How windows XP handle old registry entries?

[Kvin]

how windows XP handle old registry entries, remaining from old programs?
Sadly, many programs leave this old keys in Registry after standard
deinstallation procedure. It often necessary just try some program, but each
of them leave their entries..
What is main problem this can cause?

K.

 

[Curt Christianson]

A "good" uninstaller will leave few, if any, leftovers in the registry.
Sadly, a lot of applications *do* leave something behind, as you suggest.
Windows XP seems to handle these "orphans" much better than the W9x series
did. From what I've been advised, don't worry about them.

--
Curt
http://dundats.mvps.org/
http://www.aumha.org/


| how windows XP handle old registry entries, remaining from old programs?
| Sadly, many programs leave this old keys in Registry after standard
| deinstallation procedure. It often necessary just try some program, but
each
| of them leave their entries..
| What is main problem this can cause?
|
| K.
|

 

[Detlev Dreyer]

how windows XP handle old registry entries, remaining from old
programs?

Orphaned entries will be ignored, usually.

Sadly, many programs leave this old keys in Registry after
standard deinstallation procedure.

More than often, this happens in order to keep the program settings
in case of re-installation.

What is main problem this can cause?

Don't worry. The registry is a huge database and some entries more
or less do not make any difference.

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

how windows XP handle old registry entries, remaining from old
programs?

Windows doesn't handle them at all.

Sadly, many programs leave this old keys in Registry after
standard deinstallation procedure.

Yes, it's the program's uninstaller that is responsible for removing these
entries. Unfortunately they don't all do a good job of it.

It often necessary just try some
program, but each of them leave their entries..
What is main problem this can cause?

In the enormous majority of cases, it doesn't cause any problem at all. I
strongly recommend *against* the routine use of registry cleaners to try to
"fix" problems like these. Routine cleaning of the registry isn't needed and
is dangerous. Leave the registry alone and don't use a 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.

 

[Jim]

how windows XP handle old registry entries, remaining from old programs?
Sadly, many programs leave this old keys in Registry after standard
deinstallation procedure. It often necessary just try some program, but
each of them leave their entries..
What is main problem this can cause?

K.

An excessive number of posts on the subject is the main problem.
Jim

 

[Paul Johnson]

how windows XP handle old registry entries, remaining from old programs?
Sadly, many programs leave this old keys in Registry after standard
deinstallation procedure. It often necessary just try some program, but
each of them leave their entries..

Uninstallers should remove all traces of the program they uninstall, if not,
that's a bug. Customers should not be so willing to put up with poor
quality. File a bug with their respective developers regarding their
installer, and refuse to spend more money with them until it's fixed.

What is main problem this can cause?

Corrupted registry. If the boys in Redmond would have put down the bong
long enough, they might have realized that putting all your eggs in a
human-unreadable format is a terrible idea for this and the reason you
describe. MacOS, Linux, ([Free|Net|Open])BSD(386), and even older versions
of Windows get this right; the registry brain-damage is specific to Windows
9x and NT/XP.

 

[Bruce Chambers]

how windows XP handle old registry entries, remaining from old programs?

It ignores them. They do take up a miniscule amount of hard drive
space, though.

Sadly, many programs leave this old keys in Registry after standard
deinstallation procedure. It often necessary just try some program, but
each of them leave their entries..

The results of installing programs written by inept or lazy developers....

What is main problem this can cause?

Usually, none whatsoever. But, on rare occasions, like when trying to
install a newer version of a program that you've already tried and
removed, there might be a glitch. But then all you need do is delete
the offending registry entry.




--

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

 

[Bruce Chambers]

Uninstallers should remove all traces of the program they uninstall, if not,
that's a bug. Customers should not be so willing to put up with poor
quality. File a bug with their respective developers regarding their
installer, and refuse to spend more money with them until it's fixed.


Corrupted registry.

Utter nonsense, in the overwhelming majority of cases.




--

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

 

[Kvin]

It ignores them. They do take up a miniscule amount of hard drive space,
though.


The results of installing programs written by inept or lazy developers....


Usually, none whatsoever. But, on rare occasions, like when trying to
install a newer version of a program that you've already tried and
removed, there might be a glitch. But then all you need do is delete the
offending registry entry.

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

---------------------------------

Just interesting, what if we will use VBScript to remove some orphaned
registry keys? We need specify in script exact patch to this registry keys.
Say, there is few folders in HKLM -> Folder1 -> Subfolder1 -> Subfolder2.
The last Subfolder2 contains few keys. How will looks this patch?

K.