Registry Cleaner/Defrag

[Collider]

Hi,

I'm looking for a good registry cleaner/defrag tool. I'm already using CCleaner but looking for kind of similar functionality to what TuneUp Utilities offers but freeware. If you have any recommendations please let me know.

Thanks!

 

[Nothinman]

The only recommendation that would come from anyone with common sense is that you just leave it alone and find a better way to spend your time.

 

[Emulex]

Please do not do this - i swear to god i've seen so many machines screwed up - years later when an SP comes out because of one item missing or left in.

Find your peace in other areas man.

 

[MadScientist]

Not this question again. The Search function does work. One of many threads on the subject. http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?t=2052462&highlight=registry+cleaner

 

[Collider]

Haha - OK sorry guys, didn't think I would be met with this much resistance on this question.

Honestly I have been using both TuneUp Utilities & Registry Mechanic tools for years now for registry cleaning/defrag features and never had any issues what's so ever. I was able to observe tangible gains in overall OS performance after running these on Win installs of 6+ months of age, where OS just felt snappier after removing invalid keys and shrinking the size by ~ 5%.

However I do agree that this is a "red" area where you could kill you OS if not careful and I have done so in the past until I came across these 2 tools. I would recommend these, if you're willing to pay - but I was curious in freeware options besides CCleaner.

 

[totalnoob]

Glary Utilities FTW

http://download.cnet.com/Glary-Utilities/3000-2094_4-10508531.html

 

[AFurryReptile]

You will find no proof anywhere that a registry cleanup will speed up your OS in any way, shape, or form. Any perceived difference is just the placebo effect.

 

[Soundmanred]

Yup, registry "cleaning" is like trying to clean sand off a beach.

 

[Collider]

Yup, registry "cleaning" is like trying to clean sand off a beach.

I like you're comparison and it's probably an accurate one. However the real performance gain is in registry defrag. I normally will use a cleaner to remove invalid keys and then defrag, this usually works best after installing lots of additional software.

If I find any benchmarks I will def post them...

 

[Nothinman]

I like you're comparison and it's probably an accurate one. However the real performance gain is in registry defrag. I normally will use a cleaner to remove invalid keys and then defrag, this usually works best after installing lots of additional software.

There's no "real" performance gain from either operation. With the speed of today's hard disk Windows could read the entire registry into memory at least 3 times in a second. And opening and reading a registry key only takes milliseconds, even if you did manage to decrease that time by a huge amount like 50% the actual time difference would be negligible.

Things that claim to do registry and memory optimization are just today's snakeoil.

 

[Modelworks]

The main thing you need is some type of program to make sure that programs uninstalled remove everything . That is the biggest issue with registry problems. If an application fails to remove the correct keys it can cause some very odd problems.

Revo uninstaller has a free version.
http://www.revouninstaller.com/revo_uninstaller_free_download.html

 

[Nothinman]

The main thing you need is some type of program to make sure that programs uninstalled remove everything . That is the biggest issue with registry problems. If an application fails to remove the correct keys it can cause some very odd problems.

Revo uninstaller has a free version.
http://www.revouninstaller.com/revo_uninstaller_free_download.html

What is really needed is good package management on Windows and Windows developers not to be idiots. The former is happening but probably won't be released for a while and the latter won't change as long as Windows is the lowest common denominator.

However, I can't remember having any issues with uninstalled apps on Windows in a very long time. The last time I probably used an uninstaller was 10 years ago.

 

[Tsavo]

Registry cleaners WILL unbork a seriously borked machine. I used WinASO on a laptop that took 7 minutes to boot and it made the machine usable again.

For normal humans, I'd wager that reg cleaning is of little use.

But as we all know, there aren't many normal humans.

MS has their own reg cleaner here:

http://onecare.live.com/site/en-US/center/tuneup.htm

 

[Nothinman]

Registry cleaners WILL unbork a seriously borked machine.

Maybe in some extreme corner cases, but those would be the exceptions to the rule. What's truly sad is MS propagating that BS in order to make OneCare look more useful.

 

[Tsavo]

Maybe in some extreme corner cases, but those would be the exceptions to the rule. What's truly sad is MS propagating that BS in order to make OneCare look more useful.

Change WILL to MAY. ()

 

[Nothinman]

Change WILL to MAY. ()

And even that's being generous, IMO.

 

[Harvey]

I swear by Registry Mechanic by PC Tools, which is now owned by Norton and is the same program currently offered as Norton Utilities under that brand. You can often find it for between $10 and free after rebate.

I don't put much stock in the nay sayers. It often finds issues in need of attention, and it's never harmed any of my machines or those of my friends under XP or Win 7.

I prefer Registry Mechanic because, when I've needed support, I've always been able to get a live tech at PC Tools' toll free support phone number. Getting that kind of help from Norton is more difficult than pulling teeth.

 

[Tsavo]

And even that's being generous, IMO.

May sometimes!

 

[GaryJohnson]

It often finds issues in need of attention

The software says it's doing something important, so it must be.

 

[Nothinman]

May sometimes!

If you're lucky on a full moon on an odd numbered day...

 

[Soundmanred]

My vote is still the same: a complete waste of time.
If you like placebos, go for it.
If you want something that will help, get better/faster hardware.

 

[Nothinman]

If you want something that will help, get better/faster hardware.

Or just don't gunk up your Windows install, it's really not that difficult.

 

[DasFox]

Hi,

I'm looking for a good registry cleaner/defrag tool. I'm already using CCleaner but looking for kind of similar functionality to what TuneUp Utilities offers but freeware. If you have any recommendations please let me know.

Thanks!

Here we go again, LOL....

If you haven't already used the Windows Registry Editor then start here and learn to get comfortable removing items by hand.

It's not to often you need to clean out a registry, but there are times when it can get mucked up and cause issues, so learning isn't a bad thing.

As it relates to viruses and malware getting in the registry cleaning those out is a good thing.

It's best to start slow and simple, slow is going through the registry by hand and simple is using CCleaner to do the job, after that getting into more complex registry programs can cause you problems.

The most respectful name in Registry apps is JV16, but it seems like the quality has been lacking over the years and I use it as a Tech to help clean out infected systems.

As far as all this improve your system by cleaning out your registry, it's crap!

ENJOY!

 

[REC]

Registry cleaning is a repair technique, not a performance modification. Getting a bunch of error messages about missing files when you log in? Registry cleaning will fix it. Unless you're damn good, you'll screw the machine even more doing it by hand.

I use Registry Mechanic; it's not expensive and there are.. cheaper ways of getting software. It's good software and you should support the dev team imo.

Also, some coders SUCK and leave registry keys when you remove software using their uninstall tools. Another reason registry cleaning software exists is to fix their fail.

 

[REC]

I swear by Registry Mechanic by PC Tools, which is now owned by Norton and is the same program currently offered as Norton Utilities under that brand. You can often find it for between $10 and free after rebate.

I don't put much stock in the nay sayers. It often finds issues in need of attention, and it's never harmed any of my machines or those of my friends under XP or Win 7.

I prefer Registry Mechanic because, when I've needed support, I've always been able to get a live tech at PC Tools' toll free support phone number. Getting that kind of help from Norton is more difficult than pulling teeth.

:thumbsup: