I run Malwarebytes AdwCleaner once a week and at the end of the scan it gives me the option of running "basic repair" which "will reset winsock and other settings to default settings." I have always declined. While I know I can Google what this all means but I thought I would ask for any contemporary real world experience before contemplating doing that. I am not experiencing any network or computer problems. TIA.
I hadn't realised it until now, but there's actually a manual for AdwCleaner. The details are there...
https://www.malwarebytes.com/pdf/gui...User-Guide.pdfThe cleaning process offers a set of basic repair actions that can be applied. This set
of actions can be selected here:
• Delete IFEO keys: Delete all IFEO subkeys
• Delete tracing keys: Delete all Tracing keys
• Delete Prefetch files: Delete all Prefetch files
• Reset Proxy: Remove all proxies
• Reset Winsock: Reset every Winsock settings to fix connections troubles
• Reset TCP/IP: Reset TCP/IP settings by default.
• Reset Firewall: Reset the Windows firewall rules to default.
• Reset IPSec: Reset IPSec settings.
• Reset BITS: Empty the Background Intelligent Transfer Service queue.
• Reset IE Policies: Delete every Internet Explorer policies and set the ones by
default.
• Reset Chrome Policies: Delete every Chrome policies and set the ones by
default.
• Reset Hosts file: Replace the Hosts file by a sane one.
Thanks for the quick reply. If you use the app (have you ever run basic repair?) or even if you do not do you believe there is any need to run "basic repair" and "reset" all those settings as part of regular maintenance even if nothing is amiss. I am well aware of if it ain't broke don't fix it : )
A quick glance at the list tracing keys are unfamiliar to me though I know about tracking cookies. I believe I already have either or both FETCH and PreFetch disabled. I do not use windows 10 firewall but rather the one supplied by Bitdefender. I am not sure I want to reset Chrome policies since what chaos might that cause and lastly it says,"Replace the Hosts file by a sane one."
By a sane one?? What the hell : )
I think I just talked myself out of ever running basic repair.
Not knowing what some of the settings are, I'm unsure what to settings to use. But here's what I have mine set up as:
Now and then AdwCleaner will find one or two PUPS (always the same ones, PUP.Optional.Legacy Ask & PUP.Optional.Legacy AOL) and I will allow Basic Repair to run. So far I haven't noticed any adverse effects.
Yes, I use it. No, I never do a Basic Repair.
In version 6 those repair options were hidden away on the Tools menu and could only be run from there. Now it almost forces you to use it (well, insists you choose to skip using it, which amounts to the same thing).
In both the old and new versions, the only two options that are on by default seem to be 'Delete tracing keys' and 'Reset Winsock', so probably safe enough to run (not that I will).
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