Windows is running slow

[Guest]

I'm assuming that my registry has a lot of dead entries, since my system is
running for about 3 years straight w/o a reinstallation os the OS. Windows
over time lost some performance. I did already the regular TS steps, like
defrag, uninstalling old S/W and tweaked the performance wherever possible
but Windows w/o startup items and non-MS services enabled still needs about 3
min to boot completely. All IDE channels are set to DMA, too. Hardware is
100% ok. I guess I'm looking for a safe way to clean up my registry. Any
suggestions? Thanks for you help.

 

[Leonard Grey]

Dead entries have no effect on the speed of your computer. A registry
does not need cleaning, nor is there a safe way to do so.

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

On Tue, 12 Jun 2007 00:26:01 -0700, gone postal <gone

I'm assuming that my registry has a lot of dead entries, since my system is
running for about 3 years straight w/o a reinstallation os the OS.

Except in unusual circumstances, the operating system should never
need to be reinstalled.

Windows
over time lost some performance. I did already the regular TS steps, like
defrag, uninstalling old S/W and tweaked the performance wherever possible
but Windows w/o startup items and non-MS services enabled still needs about 3
min to boot completely.

Is performance otherwise OK--just startup time is slow? My personal
view is that the attention many people pay to how long it takes to
boot is unwarranted. Assuming that the computer's speed is otherwise
satisfactory, it may not be worth worrying about. Most people start
their computers once a day or even less frequently. In the overall
scheme of things, even a few minutes to start up isn't very important.
Personally I power on my computer when I get up in the morning, then
go get my coffee. When I come back, it's done booting. I don't know
how long it took to boot and I don't care.

All IDE channels are set to DMA, too. Hardware is
100% ok. I guess I'm looking for a safe way to clean up my registry. Any
suggestions? Thanks for you help.

There is no safe way to clean up your registry and those "dead
entries" don't hurt you.

I strongly recommend *against* the routine use of registry cleaners.
Routine cleaning of the registry isn't needed and is dangerous. Leave
the registry alone and don't use any registry cleaner.

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.

 

[Jim]

I'm assuming that my registry has a lot of dead entries, since my system
is
running for about 3 years straight w/o a reinstallation os the OS. Windows
over time lost some performance. I did already the regular TS steps, like
defrag, uninstalling old S/W and tweaked the performance wherever possible
but Windows w/o startup items and non-MS services enabled still needs
about 3
min to boot completely. All IDE channels are set to DMA, too. Hardware is
100% ok. I guess I'm looking for a safe way to clean up my registry. Any
suggestions? Thanks for you help.

It is much more likely that you have malware on your system. Are you
certain that your system is clean?
What AV, etc., programs do you use?

Jim

 

[Guest]

Thanks for all the Tips and I'm actually glad I don't have to fool with the
registry. I beleive the overall performance is still pretty good (same system
scored a 3.6 on my independend - non dual-boot - Vista Ultimate HDD). I think
the most problems occured since I started using Nortons NIS again. On Vista I
use CAs Security software and it seems to run much smoother so I'll try it on
XP and see. Thanks again for taking the time to help!!!

 

[Leonard Grey]

In general, security software brings with it a performance hit, and that
hit is likely to get bigger as security software needs to do more tasks.

That said, among the major security software applications, Norton
products are known for taking a very big performance hit, causing
conflicts with other software, taking over functions your computer
already performs, being difficult to update (and impossible to upgrade),
advertising for other Norton products and being to difficult to
virtually impossible to remove.