I am beginning to have some definite slowdown in my computer function, especially connecting to linked runtimes through P7. I have run one of the free downloadable scans on my registry and found an unbelievable number of invalid items (like 6000!). What would the group suggest as a very good, very SAFE registry cleaner. Price is not a concern (but dont get crazy). Thanks in advance. Scarab

I forgot....running Windows XP S.

I use CCleaner http://www.ccleaner.com/ (it's free) hasn't let me down so far, I'm using it on WinXP SR2.

Thanks for that link.  I downloaded it and cleaned up 43 mb of files. I hate having junk files on my computer. So now I don't have to roam around and manually delete stuff :

Attached Link: By: PCTools

Try Download.com

You can run a search (e.g., "registry") and sort by number of downloads or whatever, then read reviews.  There's one I use but I've forgotten the name - it got lots of good reviews, raves really, and no horror stories. (and it's free, I think)

I like Registry First Aid.  http://www.registry-repair-software.com/index.html
I got it years ago when PCworld had it as a recommended buy and discounted special.  It's fixed lots of problems over the years.
   

I have used Registry Mechanic for a year, and I am very satisfied with it.   I definitely think it's worth the money. 

I use CCleaner too and love it - never had any problems either (touch-wood!)

My thanks to you all. I probably will go with Registry Mechanic based on this. Scarab

ccleaner all the way.

Attached Link: http://www.zonelabs.com/store/content/catalog/products/bundles/bundle_details.jsp

It's listed on this page under the Featured Bundle.

I've used CCleaner for a year without any mishaps as well as Adaware (also FREE). You just can't beat the price on these programs.

I'll head out on a limb here and say any Registry worth cleaning, is worth scrapping!

Anti-Spyware. Virus Scans, Registry Tools, etc. do a considerably better job preventing attacks than fixing damage done, else they'd be their own Microsoft at that point.

The best way to recover from a bad registry is to modify your work flow:

1.) Never put anything of importance on the drive/partition you've installed Windows to. 

2.)  Always keep your Setup and Created files on a seperate mirror/drive/partition.

This way when infections occur recovery is as easy as deleting Windows drive(, because that is all that is infected.)  You'll need to install all of your programs again, but how many Maya, Poser, Vue, Premiere and/or Photoshops' do you have, before you've learned this lesson?

This way there is %0 chance the virus still exists.

I can FDISK(delete everything,) and Install Windows in less than an hour.  There are a handful of women on my street, with children whom love to eat cookies.  Every 6 months or so they ask me clean their PCs out.  CompUSA will do a Windows Install for about $80, so I do that and actually clean the inside of the computer(With an air compressor) for $40.  This is usually a good time for them to add Hard Drives, and RAM sticks too.  So, I get to clean my stock of older, unused purchases.

=  )

I don't think anyone is wanting a registry cleaner due to viruses or spyware?  I wouldn't have even thought to use one for that.  It's amazing how much stuff that's no longer needed gets left over in your registry after you uninstall an app, change hardware, or update things.  I have multiple drives, multiple partitions, and almost never install anything under Program Files.  Now I realize that there are folks who believe that you need to reformat your drive or at least re-install Windows every few months, but I've never done that.   You don't want to know how many applications I have installed over the years.  (I don't even want to know)  I certainly don't want to re-install them all the time.  A little system maintainence now and then has kept everything humming along just fine for years.  A registry cleaner (among other things) is something I use periodically to keep my systems running well without having to start from scratch every 6 months.
 

Well that's how Spyware happens.  Spyware installs itself as a program, in the Windows registry, without you ever actually clicking "Install" or "Run."  And it "hacks" at the registry, to accomplish this, leaving an unstable one behind.

How often you need to reformat your drives  depends on tow things.  First, where you are surfing.  Ans Second, how much security you have present when surfing there.  The safest thing to so is set your IE cookie preferences to not accept any cookies, and purchase AntiSpyware, AntiVirus, Firewall, etc. protection.  The only problem is you'll find many sites not working.  So, in this case you'll need to Allow cookies, on a site to site basis.  Conversely, if you have not purchased protection, nor have you increase your Cookie Security, and then surf through 100 sites everytime you see an add to Punch the Monkey for a free PSP, or go if yuo then/also go galavanting through adult content.., then your system's life expectancy becomes significantly shorter,

Yes, I've got the full boat of security software.  Guess I must visit all the right sites.  In all the years I've been connected to the Internet (14?), I've never been infected with a virus and the virus scanner has only popped up 2 or 3 times to quaratine something.  I've been pagued by very little spyware too.  Largely when my nephew visits, but I always run Adaware after he's been here.  Typically, it's just tracking software.  I think I've seen the hiijacking variety only twice.  You've got to use some common sense while surfing.  Punching the Monkey or anyother popup that advertizes free things is not the wisest of moves.  Visiting warez sites, porn sites, gambling sites, and the like should also be considered a big risk.  Anyway, like I've said.  I don't use a registry cleaner to fix spyware issues.   Just the other day I used one to remove the remains of Norton Security.  God knows what my step-mother-inlaw's grandkids did.  Norton had long since expired and the uninstall wouldn't uninstall nor could you re-install it.  It just crapped.   I used a registry cleaner to remove all of it's remains after deleting the folders.   Quicker than installing a new copy of XP and the kids don't cry because they have to re-install all their apps.  Not to mention sitting through oodles of Windows updates and such before they can even re-install anything.  
      

*"Anyway, like I've said.  I don't use a registry cleaner to fix spyware issues"

A slowed computer sound a lot like viral/spy symptom, and I kinda doubt the average person would ever know the difference...

Not to mention sitting through oodles of Windows updates and such before they can even re-install anything.  

*You do'nt need to install the items to use Windows.  If anything is direly importatn you'd know, else there is nothng there that has warrented a new version of WIndows.  The updates instal between when you've Shut Down, and when the computer actually turns off, usually over night!

I've been dinged once or twice. CoolWebSearch was 3 weeks removing (I had 12-step procedures that took an hour.) It posed as a utility, but installed in the background.

I have one now, or the bones of it. I deleted almost all of it, but it still shows up on the system tray, trying to get me to install the rest of the virus from their site. I know it's a virus, because they've misspelled a few words in the warning. 

So be careful.

Who said anything about a slowed computer?  I'm talking about a program that you could no longer uninstall through normal means.  Previously you had made it sound like the cure to all ills and a good general maintence practice was to re-install Windows.  If you want to do that, that's fine for you.  Me, I avoid doing it unless it's absolutely necassary.  I've only run into that situation once. 

I used to follow the reinstall windows every so often philosophy, especially before XP came out.  But after reinstalling XP 5 times in one week and 100's of GB's of software (due to an impending hardware failure that I finally diagnosed after the 5th load), along with reregistration, entering software keys, etc.,  I swore I would never do it again.

I picked up JV 16 Power Tools (not free) which is a suite of tools.  I use the Registry Cleaner the most. It is amazing how many useless and obsolete keys, file pointers and other junk build up in only a week, especially if you copy, move and delete a lot of files, install and uninstall software.

Adware, spyware, etc, in my opinion, fall into a different category, with their own tool sets for prevention and removal.  I used to use Norton on my ME machine years ago, and it saved me from a trojan horse, once, but I still had to go into the registry to remove the final traces that Norton couldn't remove.  I now use a different strategy, with tool sets for both general maintenance and special maintenance.

I routinely clean out my working folders, run registry cleaner and then defrag my hard drive every week or two.  That with having disabled all windows services I don't need has kept my 'puter running lean and mean for over a year since I built it.  I consider this general maintenance.

"Who said anything about a slowed computer? "

Read the 8th word of the first post?

*"you had made it sound like the cure to all ills and a good general maintenace practice was to re-install Windows."

I never said don't invest in regular maintenance practice, but without you're experience to speak of let me assure you that, yes, the be all end all to way to destroy Virus' is to destroy Windows.  Luckily the ROM gods were kind enough to lend us their re-readable media; so the necessity of ever having Windows Install files to begin with is never as difficult to invoke as the first time you used them.  However; that does'nt, nescesarily, mean you'll never use them again.

Just a thought...

Parts of windows should reside in Ultra fast PROMs  it would speed windows and protected against many many malicious programs and viruses...  not to mention a real fast system reboot time and important file recoveries...  no more total windows install or wiping your harddrive clean...   Its all in PROM..

Sometimes you just HAVE to reinstall Windows, it's my turn today :( what makes it worse is I'm dual booting with Ubuntu & will have to faff about with that afterwards to get it booting again, maybe I should just use this opportunity to scrap windows altogether.