Cleaniing Windows XP Registry?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Dave
  • Start date Start date
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Dave

Recently there was a long thread on this forum, whether to clean or not to
clean the registry in Windows XP.
In the last few days I decided to change my AVG from McAfee to another
programme. I began by visiting the McAfee site and followed their auto
un-install instructions (Add or Remove Programs) and then confirmed the
removal with McAfee's manual removal instructions. When I attempted to
install the new AVG programme I received an error message on e-mail
section.
I checked "msconfig" and found "Alogserv" (a McAfee entry) on the Start-up
page, I unchecked this entry. Following this find, I next manually searched
the registry for Network Associates, McAfee and Alorgserv and found numerous
entries under each name. I manually removed these entries.
When I reinstalled the new AVG programme it went without any problems.
"To clean or not to clean? That is the question"
 
Hi

Manually editing the Registry - no, not unless you know **exactly** what you
are doing. Deleting a Registry key may affect 4/5 other Registry values,
unbeknown to you!!!! You were lucky this time - next time you might not
be!!!!
 
There you go. Manually editing the Registry can cause a reformat/reinstall
of XP. Which has been posted so many times that it is unbelievable why
users still do it!! Sorry you had that problem (losing all your data
files) - hopefully XP is up and running again now?
 
Yeh, that was a few years ago in my braver days of computing.

Drew

There you go. Manually editing the Registry can cause a reformat/reinstall
of XP. Which has been posted so many times that it is unbelievable why
users still do it!! Sorry you had that problem (losing all your data
files) - hopefully XP is up and running again now?
 
I learnt to 'deal' with the Registry with trial and error. *****However
that was on a test partition and it didn't matter if it went belly-up*****.
Still have a partition where I 'experiment' with the XP Registry -
reinstalling 2/3 times a day!! Improves the knowledge though - so my wife
says when the air goes blue!!
 
Hi Will,
Without cleaning these entries I could not correctly install the alternate
AVG.
I will say that before editing I did make a backup of the registry and also
made a fresh Restore Point (belt and braces).

: Hi
:
: Manually editing the Registry - no, not unless you know **exactly** what
you
: are doing. Deleting a Registry key may affect 4/5 other Registry values,
: unbeknown to you!!!! You were lucky this time - next time you might not
: be!!!!
:
: --
:
: Will Denny
: MS-MVP - Windows Shell/User
: Please reply to the News Groups
:
:
: : > Recently there was a long thread on this forum, whether to clean or not
to
: > clean the registry in Windows XP.
: > In the last few days I decided to change my AVG from McAfee to another
: > programme. I began by visiting the McAfee site and followed their auto
: > un-install instructions (Add or Remove Programs) and then confirmed the
: > removal with McAfee's manual removal instructions. When I attempted to
: > install the new AVG programme I received an error message on e-mail
: > section.
: > I checked "msconfig" and found "Alogserv" (a McAfee entry) on the
Start-up
: > page, I unchecked this entry. Following this find, I next manually
: > searched
: > the registry for Network Associates, McAfee and Alorgserv and found
: > numerous
: > entries under each name. I manually removed these entries.
: > When I reinstalled the new AVG programme it went without any problems.
: > "To clean or not to clean? That is the question"
: >
: >
: >
:
:
 
Both McAfee & Symantec do not uninstall their products completely.
Symantec is especially inept at this. Look at the number of post cleanup
tools they provide (RNav,RNis, SymClean,etc...)

Symantec software has issues with secondary applications like LiveReg
and Live Update which get orphaned when the primary app is removed.
Symantec also leaves a number of Services behind that the uninstaller will
not clean up. Then you've got the software segmented all over your drive.
\Program Files\, Common Files, Application Data, etc...

Just research through Symantec's Knowledge Base articles for Uninstall.
The instructions for removal looks like a giant "If-Then-Else" litany of
processes & steps.
 
Hi Dave

This is a very contensious. ATM I have about 250,000 entries in my
Registry. This is on a 'working' partition. Now, I'm, bug?ered if I know
what every Registry key represents and I'm as sure as sh*? not going to try
and find out - unless Kelly has nothing else better to do :-))
 
Oh for f*s sake - no program uninstalls *****all***** of the dross that it
installs!!!!

Please excuse my French!!
 
Some are better than others:
I was pointing out that the two pre-eminent Anti-Virus programs on the
market do poorly at uninstalling themselves. I'm currently testing a number
of Security programs and things like Kaspersky, e-Trust, Trend Micro &
others leave your system and leave it without many traces.
Most all will leave the root Software key, but Symantec & McAfee leaves
behind a trail of software crumbs & remnants that can and do affect system
performance - especially orphaned services and startups/watchdogs.

As to the champion curse word - see the following:
http://urbanlegends.about.com/library/bl-f-word.htm
 
Hi

Can you name one app. - MS or otherwise that you know **completely*
uninstalls all the files and Registry entries that it installs? If you can,
I'll let you have access to all my Sandie Shaw Albums - now that's gotta be
a good offer!!
 
| Recently there was a long thread on this forum, whether to clean or not to
| clean the registry in Windows XP.
| In the last few days I decided to change my AVG from McAfee to another
| programme. I began by visiting the McAfee site and followed their auto
| un-install instructions (Add or Remove Programs) and then confirmed the
| removal with McAfee's manual removal instructions. When I attempted to
| install the new AVG programme I received an error message on e-mail
| section.
| I checked "msconfig" and found "Alogserv" (a McAfee entry) on the Start-up
| page, I unchecked this entry. Following this find, I next manually
searched
| the registry for Network Associates, McAfee and Alorgserv and found
numerous
| entries under each name. I manually removed these entries.
| When I reinstalled the new AVG programme it went without any problems.
| "To clean or not to clean? That is the question"

There are two separate issues at work here, and confusion between the two
helps to sell a lot of registry cleaning utilities that aren't necessary.
First, there's registry *editing*. This is what you do when you know there
are specific registry entries that need to be changed or removed. Regedit
will do this just fine, and an additional utility isn't needed.
Next there is registry "cleaning" which is the result of a misbegotten (in
XP) belief that over time, all of the orphaned registry entries that
uninstalls leave behind will lead to a general deterioration of performance.
You run one of these programs and it might find hundreds of "problems" that
you can remedy by allowing the program to delete the "problem" entries. The
real "problem" is that most people run these programs as a matter of regular
maintenance (like defragging, which is also usually unnecessary) when there
is no indication that performance has been or ever will be affected by a
supposedly "dirty" registry.
There are some who will swear that there are measurable improvements in
perfromance after using a registry cleaner, but I've never seen any credible
objective evidence to support those claims. If you need to go into the
registry for a specific reason, make sure you know what yuou're doing and
what you're looking for, and be aware that a casual mistake could lead to an
unbootable computer. If your computer is slow, exhaust all of the
*plausible* possible causes before spending $30 on a registry cleaning
utility. And if there's nothing wrong with your computer, leave the registry
alone!
 
Raymond,
When I first approached the help desk of my new AV software, I was advised
that McAfee might interact with their software and that McAfee should be
cleansed from my computer before installing their software. Hence the
reason I visited McAfee's website for un-installation instructions before
attempting my first unsuccessful attempt at installing this new AVG.
Dave



:
: : | Recently there was a long thread on this forum, whether to clean or not
to
: | clean the registry in Windows XP.
: | In the last few days I decided to change my AVG from McAfee to another
: | programme. I began by visiting the McAfee site and followed their auto
: | un-install instructions (Add or Remove Programs) and then confirmed the
: | removal with McAfee's manual removal instructions. When I attempted to
: | install the new AVG programme I received an error message on e-mail
: | section.
: | I checked "msconfig" and found "Alogserv" (a McAfee entry) on the
Start-up
: | page, I unchecked this entry. Following this find, I next manually
: searched
: | the registry for Network Associates, McAfee and Alorgserv and found
: numerous
: | entries under each name. I manually removed these entries.
: | When I reinstalled the new AVG programme it went without any problems.
: | "To clean or not to clean? That is the question"
:
: There are two separate issues at work here, and confusion between the two
: helps to sell a lot of registry cleaning utilities that aren't necessary.
: First, there's registry *editing*. This is what you do when you know
there
: are specific registry entries that need to be changed or removed. Regedit
: will do this just fine, and an additional utility isn't needed.
: Next there is registry "cleaning" which is the result of a misbegotten (in
: XP) belief that over time, all of the orphaned registry entries that
: uninstalls leave behind will lead to a general deterioration of
performance.
: You run one of these programs and it might find hundreds of "problems"
that
: you can remedy by allowing the program to delete the "problem" entries.
The
: real "problem" is that most people run these programs as a matter of
regular
: maintenance (like defragging, which is also usually unnecessary) when
there
: is no indication that performance has been or ever will be affected by a
: supposedly "dirty" registry.
: There are some who will swear that there are measurable improvements in
: perfromance after using a registry cleaner, but I've never seen any
credible
: objective evidence to support those claims. If you need to go into the
: registry for a specific reason, make sure you know what yuou're doing and
: what you're looking for, and be aware that a casual mistake could lead to
an
: unbootable computer. If your computer is slow, exhaust all of the
: *plausible* possible causes before spending $30 on a registry cleaning
: utility. And if there's nothing wrong with your computer, leave the
registry
: alone!
:
:
:
:
 
| Raymond,
| When I first approached the help desk of my new AV software, I was advised
| that McAfee might interact with their software and that McAfee should be
| cleansed from my computer before installing their software. Hence the
| reason I visited McAfee's website for un-installation instructions before
| attempting my first unsuccessful attempt at installing this new AVG.
| Dave
|
|

You answered your own question. You successfully edited the registry in
order to remedy a specific problem. No cleaning utility was necessary.
 
Raymond J. Johnson Jr. said:
| Recently there was a long thread on this forum, whether to clean or not
to
| clean the registry in Windows XP.
| In the last few days I decided to change my AVG from McAfee to another
| programme. I began by visiting the McAfee site and followed their auto
| un-install instructions (Add or Remove Programs) and then confirmed the
| removal with McAfee's manual removal instructions. When I attempted to
| install the new AVG programme I received an error message on e-mail
| section.
| I checked "msconfig" and found "Alogserv" (a McAfee entry) on the
Start-up
| page, I unchecked this entry. Following this find, I next manually
searched
| the registry for Network Associates, McAfee and Alorgserv and found
numerous
| entries under each name. I manually removed these entries.
| When I reinstalled the new AVG programme it went without any problems.
| "To clean or not to clean? That is the question"

There are two separate issues at work here, and confusion between the two
helps to sell a lot of registry cleaning utilities that aren't necessary.
First, there's registry *editing*. This is what you do when you know
there
are specific registry entries that need to be changed or removed. Regedit
will do this just fine, and an additional utility isn't needed.
Next there is registry "cleaning" which is the result of a misbegotten (in
XP) belief that over time, all of the orphaned registry entries that
uninstalls leave behind will lead to a general deterioration of
performance.
You run one of these programs and it might find hundreds of "problems"
that
you can remedy by allowing the program to delete the "problem" entries.
The
real "problem" is that most people run these programs as a matter of
regular
maintenance (like defragging, which is also usually unnecessary) when
there
is no indication that performance has been or ever will be affected by a
supposedly "dirty" registry.
There are some who will swear that there are measurable improvements in
perfromance after using a registry cleaner, but I've never seen any
credible
objective evidence to support those claims. If you need to go into the
registry for a specific reason, make sure you know what yuou're doing and
what you're looking for, and be aware that a casual mistake could lead to
an
unbootable computer. If your computer is slow, exhaust all of the
*plausible* possible causes before spending $30 on a registry cleaning
utility. And if there's nothing wrong with your computer, leave the
registry
alone!
Click to expand...

You've hit it on head. The Registry is well left alone unless the user
knows what can happen if a mis-edit occurs!!!! How many times can this be
emphasised though!!!!???? Some of 'em still go into the Registry and phrick
around!!!!
 
Dave said:
Recently there was a long thread on this forum, whether to clean or not to
clean the registry in Windows XP.
In the last few days I decided to change my AVG from McAfee to another
programme. I began by visiting the McAfee site and followed their auto
un-install instructions (Add or Remove Programs) and then confirmed the
removal with McAfee's manual removal instructions. When I attempted to
install the new AVG programme I received an error message on e-mail
section.
I checked "msconfig" and found "Alogserv" (a McAfee entry) on the Start-up
page, I unchecked this entry. Following this find, I next manually searched
the registry for Network Associates, McAfee and Alorgserv and found numerous
entries under each name. I manually removed these entries.
When I reinstalled the new AVG programme it went without any problems.
"To clean or not to clean? That is the question"
Click to expand...
 
Dave said:
Recently there was a long thread on this forum, whether to clean or not to
clean the registry in Windows XP.
In the last few days I decided to change my AVG from McAfee to another
programme. I began by visiting the McAfee site and followed their auto
un-install instructions (Add or Remove Programs) and then confirmed the
removal with McAfee's manual removal instructions. When I attempted to
install the new AVG programme I received an error message on e-mail
section.
I checked "msconfig" and found "Alogserv" (a McAfee entry) on the Start-up
page, I unchecked this entry. Following this find, I next manually searched
the registry for Network Associates, McAfee and Alorgserv and found numerous
entries under each name. I manually removed these entries.
When I reinstalled the new AVG programme it went without any problems.
"To clean or not to clean? That is the question"

there is a microsoft article ref q307545 that might be helpfull
Click to expand...
 
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