Registry Mechanic

[Guest]

What is your opinion on the value of a registry mechanic and regular scanning
of the registry. Since my XP doesn't come with one built in I am wondering
if they are beneficial or just a gimmick. I have Tune Up Utilities but would
like your opinion before I start stuffing around with my registry. Thanks in
advance.

 

[Guest]

Regestry mechanic,tune up utilities are a waste of youre time and possibly
youre os.Try learning the xp basics for mntce,you'll do a better job if a few
guidelines are followed.

 

[Guest]

Where are the basics? I just looked up 'maintenance' in my 'help and
support' file and there is nothing there. I tried 'registry' and couldn't
find much except some references to 'Dr Watson'. All I want is the computer
to just keep running efficiently..........
Larsman.

 

[Gerry Cornell]

Poor system performance can be the result of a single problem or a
combination of factors. Listed
below are issues, which you may wish to examine if you are experiencing
poor performance after
the boot process has completed. Some items may help with slow starting
of Windows XP but the
list has not been prepared for tackling that problem. Work through the
list until you achieve an
acceptable result.

Regular and effective housekeeping is essential. What you do and how
often you do it will depend
on how you use your computer. A suggested routine may include:
1. In Outlook Express empty your Deleted Items folder.
2. In Outlook Express run File, Folder, Compact All whilst OFFLINE.
3. Run Disk Cleanup. Start, Programs, Accessories, System Tools, Disk
Cleanup with
Temporary Internet Files, Offline Web Pages (optional), System Restore
( more Options tab )
and Recycle Bin selected for deletion. If you have more than one drive /
partition you may
need to do this operation for each drive / partition.
4. Remove Cookies. Start, Control Panel, Internet Options, General,
Delete Cookies.
5. Run Disk Defragmenter.

Check whether you could reduce the number of days the History of sites
visited is retained. Start,
Control Panel, Internet Options, General, History.
Spyware causes many problems. If not installed download Adaware and / or
update Reference file
from http://www.lavasoftusa.com/support/download/ and use it to remove
parasites. If Spyware
persists as a problem try a Hosts file.
http://www.accs-net.com/hosts/what_is_hosts.html
Slow performance resulting from insufficient memory, causing over
reliance on virtual memory,
may be especially noticed by those upgrading to Windows XP from an
earlier version of Windows.
Windows XP will run with 64 MB of RAM memory. However, a minimum of 256
MB is
recommended and many users will recommend 512 MB. You may check on
pagefile (virtual
memory) usage with Page File Monitor for XP:
http://www.dougknox.com/

Check how much free space you have on the hard drive / partition where
your pagefile is located.
You need a minimum of 15% but 20% or more is better.

Check your setting for the Indexing Service. Start, Administrative
Tools, Services, Indexing
Service. The default setting is Manual. Check that it is not running.
More information here:
http://www.blackviper.com/WinXP/service411.htm#Indexing_Service

You can have too many programmes running in the background. Close
programmes/windows after
use. Check whether all the programmes loading when Windows is started
are really necessary.
http://aumha.org/a/loads.htm

Check whether you can identify slow performance with a particular
programme. Look in Google to
see whether others have encountered the same problem and found a
solution.
http://groups.google.com/

Are there any error messages in Event Viewer? You can access Event
Viewer by selecting Start,
Administrative Tools, and Event Viewer. When researching the meaning of
the error, information
regarding Event ID: and Source Description is important.
HOW TO: View and Manage Event Logs in Event Viewer in Windows XP
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;308427&Product=winxp

~~~~~~


Hope this helps.

Gerry
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
FCA

Stourport, Worcs, England
Enquire, plan and execute.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

[RonK]

XP manages the registry quite well. Registry cleaners can cause your
computer to not work correctly or not even startup - Be carefull.

 

[Bruce Chambers]

What is your opinion on the value of a registry mechanic and regular scanning
of the registry.

Unadulterated Snake Oil.

Since my XP doesn't come with one built in ....

Because there's no need for one.

I am wondering
if they are beneficial or just a gimmick.

Wonder no more. Such products are mostly gimmick. I will concede that
a good registry scanning tool, in the hands of an experienced and
knowledgeable technician or hobbyist can be a useful time-saving tool,
as long as it's not allowed to make any changes automatically. But I
really don't think that there are any registry cleaners that are truly
safe for the general public to use.


I have Tune Up Utilities but would

like your opinion before I start stuffing around with my registry. Thanks in
advance.

What specific problem are you experiencing that you *know* beyond
all reasonable doubt will be fixed by using a registry cleaner? If you
do have a problem that is rooted in the registry, it would be far better
to simply edit (after backing up, of course) only the specific key(s)
and/or value(s) that are causing the problem. Why use a shotgun when a
scalpel will do the job? Additionally, the manually changing of one or
two registry entries is far less likely to have the dire consequences of
allowing an automated product to make multiple changes simultaneously.

The registry contains all of the operating system's "knowledge" of
the computer's hardware devices, installed software, the location of the
device drivers, and the computer's configuration. A misstep in the
registry can have severe consequences. One should not even turning
loose a poorly understood automated "cleaner," unless he is fully
confident that he knows *exactly* what is going to happen as a result of
each and every change. Having seen the results of inexperienced people
using automated registry "cleaners," I can only advise all but the most
experienced computer technicians (and/or hobbyists) to avoid them all.
Experience has shown me that such tools simply are not safe in the hands
of the inexperienced user.

The only thing needed to safely clean your registry is knowledge
and Regedit.exe. If you lack the knowledge and experience to maintain
your registry by yourself, then you also lack the knowledge and
experience to safely configure and use any automated registry cleaner,
no matter how safe they claim to be.

Further, no one has ever demonstrated, to my satisfaction, that the
use of an automated registry cleaner, particularly by an untrained,
inexperienced computer user, does any real good. There's certainly been
no empirical evidence offered to demonstrate that the use of such
products to "clean" WinXP's registry improves a computer's performance
or stability.

I always use Regedit.exe. I trust my own experience and judgment
far more than I would any automated registry cleaner. I strongly
encourage others to acquire the knowledge, as well.


--

Bruce Chambers

Help us help you:



You can have peace. Or you can have freedom. Don't ever count on having
both at once. - RAH

 

[Bob]

What is your opinion on the value of a registry mechanic and regular scanning
of the registry. Since my XP doesn't come with one built in I am wondering
if they are beneficial or just a gimmick. I have Tune Up Utilities but would
like your opinion before I start stuffing around with my registry. Thanks in
advance.

A registry cleaner is absolutely essential with Windows XP. The reason is
simple: Xp trashes the registry with too many invalid entries. You
download a PDF file and view or print it offline. Finished, you delete the
file. Run a registry cleaner. There will be a registry entry for that
file. I installed Windows XP SP2. I installed Registry Medic and ran a
scan. I had over 200 invalid registry entries. My wife has used XP Home
for about a year. She has over 2000 invalid registry entries.

These programs are quite safe to use. They will list all invalid entries.
You can delete all or single entries. A registry backup will be made
before deletion. You do not have to delete at first. Just look at the
entries. Check to see if "File Does Not Exist" is accurate. You will
immediately see many files that were long ago deleted but still have
registry entries.

I currently use Registry Medic, RegSupreme, and Registry Optimizer. I have
cleaned my registries hundreds of times with Win 98, 98 SE, and now XP. I
have never experienced so much as a single small problem.

Check what users say about registry cleaner programs on CNET.