Is it OK to delete these reg keys?

[Lars]

A registry cleaner (RegSeekerXP) found some keys in my registry in
which there was no programs named.

For example:
HKLM\SOFTWARE\Classes\CLSID\{198EB59B-ADE2-AD71-B0DB-80095435168C}
HKLM\SOFTWARE\Classes\CLSID\{C42E48F7-2205-4399-B05C-B3E194F57D67}

Is it safe to delete these keys?

Does it make a difference to performance if the keys are left in the
registry?

 

[Richard Urban [MVP]]

There are many hundreds of registry key placed in the registry that make
sense only to the program that put them there. If you can not positively ID
the key - leave it be.

--
Regards,

Richard Urban
Microsoft MVP Windows Shell/User

Quote from: George Ankner
"If you knew as much as you think you know,
You would realize that you don't know what you thought you knew!"

 

[R. McCarty]

As to performance - No it makes no difference. Is it Safe - no
way to say for sure. That would depend on whether the module
that the Class Identifier references will never be used again. It's
a misconception to look at the Registry as being Clean or Dirty.
Removing Registry keys may break things that won't be readily
apparent. You might remove keys today that break something
you'll not discover until days or weeks from now.

 

[Shenan Stanley]

A registry cleaner (RegSeekerXP) found some keys in my registry in
which there was no programs named.

For example:
HKLM\SOFTWARE\Classes\CLSID\{198EB59B-ADE2-AD71-B0DB-80095435168C}
HKLM\SOFTWARE\Classes\CLSID\{C42E48F7-2205-4399-B05C-B3E194F57D67}

Is it safe to delete these keys?

Does it make a difference to performance if the keys are left in the
registry?

Another example of something I stated in an earlier post...
People who would not just start going through the registry (and understand
what they are looking at) should also never use a Registry Cleaner
applications. The results can be disasterous.

If you don't know what they are - you should likely leave them be.

I have no idea what those keys are and if there is no additional clues
inside them you can give - then you are better off leaving them alone.

 

[Ken Blake]

In

A registry cleaner (RegSeekerXP) found some keys in my registry
in
which there was no programs named.

For example:
HKLM\SOFTWARE\Classes\CLSID\{198EB59B-ADE2-AD71-B0DB-80095435168C}
HKLM\SOFTWARE\Classes\CLSID\{C42E48F7-2205-4399-B05C-B3E194F57D67}

Is it safe to delete these keys?

Does it make a difference to performance if the keys are left
in the
registry?

Several points:

1. No, deleting these (or any other) registry keys will make no
discernable difference in performance.

2. *Never* delete any registy key unless you know exactly what it
is and what it's for.

3. Do not use registry cleaners. The things they clean generally
don't need to be cleaned.
There's no real disadvantage to having unused registry entries.
And they sometimes erroneously remove registry entries that are
needed. Registry cleaners are not needed and are far more likely
to cause a problem than to solve one.

 

[Shenan Stanley]

1. No, deleting these (or any other) registry keys will make no
discernable difference in performance.

I disagree with "(or any other)"..

For example:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager\Memory
Management\ClearPageFileAtShutdown
If existing and set to (1) can cause a shutdown/startup performance issue.

Deleting this key would improve the performance of the machine - a
noticeable one in many cases - decreasing the shutdown times many times
over.

 

[Ken Blake]

In

I disagree with "(or any other)"..

For example:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session
Manager\Memory Management\ClearPageFileAtShutdown
If existing and set to (1) can cause a shutdown/startup
performance
issue.
Deleting this key would improve the performance of the
machine - a
noticeable one in many cases - decreasing the shutdown times
many
times over.

OK, thanks. I'll amend my statement to "almost any other."

 

[Lars]

On Sun 07 Aug 2005 16:35:57, Ken Blake wrote:

Several points:

1. No, deleting these (or any other) registry keys will make no
discernable difference in performance.

2. *Never* delete any registy key unless you know exactly what
it is and what it's for.

3. Do not use registry cleaners. The things they clean generally
don't need to be cleaned.
There's no real disadvantage to having unused registry entries.
And they sometimes erroneously remove registry entries that are
needed. Registry cleaners are not needed and are far more likely
to cause a problem than to solve one.

The cleaning which the registry cleaner has already done has made
a marked and welcome improvement in both (a) stability of the
explorer shell from locking up, and (b) in WinXP response times.

I suspect there were all sorts of registry entries which were not
needed and which caused my system to go hunting for things which
did not exist and that way may have made my system sluggish and
less stable than it should have been.

The question now is if those empty CLSID keys above can be safely
and usefully removed.

Could whatever created them will re-create them when it needs
them?

 

[Ron Martell]

The cleaning which the registry cleaner has already done has made
a marked and welcome improvement in both (a) stability of the
explorer shell from locking up, and (b) in WinXP response times.

I suspect there were all sorts of registry entries which were not
needed and which caused my system to go hunting for things which
did not exist and that way may have made my system sluggish and
less stable than it should have been.

The question now is if those empty CLSID keys above can be safely
and usefully removed.

Could whatever created them will re-create them when it needs
them?

Editing or cleaning the registry is something that should be
approached in the same way that porcupines make love - very very
carefully.

That being said, I have used RegSeeker myself on many occasions on
different machines and it has never caused a problem for me. Just
make sure that you have the backup option selected so that you have
put the deleted items back if things do go blooey.

Good luck

Ron Martell Duncan B.C. Canada
--
Microsoft MVP
On-Line Help Computer Service
http://onlinehelp.bc.ca

In memory of a dear friend Alex Nichol MVP
http://aumha.org/alex.htm

 

[Edward W. Thompson]

A registry cleaner (RegSeekerXP) found some keys in my registry in
which there was no programs named.

For example:
HKLM\SOFTWARE\Classes\CLSID\{198EB59B-ADE2-AD71-B0DB-80095435168C}
HKLM\SOFTWARE\Classes\CLSID\{C42E48F7-2205-4399-B05C-B3E194F57D67}

Is it safe to delete these keys?

Does it make a difference to performance if the keys are left in the
registry?

Simply 'export' the keys to a file and run the machine for while. If you
experience no problems then the file can be deleted.

 

[David Gorick]

This is great advice and one I've used for years. Just create a folder on
your desktop, or where ever it is convenient, and export the registry keys
to it. After running your computer for a few weeks without any problems you
can probably safely delete them. If your still not sure at that point then
keep them longer.

 

[Ted Zieglar]

Good advice, but I'm not sure if I would wait "a few weeks". It depends on the key in question, of course, but the registry is continuously being modified, and if you merge keys that are several weeks old, the results could be unpredictable. After exporting the keys, the OP could reboot, and make sure that Windows starts and runs properly. That should take a short while to discern.

 

[David Gorick]

You make a good point Ted. Personally I keep them around for about 2 to 3
days but then I'm on my computer for 6-10 hours daily. It doesn't take me
long to figure out something's broke. For people that aren't on as much it
might take longer before they realize that some program is not working
because of a missing key. But then those are the exact people that probably
shouldn't be messing around in the registry to begin with. I use Registry
First Aid from RoseCity Software as my main registry cleaner.


Good advice, but I'm not sure if I would wait "a few weeks". It depends on
the key in question, of course, but the registry is continuously being
modified, and if you merge keys that are several weeks old, the results
could be unpredictable. After exporting the keys, the OP could reboot, and
make sure that Windows starts and runs properly. That should take a short
while to discern.

 

[Ted Zieglar]

You make a good point too.

Ted Zieglar

You make a good point Ted. Personally I keep them around for about 2 to 3
days but then I'm on my computer for 6-10 hours daily. It doesn't take me
long to figure out something's broke. For people that aren't on as much it
might take longer before they realize that some program is not working
because of a missing key. But then those are the exact people that probably
shouldn't be messing around in the registry to begin with. I use Registry
First Aid from RoseCity Software as my main registry cleaner.


Good advice, but I'm not sure if I would wait "a few weeks". It depends on
the key in question, of course, but the registry is continuously being
modified, and if you merge keys that are several weeks old, the results
could be unpredictable. After exporting the keys, the OP could reboot, and
make sure that Windows starts and runs properly. That should take a short
while to discern.