Does microsoft have a software that cleans, repairs and fix errors on registry for free?

Anonymous
2011-01-18T20:38:14+00:00

Clean and fix registry errors for free

Does microsoft have a software that cleans, repairs and fix errors on registry for free

Windows for home | Previous Windows versions | Internet and connectivity

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quietman7 MVP Alumni 19,830 Reputation points Volunteer Moderator
2015-09-29T19:23:05+00:00

This topic keeps getting resurrected because many folks are uninformed, younger users who have entered the world of computing and others are looking for some magic cure for various system problems. If you have been using such a program routinely or followed the advice of some so-called technician...there is no telling what damage it has already done to your registry and other areas it purports to clean. I suspect that is the reason for your registry error messages unless it it is the program you are currently using which is giving the errors.

There are numerous programs which purport to improve system performance, make repairs and tune up a computer. Many of them include such features as a registry cleaner, registry optimizer, disk optimizer, etc. These registry cleaners and optimizers claim to speed up your computer by finding and removing orphaned and corrupt registry entries that are responsible for slowing down system performance. There is no statistical evidence to back such claims. Advertisements to do so are a marketing ploy intended to goad users into using an unnecessary and potential dangerous product. I would not trust any results such programs detect as problematic or needing repair nor recommend using the options to fix them.

Further, these types of junk optimization programs are often bundled with other software you download and most are considered Potentially Unwanted Programs (PUPs) so they may be detected or even removed by some security scanners which specifically look for PUPs and adware.

Official Microsoft support policy for the use of registry cleaning utilities (KB2563254)

Quote

"This article describes the Microsoft support policy for customers who use registry cleaning utilities that rely on unsupported methods to extract or modify the contents of a Windows Registry...Windows continually references the registry in the background and it is not designed to be accessed or edited. Some products such as registry cleaning utilities suggest that the registry needs regular maintenance or cleaning. However, serious issues can occur when you modify the registry incorrectly using these types of utilities. These issues might require users to reinstall the operating system due to instability. Microsoft cannot guarantee that these problems can be solved without a reinstallation of the Operating System as the extent of the changes made by registry cleaning utilities varies from application to application...Microsoft does not support the use of registry cleaners..."

Why you should not use Registry Cleaners and Optimization Tools

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Anonymous
2011-01-18T21:07:28+00:00

On Tue, 18 Jan 2011 20:38:14 +0000, Tinaya wrote:

Does microsoft have a software that cleans, repairs and fix errors on registry for free

No. And stay far away from all such programs.

Registry cleaning programs are all snake oil. Cleaning of the

registry isn't needed and is dangerous. Leave the registry alone and

don't use any registry cleaner. Despite what many people think, and

what vendors of registry cleaning software try to convince you of,

having unused registry entries doesn't really hurt you.

The risk of a serious problem caused by a registry cleaner erroneously

removing an entry you need is far greater than any potential benefit

it may have.

Read http://www.edbott.com/weblog/archives/000643.html

and http://aumha.net/viewtopic.php?t=28099

and also

http://blogs.technet.com/markrussinovich/archive/2005/10/02/registry-junk-a-windows-fact-of-life.aspx

Let me point out that neither I nor anyone else who warns against the

use of registry cleaners has ever said that they always cause

problems. If they always caused problems, they would disappear from

the market almost immediately. Many people have used a registry

cleaner and never had a problem with it.

Rather, the problem with a registry cleaner is that it carries with it

the substantial risk of having a problem. And since there is no

benefit to using a registry cleaner, running that risk is a very bad

bargain.

Ken Blake (MS MVP)

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  1. Anonymous
    2013-10-16T14:55:25+00:00

    The link WhereIsMyMindAT posted above...

    http://support.microsoft.com/kb/835818/en-gb

    This is an article on the official Microsoft support site, but it is NOT an official Microsoft article.

    It's a third-party article. Read the disclaimer at the top of the article, which says...

    ***The articles set out below are articles created and/or produced by Future Publishing Limited. Microsoft is not responsible for the content, accuracy or opinions expressed in these articles.***So not only is the article very out-of-date, it's also written by a third party and not endorsed by Microsoft.

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  2. Anonymous
    2013-10-11T22:25:56+00:00

    Hey Ken Blake - Microsoft MVP (said with *ALL DUE RESPECT*) but not only are you WRONG * (that's not "shouting"--*sight*--just "emphasis" for the n00b's

    Microsoft the company recommends a "Spring Clean" of the Registry

    *HOWEVER!!!*, *HOWEVER!!!*, *HOWEVER!!!*!!!

    *********************

    Tinaya , Ken Blake - Microsoft MVP

    (*laughing*--I thought I better come back up and put  "Disclaimer in". I  don't "get it" when people think you're yelling by typing in caps,etc.(I'm an old dog been around long enough I used the *INTERNET* before the Web Excited (playing around on MUDD's) and no such thing as Name Servers so you had to rememer 99.124.45....blah, blah, blah. 

    My best friends even get confused so especially Tinaya , Ken Blake - Microsoft MVP

    *PLEASE* don't misinterpret my tone. My Volume Level-*laughing*--is Dinner Time Table conversation however (because I *LOVE* *I.T* my "EMPHASIS" is in the *GOOD SPIRIT* of the type talk of Arguing Football

    "Are you kidding me XYZ is gonna win the Super Bowl"..*laughing*

    *DEAL??? We all on the same page? *

    "ONE LOVE"--keep reading

    *************************************

    ************************

    Tinaya , in 100% serious, you *MUST* backup before messing with the registry

    ************************

    HERE WE GO! whoo whoo! Train leaving Station/.

    Microsoft the company recommends a "Spring Clean" of the Registry

    *HOWEVER!!!*, *HOWEVER!!!*, *HOWEVER!!!*!!!

    Tinaya  and everyone else. THIS GOES WITH THE *HUGE* CAVEAT,

    1st--*VITAL*--don't mess with anything in the registry unless you are *POSITIVE* whatever you change, you know what the outcome will be.

    Ken Blake - Microsoft MVP --is *VERY CORRECT* when he says *DO NOT* use 3rd Party Tools.

    The closest that comes to "Legit" is Glary Utilities (you will see this recommended often), however it's too easy to delete important (or "should haves") on your CPU that it will report as "bad". It's more for the advanced rookie or novice intermediate.

    1st. Let me address my comment on "Spring Cleaning" (yes, if I didn't see it myself, I would not agree MSFT would say this).

    Please, let's not turn this into a thread Debating the merits of *REGISTRY CLEANING* MSFT *HAS* said it, thus it's approved by MSFT.

    Below, quote from MSFT.

    Cleaning the Registry

    http://support.microsoft.com/kb/835818/en-gb

    ****************************

    ----It’s not unusual for one program to create 100 or more keys in the Registry, and Windows has plenty of keys of its own. The Registry ends up as a large set of files. That leaves you with a huge file filling system memory and as you install and uninstall applications the Registry becomes fragmented, and Windows slows down even more while it waits for keys to load. If you’re using an earlier version of Windows then cleaning out unnecessary Registry keys can boost performance.

    Never delete a Registry key unless you know what it does, and always take a backup of the key first, just in case. Rather than looking for old keys yourself, download a Registry cleaner like the excellent, freeRegCleaner (www.macecraft.com). This shows you orphan files and software that has keys in the Registry, so you can delete all the keys for packages you’ve uninstalled.

    *************************

    (FYI--you'll see this in a lot of articles SCANREG /OPT -is *DEPRECATED* (an old Win 98 Tool--no longer available)

    **********************************************

    Since you didn't mention your current OS (and if you're on VISTA--it's *NOT* the Registry, it's the OS--*LAUGHING*--either go back to XP or up to Win8 (seriously).

    *********************************************************

    BACKUP BEFORE DOING ANYTHING!!!!!

    BACKUP BEFORE DOING ANYTHING!!!!!

    BACKUP BEFORE DOING ANYTHING!!!!!

    *********************************************************

    I came back up to also warn you Before you make *ANY CHANGES*

    Make *AT LEAST 2 Backups" (3-is a NASA Standard) *Grin*

    *********************************************************

    ****************************************

    MULTIPLE!!!! BACKUP BACKUP!!

    MULTIPLE!!!! BACKUP BACKUP!!

    MULTIPLE!!!! BACKUP BACKUP!!

    *MANDATORY*

    ****************************************

    1st--set a System Restore Point

    ****************************************

    (I'm a command line geek and since people monkey with their short cuts, I'll use the Command Line Prompts--they perform *THE EXACT* same function as a "Short Cut" does (ie. if you right click on a short cut--this is what you'll see)

    The short cut *SHOULD* be located in Programs/Accessories/System Tools (if you prefer that). Anywho. Thus, don't worry, nothing advanced nor nothing you will mess up.

    TO BEGIN

    -Click START

    -Open "Run" Box  /Pate this Info into it/Click OK/Enter  (COPY ENTIRE LINE,EXACTLY AS IT IS, THEN PASTE INTO RUN /CLICK OK (OR Enter)

    Set a System Restore Point.

    %SystemRoot%\System32\restore\rstrui.exe

    This will open your System Restore. Create Restore Point *AND* Name it something you'll remember you can roll back to.

    NEXT, BACK UP SYSTEM STATE

    ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

    2nd-Use Windows Application Backup Tool for a "System State"

    %SystemRoot%\system32\ntbackup.exe

    ---chances are you've never seen this.It allows you to back up Windows information (and is supplied by Windows) 

    When this opens, you'll get a "Welcome Box"

    *MAKE SURE* to *CHECK MARK* "Always Start in Wizard Mode"

    -CLICK NEXT

    -CLICK "Back up files and settings"/Click Next

    -"What do you want to back up?" *VERY BOTTOM*

    Click "Let me choose what to back up"/Click NEXT

    --This will bring up (what you're probably use to when saving files etc. Type looking box.

    ---TWO "SIDES" to the Box---*IGNORE* the *RIGHT SIDE* (won't need it for our purposes) *EVERYTHING* Below is the *LEFT SIDE/BOX*

    *LEFT SIDE/BOX*

    --First Choice is "Desktop" (if it's not expanded -click the "PLUS" (+) sign to expand it open

    --Next choice will say "My Computer"-click the "PLUS" (+) sign to expand it open

    You will see your Drive/DVD if you have one,etc. (again, should be "normal" looking to you if you've saved things on your CPU.

    Scroll to the bottom of *THAT LIST* (not the entire list) the "My Computer List"

    You'll see a "odd" looking Computer Monitor/Little "Gear" in-front of it. It will say "System State"---CHECK THAT BOX AND *ONLY* that box. /CLICK NEXT

    Pick your Destination---FYI--*ALWAYS*==*ALWAYS* save to an external dive (amazing to me people save "Back ups" to the drive they're trying to protect..*laughing*

    Name it whatever (note, it won't have an "Extension" for the name. If it does create a name for you, the extension will be *bkf Don't mess with it. *grin*

    /CLICK NEXT

    The Final Screen will have a "FINISH" and "ADVANCED" there's no need to use Advanced. Click "FINISH"

    IT SHOULD NOT!!! Take more than 2-3-4-5mins (depending on your CPU speed)

    When it COMPLETES, it will pop open notepad, with the "results" look at the bottom of the gibberish  and make sure it says "Completed Successfully" (verbiage close to that)

    **********************************************

    3rd--Manual REG Backup

    ***************************

    Against my better judgement *laughing*---I'll now teach you to do a manual back up of the Registry (this is the if you blow it up/the top two fail to get you back...this is "if all else fails").

    CLICK START/RUN

    In the Run Box type

    Regedit

    /click Enter (or OK)

    THIS is your Registry--

    DO *NOTHING* EXCEPT THE FOLLOWING

    1ST-CLICK ON "MY COMPUTER"

    2ND-Click "FILE"

    3rd-CLICK "EXPORT"

    ----Again box will pop open (you're probably use to seeing--how to save things,etc.

    ----*IMPORTANT*---AT THE BOTTOM, WILL BE A CHOICE "EXPORT RANGE", CLICK "ALL"

    File Name, (pick one) just call it "RegistryBackup.reg"

    --------*NOTE*---VERY IMPORTANT---THE LITTLE BOX "SAVE AS FILE TYPE" *should have* "Registration Files"(name close)--if it does not (says "all files" or *txt",etc.) Make sure it says "Registration Files"

    File Name: RegistryBackup.reg

    ----BE SURE TO SAVE THIS (**ALL BACKUPS****TO SOMETHING *OFF* YOUR COMPUTER! 

    After you save it, close Registry Editor (either upper Red Box or File Exit)

    *****************************

    *NOW* you have all your Backups! (this really is serious. You should *ALWAYS* have 2-Backups (since you're n00b at this, I had you create 3-different)

    .....

    don't look below until you have done your backups....!!!

    ...

    ..

    *****************************************

    ONLY AFTER BACKUPS--START WITH YOUR REG TOOLS

    *****************************************

    ****Only after you have successfully performed all of the Backups********

    Proceed. 

    (did you really do all the above...STOP if you didn't..*GRIN*

    ***********************************NOW!! (THE FUN STUFF ---*ANSWERING YOUR QUESTION*..*LAUGHING************************************

    ***************************

    NOW, REMEMBER MY POINT ABOVE--NEVER DO SOMETHING UNLESS YOU KNOW THE OUTCOME! I'M GONNA SHARE ADVANCED MATERIAL (BECAUSE YOU CAN FIND ON YOUR OWN, BUT WOULD RATHER GIVE YOU THE HEADS UP WHILE i CAN)

    ********************************

    Registry Editing/"Fixing"/"Compacting"

    Up above, the "Cleaning Registry" offered a Tool easy to use for any level .

    Cleaning the Registry

    http://support.microsoft.com/kb/835818/en-gb

    ************

    Registry cleaner like the excellent, free

    RegCleaner (www.macecraft.com).

    This shows you orphan files and software that has keys in the Registry, so you can delete all the keys for packages you’ve uninstalled.

    ************

    Another Cleaner Tool  CC CLEANER

    *****************************

    *VERY SAFE* Common to use is "CC_CLeaner"

    You can find this Here: *FILE HIPPO* (notice it's *OVER ALL* NUMBER ONE

    CCleaner 4.06.4324 http://www.filehippo.com/download_ccleaner/

    (click the Right top choice to download)

    Rolls to a different "MIRROR" site, choose the "FREE VERSION"

    *AGAIN!!!* *BE CAREFUL* when you use this! (it allows you to customize *A LOT* of what you want to delete

    (when you open it--based on how many browsers you have installed (EX-Chrome/Firefox/Safari-etc.etc) Will be how long the list is.

    *LOOK CLOSELY!!!* (AGAIN *ALWAYS* USE THE thinking, if you don't know what will happen if you delete it---*THEN DO NOT DELETE IT!* *grin*

    *************************************************************

    You'll see check boxes like

    "Saved Passwords"

    ------ME PERSONALLY--I don't delete it

    Or "SAVE FORM DATA*

    (again, I keep it)

    The stuff (Relevant to *WINDOWS* that will be safe to delete

    *SYSTEM*

    --Empty Recycle Bin

    --Temporary Files

    --Clipboard

    --Memory Dumps

    --Chkdsk File Fragments

    --Font Cache

    (I have DNS and Windows logs check--use at *YOUR DISCRETION*)

    *ADVANCED*

    I have checked

    --"Old Prefetch Data"

    --IIS Log Files

    (all the other stuff--again, is your discretion)--most f the other stuff is simply "CACHE"/"MEMORY" of how you set things up (thus if you clean it, your settings will never "STICK"

    ALSO APPLICATIONS!!!!! 2ND TAB (CHECK ALL THOSE TO YOUR LIKING!!!)

    ***********************KA-BLAM!!! CLEAN IT! ************************

    (note you'll have to have all your windows closed when doing this)

    *AND* 

    *RUN ANALYZE*

    *RUN CLEANER*

    *RUN CLEANER*

    --- I always click "Run Cleaner" again, until all the data disappears.

    **********************

    REGISTRY!!! WOOT!!! (need to run "CLEANER" before registry so we know all the "broken links" in registry to vacuum out)

    Registry, I have everything checked

    Click /Scan for Files

    Depending on how much is messed up, how long this will take.

    Click / "Fix Selected Issues"

    Box Pops open with "Do you want to save a backup" (what did we learn above?*GRIN*---*YES!!!*

    CLICK / Fix All Selected Issues

    Do one more scan (sometimes have to delete the first broken to get to the 2nd broken)

    95% of time will come back with "No Issues Found

    ****************************************

    *FINALLY* ROUTINE MAINTENANCE

    ****************************************

    If all the above didn't break anything. *laughing*-NAW, NAW, should be *FINE*

    Open Windows Explorer and right click on "C'" drive.

    DISK CLEAN UP

    Also "TOOLS"

    CHKDSK ("Check Disk")

    DEFRAG

    -----------*VERY IMPORTANT* (especially the first few times you run it) with Check Disk, 9/10 times will "error out" say, it can't run, would you like to run next time you restart, click yes

    ***********VERY IMPORTANT***********

    Click Start/Shutdown (might take *A LONG TIME*--like 10-minutes for your CPU to shut down---DON'T TOUCH IT *grin*

    ***********VERY IMPORTANT***********

    The next time you turn on our CPU/Check disk will run, it will ask you if you want to cancel

    *DO NOT CANCEL THIS* (especially the first time you run )

    *AGAIN*---it might take 10-20-30 minutes (yea, *LITERALLY*---depending on how "corrupted"/"broken" all your files are.

    Let it run (thus, what I do ("just in case"--it need a long time to run--one external drive I have is 2TB and 2-internal are 1TB each) --*BIG*

    I simply restart before I go to bed, let it run the night (so I'm not waiting on it when I "Need it")

    ********************************

    *LAWD*----I'm tired.

    Best of luck---this should get you fixed.

    (since I"m much more of a GEEK--my "spring Cleaning" is simply a *FORMAT C:"

    (after doing WHAT?  *LAUGHING*

    ****************************************

    MULTIPLE!!!! BACKUP BACKUP!!

    MULTIPLE!!!! BACKUP BACKUP!!

    MULTIPLE!!!! BACKUP BACKUP!!

    *************************************

    Then just "Rebuild"/reinstall stuff I need as I need it.

    *****************************

    *THE PROBLEM*--the reason why "Registry Corruption" occurs is because even the *BEST* Installers/Uninstallers can't get rid of everything.

    Example there's a *good handful* of files that many programs share (either a *.dll--also called DLL *ELL! (*.dlls nightmare--almost as bad as "Services")

    Thus, Installer can't remove it all.

    TO END OF THIS----YOU'LL NEVER GET RID OF ALL THE *JUNK*|

    *PROOF TO THIS?*

    *THIS GUY!!!!* IF OFF THE CHAIN WINDOWS EXPERT/INTELLIGENT- (SMARTER THAN GATES I'M SURE..*LAUGHING*

    He built an entire *SUITE* of tools that fix all kinds of stuff for MSFT (it's for the geeks--really is...most have to run from a command prompt...*AND* know the information it's showing you--what it means and what to look for)

    His name is Mark Russinovich

    He had built all these products call "Wininternals" (MSFT bought them all and renamed to "Sysinternals"

    One Blog Entry of his????

    Registry Junk: A Windows Fact of Life

    http://blogs.technet.com/b/markrussinovich/archive/2005/10/02/registry-junk-a-windows-fact-of-life.aspx

    The *BEST* you can shoot for (with *ANY* Window Product--Microsoft aims for "Good enough" (the 3-people in America that own a WinPhone can attest to that...*LAUGHING*

    *SHRUG*---soon, it will be*MOOT*---Next 3-years....the idea of a "Desktop Computer" (Consumer--about 10-years--Business)---Consumer, next 3-years---a "Desktop Computer" will go the way of "The Woolworth's"/"SEARS"/"K-MART"--and like those, MSFT will be in the dust bin of failed/flawed Business Model (when forced to compete, they can't)

    *claiming on my pedestal"

    *DO YOU REALIZE MICROSOFT TRIED TO SUE GOOGLE IN THE EUROPEAN UNION FOR "UNFAIR TRADE PRACTICES*---BECAUSE GOOGLE IS GIVING ANDROID AWAY *FREE* (THE OPERATING SYSTEM*

    *LAUGHING MY REAR END OFF!!!*

    I guess MSFT forgot that *FREEWARE* has been around since Gates was in DIAPERS!

    Don't believe me? 10-Years ago, would you believe that SEARS? A company that has been around since the 1800's!!!! (the only person *EVER* I've heard purchase something from them is my sweet 95-year old Aunt when she needed a New Washer/Dryer few years ago (of course, Sears managed to mess that up)

    SO, KEEP THE FAITH---you'll only been in *PAIN* 2-3 more years and the SHACKLES OF COMPUTING OPPRESSION WILL BE *OVER*  *LAUGHING*

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  3. Anonymous
    2013-10-04T15:09:01+00:00

    ASC has never been problematic for me - because I've never installed it.

    I HAVE had to clean up the mess it's left behind in other peoples' machines many times - including 'uninstalling' essential windows services, and blocking access to Windows Updates.

    It's mostly a front-end on standard Windows utilities - and what isn't standard is badly written where it hasn't been stolen from other software.

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