Registry Cleaner App?

bobkn said:

One warning: if you try CCleaner, the installer may try to add the Avast antivirus program. (Avast bought CCleaner a while back.) If you don't want Avast, be sure to decline.

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...and a tip: Get the portable version from the builds page (that they try really hard to keep secret):

EDIT: Looks down...beat ya by 30 seconds!

bobkn said:

One warning: if you try CCleaner, the installer may try to add the Avast antivirus program. (Avast bought CCleaner a while back.) If you don't want Avast, be sure to decline.

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Ed McCauley said:

I appreciate the caveats; it DID try to install Avast - and I agree, I don't want it!

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There is a way to avoid all that. Go to CCLeaner's Builds page: CCleaner - Download Builds

At the bottom are two builds, 'CCleaner - Slim' which is the standard installer with none of the unwelcome 'optional extras'.

Better yet though, and the one that I use, is 'CCleaner - Portable'. This is just a zip file that doesn't require an install. What's the difference between a standard CCleaner and the portable edition? Just one file: portable.dat. If this exists in the CCLeaner program folder, then it saves all its settings in ccleaner.ini instead of the registry, everything else about it is exactly the same.

This from Copilot:

Do registry cleaners need to be used?

The necessity of using registry cleaners is a topic of debate among experts. Here are some key points to consider:

1. Potential Benefits: Registry cleaners can remove outdated or invalid entries from the Windows Registry, which might help in improving system performance and stability, especially if you frequently install and uninstall software.
2. Risks: Using registry cleaners can be risky. They might accidentally remove entries that are needed by the system, leading to potential errors or system instability. Microsoft and many experts recommend against using registry cleaners, as they believe the potential harm outweighs the benefits.
3. Modern Systems: With modern versions of Windows (like Windows 10 and Windows 11), the need for registry cleaners has diminished. These newer operating systems are designed to handle registry bloat more efficiently.

In summary, while registry cleaners can be useful in certain situations, they are generally not necessary and can pose risks if not used carefully. It's often better to rely on built-in system tools and regular maintenance practices to keep your system running smoothly.

@saltedm8 - I am looking at it from a third person perspective and we both really have our own points on different sides of the fence. The average user or most users would mean they would have even less resources than a higher-demand setup since 32GB of RAM is more than what most people have which means their resources are even more valuable as they have less to begin with and it really all depends on when their original registry was created. The Ferrari was only a example and really saying some people can buy systems that way exceeds how they use it and not using it to 100% capacity so they will have the resources when needed.

Adobe Tool is for uninstalling and Revo Uninstaller are for uninstalling when you already know what you are removing as that part is given.

The registry cleaning part it to remove excess things so your system works less hard with a database that points to invalid and non-existent things on the system.

It wouldn't be a psychological satisfaction because remember if you read my earlier comments in the thread, it's done automatically so I have nothing to do with it and it's backed up so I don't choose what it cleans and I don't have a choice of accidentally removing something as that's not a option with Norton Utilities. The ones that allows you to select is what is closer to the scenario you mentioned. But in any case since it's backed up, when you notice the problem, all you really need to do is assuming the system no longer boots, you can just boot into safe mode, use the same registry cleaning tool and restore what was removed.

And it doesn't take a registry cleaner to make your system unusable. There had been a time where Microsoft pushed something that stopped Windows from loading Explorer so there is no task bar or start menu and the fix was changing the time to some future date and then things would work. With the registry cleaner that backed up the changes to allow restoring, it's still safer than someone going into regedit.exe and manually deleting things on their own. And sometimes the reason it does not boot has nothing to do with the registry cleaner or changes to the registry itself but could also be caused by other things.
So it's a YMMV situation and one should basically do it at their own risk. Also, think about this, remember people can sue for everything and liability, when was the last time you actually seen any of the companies who makes these registry cleaner tools get sued because it rendered their system unusable. Basically, a system can be unusable for any reason and until all facts are known, since it can be something else that caused it, it's hard to really know. So like anything else, it is more of one's personal opinion as both sides can be correct in their own ways. As a Toastmaster and a Astrophysicist, it's more about acting competently than incompetently. Some people make 5 sets of backups but that does not mean that if something bad happened, their backups will always work as there are no guarantees in life except death and taxes as the saying goes.

Regardless, no one really answered how much resources does the registry actually takes on a system to atleast see what the impact really is to prove a theory is right or wrong.

Quexos said:

EDIT: Looks down...beat ya by 30 seconds!

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Great minds think alike. Or is it 'little ones seldom differ'?

Either way, the portable option is by far the 'cleanest' way to use CCLeaner (pun intended). You could even run it from a USB.

I use it regularly as part of my monthly 'clean up' after Patch Tuesday. In particular I use it for cleaning up all my browsers' temporary files and cookies, with a 'whitelist' of essential cookies to keep, such as the Eleven Forum login cookie. Just one click to clean across every browser you use.

I can count the number of times I've cleaned the registry on one hand. I'm with the 'redundant registry entries have no significant impact' crowd.

Bree said:

There is a way to avoid all that. Go to CCLeaner's Builds page: CCleaner - Download Builds

At the bottom are two builds, 'CCleaner - Slim' which is the standard installer with none of the unwelcome 'optional extras'.

Better yet though, and the one that I use, is 'CCleaner - Portable'. This is just a zip file that doesn't require an install. What's the difference between a standard CCleaner and the portable edition? Just one file: portable.dat. If this exists in the CCLeaner program folder, then it saves all its settings in ccleaner.ini instead of the registry, everything else about it is exactly the same.

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That's only if you use the free versions. This is the complete list for the current build:

Slim x64
Professional x64
Professional Update Only x64
Technician x64
Business x64
Business MSI x64
Portable x64

which are the installers as you still need your license for the non-free versions.

When the next version comes out assuming it is 6.32.xxxxx, then just replace that last number with the 632.

With all this back and forth, one thing’s for sure…. we wouldn’t have this problem if we all ran Linux. I’m switching immediately.

TraderGary said:

This from Copilot:

Do registry cleaners need to be used?

The necessity of using registry cleaners is a topic of debate among experts. Here are some key points to consider:

1. Potential Benefits: Registry cleaners can remove outdated or invalid entries from the Windows Registry, which might help in improving system performance and stability, especially if you frequently install and uninstall software.
2. Risks: Using registry cleaners can be risky. They might accidentally remove entries that are needed by the system, leading to potential errors or system instability. Microsoft and many experts recommend against using registry cleaners, as they believe the potential harm outweighs the benefits.
3. Modern Systems: With modern versions of Windows (like Windows 10 and Windows 11), the need for registry cleaners has diminished. These newer operating systems are designed to handle registry bloat more efficiently.

In summary, while registry cleaners can be useful in certain situations, they are generally not necessary and can pose risks if not used carefully. It's often better to rely on built-in system tools and regular maintenance practices to keep your system running smoothly.

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AI just like people have personal opinions as this is from Google's AI:



I think System Instability is the wrong term used because either it works or it doesn't since if the registry key(s) is gone, either the system will continue to work or it no longer works, there is no 1%-99.99% still working.

Almighty1 said:

so your system works less hard

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...or so your system no longer works. In which case it will satisfy my psychology with what they call schadenfreude.

hdmi said:

...or so your system no longer works. In which case it will satisfy my psychology with what they call schadenfreude.

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And how do you know it was the registry cleaning that made it no longer working and not something else? Remember you can undo the changes, either using the System Restore function that existed since Windows 95 or boot into safe mode and run the same registry cleaner and undo the changes. There are plenty of things that can break the system no different than in 1995, I ran Norton SpeedDisk from Norton SystemWorks for Windows v9.0, the HDD no longer worked, I could blame it on Norton but the drive actually died after Windows rebooting and it was a warranty replacement for 2GB Seagate Barracuda SCSI drive.

pseymour said:

With all this back and forth, one thing’s for sure…. we wouldn’t have this problem if we all ran Linux. I’m switching immediately.

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Self contained packages are the way to go, Apple at least got that right.

Almighty1 said:

I think System Instability is the wrong term used because either it works or it doesn't since if the registry key(s) is gone, either the system will continue to work or it no longer works, there is no 1%-99.99% still working.

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Incorrect. "System instability" refers to a state where a computer's operating system, software, or hardware is unable to function consistently and reliably. This instability can manifest in various ways, including:

1. Frequent Crashes: The system or individual applications may crash regularly, leading to a loss of data and an inability to complete tasks.
2. System Freezes: The computer may become unresponsive, requiring a hard reset to resume operations.
3. Error Messages: Frequent and unpredictable error messages can appear, indicating problems with the system or software.
4. Performance Degradation: The system may slow down significantly, with longer load times for applications and processes.
5. Random Reboots: The computer may restart unexpectedly without warning, disrupting work and potentially causing data loss.
6. Driver Conflicts: Incompatibilities between hardware drivers can lead to malfunctions or crashes.
7. Software Glitches: Applications may behave erratically, with features not working as intended or the software closing unexpectedly.

Common causes of system instability are:

• Corrupted System Files: Damage to critical system files can lead to unpredictable behavior.
• Registry Issues: A bloated or corrupted registry can cause instability.
• Hardware Failures: Faulty hardware components, such as RAM, hard drives, or power supplies, can lead to instability.
• Overheating: Excessive heat can cause hardware components to malfunction, leading to system crashes.
• Software Conflicts: Incompatibilities between different software programs can cause crashes and errors.
• Malware: Viruses and other malicious software can disrupt system operations.

saltedm8 said:

Self contained packages are the way to go, Apple at least got that right.

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Apple Mac OS 10.0 and later is run on a Unix foundation: Mach kernel, FreeBSD for the OS itself where the OS is actually called darwin and then the GUI is added on top. Apple unlike Microsoft controls both the hardware and the OS so there are less variables.

hdmi said:

Incorrect. "System instability" refers to a state where a computer's operating system, software, or hardware is unable to function consistently and reliably. This instability can manifest in various ways, including:

1. Frequent Crashes: The system or individual applications may crash regularly, leading to a loss of data and an inability to complete tasks.
2. System Freezes: The computer may become unresponsive, requiring a hard reset to resume operations.
3. Error Messages: Frequent and unpredictable error messages can appear, indicating problems with the system or software.
4. Performance Degradation: The system may slow down significantly, with longer load times for applications and processes.
5. Random Reboots: The computer may restart unexpectedly without warning, disrupting work and potentially causing data loss.
6. Driver Conflicts: Incompatibilities between hardware drivers can lead to malfunctions or crashes.
7. Software Glitches: Applications may behave erratically, with features not working as intended or the software closing unexpectedly.

Common causes of system instability are:

• Corrupted System Files: Damage to critical system files can lead to unpredictable behavior.
• Registry Issues: A bloated or corrupted registry can cause instability.
• Hardware Failures: Faulty hardware components, such as RAM, hard drives, or power supplies, can lead to instability.
• Overheating: Excessive heat can cause hardware components to malfunction, leading to system crashes.
• Software Conflicts: Incompatibilities between different software programs can cause crashes and errors.
• Malware: Viruses and other malicious software can disrupt system operations.

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Since we are talking about the registry, we have to leave out applications and hardware. And noticed the common causes does say Bloated registry. Obviously, corrupted anything, not just the registry can have issues. If the registry is smaller, there is less things to corrupt and if the registry is larger, there is larger amount of things in the registry that can get corrupted. But since everyone's argument was the system won't boot so either it boots or it doesn't, there is no such thing as instability since it's like saying you delete a registry key, the system BSODs two hours later after fully loaded. It could be something else since you have to first know it was the registry that caused it as even what you posted above means there can be lots of variables that can cause instability, and it never said anything about registry cleaning as a cause for instability.

Almighty1 said:

Apple Mac OS 10.0 and later is run on a Unix foundation: Mach kernel, FreeBSD for the OS itself where the OS is actually called darwin and then the GUI is added on top. Apple unlike Microsoft controls both the hardware and the OS so there are less variables.

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Yes, the Unix foundation, Mach kernel, and FreeBSD give macOS some stability, but the real advantage of it comes from Apple's vertical integration. Because they have control over both hardware and software, they eliminate any issues regarding compatibility. Having said that, the self-contained package approach is where they really shine, reducing dependency issues and making application management much easier.

Okay the Linux thing was just a joke. Don’t take it so hard you two.

pseymour said:

With all this back and forth, one thing’s for sure…. we wouldn’t have this problem if we all ran Linux. I’m switching immediately.

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Please list your preferences from 1 to -10

Almighty1 said:

And how do you know it was the registry cleaning that made it no longer working and not something else? Remember you can undo the changes, either using the System Restore function that existed since Windows 95 or boot into safe mode and run the same registry cleaner and undo the changes.

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Neither one of both these two different methods can be considered reliable. Even though 'reasonable' is still only a subjective term, you'd have to create an image of the Windows partition to be able to call it reasonably safe.

Almighty1 said:

There are plenty of things that can break the system no different than in 1995, I ran Norton SpeedDisk from Norton SystemWorks for Windows v9.0, the HDD no longer worked, I could blame it on Norton but the drive actually died after Windows rebooting and it was a warranty replacement for 2GB Seagate Barracuda SCSI drive.

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Exactly. There are enough things that can break the system, which immediately helps to explain why avoiding to add more things that can break the system when there really is no need to add them makes all the perfect sense in the world. You could always decide to use Process Monitor to try and pinpoint what's causing the registry hives to become bloated. But if they're not bloated, the expression "much ado about nothing" springs to mind. Windows 11 version 24H2 runs better if it's dirty. Cleaning sickness causes it to poop on itself. You know. Stuff like that.

antspants said:

Please list your preferences from 1 to -10


View attachment 120065

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That Gentoo creature… what do you people say, crikey?

saltedm8 said:

Yes, the Unix foundation, Mach kernel, and FreeBSD give macOS some stability, but the real advantage of it comes from Apple's vertical integration. Because they have control over both hardware and software, they eliminate any issues regarding compatibility. Having said that, the self-contained package approach is where they really shine, reducing dependency issues and making application management much easier.

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You are probably more correct in the vertical integration part since I don't use MacOS. There can still be issues with compatibility with third party software as that part is what Apple doesn't control. So I was more talking about how Unix itself, as each command is really a app and each one can have it's own configuration file. On the Windows side, HWInfo would be a example as everything is in the .ini file and not the registry since it does not require installing so you can literally just copy the two .exe files and the .ini file and it will have the exact same configuration on a different computer similar to how portable applications work so it does not depend on the registry. Linux on the other hand is not a OS by itself as Linux is a kernel which is what Linus Torvalds wrote, everything else is packaged by others and then the hardware can be different as there are a unlimited amount of configurations possible. It would be similar if Microsoft only put out the Windows kernel and then allow third parties to package things so it's a OS, the problems would probably be more difficult than it is now. FreeBSD or any other Unix including Microsoft Xenix when it existed, OpenBSD, NetBSD, SunOS BSD based, SunOS Solaris, IBM AIX and others on any platform, the OS vendor controls both the kernel and the rest of the OS as a whole.