Please stop using Registry Cleaners!
As a frequenter to the Stardock forums, I see many problems that I'm sure have something to do with the use of Registry cleaners.
Microsoft's stance on Registry cleaners
"Some products such as registry cleaning utilities suggest that the registry needs regular maintenance or cleaning. However, serious issues can occur when you modify the registry incorrectly using these types of utilities. These issues might require users to reinstall the operating system due to instability.
"Microsoft cannot guarantee that these problems can be solved without a reinstallation of the Operating System as the extent of the changes made by registry cleaning utilities varies from application to application."
You may or may not agree with this stance, so here are some important articles from Microsoft you should read.
Windows registry information for advanced users
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/troubleshoot/windows-server/performance/windows-registry-advanced-users
Microsoft support policy for the use of registry cleaning utilities
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/topic/microsoft-support-policy-for-the-use-of-registry-cleaning-utilities-0485f4df-9520-3691-2461-7b0fd54e8b3a
How to back up and restore the registry in Windows
https://support.microsoft.com/en-gb/topic/how-to-back-up-and-restore-the-registry-in-windows-855140ad-e318-2a13-2829-d428a2ab0692
Reg cleaners used to be a 'thing' back in the early Windows days when both MS and 3rd party devs were famous for untidy system management. Simple uninstallers were always doing things wrong...but pretty much post XP life got a bit cleaner [without a cleaner].
BTW....anyone using Advanced System Care .... never use the registry defrag module.
Ever. ...
ASC is overly 'enthusiastic'.
As for registry cleaners? They supposedly speed up your system. In truth, if they give you a microsecond, that's being generous. Their risk benefit ratio is far more towards risk, not benefit.
Anything special one should use instead?
Common sense and great care. Never a mass/multiple key edit.
Editing keys one at a time and only if really needed, after making a registry backup and a restore point.
Keep in mind that edits can destabilize/cripple/brick your system.
As stated, Registry cleaners are not necessary.
I use Wise Care 365, never had a problem with it. Highly recommend.
I have never used a Registry cleaner, and also never had a problem. I wonder how many people in these forums are having issues with Stardock products because they have a Registry cleaner set to run automatically on a schedule.
The software vendors who promote cleaning the Registry are using fear to sell their needless products.
Everyone should take the time to read the Microsoft articles in the links provided above.
Just sayin’
Registry cleaners are notorious for deleting references to DLL files from the Registry because they are used by a program that has been deleted. However, in many cases that DLL is also used by one or more programs. This can cause real problems, causing the program(s) to throw errors of missing DLL's, or to not run at all.
Yea I never use them. They seem like a defunct idea.
Same here
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