Windows Registry Repair Software

[rick]

Hey Guys;

Does anyone out there have a recommendation on a program to repair/clean the Windows registry file?

I've been using 'Free Registry Fix' and have been less than impressed.

Suggestions?

Thanks;

Rick

[The Pecman]

I'm a big fan of Leo Laporte, who does a dozen podcasts every week, along with a weekend computer radio show on KFI-AM in Los Angeles, plus many published books.

Leo says the following: "I don?t generally recommend registry cleaners. First of all, the Windows registry is a horrible mistake. Registry cleaners all have one fatal flaw, they are sometimes too aggressive. The chance of you breaking something is high. The risk outweighs the reward."

I agree with him, that the registry cleaners out there are fraught with problems. Microsoft used to have one, then pulled it off the market a few months later after getting too many complaints about it.

[Trab]

Isn't a Microsoft cleaner for Microsoft Windows somewhat like the police heading up the police review commission? Would that they pulled Windows off the market based on the number of complaints.

[dude]

Does anyone out there have a recommendation on a program to repair/clean the Windows registry file?

I use Registry Mechanic by PC Tools who also make Spyware Doctor. Just be sure to enable the rollback in case a cleanup does some damage... you CAN go home again!

[colinian]

I use RegSupreme from Macecraft Software (www.macecraft.com/regsupreme/). It's only $12.95 (download), and there's a full-featured 30-day trial you can download to see if you like it. It will do a backup before scanning your registry, and I found it does a great job of getting rid of the garbage that can accumulate in the registry. You run it, let it clean, then run it again, and continue to do so until it doesn't find anything else. For a really screwed up registry it might take 3 or 4 or even 5 passes.

I've never had it crash a PC, and I've used it on friends' PCs that are really screwed up.

Oh, and I find that it speeds up my PC, so I tend to run it about once every month or two.

They have a pro version, it's $16.95. My dad uses it and the tech guys at his company do also, but for me the regular version is good enough.

Colin

[Mountain Dude]

I use Registry Mechanic by PC Tools who also make Spyware Doctor. Just be sure to enable the rollback in case a cleanup does some damage... you CAN go home again!

I agree with Dude. PC Tools has been around for YEARS and always have had good utilities. I have used Registry Mechanic for 3 or 4 years and have NEVER had a problem with it disrupting the Registry.

[Camy]

Might I humbly suggest you read this:

http://asknerd.net/bestregistrycleaner.html

I know not a lot about the windows registry, except it gives me grief, and my pc takes around 10 mins to boot up...

[DesDownunder]

Might I humbly suggest you read this:

http://asknerd.net/bestregistrycleaner.html

I know not a lot about the windows registry, except it gives me grief, and my pc takes around 10 mins to boot up...

Hi Camy,

Ten minutes is way too long. Something is not right.

Have you checked you start up folder etc to see if you have some rogue programs there, like Norton Anti-virus?

[rick]

It's amazing how much faster my machine boots after I took half a day to get rid of all the Norton and Symantec crap on my machine. As someone (I think it was Colin) pointed out, I wound up going into safe mode to get rid of the last of their garbage. The uninstall tool for NAV leaves 6 directories on your machine, no matter how many times you run it.....

Thanks for all the suggestions on a registry repair tool....the older a machine gets, the more unconnected junk gets left in the registry over time, and the machine has to process all that garbage to start, which will slow it to a crawl if left untreated. Still, as has been noted a number of times, its critical that you have a restore point available just in case.

Thanks!

Rick