Are Registry Cleaners Still Needed on Windows 10?

BunnyJ · 27 Dec 2015

Geneo said:

And just how exactly has that been proved - what facts? Even if programs leave behind entiries in the registry, it doesn't matter - it will not affect performance.

Simple.. users of Ccleaner and other tools have convinced themselves that it improves performance, that's why. I personally would like to see some data that shows these improvements and not just gut feeling reports.

OldMike65 · 27 Dec 2015

BunnyJ said:

You might have no issues since it does nothing that's important. Oh and make sure you back up the registry before you run any cleaner. The vast majority of evidence suggests that cleaners do nothing to improve a PC's performance and might cause more harm than good.

That is only YOUR Opinion....which I do NOT agree with. Everytime this subject comes up, everyone has their own thoughts and opinions. This debate has been going on for years....with no end in sight it seems. I could debate this issue, but I am just tired of this age old debate. You are entitled to your opinion Jeff.....and I to mine.

lehnerus2000 · 27 Dec 2015

Driver updates are a much bigger risk to an OS/system, than Registry cleaners.
I've never had a Registry cleaner destroy my system (totally unbootable) but I have had driver updates do it.

Cliff S said:

If one uses Ccleaner or any other reg cleaner and uses VMware Player, it will nuke your VM(happened to me a couple of times).

I have CCleaner and Glary Utilities installed on my "real" PC and in my Windows VMs (VMware).

I've been using both of them for years and I've only ever experienced one noteworthy issue.
I used CCleaner or Glary Utilities (not sure which now) in a W7 VM that had MS Project 2010 installed in it.
MS Project 2010 seems to create a large number of empty keys and if they aren't present you can't load existing projects.

I only needed to use Project for a couple of my TAFE subjects, so it was only a minor annoyance.

Cliff S said:

Or they could do like in Linux and make EVERTHING a file, and confuse the heck out of everyone. "Hmmm what hapens when I link all my music and photos to the zero file(/dev/zero )?"

As I've stated previously (IMO) the Registry's main purpose is DRM (i.e. to prevent you from successfully copying your installation and software).

Plain text config files are superior to the Registry system.
Most software used to (effectively) use them, "before the dark times ... before the Registry".

MS reintroduced "desktop.ini" files, because storing customisation data in the Registry turned out to be unmanageable.

Cliff S said:

Or just install only software you really need, and not "collect" it.

Agreed.

Geneo said:

And just how exactly has that been proved - what facts? Even if programs leave behind entiries in the registry, it doesn't matter - it will not affect performance.

Unnecessary Registry keys may increase the "Attack Surface" on a PC (like unnecessary services).

BunnyJ said:

Simple.. users of Ccleaner and other tools have convinced themselves that it improves performance, that's why. I personally would like to see some data that shows these improvements and not just gut feeling reports.

Removing 4 GB of crap from someone's Internet cache definitely improves performance.

If no garbage accumulates in a Windows install, why do some people reinstall Windows every few months and then claim that their PC runs much better?

OldMike65 · 27 Dec 2015

lehnerus2000 said:

Driver updates are a much bigger risk to an OS/system, than Registry cleaners.
I've never had a Registry cleaner destroy my system (totally unbootable) but I have had driver updates do it.

I have CCleaner and Glary Utilities installed on my "real" PC and in my Windows VMs (VMware).

I've been using both of them for years and I've only ever experienced one noteworthy issue.
I used CCleaner or Glary Utilities (not sure which now) in a W7 VM that had MS Project 2010 installed in it.
MS Project 2010 seems to create a large number of empty keys and if they aren't present you can't load existing projects.

I only needed to use Project for a couple of my TAFE subjects, so it was only a minor annoyance.

As I've stated previously (IMO) the Registry's main purpose is DRM (i.e. to prevent you from successfully copying your installation and software).

Plain text config files are superior to the Registry system.
Most software used to (effectively) use them, "before the dark times ... before the Registry".

MS reintroduced "desktop.ini" files, because storing customisation data in the Registry turned out to be unmanageable.

Agreed.

Unnecessary Registry keys may increase the "Attack Surface" on a PC (like unnecessary services).

Removing 4 GB of crap from someone's Internet cache definitely improves performance.

If no garbage accumulates in a Windows install, why do some people reinstall Windows every few months and then claim that their PC runs much better?

Geneo · 27 Dec 2015

lehnerus2000 said:

Unnecessary Registry keys may increase the "Attack Surface" on a PC (like unnecessary services).

Seriously? Where does that come from. Have you ever heard of any attack that was enabled by an unused registry key? If an attacker has access to your registry, he can do whatever he wants, but how would an unused registry key be of use to the attacker if they don't have access to your registry?

Geneo · 27 Dec 2015

lehnerus2000 said:

If no garbage accumulates in a Windows install, why do some people reinstall Windows every few months and then claim that their PC runs much better?

I don't clean my registry and my PC has never slowed down. I don't reinstall either.

The only thing I ever do is remove unused devices from the device manager (show all devices, even ones not in use, and uninstall them). Those are the only registry entries that might matter, and that is the proper way to remove them,

arachnaut · 27 Dec 2015

For me a registry cleaner like CCleaner gives me an idea about the attention to detail in an install.

For example, when a Silverlight update occurs, I see about 105,000 different language packs are referred to and never used.

This is very common on Windows installs - more things get installed or referred to than you will ever use. A type of BLOAT.

I can see why MS might be embarrassed by these tools and discourage their usage.

CCleaner is mostly harmless and quite entertaining.

Sumit Dhiman · 28 Dec 2015

arachnaut said:

For me a registry cleaner like CCleaner gives me an idea about the attention to detail in an install.

For example, when a Silverlight update occurs, I see about 105,000 different language packs are referred to and never used.

This is very common on Windows installs - more things get installed or referred to than you will ever use. A type of BLOAT.

I can see why MS might be embarrassed by these tools and discourage their usage.

CCleaner is mostly harmless and quite entertaining.

Removing 4 GB of crap from someone's Internet cache definitely improves performance.

If no garbage accumulates in a Windows install, why do some people reinstall Windows every few months and then claim that their PC runs much better?

+1.Tried and tested.

Lee · 28 Dec 2015

Edwin said:

Most of us re-install Windows so often, we don't need a reg cleaner! (Well..., I do, anyway!)

Lee · 28 Dec 2015

Cliff S said:

Well you could get a bunch of software and run it in a VM, then use a prior checkpoint to get rid of it after testing. One should have enough information then to decide if you want it on your system or not then.

. . .This is what I do. . .only because of the problems I have with my brain always being on vacation. . .:)

Are Registry Cleaners Still Needed on Windows 10?

Driver updates are a much bigger risk ...