how safe is registry cleaning?

[BeeGees]

can anyone advise? i've heard that system mechanic has a great registry cleaning software. is it good for a newbie like me.

[pauledgarm]

I would only use Microsoft Regclean and not use other party registry cleaners.
I have heard about problems with other registry cleaners. Microsoft has an undo so if you have any problems you can undo it.

[Paul D]

Most name brand cleaners have an undo.
Having said that, they're all ratsh*t, including regclean.
Regclean gives you no idea of what it's going to do. Norton refuses to clean entries I know damn well can go, and deletes stuff it shouldn't if you don't stop it.
EasyClean may be the best of a bad bunch.
Just my opinion.

Paul D

[RWSchlatter]

depends also on Windows version you are using !
and MS recently removed RegClean v4.1 from their download site and its decription from the KB !

______________
Regards - Richard

[Paradigm]

I use Easycleaner and I have had little troubles with it. It's good and it's free.

[Paul D]

I'd say comparatively good.
I'm not convinced that any of these programs are a good idea for newbies, until they have some idea of how the registry functions, and can critically examine proposed actions before they happen, which is specifically why I don't like RegClean

Paul D

[Smitty]

BeeGees
You have been presented with the combined advice of some very experienced users in this post. As a new user I have tried all of the utilities mentioned here and from that point of view (paradigm) can offer you this. System Mechanic does not offer you enough information prior to its actual activity. For example the product changes registry settings to optimize your Internet Speed. You push the button and 'away you go'. You learn nothing and hope it works. Not the way to go. I got in trouble with it and fortunately survived. I tried all of the other utilitites mentioned in this thread and one way or another managed to screw up. There's an old saying " if you are not making mistakes, you are not learning anything"...You obviously are going to try most of them regardless of what is mentioned here. So Good Luck, and the answer you really wanted is..When I get in trouble I can come to these guys for HELP.

Smitty

[coolsights2000]

I have inspected system mech and there is an options so the program stops and shows you what it is going to do on most things it comes with a30 day trial period when I redid my hard drive I left it off for me it is a useless program for 29 bucks any how I stick with regclean from microsoft it cleans with no options to pick what to keep and throw away but after it cleans it makes a file you can look at if you want to put it back just modify the file and add it back I have saved all of my regclean files

Mac!!!!!

[joey0904]

Hi, After reading all the replys to your post, I have come to the conclusion that most(not all) of the people who responded to you were looking for a "push the button and sit back and watch" cleaner.
I've had sys mech for a while now and if you go to the clean reg function, you will see that it has options like; backup/restore, undo and offers you the option to select which parts of the reg to clean. It also allows you to select what you want to remove after the scan. It also allows you to keep the backup/restore logs for as long as you need. I have been using it without any problems nor have I ever had the need to restore anything. After the scan, be sure that what you select for delete, really should be deleted. The help files associated with sys mech are superb as well. As far as other software pgm's go, this one is worth the $.

[Remi]

Microsoft Regclean is very good but I have to let you know that it takes a lot of system resource. The best way I found out with all those years is using System Works from Norton.
It has a feature which will take care of it.
Remi.

[BeeGees]

i guess smitty is right.
" if you are not making mistakes, you are not learning anything"...
i'll either try system mechanic or easy cleaner. thanks to everybody for the valuable comments.
if i screw up my system, you bet you can see my posting again. cheers.

[coolsights2000]

just remember if you follow easyclean advice and delete those extra files or bak files someday you will need them..........

I found a program that told me some of the dll files on my puter where not used.....but I new I was using them cause I link to them to print UPC labels though VB in ACCESS

MAC!!!!!