Cleaning registry

[CHiew]

I use CCleaner to try & keep my PC more or less stable (highly
debatable!). In the Programs To Remove window, I see a lot of Security
Update For Windows, Update for WIndows, & Windows XP Hotfix items. Also
an item called WIndows Installer 3.1.

Could I safely remove all of these?

TIA,

CH

 

[databaseben]

different cleaners have diffirent attributes for optimizing the registry.
With CC, there are check boxes that basically appear to be greyed out.
But they can in fact be enabled or disabled.
I would disable the selection pulling these files up.
If you wanted to be sure, you should make a restore point first.
Then delete them if you like. CC will also make a backup before
deleting them as well. Maybe your system will run smoother without them
being listed in the registry. Otherwise the updates have already modified
the necessary system files in windows.

 

[Ramesh, MS-MVP]

Could I safely remove all of these?

No. Uninstalling those Security updates will leave your system vulnerable.
If you want to save some disk space, then you may move the backup folders
created by those updates:

See: $NTUninstall folders - Description:
http://windowsxp.mvps.org/hotfix_backup.htm

--
Regards,

Ramesh Srinivasan, Microsoft MVP [Windows XP Shell/User]
Windows® XP Troubleshooting http://www.winhelponline.com


I use CCleaner to try & keep my PC more or less stable (highly
debatable!). In the Programs To Remove window, I see a lot of Security
Update For Windows, Update for WIndows, & Windows XP Hotfix items. Also
an item called WIndows Installer 3.1.

Could I safely remove all of these?

TIA,

CH

 

[CHiew]

I would have thought that these are 'programs' which update the system
& once updated, they become obsolete? But, judging from what you say,
they need to be present forever. Is this right?

CH

No. Uninstalling those Security updates will leave your system vulnerable.
If you want to save some disk space, then you may move the backup folders
created by those updates:

See: $NTUninstall folders - Description:
http://windowsxp.mvps.org/hotfix_backup.htm

--
Regards,

Ramesh Srinivasan, Microsoft MVP [Windows XP Shell/User]
Windows® XP Troubleshooting http://www.winhelponline.com


I use CCleaner to try & keep my PC more or less stable (highly
debatable!). In the Programs To Remove window, I see a lot of Security
Update For Windows, Update for WIndows, & Windows XP Hotfix items. Also
an item called WIndows Installer 3.1.

Could I safely remove all of these?

TIA,

CH

 

[Bruce Chambers]

I use CCleaner to try & keep my PC more or less stable (highly
debatable!).

CCleaner's registry "tool" is a great source of false alarms. I tried
the latest version on a brand-new OS installation with no additional
applications installed, and certainly none installed and then
uninstalled, and CCleaner still managed to "find" over a hundred
allegedly orphaned registry entries and dozens of purportedly
"suspicious" files. CCleaner's primary redeeming virute lies in its
usefulness for cleaning up unused temporary files from the hard drive.

In the Programs To Remove window, I see a lot of Security
Update For Windows, Update for WIndows, & Windows XP Hotfix items. Also
an item called WIndows Installer 3.1.

Could I safely remove all of these?

No, as doing so would uninstall the corresponding hotfixes and return
your computer to a much more vulnerable, unpatched state.



--

Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:



They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary
safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. -Benjamin Franklin

Many people would rather die than think; in fact, most do. -Bertrand Russell

 

[Ramesh, MS-MVP]

But, judging from what you say, they need to be present forever

Yes. The security updates need to be present forever. However, the
undo/uninstall information for those updates can be deleted (the
$NTUninstall... folders), if your system is stable.

--
Regards,

Ramesh Srinivasan, Microsoft MVP [Windows XP Shell/User]
Windows® XP Troubleshooting http://www.winhelponline.com


I would have thought that these are 'programs' which update the system
& once updated, they become obsolete? But, judging from what you say,
they need to be present forever. Is this right?

CH

 

[CAS]

I think Ramesh has given you incorrect information....in Ccleaner, the
"hotfix uninstallers" function simply removes the restore files that would
be needed if you wanted to uninstall the hotfix itself. Once you have
tested and lived with the hotfixes long enough to know that you won't ever
want to uninstall them, it is fine to remove the uninstall files using
Ccleaner or through other methods.

I would have thought that these are 'programs' which update the system
& once updated, they become obsolete? But, judging from what you say,
they need to be present forever. Is this right?

CH

No. Uninstalling those Security updates will leave your system vulnerable.
If you want to save some disk space, then you may move the backup folders
created by those updates:

See: $NTUninstall folders - Description:
http://windowsxp.mvps.org/hotfix_backup.htm

--
Regards,

Ramesh Srinivasan, Microsoft MVP [Windows XP Shell/User]
Windows® XP Troubleshooting http://www.winhelponline.com


I use CCleaner to try & keep my PC more or less stable (highly
debatable!). In the Programs To Remove window, I see a lot of Security
Update For Windows, Update for WIndows, & Windows XP Hotfix items. Also
an item called WIndows Installer 3.1.

Could I safely remove all of these?

TIA,

CH

 

[Ramesh, MS-MVP]

I've was not referring to CCleaner, and my information is still correct. I
was only saying that "Uninstalling those Security updates will leave your
system vulnerable". Also, any product-specific queries specific to CCleaner
is to be directed to their forums.

--
Regards,

Ramesh Srinivasan, Microsoft MVP [Windows XP Shell/User]
Windows® XP Troubleshooting http://www.winhelponline.com


I think Ramesh has given you incorrect information....in Ccleaner, the
"hotfix uninstallers" function simply removes the restore files that would
be needed if you wanted to uninstall the hotfix itself. Once you have
tested and lived with the hotfixes long enough to know that you won't ever
want to uninstall them, it is fine to remove the uninstall files using
Ccleaner or through other methods.

I would have thought that these are 'programs' which update the system
& once updated, they become obsolete? But, judging from what you say,
they need to be present forever. Is this right?

CH

No. Uninstalling those Security updates will leave your system vulnerable.
If you want to save some disk space, then you may move the backup folders
created by those updates:

See: $NTUninstall folders - Description:
http://windowsxp.mvps.org/hotfix_backup.htm

--
Regards,

Ramesh Srinivasan, Microsoft MVP [Windows XP Shell/User]
Windows® XP Troubleshooting http://www.winhelponline.com


I use CCleaner to try & keep my PC more or less stable (highly
debatable!). In the Programs To Remove window, I see a lot of Security
Update For Windows, Update for WIndows, & Windows XP Hotfix items. Also
an item called WIndows Installer 3.1.

Could I safely remove all of these?

TIA,

CH

 

[CAS]

The original poster was talking about using Ccleaner and your response to
him indicated that you believed the hotfix uninstallers would remove the
actual hotfixes not the uninstall data for the hotfixes. Also I had no
queries about Ccleaner or any other product. As for your information still
being correct...it was not correct in the first place so how can it "still"
be correct. Its not that your answer was entirely wrong...its just that is
was not correct in the context of the discussion. Seriously now sir....just
because you are an "MVP" doesn't mean you can't ever be wrong. I was just
hoping to clarify the issue for the benefit of the original poster. Thanks
for all the help you do provide on these groups.

I've was not referring to CCleaner, and my information is still correct. I
was only saying that "Uninstalling those Security updates will leave your
system vulnerable". Also, any product-specific queries specific to CCleaner
is to be directed to their forums.

--
Regards,

Ramesh Srinivasan, Microsoft MVP [Windows XP Shell/User]
Windows® XP Troubleshooting http://www.winhelponline.com


I think Ramesh has given you incorrect information....in Ccleaner, the
"hotfix uninstallers" function simply removes the restore files that would
be needed if you wanted to uninstall the hotfix itself. Once you have
tested and lived with the hotfixes long enough to know that you won't ever
want to uninstall them, it is fine to remove the uninstall files using
Ccleaner or through other methods.

I would have thought that these are 'programs' which update the system
& once updated, they become obsolete? But, judging from what you say,
they need to be present forever. Is this right?

CH

Could I safely remove all of these?

No. Uninstalling those Security updates will leave your system vulnerable.
If you want to save some disk space, then you may move the backup folders
created by those updates:

See: $NTUninstall folders - Description:
http://windowsxp.mvps.org/hotfix_backup.htm

--
Regards,

Ramesh Srinivasan, Microsoft MVP [Windows XP Shell/User]
Windows® XP Troubleshooting http://www.winhelponline.com


I use CCleaner to try & keep my PC more or less stable (highly
debatable!). In the Programs To Remove window, I see a lot of Security
Update For Windows, Update for WIndows, & Windows XP Hotfix items. Also
an item called WIndows Installer 3.1.

Could I safely remove all of these?

TIA,

CH

 

[Edward W. Thompson]

CCleaner's registry "tool" is a great source of false alarms. I tried the
latest version on a brand-new OS installation with no additional
applications installed, and certainly none installed and then uninstalled,
and CCleaner still managed to "find" over a hundred allegedly orphaned
registry entries and dozens of purportedly "suspicious" files. CCleaner's
primary redeeming virute lies in its usefulness for cleaning up unused
temporary files from the hard drive.



No, as doing so would uninstall the corresponding hotfixes and return your
computer to a much more vulnerable, unpatched state.

snip

Where in CCleaner does it show the 'type' of file it is suggesting is
removed i.e. 'orphaned'' 'suspicious'? I have detected no such indicator.
I run CCleaner every day and so far, over a period of certainly more than a
year, it hasn't removed any files required for 'security'. Whether or not
it has removed files or Registry entries that would have done no harm if
left, I have not experienced any ill affects from running this programme.
Therefore, I judge the Registry entries or files removed by CCleaner were
not required and were of the 'junk' category whether or not they were
installed by Microsoft.

 

[databaseben]

You might also like to try

NTOptReg, another optimizer using different criteria
and
NTRunt, a user controlled registry backer upper
and
Pagedfg, from systemsinternals.com

Make a new post with your results so you can get "all" kinds .. agin...