Regtool

Comprev · October 23, 2010

Here is another one. Regtool is said to be a bad and bogus registry cleaner? How do YOU feel?

Comprev

IDKWatMNShouldBe · October 24, 2010

No point for a registry cleaner at all, as it causes alot of problems.

The only time I would actually delete registry is by manually doing it if a program that I just uninstalled has some left overs...

So I would rate all registry cleaners useless or on your poll, crap.

wildman424 · October 24, 2010

crapware / scamware

junk borderline rouge or considered a rogue

my vote is crap its crapware/scamware

exile360 · October 24, 2010

With regards to registry cleaners in general I agree with IDKWatMNShouldBe. In my opinion the risks far outweigh the potential gains. I stay away from registry cleaners and recommend that others do the same unless they backup their registry and really know what they're doing with regards to the registry.

Miekeimoes explains it very well here .

noknojon · October 24, 2010

crapware / scamware

junk borderline rouge or considered a rogue

I'm with wildman424 on this one - CCleaner set up properly , or ATFcleaner are all you ever need -

This junk will ALWAYS say you have 1,500 errors and for a fee of $XXX we can fix them - No fix - It just stops reporting them -

wildman424 · October 24, 2010

I think my canned registry speech would fit nicely into this thread

I don't personally recommend the use of ANY registry cleaners. Here is an excerpt from a discussion on registry cleaners

Most reg cleaners aren't bad as such, but they aren't perfect and even the best have been known to cause problems. The point we are trying to make is that the risk of using one far outweighs any benefit. If it does work perfectly you will not see any difference. If it doesn't work properly you may end up with an expensive doorstop.

This post by Bill Castner is very informative: WhatTheTech Forum

Registry cleaners are extremely powerful applications.

There are a number of them available and some are more safe than others. Keep in mind that no two registry cleaners work entirely the same way. Each vendor uses different criteria as to what constitutes a "bad" entry. One cleaner may find entries on your system that will not cause a problem when removed, another may not find the same entries, and still another may want to remove entries required for a program to work.

The Windows registry is a central repository (database) for storing configuration data, user settings and machine-dependent settings, and options for the operating system. It contains information and settings for all hardware, software, users, and preferences. Whenever a user makes changes to settings, file associations, system policies, or installed software, the changes are reflected and stored in this repository. The registry is a crucial component because it is where Windows "remembers" all this information, how it works together, how Windows boots the system and what files it uses when it does. The registry is also a vulnerable subsystem, in that relatively small changes done incorrectly, can render the system unbootable.

The usefulness of cleaning the registry, has been highly overrated and can be dangerous. In most cases, using a cleaner to remove obsolete, invalid, and erroneous entries does not affect system performance and can result in "unpredictable results". Unless you have a particular problem that requires a registry edit to correct it, I would suggest you leave the registry alone.

Using registry cleaning tools unnecessarily or incorrectly can have disastrous effects on your operating system such as preventing it from ever starting again.

for use by those not familiar with the registry, the benefits to your computer are negligible while the potential risks are great.

If you insist on using a registry cleaner, always back up your registry before making any changes. If your not familiar with working in the registry, then you should NOT attempt to make any changes on your own. Improper changes to the registry could adversely affect your computer and render it inoperable.