Registry cleaner killed my last OS... what is the best way to clean new one

I just got done with the painfull process of backing up all my data and moving it to another OS when Registry Cure killed my windows xp operating system. I ran the application and it slowed down my boot time for a full minute, then when I restored registry deletes it rendered my OS completley unusable. The "all programs" part of my start bar refused to load, applications no longer worked, coudn't install programs, it was a nightmare. I scanned my computer for spyware and antivirus and nothing came up. Firefox stopped working and IE wouldn't let me download any files (like another registry cleaner to fix the mess). Now I have Windows Vista 64bit installed and I don't want to make the same mistake.

I read online that registry cleaners cause more harm then they do good. I also read in another place that most are based of an outdated opensource program the doesn't effectively clean registries the way they should be. Is it better that I go without a registry cleaner, or is there actually one that does the right job? Where could I go to learn about cleaning my own registry, manually if that is the best way?

 

Try Uniblue's RegistryBooster.

http://www.liutilities.com/products/registrybooster/

I've personally never had any problems with any of Uniblue's products on both XP & Vista. Also Uniblue's is a very credible company. They've won many awards and are highly recommended.

 

Where can I go to learn about manually cleaning my registry?

Would using a registry cleaner to identify potential issues, and then cleaning the errors myself be a good way to go?

 

Registry cleaners should be avoided at all costs , in my opinion . The potential gain in performance is close to zero and as you've found to your cost the potential loss can be catastrophic . On the rare occasion you have a problem caused by a registry entry you're far better off to post on here and get expert advice . I speak as a relatively experienced user and I wouldnt touch a single entry in the registry of any machine I have without getting an opinion from someone experienced in the area first .

 

My experience with registry cleaners was extremely poor.

I think so.
I keep a drive image as a back up in case my operating system becomes corrupted or doesn't function properly.

 

I use registry cleaners a lot but the thing to do is to get one which shows the errors individually and you can decide whether or not to delete them. I always check each one, and if I don't understand nor recognize it, I don't delete it.
There are many good free ones available, but make sure the one you pick shows the individual errors and lets you make the decision. Those that automatically delete are in my opinion not to be trusted.
Wise Registry cleaner, a good one. Also Registry Seeker.

 

Might as well take a sledge hammer to your PC
yes some people have no problems using reg cleaners others have lost the use of their system after running one

Play with fire and prepare to get a little singed

I only clean my reg if i have had an application go borked
Then i use revo un installer which has the option to search for and remove all entries for that program

Back up first

 

Can't always trust Revo, you must still check every entry before deleting.
I don't blame revo and I like and use the program a lot. But they can also make mistakes like us humans.

 

i have never used a registry cleaner and never will. i dont advise people to use them either because they can cause serious problems. i cant imagine why people think registrys need cleaned but thats just my opinion.

 

While it may well be that there some registry cleaners are better than others, I advance the notion that it was in fact not the registry cleaner that killed your last OS; rather, it was your usage of said registry cleaner.

 

Have had nothing but trouble with registry cleaners. Think about it. So what if your registry is 10% bloated by obsolete items? With the key structure, those unnecessary items are never searched. If your hard disk and memory are so tight that a few mb are going to crash you, then it's probably time to upgrade.

 

My opinion regarding registry cleaners is that if you are unencumbered by knowledge, don't.

 

Amen to pretty much all of the above. My own experience centred on RegCure. I was impressed by a write-up from an "independent source" (Hah!) and tried same on my beast which was giving me trouble. The first run "found" hundreds of errors and after it advised that all problems had been resolved, I ran it again just to make sure and - lo! - it found another 30 odd! So I ran it again - another 20 ........ and total disruption of my system!!! Never again! Some would say I "overwashed" the system which is probably true, but I have decided that I will NEVER use any form of "registry cleaner" again. Having said that, however, I have to add that I have found "Advanced Windows Care 2", which I have been using occasionally for a year or so now, causes no problems whatever, and does actually appear to do what it says on the tin (freeware version). But it isn't billed as a Registry Cleaner per se.