Registry cleaners: Useful? Or a waste of time (or worse)?

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I've read so many arguments on this issue so that I don't know if I should get one of these, or stay away like the plague.

If you do advocate for this kind of software, what are the good and the bad here?

All the systems on my home LAN run Win 7 Professional.

Thanks.
 
Ccleaner has gotten me out of jams before, and is the only one I use.

My policy is not to use it unless something is borked, or if I'm time (customer budget) limited on a repair.

Best answer is to backup/clean install, and don't go fucking shit up. But things happen.
 
I don't want to call them a waste of time as they do clean stuff out, however, I've never seen/used one to fix anything.
 
I've never seen any evidence that they do any good. Personally I've never used them but I have repaired machines where the user has and it screwed things up.
 
I use CCleaner all the time in its full functionality, but it's all anecdotal at best for the registry. Windows usually does a good job of maintaining registry states, so i highly doubt any claim that constant "cleaning" fixes anything.
 
I'd say the majority of them are probably safe, although I tend to think more of them nowadays are snake skin with their claims. Things have come along way since they were useful.

Plus anyone who grew up in the 90's or earlier knows how dangerous screwing with the registry in ANY way can be. Even backing it up I don't trust messing with it unless I have to included deleting old crap, much less having some program automate that.
 
their more likely to cause harm than good (for the most part) but i can say ccleaner has never done any harm that i know of which i can't say the same about the rest. best to have an image backup if trying a bunch out....cause you may need it:D
 
I've never had a reason to mess with one, but I'm pretty sure they're not good. The registry is just a database of system, program and user settings. Unless the program understands each and every setting it modifies, and I doubt any registry cleaner is that comprehensive, then you risk trashing your OS or a program installation. It'd be like hiring a maid to clean out your filing cabinet without her knowing what's important in there. One case where it might work ok is removing entries from uninstalled programs, but unless you install and remove thousands of programs (or perhaps many more), leaving their settings in the registry is having no effect on the system.
 
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I've never had a reason to mess with one, but I'm pretty sure they're not good. The registry is just a database of system, program and user settings. Unless the program understands each and every setting it modifies, and I doubt any registry cleaner is that comprehensive, then you risk trashing your OS or a program installation. It'd be like hiring a maid to clean out your filing cabinet without her knowing what's important in there. One case where it might work ok is removing entries from uninstalled programs, but unless you install and remove thousands of programs (or perhaps many more), leaving their settings in the registry is having no effect on the system.

Guys,

Thanks for all the replies. It sounds like the only registry cleaner people really like is CCleaner. I'll try that and see what I get. I can say that even Microsoft, when they update Office, leaves behind some registry entries from the old version.
 
Stop installing so much useless questionable crap and you wont need one..

I am in the boat i have not used once since before XP..
 
Stop installing so much useless questionable crap and you wont need one..

I am in the boat i have not used once since before XP..

I resemble that remark. :)

The problem is that even legit, "respectable" companies now install crapware. Companies like Adobe or Sun (Oracle). And this crapware is installed automatically.

And CNet used to be good source for downloads, no longer. If I find something on CNet that interests me, I always go to the author's own website for a download.
 
I resemble that remark. :)

The problem is that even legit, "respectable" companies now install crapware. Companies like Adobe or Sun (Oracle). And this crapware is installed automatically.

And CNet used to be good source for downloads, no longer. If I find something on CNet that interests me, I always go to the author's own website for a download.

They only install crapware if you're not very careful to unselect the agreements to do so. Always custom/advanced install, and always no agreement to install anything other than the software you're trying to install.
 
They only install crapware if you're not very careful to unselect the agreements to do so. Always custom/advanced install, and always no agreement to install anything other than the software you're trying to install.

You're making the assumption that they're asking permission to install lol.
 
As well as left overs from software uninstalls. Microsoft office leave a pile of stuff on a pc after uninstall, just as an example.
 
Stop installing so much useless questionable crap and you wont need one..

I am in the boat i have not used once since before XP..

With as much shit as I do to my PC through tweaking and playing around and installing/uninstalling/testing software, it helps out.

I've borked a Windows 10 install using CCleaners registry cleaner. It was an older version, and apparently didn't like a Win10 registry entry being there, so it took it out (I just restored an older version of the registry and was back in business). That was the ONLY time CCleaner has screwed up on me. But, I was using a beta OS with an older version of CCleaner after messing with the registry (successfully before CCleaner and after restoring the backup, so narrowed it down to CCleaner).

I recommend it, but it just cleans up things. It doesn't really make your PC any faster or smoother running or anything.
 
I'm with Snufykat - just use it to clean a post-uninstall for some bad software. Otherwise if it runs, leave it alone.
 
In addition to CCleaner, I'm a big fan of Revo Uninstaller - which essentially cleans up traces of programs within the registry (and random other places). Too often I'll find programs that I've uninstalled still sitting around with a bunch of large files in random folders and this program kills all of that nonsense off. Ditto with programs that love to become your "default" and that doesn't seem to ever disappear even after uninstalling them. CCleaner and Revo = a great way to keep your PC clean.
 
I do use wise registry cleaner. But, that's only on really badly fucked up machines. Defragmenting the registry can help improve performance if it's spread out all over the drive. I just use it as part of my repair routine.
 
I use CCleaner, usually after I uninstall something, to make sure I get rid of all the left over stuff the program left behind. It's also good for cleaning out old cache, temp files, cookies, etc.. I often recover a couple gigs of space after I run it
 
don't use them, sometimes it will be fine, but sometimes can cause huge problems.

and if your going to use it, look thought entire list and only select what you want to remove, never remove everything it finds by just select all.
 
In addition to CCleaner, I'm a big fan of Revo Uninstaller - which essentially cleans up traces of programs within the registry (and random other places). Too often I'll find programs that I've uninstalled still sitting around with a bunch of large files in random folders and this program kills all of that nonsense off. Ditto with programs that love to become your "default" and that doesn't seem to ever disappear even after uninstalling them. CCleaner and Revo = a great way to keep your PC clean.

I'm the OP on this thread. I also just bought Revo Uninstaller Pro after doing the trial. How do you "divide up the work" between the two programs?
 
I'm the OP on this thread. I also just bought Revo Uninstaller Pro after doing the trial. How do you "divide up the work" between the two programs?

I really use Revo mainly just for the uninstall functionality. When you used the "advanced" function during an uninstall it'll hunt down all of the other remnant files that the program also installed. It's great for programs that leave LOTS of traces like when you want to clear out all of the old versions of MS Office, Adobe Creative Suite, PowerDVD, motherboard installer files, GFWL, or anything that loves to dump files all over your PC. It's nice for games, too. Sometimes older games will scatter things like Gamespy and old versions of Uplay and whatnot if you're not paying attention...or sometimes even if you are.
It's also great for killing off random adware you might have accidentally installed, too. It'll hunt down traces in your user directories and whatnot. Revo followed by Spybot tends to get rid of almost anything.
I don't really use the other functions within it very often.

With CCleaner, I run it every week or two just to clear out all of the needless temporary files, old registry entries, and anything that has decided it needs to start with Windows.
 
I use CCleaner on mine to just clean out uninstalled software entries.

I use it on customers machines to clean out the 3000+ junk entries in the registry and the 8GB+ of junk temp files that have built up over 5 years. It might help. Doesn't seem to hurt.

However, CCleaner is now one of those applications that's getting scope creep in that its now wanting to be on and active all the time 'monitoring' your system.

Not long before that's junked.
 
Maybe I should run CCleaner sometime since my install is over 5 years old,
hal-x100-win-install-2015.jpg
 
You're making the assumption that they're asking permission to install lol.

Then your making the assumption anything is installed beside what you choose to which a reg cleaner wont matter because you wont know what to look for anyways :D

Adobe asks you to install McCrappy AV and such on the download.. other than that i see no bloatware with things you mentioned..

I do hate how windows apps rarely actually uninstall them selves and they do leave files all over, but really i cant say i have ever noticed.

If you install so many things, for testing, for those that do, fire up a VM and be done with it...
 
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Then your making the assumption anything is installed beside what you choose to which a reg cleaner wont matter because you wont know what to look for anyways :D

Adobe asks you to install McCrappy AV and such on the download.. other than that i see no bloatware with things you mentioned..

I do hate how windows apps rarely actually uninstall them selves and they do leave files all over, but really i cant say i have ever noticed.

If you install so many things, for testing, for those that do, fire up a VM and be done with it...

You're completely right which is why I never install any software except the necessary games on a windows computer.
 
revo and cc cleaner are both ok in my book.....but i have noticed the built in disk cleaner in 8 or 10 can do pretty good by itself at least at recovering wasted disk space. I know its a little off topic but people kinda side tracked to it versus simply cleaning the registry which of course ccleaner still does well imo. whether its more snake oil than really doing needed work is almost impossible to prove one way or the other. I really wish i could say it actually fixed a problem here or there but truthfully i can not, but maybe others can chime in on real issues fixed.

I also noticed how there pushing for running all the time (system monitoring) fortunately it's easy to turn off
 
The thing that pisses me off about CCleaner is that there seems to be a new update every damn time I open the program.
 
I use CCleaner on mine to just clean out uninstalled software entries.

I use it on customers machines to clean out the 3000+ junk entries in the registry and the 8GB+ of junk temp files that have built up over 5 years. It might help. Doesn't seem to hurt.

However, CCleaner is now one of those applications that's getting scope creep in that its now wanting to be on and active all the time 'monitoring' your system.

Not long before that's junked.

I hope not. I use it frequently; probably every few weeks. Or after I uninstall a few programs. I forgot to run it for a while and accumulated 140 or so registry issues. I decided to run it because I noticed my start up times had slowed down in recent days. The next time I turned the PC on start up was once again quicker. I doubt it will be noticeable if you run your OS off of an SSD though.
 
haven't used a reg cleaner in years...nowadays I just reformat if I feel things getting bloated
 
haven't used a reg cleaner in years...nowadays I just reformat if I feel things getting bloated

Same here if I have even the remote suspicion that something is wrong with the OS I never even try to fix it. Reformat, reinstall and everythings fresh and nice again.
 
Same here if I have even the remote suspicion that something is wrong with the OS I never even try to fix it. Reformat, reinstall and everythings fresh and nice again.

I come from a different background. I have to repair computers to earn my money. The only time I consider a fresh re-install is when the harddrive has so many bad sectors that the disk can't be read to make an image. But, as long as I can get an image off that isn't too screwed, I can usually fix it.
 
I come from a different background. I have to repair computers to earn my money. The only time I consider a fresh re-install is when the harddrive has so many bad sectors that the disk can't be read to make an image. But, as long as I can get an image off that isn't too screwed, I can usually fix it.

For me a fresh install is just something soothing. With all the malware and viruses roaming around the Windows ecosystem it's a good feeling to nuke the drive regularly.

I've always hated the whole concept of trying to clean an infection, there are just way too many ways an attack can compromise your system to be able to find all of them. Plus I've seen too many times how an antivirus 'cleans' your computer and you can still see the virus/malware in action.
 
For me a fresh install is just something soothing. With all the malware and viruses roaming around the Windows ecosystem it's a good feeling to nuke the drive regularly.

I've always hated the whole concept of trying to clean an infection, there are just way too many ways an attack can compromise your system to be able to find all of them. Plus I've seen too many times how an antivirus 'cleans' your computer and you can still see the virus/malware in action.

Oh yeah, it's a pain in the ass. Some of the hardest crap to remove are the fake agents, like the fake anti viruses.

70 bucks an hour is what I charge for doing it on site. 145 bucks if you bring it in. I usually have a few cleanups going at the same time. The money isn't bad. Plus I've been around for a while so a lot of the machines I repair are ones that I sold.
 
you charge less for driving to there location? thought i be the other way around lol
 
The thing that pisses me off about CCleaner is that there seems to be a new update every damn time I open the program.

Agree'd, love the prog, but disabled auto update and I only update it like once a year.

You'd think a smart program would have the ability of updating within without having to uninstall and reinstall the entire thing every time.
 
you charge less for driving to there location? thought i be the other way around lol

Yeah, No charge for coming out, or for mileage or anything. Bu,t if I have to do a clean up on site it's gonna take a few hours at least.

It works well. For a lot of business customers that can't bring their machines in, I make out pretty good.

edit: I see what you mean. 70 bucks an hour on site, 145 bucks flat if you bring it in.
 
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