RegSeeker beta v1.45

James,

Thanks for the link. Will watch with interest when I find the topic. I did read your post carefully, and so you don't have to re-read mine carefully;

Not trying to offend you, or say you're wrong for having the opinion you do, I just don't understand the reasoning behind total opposition to using a registry cleaner. At the same time, I have also voiced my opinion as to why I (and many others) believe cleaning the registry can be very beneficial.


BillyBob,

Open the RegSeeker folder, then the backup folder. There you have the backup reg files.


Dennis L,

Click select all. A menu pops up with 3 choices.
On the MinnesotaMike thread (still have a headache), I'd speculate that RegSeeker wouldn't have been helpful there, only because the entry wasn't invalid. The program was installed and working.

EDIT: just ran the invalid entries option and came up with a list of everything not displayed in Add/Remove Don't think I'll be fixing the entries for Outlook Express, Shockwave, Address book..................


1.35 found 188 entries.
1.45 found 258 entries.

Great testament to the new version.

 

I am aware of that. And I have used then just for testing.

But over the years and several bad language creating SC*** ups I have learned that it pays to have and know how to use the RB00X.cab files and the Restore Points. BEFORE even THINKING about using any recleaner or even new software. Or making any other adjustments.

Learning to use the backups I mention WAS one of the FIRST items of business after installing 98 and XP PRO. Cause one NEVER knows when the you know what is going to hit the fan.

AND I DO NOT put FULL trust in MICROSOFT I check to make sure they are there before doing ANY adjusting. If they are not there I DO NOTHING until there is one there.

And once I do get adjustments made and I find all is going to be OK any OLD backups are wiped out and a new one made.

I just finished running the new RegSeeker on a 98SE machine. And all I can say is WOW !!. It even found NORTON leftovers on it.

I do have a question about SR but will put that in the XP forum later.

BillyBob

 

This seems like an irresponsible attitude, I have to say. Nevertheless, you're entitled to do whatever you feel is best.

Dave,

I've been back to the forum and there were four responses... all four were negative in regards to using registry cleaners. Below are two... one being an MVP:

Hi

XP manages the Registry very well by itself. Some of these so called
Registry 'cleaners' can, and do cause more harm than they are worth - in
some instances rendering a PC unbootable. May I suggest that you let XP
manage its own Registry and give these 'cleaners' a wide berth?
-------------

My advice is don't use any of them. In most cases the "cleaning"
they do is completely unnecessary, and there is always
substantial risk of their doing damage.

-- Ken Blake - Microsoft MVP Windows

-------------

Anyway, you can find the responses and the thread in the link I gave above. I'm not wanting to be contentious but I know that very few recommend the use of third party registry cleaners. My wife's son (obviously not my own son) works for Microsoft. Currently he is working on the new X-box but formerly he was one of the developers of the Windows registry. His own advice: do not use these registry cleaner programs.

 

Hi James,

Sure, you don't use these cleaners indiscriminatley.

Blanket disapproval however, whatever the circumtance, is just plain stupid. If I have a means to clean up leftover reg entries from a bad install or a corruption of some sort or dealing with a Symantec who after all these years still can't clean up after itself, you bet I'm going to use it.

My wife's son (obviously not my own son) works for Microsoft. Currently he is working on the new X-box but formerly he was one of the developers of the Windows registry. His own advice: do not use these registry cleaner programs.
It is very obvious to anyone that takes the time to look thru the registry that windows cannot clean up after itself 100%, especially with 3rd party software. Or try uninstalling any flavor of MS works suite and then look at the registry afterwards. With all due respect your observations are second hand, and its kind of obvious that you've never looked at an output of reg entries after an uninstall.

EDIT: Forgot to add: Sometimes overlooked is the fact that the OS itself never uninstalls anything as far as 3rd party software is concerned, it depends on that 3rd party to do it thru the unininstall.exe's and does not keep track as such of 3rd party registry entries.

Regards - Charles

 

Thank you charlesvar

Very nicely said.

BillyBob

 

Hello, Charles

Have you tried to go to the above link I provided and follow the discussion? Ask your own questions of the MVP's and see for yourself. These are not hobbyists nor are they amateurs nor unacquainted with the registry. In order to become an MVP they have to be very well acquainted with the Windows operating system and have many years of experience in dealing with problems relating to it. Perhaps if you were to ask their opinion but using your own words rather than my faulty post, you might receive a better informed answer. The latest from that discussion is:

in the hands of an expert computer user they are
dangerous, in the hands of a novice they are fatal.

Now, granted... this person is not an MVP but I happen to have followed his posts over the years and I can guarantee that he is no rank amateur.

I think you really should check out the discussion and then ask your own questions and give your own reasons as to why you believe these programs (in particular the RegSeeker program) are safe and recommended for use. See what responses you receive and then come back here and share the results. Let's just call it a friendly challenge based upon my curiosity. If you're able to get even three supportive posts, I'll eat my words.

 

Just to add a bit to what charlesvar wrote.

95% of the problems that I have had have been due to either an improper install/unistall which XP does nothing about.

Or not running something like RegSeeker to make sure that OLD IS GONE before installing the new.

As charlesvar mentioned MANY unistallers do not do a good job of cleaning. MANY of them do not ( or may not ) remove the folders and/or stuff from startup. Especially if the install does not go right the first time.

Or the USER forgets to stop the program before attempting to uninstall.

And in either case a 2nd try at install without cleaning out the 1st things may be WORSE yet.

Running RegSeeker HELPS TREMENDOUSLY here by helping to get rid of the old.

Oh Also. I had to run RegSeeker on a 98SE machine to get rid of a mis-behaving AOL before I could get a new install to even work. After a RegSeeker clean up all went very well.

BillyBob

 

Hi James,

I think you really should check out the discussion and then ask your own questions and give your own reasons as to why you believe these programs (in particular the RegSeeker program) are safe and recommended for use.
Ok, when I have a chance, I'll do so.

BTW, anyone there can come here as well

Regards - Charles

 

Hi Steve,

Charles, other than take of space, what do these left behind reg entries do?
Depends, if it's Symantec, it's fatal for another install. Or any firewall/AV, getting rid of one and installing another becomes problematic.

Aside from any of those examples, a bloated registry does take up more RAM and is slower, which you may or may not get exited about, depending on how anal one is or running a underpowered system where it does make a difference.

Regards - Charles

 

charlesvar

Again well said.

BillyBob

 

I think you should start eating.

You have ( or should have ) all you need as far as supporting RegSeeker goes.

And that support comes from USERS.

How much more support do you need ?

If you wish to still discuss whether RegSeeker is any good or not then read my posts and come on back. I AM ready.

I have just run the new version on the 2nd 98SE machine and WOW !! the USELESS TRASH that it found.

BilyBob

 

Okay... this answer (Pete's) seems to correspond with some of the answers I've read on the MS forum over the past couple of years and relating to the discussion at hand.

Charles, I'll provide the link to this discussion "over there" to see if an MVP or two will be enticed in this direction. I'm not hopeful since they appear to have their hands full over there but who can say? Probably the best recourse if for you (when you have the time and if you have the inclination) to make the trip over there and frame your question regarding RegSeeker.

Anyway, I'm off for the "real world" (IOW... I've got to get to work). I'll check in on this discussion later this evening (as well as the discussion "over there ").

 

A correction to my reply of Today, 13:55

Make that AIM not AOL.

Same idea though.

MY error there.

BillyBob

 

BillyBob

I mean no offense with my posts. You seem to have a tendency to take things personally and that can create hard feelings. It's just a software program... not life. Whether one chooses to use it or not is relatively unimportant in the greater scheme of things. I've been using a computer now for a little over eight years and never had recourse to go into the registry to correct a mess. Granted, I don't download a raft of freebies and then try to rid myself of them either so that may be in large the answer for my lack of problems.

Anyway, I said I'd eat my words if "three" (heh heh) posters "over there" were in support of the use of RegSeeker. So far I haven't seen a single one. But hey... the day is early! lol

Anyway, no offense is intended in my posts so I hope we can discuss these things with a sort of disapassionate air. In other words... let's not get too worked up about the topic.

Okay... I definitely have to get moving. I'll look in later.

 

This has no personal connection. Strickly about a piece of Software (RegSeeker ) and whether it is safe to use or not.

And/or whether cleaning the Registry is helpfull or not.

You and your MS Buddys says it is not.

Me, Myself and I say IT IS. I have used it for a few years and HAVE NEVER had a problem with it. I have used the new 1.45 version on all three machines now and NO PROBLEMS. And all three machines seem to be a bit better for. Especially the 3rd one that I just finshed.

That is what I tried to point out in my replys.

BUT !!. As I stated in another reply. I MAKE DARN SURE that I have the proper backups in place JUST IN CASE

Anybody that can tell me that removing 100+ USLESS entries from the Regisrty does not help then I can prove different And some of those entries were to software that had been removed.

And APPARENTLY one or more of those entries was messing up Internet Explorer somehow. Because it ( IE ) works now but did not before.

BillyBob

 

Pete's response is exactly how I use reg cleaners:
I use RegSeeker from time to time - with great caution, going through the report line by line manually selectng for deletion only invalid Active X's, invalid links, etc. I leave unused file extensions and open with's well alone.


This quote from that forum that James posted:
(Registry cleaners) in the hands of an expert computer user they are
dangerous, in the hands of a novice they are fatal
is really mindless and has no meaning - anything you do with a computer is potentially dangerous.

Ultimitlely it comes down to learning how to undo imperfect software's actions or your actions thru regedit or any MS "blessed" technique or tool.

Regards - Charles

 

One thing in this thread that no one has mentioned is that the MVP's of MS are probably never going to suggest for anyone to use a third party's product to clean up (whatever products) left over "stuff" from MS's Registry. That could(?) lead them or MS to be involved in a legal action maybe?

So it comes back to us, the user, if you know what you're doing and if RegSeeker or whatever, does the job as it is intended, the more Power to us, I say.

AND caution, is the word to the wise, as many posters have stated thus far.

 

FWIW, I've used Regseeker since it was first released and have never had a problem with it. However, I don't run it on a regular basis. Maybe once every couple months. This gives me ample time to determine whether it goofed somewhere or not. Some of the programs I have don't get run all that often and under these circumstances there's always the chance of finding a problem several weeks down the road. If you run it every few days or once a week, and by some chance happen to have a problem weeks or even months later, there's too many backups to have to mess with. Running it once every couple months leaves you just one backup to have to restore should you ever have a problem weeks later and want to know if Regseeker was the problem or not (I've never had to do this though).

The registry is a database just like OE and as such, deleting entries from it doesn't reduce the size of it unless it's compacted. It just leaves empty spaces in it. Remember the old scanreg /opt in Win98? There are programs available that will compact the registry though I've never used one myself. For an example, have a look at Registry Compressor .