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Registry Cleaner? - 1/4/2009 3:06:01 PM

Toby42

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Joined: 8/10/2003
From: Central Florida
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Good Morning all. I hope everyone had a nice Holiday Time. Can anyone reccomend a Registry Cleaner? I had one at one time that was safe and easy to use, but in changing computers and moving I can't find it! I can't even remember where I got it....

Thanks

< Message edited by Treale -- 1/5/2009 3:10:09 PM >

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Tony

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RE: Recistry Cleaner? - 1/4/2009 3:12:20 PM

m10bob

Posts: 8622
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From: Dismal Seepage Indiana
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You can get REGISTRY MECHANIC or CCLEANER, find both on your browser, or go to download.com.Another good site for 'puter needs is LIFEHACKER.com

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RE: Recistry Cleaner? - 1/4/2009 3:19:40 PM

Toby42

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From: Central Florida
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Thanks for the info. I'll check out the sites. Which one do you use?

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RE: Recistry Cleaner? - 1/4/2009 3:33:29 PM

gunny

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Eusing Free Registry Cleaner

Fairly popular and reliable.

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RE: Recistry Cleaner? - 1/4/2009 3:41:21 PM

Toby42

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From: Central Florida
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quote:

ORIGINAL: gunny

Eusing Free Registry Cleaner

Fairly popular and reliable.

Do you have a link to the website?

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RE: Recistry Cleaner? - 1/4/2009 3:56:18 PM

leastonh1

Posts: 879
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From: West Yorkshire, England
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CCleaner is excellent

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RE: Recistry Cleaner? - 1/4/2009 4:02:56 PM

Hertston

Posts: 3564
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quote:

ORIGINAL: Jim_H

CCleaner is excellent�

That's the one I use and have never had any trouble. That said, I'd hesitate to 'recommend' any, there always seems an element of risk with any such program. Just be sure you are in a position to restore a back-up if necessary.

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RE: Recistry Cleaner? - 1/4/2009 4:24:35 PM

sabre1

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I can never get a straight answer from the IT guys I know. Some say yes use a registry cleaner, and others say it doesn't make any difference or worse you will mess your system up. I have Vista 64.

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RE: Recistry Cleaner? - 1/4/2009 4:25:07 PM

Toby42

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quote:

ORIGINAL: Hertston

quote:

ORIGINAL: Jim_H

CCleaner is excellent�

That's the one I use and have never had any trouble. That said, I'd hesitate to 'recommend' any, there always seems an element of risk with any such program. Just be sure you are in a position to restore a back-up if necessary.

There is always a disclaimer...

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RE: Recistry Cleaner? - 1/4/2009 4:28:02 PM

Toby42

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I used to use one years ago. I think that it was called RegClean. I may do a search and see if that brings up anything. Probably the best way to go, is to re-format once in awhile and re-install everything. But that is a pain too!!!

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RE: Recistry Cleaner? - 1/4/2009 4:38:32 PM

leastonh1

Posts: 879
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From: West Yorkshire, England
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quote:

ORIGINAL: sabre1

I can never get a straight answer from the IT guys I know.� Some say yes use a registry cleaner, and others say it doesn't make any difference or worse you will mess your system up.� I have Vista 64.

All registry tools are risky. No exceptions. If you don't know why the tool you are using is asking to delete a particular registry key, then don't do it. Just because it says you can remove an entry, it doesn't mean you should. You can and will hose Windows by removing a single wrong registry entry. It's that easy. I work in IT and have done it to my own computer!

I'd recommend backing up your registry before you start. BUT!!!!!!! Backups are only any good if you can restore them. Make sure you know how before you go ahead.

Windows has a definite limit on the size of the registry. I don't use Vista though, so am not sure what that limit is these days. If you continually install and remove software, eventually it will become bloated and full of redundant entries. It DOES significantly slow down Windows when it's too big. Registry cleaners can make an enormous difference to your performance if used carefully as they scan for these unused entries left behind by lazy programmers who can't be bothered clearing the entries their software created.

Sorry for the scare mongering, but messing with the registry when you aren't familiar with it will eventually result in a PC which won't boot. Been there, got the tshirt.

Have fun!

< Message edited by Jim_H -- 1/4/2009 4:41:12 PM >

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RE: Recistry Cleaner? - 1/4/2009 5:01:34 PM

junk2drive

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Jim maybe you can answer a couple of questions for me.

1. I accidentally selected (didn't unselect) the always use this program when I was opening an unknown file with notepad. Now those files show up in thumbnail view as notepad files. I have had this happen with other files as well. Can I remove that so that the files go back to unknown?

2. I tried a game called Field of Strategy. After uninstalling the game, I notice that some files show as FoS Document type files when they should be unknown. Example from a game

blah blah.sav (a game save file)
FoS.Document.1 (displayed ghostly below the file name)
Tooltip shows Type: FoS.Document.1

TIA

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RE: Recistry Cleaner? - 1/4/2009 6:16:47 PM

leastonh1

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junk2drive. This is a fairly easy one�

Open Windows Explorer.
Tools menu, select "Folder Options"
Select the "File Types" tab at the top.
Just scroll down the list and change or delete those you've mentioned above. I'm not sure how the unknown file type will be listed, either the top or the very bottom of the list. The FoS one looks like it might be associated with files with a suffix of .1 rather than .fos if I'm reading your post correctly?

Again, caveats apply. Even if you see file types you don't recognise in that list, be very careful removing them! You can spanner Windows by messing with file associations.

The best way is to do one at a time and double check that the change has applied the way you think it should have done. Do a screenshot of the settings, so that if it's not right you can recreate the file association. You do this at your own risk

Hope that helps

< Message edited by Jim_H -- 1/4/2009 6:17:33 PM >

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2nd Lt. George Rice: Looks like you guys are going to be surrounded.
Richard Winters: We're paratroopers, Lieutenant, we're supposed to be surrounded.

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RE: Recistry Cleaner? - 1/4/2009 6:58:06 PM

junk2drive

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It appears that only registered file types are on the list. For example MP3 files are on the list and show the music note icon but the OGG files from JTCS are not on the list.

quote:

The FoS one looks like it might be associated with files with a suffix of .1 rather than .fos if I'm reading your post correctly?

The files don't have the .1 just .sav but in Windows Explorer the SAV files do not have any FoS mention.

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RE: Recistry Cleaner? - 1/4/2009 7:11:08 PM

leastonh1

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Sorry, I misread your post. Ok, go into the list and look for the .sav file type. Click once to highlight it and click "advanced". You'll now see the word "open" in the Actions part of the new window. Click on the word open to highlight and then "remove". This will delete the association of .sav files with FoS. If you click "change" instead of "advanced", you can then select a new program with which to open .sav files. Does that make more sense?

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2nd Lt. George Rice: Looks like you guys are going to be surrounded.
Richard Winters: We're paratroopers, Lieutenant, we're supposed to be surrounded.

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Post #: 15

RE: Recistry Cleaner? - 1/4/2009 7:24:48 PM

junk2drive

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I think I have confused you.

In JTCS there are .obx files that are encripted oob files. They now show as notepad icons. With your last instructions, I can remove notepad.

The .sav files do not open with FoS, I just want to get rid of any FoS association. I searched the registry for FoS and cannot find anything so I'm not sure where this thing even comes from.

Thanks

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RE: Recistry Cleaner? - 1/4/2009 8:20:23 PM

JudgeDredd

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I use RegScrub...and quite wantonly too. Whatever it brings back, I select all and delete, and keep doing so until it returns no issues.

I've never had an issue. Because I use XP, I can always go back to a last good restore point...so it's never really an issue.

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RE: Recistry Cleaner? - 1/4/2009 8:28:09 PM

leastonh1

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junk2drive - It could be just a hidden registry key then. In which case, there's not a lot you can do. If you're really determined, you could reinstall FoS and run some registry monitoring software to list exactly what's written by the software and manually reverse whatever the uninstaller leaves (or use Revo). That's the only sure way of getting it all afaik.

JD - I ran a reg cleaner a while back which removed the file association for .exe files. I could boot into Windows without a proper gui and shed loads of errors, but it didn't know what to use for .exe files and just bombed out. I had to reinstall XP over the top as even explorer.exe and task manager refused to run. It was a mess. Oh, I was soooo happy that day. The worst bit was, none of this took effect until I next rebooted after "cleaning" the registry. You can imagine the language!

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2nd Lt. George Rice: Looks like you guys are going to be surrounded.
Richard Winters: We're paratroopers, Lieutenant, we're supposed to be surrounded.

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RE: Recistry Cleaner? - 1/4/2009 9:53:52 PM

sabre1

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So all this begs the question, at least for me; Are the shareware programs and free utilities that you can download as good as the commercial ones? For example, I use Kaspersky for my antivirus. I have used AVG, but did not feel it offered the protection that Kaspersky offers.

The same with cleaners, are the commercial ones better?, Lordy, give me back the old DOS days. You know, Xtree, QEMM, Paul Mace Software, a stinking two whole files that controlled the whole operating system for the most part. Autoexec.bat, and config.sys.

If a DOS program didn't work it was EASY to tinker with those two files and get it to work, and if I couldn't then I just didn't mess with "that" program anymore.

Oh , and sorry if I'm hijacking a thread, I humbly apologize. It just gets frustrating sometimes, look at JD's problems with EU: Rome/VV.

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RE: Recistry Cleaner? - 1/4/2009 10:34:03 PM

leastonh1

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sabre1 - For what it's worth...When I'm looking for new software these days, I always go open source first, then shareware, then commercial last. Unless I have a very good reason to alter that sequence, I don't.

Obviously, I can only go on my own experience, but I find that open source application software (once it's out of alpha and early beta, and not always then!) is usually so well supported and regularly developed, that bugs are few and generally minor and squashed extremely quickly. Shareware is similar, but costs me money which I'd rather not spend if I don't have to hehe! But, even shareware authors usually respond very quickly and very personally to support issues. It's their bread and butter, so they provide that rare thing, the personal service. Some commercial software is better because the development has been well funded, but in my book. Bigger and more expensive definitely doesn't equal better.

I have always used commercial anti-virus software (BitDefender 2009) because I've always found it more reliable. However, I only ever use freeware firewalls (Comodo or Online Armor (not v3 though!)) these days.

Just my 2p worth

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2nd Lt. George Rice: Looks like you guys are going to be surrounded.
Richard Winters: We're paratroopers, Lieutenant, we're supposed to be surrounded.

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RE: Recistry Cleaner? - 1/4/2009 10:41:27 PM

JudgeDredd

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You can't blanket say ""Freeware is the way to go"...obviously, as for paid for software, there is some donkey stuff out there.

But, as a rule I go freeware first, but I always read reviews or have word of mouth (RegScrub was recommended to me by a good System Administrator). So I never use open source unless I know about it.

Avast is a brilliant piece of freeware and very "non intrusive" anti virus system and I have never had a single virus on my computer since installing it...either that or it's so bad at it's job, it's never told me!!

The only thing I get from it is the occasional "Anti Virus Database has been updated" and that's that...and a yearly registration...

RegScrub has never caused me any problems and I always select all the suggested fixes it suggests.

If you can get something open source (freeware) get it, but read up on it first.

As for my problems...who knows. I'd put money on it being a "paid" piece of software on my system that's causing the fault or a piece of hardware before I'd place the blame at any of the freeware stuff I have.

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RE: Recistry Cleaner? - 1/5/2009 12:42:10 AM

hadberz

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I been using this one. It's currently legally free, be sure and copy the key down. http://www.vnunet.com/vnunet/downloads/2231665/tuneup-utilities-2007

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RE: Recistry Cleaner? - 1/5/2009 1:43:15 AM

gunny

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http://www.eusing.com/free_registry_cleaner/registry_cleaner.htm

Eusing backs up the registry automatically so if you pooch a program you can go back. Course if you pooch a win boot then safemode and hope for the best.

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RE: Recistry Cleaner? - 1/5/2009 2:26:43 AM

Valkyrie

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I use Iolo Technologies "System Mechanic" which includes registry cleaning and backup as just one of many, many tools. It also includes a
Safetynet feature to allow undo's on everything. I think I got it for $14.99 with an online special. Also, they have at last released a 64 bit version so it's good for those running XP64 or Vista 64 O/S.

I've been using it for several years now and am quite satisfied with it. It's a good all around toolkit for virtually all of your needs.

http://www.iolo.com/

It's not free, but it's a good product.

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RE: Recistry Cleaner? - 1/5/2009 2:39:27 AM

06 Maestro

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I had been using various free types of reg cleaners and defraggers for a few years (got tired of paying for those services). A few weeks ago my PC started experiencing a few problems that could not be cleared up with the freebies. I searched around and decided on Registry Defender. I was amazed at the number of registry errors this program found on my supposedly well maintained PC. Its humming right along again. It cost 29.00 US (holiday sale-normal 49

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RE: Recistry Cleaner? - 1/5/2009 2:46:01 AM

sabre1

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Which reminds me, Macs don't have this problem. No I'm not a Mac lover.

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RE: Recistry Cleaner? - 1/5/2009 10:40:35 AM

goodwoodrw

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G'day all,
I find reformatting the best registry cleaner tool I know.

Ron

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RE: Recistry Cleaner? - 1/5/2009 11:51:06 AM

leastonh1

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From: West Yorkshire, England
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quote:

ORIGINAL: BASB

G'day all,
I find reformatting the best registry cleaner tool I know.
Ron

LOL! Very true. It's amazing how quickly Windows runs when you have a vanilla install. Everything goes downhill from there though

_____________________________

2nd Lt. George Rice: Looks like you guys are going to be surrounded.
Richard Winters: We're paratroopers, Lieutenant, we're supposed to be surrounded.

(in reply to goodwoodrw)

Post #: 28

RE: Registry Cleaner? - 1/5/2009 10:45:18 PM

Toby42

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From: Central Florida
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I downloaded and used Eusing Free Registry Cleaner. It is pretty simple to use. It found 1,674 erroneous entries. So far everything seems to be working OK, and much faster!!

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Tony

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RE: Registry Cleaner? - 1/6/2009 12:22:48 AM

Arctic Blast

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quote:

ORIGINAL: Treale

I downloaded and used Eusing Free Registry Cleaner. It is pretty simple to use. It found 1,674 erroneous entries. So far everything seems to be working OK, and much faster!!