I need a registry cleaner for xp / vista.

I've sworn off all symantec products due thier exhorbitant upgrade / maintainance fees, I used to use their windoctor.

Somehow, I have a hard time inviting any program from a company I haven't heard of to come in and mess with my registry.

Any suggestions?

Jim Ive had great luck with this one, once a week. Also does a defrag as well if you want.
http://www.registry-cleaner.net/

It helps keep my startup folder clean, dumps messed up files etc. I put it on all our family PC's and laptops. :thumbsup:

I use McAfee's quick clean. I get it thru Comast for free. It can be bought. It is a great tool.

I wouldnt use a registry cleaner. In my experience, they cause more troubles than there worth. Although, it has been awile since Ive tried one.

Ive also heard good things about AVG Free for Antivirus protection.. http://free.grisoft.com/

http://www.registrycleanercompared.com/registrycleaner.html?gclid=CMTU98PA55ACFQOllgodgk9 1XA


http://www.consumers-reports.net/


http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=1b286e6d-8912-4e18-b570-42470e2f3582&displaylang=en


Kev

http://www.registrycleanercompared.com/registrycleaner.html?gclid=CMTU98PA55ACFQOllgodgk9 1XA


http://www.consumers-reports.net/


http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=1b286e6d-8912-4e18-b570-42470e2f3582&displaylang=en


Kev

I think those first two links are owned by the companies that developed the top rated software for each one (though I didn't do enough research to confirm this theory). I think it's shady to start a website called "consumers-reports.net" like the second linked website to get people to confuse it with the more well known and mostly unbiased "consumerreports.org". The third link is for a more specific issue in environments with a domain and profiles.

I use McAfee's quick clean. I get it thru Comast for free. It can be bought. It is a great tool.

hmmm... I have comcast, well at home, anyway.
And McAfee is a name I've heard of, and fairly well respected.

Thanks Gary!

I've always been hesitant to use a registry cleaner, but I just recently got a Garmin GPS from Circuit City and the install CD came with a bunch of utilities, one of which is a registry cleaner. I decided to give it a try and it seems to have done a great job. I haven't noticed any problems since running it. Here's the website:

http://www.pctools.com/registry-mechanic/

I have had YEARS of success using a cleaner that was recommended by Maximum PC. (great mag by the way)

I also used to be wary of Reg. cleaners, and am still a bit, but this one has NEVER done me wrong and I run it about once a month. It creates a backup of the registry first too.

Registry Mechanic - http://www.pctools.com/registry-mechanic/

You get a free trial if you want it, although I do use the $30 version.

I wouldnt use a registry cleaner. In my experience, they cause more troubles than there worth. Although, it has been awile since Ive tried one.

I love them...
Customers try them out
mess up their machine
I fix the machine
I charge them

Simple soln..keep a clean machine, dont mess with under ground sites
Espec on a machine or network u use for business.

If u have to play with progs etc, get a lab machine to do so.

If u have to play with progs etc, get a lab machine to do so.
So that's the answer... don't test all those programs.

Is reg cleaner something that will clean up all this junk that clogs your start up and basic running memory? I guess I am talking about the programs running in the background. How the heck do they get there and how do you make them stop or get rid of them!!

Joe

Well, I'm getting a lil bummed.

Adaware claims 64 bit vista compatibility, but won't run.

My system has been dying a slow death, eventually locking up completely, ended up "system restoring" back to 1-2-08, it does seem ok now...

There were 2 batches of windows updates between then and now.

I chatted with someone from the middle east about mcafee, I'm not impressed or confident.

registry-mechanic looked promising, but does not support 64 bit vista.

I don't really know what to tell ya there Jim. I don't use those types of tools. A properly maintained PC shouldn't really ever need them as long as owners don't go willy nilly installing every thing they can possibly download on the internet to them. I do however reformat and do a fresh load on my workstations about once a year....

Drive it til the wheels fall off then buy 'nother one!

Its only money.

I don't really know what to tell ya there Jim. I don't use those types of tools. A properly maintained PC shouldn't really ever need them as long as owners don't go willy nilly installing every thing they can possibly download on the internet to them. I do however reformat and do a fresh load on my workstations about once a year....

I disagree. I don't go "willy nilly", but just in the normal course of surfing many things are picked up. A person needs a registry cleaner (McAfee's Quick Clean does many things including getting rid of unecessary registry items), firewall, spyware checker, anti-malware software etc.:beers:

Is reg cleaner something that will clean up all this junk that clogs your start up and basic running memory?

Sort of ..basically yes

The best prog for that is hyjackthis....but it is a bit like tuning a carb without knowing how it works....

A properly maintained PC shouldn't really ever need them as long as owners don't go willy nilly installing every thing they can possibly download on the internet to them. I do however reformat and do a fresh load on my workstations about once a year....

All my machines run clean...this one well had to look up in the logs for install....2001 and it has been going 24/7 just rebooting for updates and changed a psu a couple yrs ago
the other machines in my office sort of the same

The lab machines...have had a few reloads over the yrs testng progs...but not the sort joe blogs would be doing...and usually beta testing.

I use McAfee's quick clean. I get it thru Comast for free. It can be bought. It is a great tool.
After reading this thread, I used this advice. It did what it was supposed to do, even though I don't "really" know what that was.:o
I then updated all my spyware, anti-virus, anti-ad software and then scanned with all of them. I than also did a defrag. After I did all that and restarted the machine, it came "on" a touch quicker. Although it was probably just my mind playing tricks on me.

Sort of like accidentally putting 93 octane in my commuter vehicle and trying to convince myself it's "faster"...:thumbsup:

Guys I'm using XP and just ran a Regcure cleaner, it found 3200 problems.

Do I want the program to repair or not?

Guys I'm using XP and just ran a Regcure cleaner, it found 3200 problems.

Do I want the program to repair or not?

Did the program back up your registry first? If so, give it a shot.

Hey Christropher how you been?

I don't think it backed up anything first, although there is the option to do so. Should I backup first and rerun or...?

Sorry Jim bout the hijack.

Sorry for the delay in response. Yes! You need to back up your registry first.

Sorry for the delay in response. Yes! You need to back up your registry first.

McAfee's Quick Clean is not a heavy duty, dig deep into the registry type product. It does a backup for you and simply gets rid of unnecessary items.

McAfee's Quick Clean is not a heavy duty, dig deep into the registry type product. It does a backup for you and simply gets rid of unnecessary items.

Yeah, but Dean wasn't using McAfee, and I don't know the product he is using at all, which means I have to be cautious in my advice and that has to be to back it up first.