AVG PC Tuneup. Any good?

[J. P. Gilliver (John)]

In message <[email protected]>, Ken Blake

Registry cleaning programs are *all* snake oil, and should be avoided
like the plague. 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.

No, it's just intellectually unsatisfying. Windows - and software, from
myriad sources, that runs under it - is extremely complex these days,
and so much _does_ cause things to "silt up": OK, some _very_
conscientious (and knowledgeable) people this may not apply to, but most
of us find that the registry, the hard disc, and the startup (and
continuously running) parts of a Windows installation do gain lots of
things we don't understand, and therefore can't easily decide whether to
remove or not. It's what eventually makes most people buy a new
computer, I suspect - the fact that their old one has become a lot less
responsive than when it was new. Sure, a reinstall would cure it, but
most people are reluctant to do that - not least because they can't
_remember_ how they set up things just the way they have and like them
(apart from the speed drop) now.

I take your points that ...

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.

[]
.... and ...

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.

; it's just _irritating_ that the unnecessary stuff is there, since we
know that removing such chaff in the startup and running parts _does_
speed things up.

IMO, the registry, as originally conceived (around the time of Windows
3.11?) as a central repository for lots of settings, was a Good Idea -
and, while it used human-readable keys etc., remained so; however,
partly because of copy-protection reasons and partly because of lazy
programming, it became full of incomprehensible strings of numbers, and
is now a necessary evil.

 

[Ken Blake]

In message <[email protected]>, Ken Blake


No, it's just intellectually unsatisfying. Windows - and software, from
myriad sources, that runs under it - is extremely complex these days,
and so much _does_ cause things to "silt up": OK, some _very_
conscientious (and knowledgeable) people this may not apply to, but most
of us find that the registry, the hard disc, and the startup (and
continuously running) parts of a Windows installation do gain lots of
things we don't understand, and therefore can't easily decide whether to
remove or not. It's what eventually makes most people buy a new
computer, I suspect - the fact that their old one has become a lot less
responsive than when it was new. Sure, a reinstall would cure it, but
most people are reluctant to do that - not least because they can't
_remember_ how they set up things just the way they have and like them
(apart from the speed drop) now.

You're welcome to that opinion, but I completely disagree that "the
registry ... of a Windows installation do[es] gain lots of things we
don't understand" makes Windows "a lot less responsive than when it
was new."

 

[z]

Hi John.

I am mostly concerned about the registry cleaner app. I have tried a
few and they all claim to get rid of useless entrees so how would one
go about doing this from within windows? Is this even something to be
concerned about? I like to change my oil on a regular basis so why not
my registry? I just think not to many actually know anything about the
registry and aren't brave enough to tackle something like this.

Al.

Hi Al.

I have regularly been using the registry cleaner in CCleaner for several
months on 2 PCs, and 2 Laptops without any problems. It was recomended
to me by a tech support person who has been using it for years.

Nick.

 

[J. P. Gilliver (John)]

On Wed, 1 Feb 2012 23:19:16 +0000, "J. P. Gilliver (John)"

No, it's just intellectually unsatisfying. Windows - and software, from
myriad sources, that runs under it - is extremely complex these days,
and so much _does_ cause things to "silt up": OK, some _very_
conscientious (and knowledgeable) people this may not apply to, but most
of us find that the registry, the hard disc, and the startup (and
continuously running) parts of a Windows installation do gain lots of
things we don't understand, and therefore can't easily decide whether to
remove or not. It's what eventually makes most people buy a new
computer, I suspect - the fact that their old one has become a lot less
responsive than when it was new. Sure, a reinstall would cure it, but
most people are reluctant to do that - not least because they can't
_remember_ how they set up things just the way they have and like them
(apart from the speed drop) now.

You're welcome to that opinion, but I completely disagree that "the
registry ... of a Windows installation do[es] gain lots of things we
don't understand" makes Windows "a lot less responsive than when it
was new."

Ah, the joys of snippage! I didn't say that: I listed several places
that things silt up, not just the registry.

 

[Stan Brown]

I have regularly been using the registry cleaner in CCleaner for several
months on 2 PCs, and 2 Laptops without any problems. It was recomended
to me by a tech support person who has been using it for years.

And here we go again. :-(

 

[choro]

I will agree with you here and not take any chances but am very
curious about the inner workings. I do remember older versions of
windows and some tutorials regarding the registry.

By all means *take the bull by the horns* so long as you are aware that
you might get gored in the process!

Good luck!

And you might really need it!
-- choro

 

[Ken Blake]

I have regularly been using the registry cleaner in CCleaner for several
months on 2 PCs, and 2 Laptops without any problems. It was recomended
to me by a tech support person who has been using it for years.

I'll repeat what I've said here many times:

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.

 

[J. P. Gilliver (John)]

In message <[email protected]>, Ken Blake

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

Indeed: _any_ tampering with the reg. is risky.

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

But I'd disagree with _no_ benefit. I _would_ concede that any actual
benefit, in terms of things like greater processor speed and shorter
startup time, are in most cases likely to be imperceptibly small - which
could be described as no _practical_ benefit. Against a real risk.

 

[Allen Drake]

By all means *take the bull by the horns* so long as you are aware that
you might get gored in the process!

Good luck!

And you might really need it!
-- choro

I am not 'fraid. What is the worse that could happen? I could have to
go back to the clone installed in one of my play systems. That means
changing a cable from one drive to another then do it all over again.
I have spare systems sitting here collecting dust just calling to me.

Al.

 

[Ken Blake]

In message <[email protected]>, Ken Blake


Indeed: _any_ tampering with the reg. is risky.


But I'd disagree with _no_ benefit. I _would_ concede that any actual
benefit, in terms of things like greater processor speed and shorter
startup time, are in most cases likely to be imperceptibly small - which
could be described as no _practical_ benefit. Against a real risk.

If you want to say that "no benefit" and an "imperceptibly small"
benefit (or "no _practical_ benefit") are different enough to talk
about, OK--I won't argue with you. But as far as I'm concerned, they
are close enough to the same thing that it's nowhere near worth
talking about any difference between them.

 

[chris dziew]

Its basically worthless, and it changes a whole lot of things without permission. A free program called advanced system care is much better and easier to use.