[Registy cleaning software... any good?]

BobbyScot · 2011/02/01

I am looking for a software program to erase
obsolete entries in the registy (Windows7 Home
premium 64Bit).
I note that a software title RegistryBooster by
Uniblue, claims that it will erase any obsolete
entries in the registry, safely.
Has any member tried this software title, and
found its claims to be 100% safe?
I will appreciate help on this topic.

Steve R Jones · 2011/02/01

Most of the time it is not necesary to do this... One wrong move can turn your pc into a boat anchor.

CCleaner is the most popular app to use if you feel you have to....

PeteC · 2011/02/01

Cleaning up the Registry and removing obsolete entries will give you no performance improvement at all and may cause irreparable harm - let sleeping dogs lie

I quote from Broni - our respected Malware Analyst .....

Registry cleaners/optimizers are not recommended for several reasons:

Registry cleaners are extremely powerful applications that can damage the registry by using aggressive cleaning routines and cause your computer to become unbootable.

The Windows registry is a central repository (database) for storing configuration data, user settings and machine-dependent settings, and options for the operating system. It contains information and settings for all hardware, software, users, and preferences. Whenever a user makes changes to settings, file associations, system policies, or installed software, the changes are reflected and stored in this repository. The registry is a crucial component because it is where Windows "remembers" all this information, how it works together, how Windows boots the system and what files it uses when it does. The registry is also a vulnerable subsystem, in that relatively small changes done incorrectly can render the system inoperable. For a more detailed explanation, read Understanding The Registry.

Not all registry cleaners are created equal. There are a number of them available but they do not all work entirely the same way. Each vendor uses different criteria as to what constitutes a "bad entry ". One cleaner may find entries on your system that will not cause problems when removed, another may not find the same entries, and still another may want to remove entries required for a program to work.

Not all registry cleaners create a backup of the registry before making changes. If the changes prevent the system from booting up, then there is no backup available to restore it in order to regain functionality. A backup of the registry is essential BEFORE making any changes to the registry.

Improperly removing registry entries can hamper malware disinfection and make the removal process more difficult if your computer becomes infected. For example, removing malware related registry entries before the infection is properly identified can contribute to system instability and even make the malware undetectable to removal tools.

The usefulness of cleaning the registry is highly overrated and can be dangerous. In most cases, using a cleaner to remove obsolete, invalid, and erroneous entries does not affect system performance but it can result in "unpredictable results ".

Unless you have a particular problem that requires a registry edit to correct it, I would suggest you leave the registry alone. Using registry cleaning tools unnecessarily or incorrectly could lead to disastrous effects on your operating system such as preventing it from ever starting again. For routine use, the benefits to your computer are negligible while the potential risks are great.

Ed Bott's Webog: Why I don't use registry cleaners

Do I need a Registry Cleaner?

Click to expand...

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[Registy cleaning software... any good?]

BobbyScot Geek Member Thread Starter

Steve R Jones SuperGeek Staff

PeteC SuperGeek Staff

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[Registy cleaning software... any good?]

BobbyScot Geek Member Thread Starter

Steve R Jones SuperGeek Staff

PeteC SuperGeek Staff

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