Registry Cleaners actually slow down computer.
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I guess all this includes programs like Rivo Uninstaller and its Hunter function that gives you the choice to delete registry "leftovers" (in various options of aggression)?
Well, not exactly. Revo for instance does not remove anything from registry that wasn't related to particular program you uninstalled thru it. It's not concerned about anything else. If you install a program thru Revo it even registers actual changes done by that program and returns them to shape and values as before. That's far cry from what those general registry cleaners do.
As mentioned, CCleaner is very mild in cleaning registry that it's most probably not going to cause any harm but on the other hand it can't do much good either. All it does is look for obsolete entries not connected to anything.
Example, I use Revo to install and uninstall programs all the time and it's set to Advanced scan. After it finishes, when I run CCleaner it finds only very few (6 or less) entries related only to some stuff temporary left in registry and even that is only in memory because it's gone upon reboot.
The "secret" about windows not caring about extra entries is in the change after XP that are made how windows use it. System doesn't read whole registry every time it uses it but jumps straight to relevant entry. In W95 until the end of XP it had to read thru whole (essentially a text file) to get to a relevant entry.
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I don't use registry cleaners anymore, when I uninstall something I use Revo uninstaller. I remember when my OCD was very bad and on Windows Xp I used to have like 5 registry cleaners lol
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I don't use registry cleaners anymore, when I uninstall something I use Revo uninstaller. I remember when my OCD was very bad and on Windows Xp I used to have like 5 registry cleaners lol
Same here.
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In W95 until the end of XP it had to read thru whole (essentially a text file) to get to a relevant entry.
I still have a fully functional W95 PC. It never broke down so I never decommissioned it, just tailed off using it. Once in a blue moon I need something from it so it gets booted up. It literally takes up to five minutes to boot, the registry has grown that much over the years. Once booted up though it seems as fast as it ever was 
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There's a reason CCleaner asks if you'd like to backup the registry before proceeding...
Well just like there is a reason my work does server backups every night also (In case of an emergency) . Things could happen where you lose power while CCleaner is doing it's work. Doing backup's is smart even if there is little chance of failure.
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Well it is not just registry cleaners that can mess up system files. I found out that Dism++ caused errors in System File Checker. No problem just restored my Macrium Image from August 1st and it is fine now.
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Hi there
I tend to view all these producs as "Snake Oil".
Personally have a decent set of backup images so if installs etc leave rubbish behind just restore a version before you installed the application(s) you want to remove.
If you have an SSD a restore might only take 5 - 10 mins anyway.
Cheers
jimbo
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But as I said earlier, there's no published evidence I can find that 'cleaning' the registry on a perfectly good system has any effect on performance, unused entries just get ignored. As such, why take the risk?
That's perfectly rational.
But most people don't use registry cleaners because they favorably affect performance.
They use them because they feel uncomfortable if they don't. Who needs nagging anxiety and discomfort?
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Registry Cleaners actually slow down computer.
That's perfectly rational.
But most people don't use registry cleaners because they favorably affect performance.
They use them because they feel uncomfortable if they don't. Who needs nagging anxiety and discomfort?
A good point made there. Cleanliness is next to Godliness. [emoji39]
Following on, is Rivo Uninstaller Hunter function to "remove leftovers" also quite unnecessary?
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A good point made there. Cleanliness is next to Godliness. [emoji39]
Following on, is Rivo Uninstaller Hunter function to "remove leftovers" also quite unnecessary?
No, it's not unnecessary, Those remnants may not interfere with OS but may cause some unwanted effects like starting some other programs or services or just stopping same program to be installed again.
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