously run any kind of 'tune up' programs before you added CCleaner into the fray?

CCleaner does not look anywhere for malware. Most malware-related Registry entries are not in areas CCleaner is coded to look.



If you spend as much time as I do reading the various logs that get uploaded, you might see where I'm coming from. Here's one that was probably caused by a previous attempt at Registry 'cleaning'.

 

Hi satrow!!
I really don't want to argue with you.

Yes I think most would tell you if they ran a registry cleaner, if they were asked.

Yes These are my friends and neighbors. I ask them if they have tune up programs installed. I'm kind of the neighbor hood Computer ask guy in my addition. CCleaner is simple and easy to use and is the only program that cleans that I recommend. I have several programs that I recommend but not for cleaning.

I know what CCleaner does. I'm not saying it removes malware. I do have some registry cleaners that do look in those areas. I have 3 that I use and trust besides regedit. I'm not a stranger to the registry. Have I ever screwed up?? Yes I have and I know exactly how to recover. I do not need any help.
Here is a screen shot of CCleaners registry entries.

 

I agree with mjnc. Most MG'ers use CCleaner, at least. I also use ERUNT and, occasionally, NTREGOPT.

You can also check out MG Registry listings at http://www.majorgeeks.com/downloads15.html

A quick way that may lessen your choice/s, is to check out the Ratings of each program, is to look at the heading of each program.

For example:
RegCleaner - [2002-01-23 | Freeware | 541 KB | Win All | 1124577 | 4.71 ]

The far right figure is the MG members rating out of a possible 5.
In the above program it is 4.71 out of 5, and over 1 million downloads from MG, alone.

RegCleaner is just an example, I haven't used it.

I know that some MG'ers are of the opinion that the Rating number can be prejudiced by who markets the program eg., some people automatically down rate any Microsoft offerings but the more voters there are, the less a bad rating influences the rating.

Hope this helps.

Bazza

==============================

 

There would be no reason for reg cleaners, if the programmers of software, had decent uninstallers.

My personal favorite reg cleaner is regedit. Yes, I manually do everything.

 

I have never heard a better reason in my 7 short years of having a computer. I wish I had said it my friend. You damn sure ain't the fool. you are right on. My favorite is also regedit. My hat goes off to you thewiseone :wave:clap
I have shown my registry in this post but no one has shown me theirs.
http://forums.majorgeeks.com/showpost.php?p=1610223&postcount=7

 

http://www.majorgeeks.com/RegSeeker_d2579.html

 

Hi!! I love RegSeeker. I have had it for years. It's not for a newbie but it has never caused me one problem. I however, would only recommend RegSeeker to the more experienced user. Otherwise stay with CCleaner's registry cleaner. I think CCleaner and RegSeeker have some thing going together. If your a registered member on CCleaner forum, you can get a zip package for RegSeeker. Here's the link that makes me thing they are working together.
http://forum.piriform.com/index.php?showtopic=7196

 

HI I've read all the warning about registry cleaners. Here is a little different opinion and I agree with this!!
http://www.sevenforums.com/performance-maintenance/143211-registry-defragmentation.html#post1229409

 

I just finished a Windows Live OneCare Safety Scanner!!
This is what it found. This is what is recommended by Microsoft. I'm old and I trust Microsoft. This is my last post about registry cleanners.:cry

 

I wanted to edit , but it wouldn't let me. I just wanted to add that I have Stephen Boots email address and I tried to get him to comment. He has not answered my mail:wave