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#1
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Registry Defragmenters
Hello:
There have been a few threads recently on the use of registry cleaners. While some people like them and have not had any bad experiences with them, the consensus seems to be that such tools should be avoided by inexperienced users. I have also seen registry defragmenter utilities available, both as part of commercial software, as well as shareware and freeware. Does the advice to avoid registry cleaners also apply to registry defragmenters - that is to avoid them? Is it best simply to not touch the registry (other than using a tool like System Restore)? Thanks, O.J. |
#2
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Registry Defragmenters
Yes.
....Alan -- Alan Edwards, MS MVP Windows - Internet Explorer http://dts-l.com/index.htm On Sat, 5 Jan 2008 02:26:45 -0500, in microsoft.public.windowsme.general, "O.J. Newman" wrote: Does the advice to avoid registry cleaners also apply to registry defragmenters - that is to avoid them? |
#3
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Registry Defragmenters
Does that also go for scanreg /opt /fix ?
Not really a defragmenter I'd guess, but it does get rid of wasted space. Norman "Alan Edwards" wrote in message ... Yes. ...Alan -- Alan Edwards, MS MVP Windows - Internet Explorer http://dts-l.com/index.htm On Sat, 5 Jan 2008 02:26:45 -0500, in microsoft.public.windowsme.general, "O.J. Newman" wrote: Does the advice to avoid registry cleaners also apply to registry defragmenters - that is to avoid them? |
#4
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Registry Defragmenters
I could not agree more that registry cleaners are not for the inexperienced.
I've had my share of problems, even with MSRegClean, which is no longer supported. It would remove a key that would break your install. Unfortunately it always ran in automatic mode, but had enough experience (bad) that I knew what key to replace. I now use only tools that allow me total control and automatically or manually make backups of what is removed and allow restoring of single entries, with one exception and that tool is http://support.microsoft.com/downloa...s/ShareDLL.exe I also use a really old one known as JV16 PowerTools, version 1.3 and version 1.41. These were free and you may find an archive somewhere. Also OLE Clean 1.5. The biggest problem I've seen with such tools is they often want to remove HKCR keys that MS installed, but may not be currently in use, such as briefcase, UPNP, some Office keys etc. And when you turn such on via add/remove, windows setup, or by adding or first use of Office feature, it ends up broken. So that is definitely a key you want to look at closely before making a decision. Did MS put it there, or is it a leftover from something removed. These tools can be very useful in locating a bad key connection, such as MS key for mciole.dll. Registry will show it in windows and MS actually installed it to windows/system. Also can be very useful for fixing bad install. Too often I've had left over keys that will not allow a good install from an updated program. One particularly annoying has been the package on CD for an ATI card. Even ATI's version of cleaner will not fix. Sometimes using MS Windows Installer Cleanup has overcome the hurdle of getting a good install, if MSI was used. You could spend hours searching for a fix to your particular problem or with tech support hoping someone there knows. And then still be faced with the possibility of a format and reinstall. (that is just plain ugly if system restore or a registry restore was of no help. Maybe you missed window of opportunity or other situation). So, when you are backed into the corner of only choice being format and install, or using risky registry tools, the choice is clear to me. What have you got to lose? Use with over caution. Norman "O.J. Newman" wrote in message ... Hello: There have been a few threads recently on the use of registry cleaners. While some people like them and have not had any bad experiences with them, the consensus seems to be that such tools should be avoided by inexperienced users. I have also seen registry defragmenter utilities available, both as part of commercial software, as well as shareware and freeware. Does the advice to avoid registry cleaners also apply to registry defragmenters - that is to avoid them? Is it best simply to not touch the registry (other than using a tool like System Restore)? Thanks, O.J. |
#5
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Registry Defragmenters
We call it compaction. The problem is that if you do a search for
"Registry Defragmenters" what you will mostly get will be a bunch of returns for registry cleaners, for most parts they are are the only ones who use the term. They may use it to describe compaction but along with the ability to compact comes the rest of their cleaning utility which can cause much more harm than any problems that they claim to fix! John Norman wrote: Does that also go for scanreg /opt /fix ? Not really a defragmenter I'd guess, but it does get rid of wasted space. Norman "Alan Edwards" wrote in message ... Yes. ...Alan -- Alan Edwards, MS MVP Windows - Internet Explorer http://dts-l.com/index.htm On Sat, 5 Jan 2008 02:26:45 -0500, in microsoft.public.windowsme.general, "O.J. Newman" wrote: Does the advice to avoid registry cleaners also apply to registry defragmenters - that is to avoid them? |
#6
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Registry Defragmenters
Norman,
Isn't jv16 ver 1.41 just a crippled version of 1.3??? It's been so long, I don't remember, but, that comes to mind. I am still using 1.3, mainly to find leftover detritus from program uninstalls (doesn't happen very often). I find it easier than doing manual registry searches for a variety of files, some of which, I don't know to look for! It isn't for everyone, I know, and the main thing is the backup!...I'll say it again....BACKUP!!!!! Heirloom, old and once again, BACKUP!! "Norman" wrote in message ... I could not agree more that registry cleaners are not for the inexperienced. I've had my share of problems, even with MSRegClean, which is no longer supported. It would remove a key that would break your install. Unfortunately it always ran in automatic mode, but had enough experience (bad) that I knew what key to replace. I now use only tools that allow me total control and automatically or manually make backups of what is removed and allow restoring of single entries, with one exception and that tool is http://support.microsoft.com/downloa...s/ShareDLL.exe I also use a really old one known as JV16 PowerTools, version 1.3 and version 1.41. These were free and you may find an archive somewhere. Also OLE Clean 1.5. The biggest problem I've seen with such tools is they often want to remove HKCR keys that MS installed, but may not be currently in use, such as briefcase, UPNP, some Office keys etc. And when you turn such on via add/remove, windows setup, or by adding or first use of Office feature, it ends up broken. So that is definitely a key you want to look at closely before making a decision. Did MS put it there, or is it a leftover from something removed. snip So, when you are backed into the corner of only choice being format and install, or using risky registry tools, the choice is clear to me. What have you got to lose? Use with over caution. Norman |
#7
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Registry Defragmenters
Crippled in what way?
I maintain an archive sometimes with several versions until I'm certain of newer. Sometimes it is a long time before I get around to cleanup. Also there seems to a disappearance of some of these which seems to happen during a Windows install or reinstall so I now try to keep them on an external drive. I remember at one point I had a newer version, than 1.3, that would expire after about 30 days. But via whatever processes, I now have 1.3 and 1.41. Oops, that magic got me again. Went to partition holding Utilities/registry/pwr tools and only have zipped copies. Others disappeared. But in one of those desperation fixes avoiding format, I decided to give 1.41 a go at it after running 1.3. My thinking, which may be wrong, was that 1.41 would die after 30 days, but did not care at that point. It will happily install to 1.3 folder but uncertain as to how well it assumes previous backups. I strongly suggest installing to separate folder until that is determined with certainty and as to whether it expires on you. The interface is somewhat changed with maybe a couple of extra features added before they went retail. Maybe they had a 1.43 that was last before retail and expired. Only change may have been the timer. But I learned that you did not want to allow an online update which would make any recent version expire. I think the update no longer works. What I have seen is that 1.41 finds many more entries of which many are really duplicates because of the arrangement of the registry, particularly as to HKCR and HKLM. But regardless, same cautions apply as to how you use it. Norman "Heirloom" wrote in message ... Norman, Isn't jv16 ver 1.41 just a crippled version of 1.3??? It's been so long, I don't remember, but, that comes to mind. I am still using 1.3, mainly to find leftover detritus from program uninstalls (doesn't happen very often). I find it easier than doing manual registry searches for a variety of files, some of which, I don't know to look for! It isn't for everyone, I know, and the main thing is the backup!...I'll say it again....BACKUP!!!!! Heirloom, old and once again, BACKUP!! "Norman" wrote in message ... I could not agree more that registry cleaners are not for the inexperienced. I've had my share of problems, even with MSRegClean, which is no longer supported. It would remove a key that would break your install. Unfortunately it always ran in automatic mode, but had enough experience (bad) that I knew what key to replace. I now use only tools that allow me total control and automatically or manually make backups of what is removed and allow restoring of single entries, with one exception and that tool is http://support.microsoft.com/downloa...s/ShareDLL.exe I also use a really old one known as JV16 PowerTools, version 1.3 and version 1.41. These were free and you may find an archive somewhere. Also OLE Clean 1.5. The biggest problem I've seen with such tools is they often want to remove HKCR keys that MS installed, but may not be currently in use, such as briefcase, UPNP, some Office keys etc. And when you turn such on via add/remove, windows setup, or by adding or first use of Office feature, it ends up broken. So that is definitely a key you want to look at closely before making a decision. Did MS put it there, or is it a leftover from something removed. snip So, when you are backed into the corner of only choice being format and install, or using risky registry tools, the choice is clear to me. What have you got to lose? Use with over caution. Norman |
#8
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Registry Defragmenters
Norman,
Mine was not a statement, but, rather, a question. I was under the impression that the version 1.3 was the last FREE version with full capabilities. That could very well be incorrect and it is not important enough, to me, to do a lot of research to determine its' validity. Maybe it was that 1.41 was a trial issue that, like you said, would expire after a period of time or number of uses.....I really don't remember. I just know that there was some reason that I was still using 1.3. Heirloom, old and let me know if I am wrong "E_Net_Rider" wrote in message ... Crippled in what way? I maintain an archive sometimes with several versions until I'm certain of newer. Sometimes it is a long time before I get around to cleanup. Also there seems to a disappearance of some of these which seems to happen during a Windows install or reinstall so I now try to keep them on an external drive. I remember at one point I had a newer version, than 1.3, that would expire after about 30 days. But via whatever processes, I now have 1.3 and 1.41. Oops, that magic got me again. Went to partition holding Utilities/registry/pwr tools and only have zipped copies. Others disappeared. But in one of those desperation fixes avoiding format, I decided to give 1.41 a go at it after running 1.3. My thinking, which may be wrong, was that 1.41 would die after 30 days, but did not care at that point. It will happily install to 1.3 folder but uncertain as to how well it assumes previous backups. I strongly suggest installing to separate folder until that is determined with certainty and as to whether it expires on you. The interface is somewhat changed with maybe a couple of extra features added before they went retail. Maybe they had a 1.43 that was last before retail and expired. Only change may have been the timer. But I learned that you did not want to allow an online update which would make any recent version expire. I think the update no longer works. What I have seen is that 1.41 finds many more entries of which many are really duplicates because of the arrangement of the registry, particularly as to HKCR and HKLM. But regardless, same cautions apply as to how you use it. Norman "Heirloom" wrote in message ... Norman, Isn't jv16 ver 1.41 just a crippled version of 1.3??? It's been so long, I don't remember, but, that comes to mind. I am still using 1.3, mainly to find leftover detritus from program uninstalls (doesn't happen very often). I find it easier than doing manual registry searches for a variety of files, some of which, I don't know to look for! It isn't for everyone, I know, and the main thing is the backup!...I'll say it again....BACKUP!!!!! Heirloom, old and once again, BACKUP!! "Norman" wrote in message ... I could not agree more that registry cleaners are not for the inexperienced. I've had my share of problems, even with MSRegClean, which is no longer supported. It would remove a key that would break your install. Unfortunately it always ran in automatic mode, but had enough experience (bad) that I knew what key to replace. I now use only tools that allow me total control and automatically or manually make backups of what is removed and allow restoring of single entries, with one exception and that tool is http://support.microsoft.com/downloa...s/ShareDLL.exe I also use a really old one known as JV16 PowerTools, version 1.3 and version 1.41. These were free and you may find an archive somewhere. Also OLE Clean 1.5. The biggest problem I've seen with such tools is they often want to remove HKCR keys that MS installed, but may not be currently in use, such as briefcase, UPNP, some Office keys etc. And when you turn such on via add/remove, windows setup, or by adding or first use of Office feature, it ends up broken. So that is definitely a key you want to look at closely before making a decision. Did MS put it there, or is it a leftover from something removed. snip So, when you are backed into the corner of only choice being format and install, or using risky registry tools, the choice is clear to me. What have you got to lose? Use with over caution. Norman |
#9
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Registry Defragmenters
Hello:
The Pricelessware freeware web site lists v.1.3.0.195 of jv16 PowerTools as the last uncrippled version, FWIW. It notes that "Version 1.3.0.196 expired on 2004-01-01." See: http://www.pricelesswarehome.org/200...ryAndFileTools . Please let me know if this is incorrect. Thanks, O.J. "Heirloom" wrote in message ... Norman, Mine was not a statement, but, rather, a question. I was under the impression that the version 1.3 was the last FREE version with full capabilities. That could very well be incorrect and it is not important enough, to me, to do a lot of research to determine its' validity. Maybe it was that 1.41 was a trial issue that, like you said, would expire after a period of time or number of uses.....I really don't remember. I just know that there was some reason that I was still using 1.3. Heirloom, old and let me know if I am wrong |
#10
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Registry Defragmenters
That's what I believe.
Heirloom, old and not hard to convince "O.J. Newman" wrote in message ... Hello: The Pricelessware freeware web site lists v.1.3.0.195 of jv16 PowerTools as the last uncrippled version, FWIW. It notes that "Version 1.3.0.196 expired on 2004-01-01." See: http://www.pricelesswarehome.org/200...ryAndFileTools . Please let me know if this is incorrect. Thanks, O.J. "Heirloom" wrote in message ... Norman, Mine was not a statement, but, rather, a question. I was under the impression that the version 1.3 was the last FREE version with full capabilities. That could very well be incorrect and it is not important enough, to me, to do a lot of research to determine its' validity. Maybe it was that 1.41 was a trial issue that, like you said, would expire after a period of time or number of uses.....I really don't remember. I just know that there was some reason that I was still using 1.3. Heirloom, old and let me know if I am wrong |
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