The myth of Registry Cleaners

by on January 12, 2009 in Software

We have all seen the commercials. Does your computer have error messages? Is your computer running slow? Simply visit our website and install our “optimization” software. Invariably a major component of their overpriced software is a Registry Cleaner. Due to the frequency of these misleading ads and the fact that lately several visitors have been searching KnowtheNetwork.com for registry cleaners I thought it was time to finally share my thoughts and recommendations concerning Registry Cleaners.

I abhor Registry Cleaners.

The Truth

Here are the facts. I have never fixed one single issue with a Registry Cleaner. I have never seen the performance of a computer significantly increased by a Registry Cleaner. Beyond my personal experience I did an informal poll of several of my colleagues and they expressed the same experiences and disdain concerning Registry Cleaners.

To prove my point I dare you to take the following Registry Cleaner Challenge. Install a fresh copy of Windows XP/Vista and then run any of 100 registry cleaners. Every single cleaner will detect multiple registry problems. How are there registry errors on a clean install? The answer is simply that most of what they find are bogus “errors”, 90% of which will never be problematic. Registry cleaning is a marketing sham.

The Answer

That being said, can registry entries cause problems? Absolutely!

The Windows registry is storehouse of thousands of Windows operating system settings and options. Therefore it is inherently critical to the stability of a PC. I know what you are thinking, “Wait a minute, you hate Registry cleaners but admit that the registry can cause problems. So what do I do if I have a problem that involves the Windows Registry?”

Wipe and Reload. That seems drastic to some of you but I can assure you that it is the only method to ensure that the problem is fixed and the PC is stable. Feel free to try a Registry Cleaner if you like but be prepared to reload the computer.

The Exception

To every rule there is an exception. This is my only exception for Registry Cleaners. I will rarely use a Registry Cleaner to help combat a spyware or virus infection. I only use the cleaner toward the end of the overall cleaning process and only on computers that were extremely infected. Normally my antispyware software will detect any malicious registry entries and that is sufficient.

The Recommendations

If you are still determined to use a Registry Cleaner please heed my final advice before trying any registry cleaner.

  1. Make a complete backup of your registry – Good cleaners should prompt you to do this prior to scanning. For a great registry backup solution try ERUNT
  2. Only download scanners from trusted sites – Clicking on popups or visiting a site based on a TV ad is a good way to obtain a spyware or to overpay

1. Ccleaner – Ccleaner has a simple but nice registry cleaner built in. Click on “Registry” in the taskbar (left side) and then click “Scan for Issues”

2. RegMechanic – PCTools probably makes one of the best registry cleaners on the market. Read the fine print, it is NOT free. “The trial is time unlimited and removes problems found in 6 sections of the registry only. A registered version is required to remove all detected problems.” It costs $29.95 for 3 computers.

If these don’t satisfy you try the listing at Download.com

In closing, Registry Cleaners are very effective at selling software – NOT fixing computers. Thanks for reading.

Tagged as: registry, Utilities

  • http://www.registrycleanerpro.org Registry cleaner

    Its great article ,but Registry Cleaners are very effective at selling software – NOT fixing computers. Thanks for reading.

  • http://www.download-registry-cleaners.com/ registrycleaner

    This is a nice website where u can download registry cleaner softwares to remove errors & invalid entries & can speed up your pc. Thanx for visiting such a nice blog.

  • registrycleaner

    If you use your computer a lot, like most people do, your registry accumulates unnecessary data over time. It also gets clogged with errant data that can create problems with speed and reliability. Registry cleaner can solve your all worries by removing all registry related problems.

  • hammers

    I agree with you. I did that ages ago after a fresh install of XP Pro and I was using ASC, and it came up with loads of errors. What gets me is that an average user or less skilled would be using one and they wouldn't know what these keys are and if it's ok to remove them. I also don't use one and never touch them. If a program is not working, normally a re-install solves it. If I have malware in the registry, then I use an anti-malware program to clean it out. If I can't install lets say Kaspersky, I manually remove an old antivirus registry keys clutter from the registry or use a cleanup utility. Registry cleaners can't solve them full stop.

  • hammers

    I agree with you. I did that ages ago after a fresh install of XP Pro and I was using ASC, and it came up with loads of errors. What gets me is that an average user or less skilled would be using one and they wouldn't know what these keys are and if it's ok to remove them. I also don't use one and never touch them. If a program is not working, normally a re-install solves it. If I have malware in the registry, then I use an anti-malware program to clean it out. If I can't install lets say Kaspersky, I manually remove an old antivirus registry keys clutter from the registry or use a cleanup utility. Registry cleaners can't solve them full stop.

  • http://www.registrycleanersdownload.net/ registry cleaner

    Thanks for the hint, I was looking for sth. like that for months :-)

  • http://www.registrycleanersdownload.net/ registry cleaner

    Thanks for the hint, I was looking for sth. like that for months :-)

  • http://www.filerex.com perseadrian

    I use RegCure , it’s working on win 7

  • http://www.best-registrycleaner.net Best Registry Cleaner

    Install a fresh copy of Windows XP/Vista and then run any of 100 registry cleaners.

  • Larry Miller

    I also agree.
    The problem with cleaning the registry is that it is rarely possible to be 100% certain that a specific registry key or value is invalid or unused. As a result, a cleaner must guess. Most of the time they guess correctly, but sometimes not. Even one mistake can cause problems that are very difficult to resolve.

    As for the supposed benefits:
    It is often claimed that unused registry entries bloat the registry which will impair performance. I once heard of an experiment where a registry was deliberately bloated by adding a large number of unneeded keys and values. This was to a level far beyond which would occur in a real world situation. The difference in performance was barely measurable.

    Registry cleaners offer few benefits while the risks in using them can be high. They are best avoided.

  • http://www.wiredoffice.com.au PC Repair Technician

    I have never used a registry cleaner in 20 years of PC repairs! The premise of errors and problems in reporting mechanisms is false. Left over or orphaned files are not errors or even a problem.

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