A program without registration to clean the registry. Comodo System Cleaner - system optimization and removal

Over a long period of time the computer has been running, a huge amount of information about various actions is recorded in the Windows registry. It also contains certain information remaining after uninstalling programs.

The Windows Registry is a hierarchical database for most MS Windows operating systems that stores parameters and settings for hardware and software, presets and user profiles.

Therefore, there comes a time when it is necessary to clean the Windows registry of unnecessary garbage. That’s what I want to tell you about today.

Windows Registry Disadvantages

The main disadvantages of using the registry in Windows are:

1.Low resistance to failures.

One wrong byte in a file can lead to various operating system failures.

2.Complicated data transfer.

It is impossible to transfer files with program settings using simple copying. To do this, you need to copy the entire partition, which will also lead to the transfer of all the information stored in it.

3. Registry fragmentation.

During system operation, all data in the registry is fragmented, which leads to a slowdown in computer speed.

4.Data accumulation.

Storing all the information leads to a gradual increase in the size of the registry.

To ensure that the registry does not slow down the system, it is necessary to clean it regularly.

Manually cleaning the Windows 7 registry

I’ll tell you how to clean the registry using programs a little later. In the meantime, I want to talk about how to clean the Windows registry with your own hands.

To do this you need:

1. Press the buttons on the keyboard at the same time Win+R. In the window that appears, enter the command (“regedit”) to call the system program to work with the registry.

2. Before you begin any actions with the registry, make a backup copy of it. To do this, click "File" - "Export" and in the export range selection section, specify the entire registry. Then select the location on the disk where you want to save the registry backup, give it a name, and then click the button "Save".

3. Now it's time to remove data about previously deleted programs from the registry. To do this, go to the section "HKEY_CURRENT_USER"(located on the left side of the editor window) and open the subsection "Software" and find in it the name of the company that developed the remote software or the name of the program itself.

4. To delete this entry, right-click on it and then press the button on your keyboard "Del"

Removing an unnecessary entry from the registry

It is not necessary to search for each program by scrolling through the list manually. You can also use the search by calling it by pressing the buttons Ctrl+F. In the window that appears, also enter the name of the program you need and click "OK". As a result of the search, all found records will be highlighted.

After removing all unnecessary entries, close the Registry Editor.

Programs for cleaning the Windows 7 registry

If you are a beginner or you are simply too lazy to spend a lot of time manually cleaning the registry, then you can always use special programs.

I would like to present to you the 3 most famous and convenient programs for cleaning the system.

This program has quite a wide range of functionality. In addition to editing the registry, it allows you to search and replace its entries, completely remove installed software, create and compare snapshots of registry keys, as well as manually and automatically clean it.

The program also allows you to fine-tune the OS, edit configuration files and clean disks of various debris.

Attention! This program is paid. In the free version, you will only be able to find errors in the registry. To eliminate them, you will have to purchase the full version of the program. The licensed version costs $10.

Advantages.

  • Multifunctionality
  • Russian version of the program
  • Support for 64-bit systems

Flaws

  • Paid
  • Paid

This program is not inferior in functionality to Reg Organizer, but unlike it, it is free for non-commercial use.

The capabilities of this utility are quite wide, and cleaning the registry is only one of many functions.
The functionality of the free version is not reduced, and the only difference is the lack of priority technical support.

The program is extremely popular and updates are released almost every month. The availability of which can be checked by clicking on the link "Check for Updates" located in the lower right corner of the screen.

I don’t see much point in describing in detail all the capabilities of this utility, so I will only tell you about its main features:

  • The program allows you to add and remove registry branches that need to be scanned.
  • You can create a system-wide restore point before you start cleaning the registry.
  • Clicking on some elements displays a pop-up window that displays brief information about what will happen if this element is cleared.
  • Ability to create lists of components that need to be removed/not removed during inspections.
  • You can enable automatic cleaning of your computer before each shutdown. Files will be deleted from the Temp folder automatically after 24 hours.

Advantages:

  • Possibility to use the program for free.
  • Multifunctionality
  • Intuitive interface
  • Russian version of the program
  • Support for 64-bit systems

Flaws:

  • Closed code

Just like CCleaner, this utility is free and closed source.

Allows you to improve system performance by cleaning your computer from various system debris.

The snail makes it possible to configure startup programs, as well as create a point to restore the OS.

A distinctive feature is the ability to save the history of all previously performed cleanings.

Analyzing the registry using Windows Cleaner

Advantages:

  • Free use
  • Clear interface
  • Russian version of the program

Flaws:

  • Closed source code
  • Lack of cross-platform

    Lack of portable version.

Video instructions for cleaning the registry in Windows 7

Just as we clean the apartment, organizing things, timely “cleaning” in computer programs is also required. The registry is responsible for launching installed applications and for linking files in the system as a whole. When you remove software, even using built-in Windows tools, in any case, “tails”, incorrect keys, etc. remain in the OS. Therefore, any PC needs regular cleaning of the Windows 10 registry. This can also be done manually, using an editor. Like , is a system utility that allows you to manage your PC. However, not everyone, even the most experienced and knowledgeable user, is able to find the required record and compare it with remote software. After all, connections can be scattered across all branches, of which there are a huge number in the editor. Therefore, it is recommended to use utilities whose main purpose is cleaning.

CCleaner

This application was originally intended to clean up the disk, but then its functionality increased. Now it also includes cleaning the Windows 10 registry.

When installing, do not forget to select Russian language in the upper right corner. When the installation is complete, launch the program and select the desired tab.

Here you can adjust the positions for which cleaning will be carried out. To start the process, click “Search for problems.”

Then click "Fix problems."

It is better to make backup copies of the files being corrected.

You can fix problems one at a time, or you can do everything at once. To do this, click “Correct marked”.

The process is completed quite quickly and the result is pleasing.

Cleaning the Windows 10 registry with CCleaner is quick and easy. Today it is one of the most popular utilities. This is due to its versatility. One program replaces many. So CCleaner can rightfully be called the best program for cleaning the registry and fixing errors for Windows 10.

Wise Registry Cleaner

Another way to clean the registry on Windows 10. Download from the official website.

When you first start it, a window will appear asking you to make a copy. We agree.

You can choose to create a full copy or . We created a restore point because a rollback is easier to perform than a manual restore.

Quick cleaning is done quite quickly. It is recommended to use it if you frequently perform this procedure. But deep scanning needs to be done at some frequency, for example once a week.

The utility found more errors than CCleaner.

Click the "Fix" button. The process completed instantly, but 72 errors could not be corrected.

Reg Organizer 8.0

You can download the utility here.

The website describes in detail how to use the application and how to clean the registry in Windows 10. Install after downloading and run the program.

You can perform several actions: quickly check the system; clean it; clear browser history, cache, etc. This applies to logins, passwords and other private data; optimize and defragment; configure autorun; remove unnecessary applications.

To select an action, click in the left panel. After clicking the “Scan” button, the program requires you to close the applications involved in the cleaning.

To avoid this, let's configure the utility by unchecking the cache clearing box. You can get to the settings using the “Change” button, which is located in the top left.

Once finished, you can see how much disk space is freed up. The program is paid, so a license is required for full functionality. In addition to these functions, the application also has an editor, fine-tuning settings and takes screenshots of the interface.

Registry Life

Another utility for cleaning the Windows 10 registry. Allows you to clean and optimize the system. At the same time, it is completely free. You can download it here.

In addition to the registry, you can also optimize autorun and undo changes. The program does not have as many settings as similar utilities.

After scanning, you can start fixing the problems found. Advanced users may be able to view incorrect entries.

Corrections are completed quickly.

Additionally, you can install the Soft Organaizer utility, which provides convenient work with applications.

To access all its features, you must purchase a license.

Auslogics BoostSpeed

Another cleaner. You can download it here.

After startup, scanning begins.

To start cleaning, click the “Fix” button.

In addition to cleaning, you can tune the operating system. In fact, this is its optimization in different directions.

Personal data management, PC acceleration and various utilities are also available.

Perhaps this program is not inferior in performance and functionality to CCleaner. Cleaning the Windows 10 registry using standard tools Developers at Microsoft have provided the ability to clean the Windows 10 registry manually. For this purpose, an editor was created where the user can independently change parameters and delete unnecessary things. We strongly do not recommend this procedure:

1. You will not be able to clean everything efficiently and in detail.

2. There is a risk of deleting the necessary parameters, which will lead to a failure in the operating system.

For the most curious, we will describe this method.

2. Create a backup. To do this, you need to export the data to a file on disk. You will specify the file and its location yourself.

3. Go to the Software section of the current user settings HKEY_CURRENT_USER. The keys for all programs are located there.

4. Find the one that you deleted, but the entry for it remains. Right-click and select Delete.

Thus, you need to iterate over all deleted applications.

We hope that our article will help you choose a cleaning program, and your computer will delight you with its performance.

Interested in cleaning the Windows 7 registry? Then you've come to the right place.

The Windows Registry is a hierarchical database for most MS Windows operating systems, containing parameters and settings for hardware and software, presets and user profiles.

The creation of the registry in Windows was intended to organize information that at that time was stored in many INI files, as well as to provide a unified mechanism for reading and writing settings.

The creation of the registry made it possible to get rid of the problems of short names, lack of access rights and slow access to INI files stored in the FAT 16 file system, which has performance problems when searching for files in directories with a large number of them.

All the problems that MS Windows developers solved using the registry disappeared with the release of the NTFS file system, but the registry remained in all subsequent versions of this OS.

At the moment, there are no real prerequisites for using such a mechanism and the only system that uses the registry is MS Windows (and its free software clone - ReactOS).

The register is formed from various data. When installing and subsequently configuring Windows, files are generated that store system configuration information.

During the process of loading the operating system, as well as logging in and out of its users, a certain abstract, virtual entity called the “registry” is formed.

Thus, one part is static and stored in files, and the other is dynamic and formed in the process.

Disadvantages of the MS Windows Registry

The method of storing operating system settings using the registry has a number of significant disadvantages. Below we list the most significant ones.

    Relatively low fault tolerance. One wrong byte in a hive file (a registry branch similar in nature to the root directory in file systems) when trying to load it causes the OS to crash.
    This problem in modern versions of MS Windows is solved using two-level logging, and in case a situation arises where the registry cannot be restored, the system can reinitialize damaged registry entries during boot.

    Selectivity when saving system settings to the registry means that not all system settings are entered into the registry. Because of this approach, transferring system settings by copying its registry is impossible.

    During the operation of the operating system, the registry undergoes fragmentation, which leads to a gradual slowdown in access speed.

    In addition to settings, the registry also stores other system and application information, which leads to a gradual increase in the size of the registry. This problem can be partially solved with the help, which we will talk about in the next part of our article. By the way, in our material you can read about the five best free programs for fixing errors in Windows 7

Cleaning the MS Windows 7 registry manually

    Let's move on to directly deleting information about programs , which have been removed. To do this, go to the “HKEY_CURRENT_USER” section (which is located on the left side of the registry editor window), open the “Software” subsection and look for the name of the software developer company or directly the name of the program that was deleted.

    To delete, select the entry by clicking on it and pressing the “Del” key on the keyboard.

    You can also search for a program automatically using the search function. To do this, press the key combination Ctrl + F and in the window that opens, enter the name of the program and click “OK”, after which all found entries will be selected.
    If the found highlighted record is correct, i.e. belongs to a remote program, press the Del key on the keyboard and press F 3 to go to the next entry.

After deleting unnecessary entries, close the registry editor.

Cleaning the MS Windows 7 registry using programs

Software registry cleaning is intended for beginners, as well as users who want to save their time, because manual cleaning, as it became clear in the previous section, is quite a painstaking task.

Let's look at the 3 most popular programs for optimizing and cleaning the system.

Reg Organizer


Note! The free version of the program only looks for registry errors; to fix them, you need to purchase it; the license price is $10.

Advantages:

Multifunctionality.

Russian-language interface.

Flaws:

Paid.

This utility is no less multifunctional and registry cleaning is one of the many options of the application, but unlike Reg Organizer it is free for non-commercial use.

The functionality of the free version is not reduced, and the only difference is the lack of priority technical support.

The program is very popular; at the end of 2012, more than 1 million downloads were made from the official website of the program.

Every month a new version of the program is released, and you can find out about updates by clicking on the “Check for Updates” link in the lower right corner of the program.

There is no point in describing everything that this monster can do; we will limit ourselves only to the useful features of this program:

    The program allows you to add and remove registry branches that need to be scanned.

    It is possible to create a restore point for the entire system before performing a registry cleanup.

    Clicking on some elements displays a pop-up window that displays brief information about what will happen if this element is cleared.

    Ability to create lists of components that need to be removed/not removed during inspections.

    You can configure the utility to clean your computer before turning it on. Automatically deletes files from the Temp folder when they remain for more than 24 hours.

Advantages:

Free.

Multifunctionality.

Ability to work on 64-bit systems.

The program has some disadvantages, but they are rather conditional:

Closed source.

Lack of cross-platform functionality (fixed in later versions).

Like CCleaner, the program is free and closed source.

Designed to clean your computer from various system debris, which improves system performance.

Allows you to work with startup and create system restore points.

One of the features of the program is the ability to save the history of all previous cleanings.

Advantages:

Free.

Russian-language, easy-to-understand interface.

Disadvantages, programs are also conditional:

Closed source.

Lack of cross-platform functionality.

Lack of portable version.

New test of Windows operating system registry cleaners

- What is the best program for cleaning the registry from garbage?

- format c:

(from a computer forum)

Introduction

Every time we install a program and then uninstall it after some time, traces of this program still remain. Thus, there is a steady growth of the Windows operating system registry, i.e. the registry becomes clogged with garbage (invalid keys, invalid links, broken shortcuts). Such garbage can lead to various program conflicts and errors when installing new programs and drivers. It is possible to manually clean the registry thanks to the regular RegEdit editor, but not every user can handle such cleaning. Therefore, it no longer surprises anyone that registry cleaning programs have become widespread, and free registry cleaning programs have occupied a special place among them.

There are a great many such programs, which only makes us happy. But which one should you choose? Unfortunately for us, a search on the Russian-language Internet yielded almost nothing; we came across registry cleaner tests with very old data. It turned out to be relatively recent only in the magazine "Hard" n "Soft" in which 6 free registry cleaners were tested. Let us then hasten to make up for what we missed and do not be too angry, because... The test involves both paid and free programs, both individual solutions and as part of customizer programs (tweakers). These ten programs were selected by a preliminary test of the 30 most popular applicants.

The best registry cleaner

Let’s first draw for ourselves which program we would like to see the best. What should such a program be able to do? Well, of course, find work quickly and effectively find various garbage, but an important criterion will still be the efficiency of finding garbage, speed is secondary. By efficiency we need to understand the number of errors found per session or, in other words, the depth of the search. Next, the ability to create a backup copy of the registry before each cleaning is an important mechanism! If problems arise during the operation of the operating system after running the cleaner, you can perform a rollback. Almost all cleaning programs have this function. But we’ll still wrap it up so we don’t end up in a puddle. Also welcome is the option of optimizing the cleaned registry or, in other words, compression and defragmentation without using third-party utilities. Let us remind you that entries are not deleted from the registry, but simply updated, and this leads to fragmentation. And in order to organize the registry, you need to defragment it. And yet, any good registry cleaner needs to have several levels of cleaning, from the easiest - guaranteeing the safety of cleaning to a thorough one, depending on the goals that the user sets for himself. All other options, such as, for example: advanced “manual” editors, come as a nice addition, and this is the boundary that separates tweeters from free solutions, which is what the creators ask for money for.


Participants and tests

Let's take a look at the 10 participants. All programs were downloaded from official websites (you can download some programs on our website in the free cleaners section) and have the latest versions at the time of preparing the article for publication.


ACleaner 3.5

Developer - Cleanersoft Software; www.cleanersoft.com; distribution size - 1.15 MB; supports Windows 9x/Me/NT/2000/XP/2003/Vista/7; there is no Russification; freeware.

Developer - Piriform Ltd. (Great Britain); www.piriform.com; distribution size - 2.9 MB; supports Windows 2000/XP/Vista/7; There is Russification; freeware.


Developer - Eusing Software; www.eusing.com; distribution size - 0.94 MB; supports Windows 9x/Me/NT/2000/XP/2003/Vista/7; There is Russification; freeware.


Reg Organizer 5.12

Developer - ChemTable Software (RF); www.chemtable.com/ru; distribution size - 2.66 MB; supports Windows 2000/XP/Vista/7; There is Russification; shareware (30-day demo version), price - $39.95 (for Russian users - 400 rubles).


Registry Cleaner 2.0.6.55

Developer - Auslogics Software Pty Ltd.; www.auslogics.com/ru; distribution size - 4.52 MB; supports Windows 2003/XP/2008/Vista/7; There is Russification; freeware.


Registry Life 1.26

Developer - ChemTable Software (RF); www.chemtable.com/ru; distribution size - 7.33 MB; supports Windows 2000/XP/Vista/7; There is Russification; freeware.


TweakNow RegCleaner 2011 v. 6.0.3

Developer - TweakNow; www.tweaknow.com; distribution size - 5.15 MB; supports Windows XP/Vista/7; there is no Russification; freeware.

Developer - VitSoft, Vitaliy Mikhalko (Ukraine); www.vitsoft.org.ua; distribution size - 2.28 MB; supports Windows XP/Vista/7; There is Russification; freeware.

Developer - ZhiQing Soft, Inc. (China); www.wisecleaner.com; distribution size - 4.35 MB; supports Windows 98/Me/NT/2000/2003/XP/2008/Vista/7; There is Russification; freeware.


jv16 PowerTools 2011 v. 2.0.0.1007

Developer - Macecraft Software (Finland); www.macecraft.com; distribution size - 9.3 MB; supports Windows 2000/XP/Vista/7; There is Russification; shareware (60-day demo), price: $29.95.

The tests were carried out in 3 stages.

Stage 1: we check for errors in the registry of test computer No. 1 (Computer parameters: AMD Athlon 4400+ / 2 GB RAM / WinXP Professional SP2). We installed all registry cleaners on one logical drive. Scanning was done for the largest number of sections provided for by the settings of the test participants, the number of problems found and the time spent on scanning were recorded. After preloading the operating system, the procedure was repeated, the average data was taken and entered into table No. 1.

At the 2nd stage, we check the functionality of each utility, i.e. the presence of basic useful functions (restoring and copying the registry, manual editing, optimization) and additional equally useful functions (startup manager, system cleaning, program uninstaller, etc.), 11 points in total. The data is included in table No. 2.

Summing up the results of the first two tests, the best 5 were selected, which were retested, with a reboot, checking the registry keys of computer No. 2: Intel P4 1.6 GHz / RAM 384 MB / WinXP Professional SP3. The obtained data were averaged and entered into table No. 3.

Based on the results of all tests in Table No. 4, final scores were assigned to each of the 10 registry cleaners in the following categories: “Ease of use,” “Functionality,” and, finally, “Overall rating.”

Let's take a closer look at the results of the first stage of testing (Table 1).

Table 1 (test computer No. 1)
Scan time, sec Number of problems detected
ACleaner 3.5 32 348
CCleaner 3.04.1389 3 64
Eusing Free Registry Cleaner 2.6.6 125 349
Reg Organizer 5.12 45 448
Registry Cleaner 2.0.6.55 20 428
Registry Life 1.26 9 126
TweakNow RegCleaner 2011 50 301
Vit Registry Fix Free 9.5.31 121 670
27 311
jv16 PowerTools 2011 22 920

By a large margin, jv16 PowerTools 2011 took the palm; it turned out to be the most effective in detecting garbage in the registry, and the fastest among the participants' programs. But the Registry Life program, as well as CCleaner, the most popular computer cleaner among users (at the moment - more than 700 million downloads from the official page), showed the worst search results, one might say they failed this test. "Mr. Slowness" was Eusing Free Registry Cleaner 2.6.6, showing average scan results.

Let's look at Table 2.

Table 2 (functionality)
Aclea-
ner 3.5
CCleaner 3.04.1389
Eusing Free Registry Cleaner 2.6.6
Reg Orga-
nizer 5.12
Registry Cleaner 2.0.6.55
Regis-
try Life 1.26
Tweak-
Now Reg-
Cleaner 2011
Vit Regis-
try Fix Free 9.5.31
Wise Registry Cleaner Free 5.91
jv16 Power-
Tools 2011
registry backup and restore + + + + + + + + + +
number of levels of automatic registry cleaning 1 1 1 1 1 1 multi-level 2 multi-level multi-level
manually editing the registry - - - + - - - - - +
registry optimization (compression, defragmentation) - - - + - + + + + +
search and replace in the registry - - - + - - - - - +
system cleaning + + - + - - + + - +
overwriting (overwriting) - + - - - - - - - +
startup manager + + + + - - + + - +
application uninstaller - + - + - - + + - +
working with files (search, move, delete) - - - - - - - - - +
system optimization (performance, interface) - - - + - - + - - +

There are only three programs that can be called full-fledged tweakers (see the last column “System optimization”), and only one of them is free, TweakNow RegCleaner 2011. With a slight stretch, Vit Registry Fix Free can also be considered a tweaker, which, as an additional bonus, does not one, but two levels of registry auto-cleaning. Here jv16 PowerTools again showed itself as the most functional participant. And the selection of candidates for the last test round was made according to the column “Registry optimization” in accordance with our model and the belief that a good registry cleaner should not only clean out garbage, but also leave behind the registry in perfect order. In other words, be able to compress and defragment.

And in conclusion, we removed from the list of candidates the already mentioned Registry Life, which failed the first test, and the paid tweaker Reg Organizer, which lost the palm to the also paid jv16 PowerTools in all respects, and the free Vit Registry Fix in terms of scanning depth. Abandoned place in 5 was given to ACleaner 3.5 - the fastest and most functional of the "cleaners" that do not know how to optimize the system registry. The selected programs were tested on the office grandfather P4 1.6 GHz / 384 MB RAM, and the average results can be seen in table No. 3.

And finally, table No. 4, where on a three-point scale ("3" - satisfactory, "4" - good, "5" - excellent) all our candidates were rated in the categories "Ease of use" and "Functionality".

Table 4 (final)
Ease of use Functionality Overall rating
ACleaner 3.5 4 3 3,5
CCleaner 3.04.1389 5 4 3,5
Eusing Free Registry Cleaner 2.6.6 4 3 3
Reg Organizer 5.12 4 5 4,5
Registry Cleaner 2.0.6.55 4 3 3,5
Registry Life 1.26 4 4 3
TweakNow RegCleaner 2011 4 5 4
Vit Registry Fix Free 9.5.31 4 5 4,5
Wise Registry Cleaner Free 5.91 5 4 4
jv16 PowerTools- 2011 5 5 5

Let us note that the assessments in the first nomination carry a touch of subjectivity; when filling out the final results (the “General assessments” column), we relied mainly on the data from tables No. 1 and No. 3. In other words, the priorities were set as follows: “Number of problems detected” - then “Scanning time” - “Functionality” - “Ease of use”.


What about the "seven"?

Before summing up the results and brief characteristics of the finalists, we will make a note regarding the new Windows 7 operating system. Of course, although Windows XP is currently still the most popular operating system in the Windows family, and our tested programs worked under its control, we would not like to leave this question without attention. We direct everyone who is interested to last year’s big testing of the Finnish company Macecraft Software (these are the creators of the jv16 PowerTools tweaker): www.macecraft.com/registry_cleaner_comparison2010/. Tests were done on a personal computer configured Intel Core i7-940 2.93 GHz / RAM 12 GB / Windows 7 x64; by a large margin, as in our test, the brainchild of the developers won. In the final testing table you can see 3 of our other participants with predictable results (after jv16 PowerTools comes Reg Organizer, then, equally, Registry Cleaner and ACleaner). There is a pattern, which means that our attempts were not a waste of time and energy.


conclusions

So, to summarize, the victory went to the jv16 PowerTools 2011 program, which, in addition, has a large set of options for optimizing the operating system (it’s easier to say what this tweaker can’t do) and, from practice, the highest reliability. Without reservation, we recommend it to users, incl. system administrators. The only negative is that the program is paid, but no one will forbid you to find out its qualities after 60 days of working with the free and uncut demo version. The money spent jv16 PowerTools works 100%.

Further, among the free registry cleaners with the best algorithm for detecting registry garbage, Vit Registry Fix Free and TweakNow RegCleaner should be considered, the latter is memorable for its design (one of the downsides is that there is no official Russification, but will that stop us?). The paid tweaker Reg Organizer 5.12 has its own editor, which is more convenient than the standard one, and will be of interest to more professionals who prefer to work with the computer registry manually.

Having the title "Editor's Choice" of the magazine "Hard" n "Soft", the registry cleaner Wise Registry Cleaner liked its simple and intuitive interface, good speed of detecting "broken" registry keys, and most importantly it is free, Russified and designed for a wider audience than, for example , Reg Organizer. We also recommend it for use.

Regarding the outsiders - Eusing Free Registry Cleaner and Registry Life - the results speak for themselves, and this is the case when freeness bears the stamp of inferiority. But that's life.

And in conclusion, I would like to note: no matter what utility you prefer, “do no harm!” - this is the basic principle when working with the Windows system registry. Don’t be lazy to make backup copies of the registry and system restore points (in Win2000 - through the ntbackup.exe utility) before you start cleaning the registry (so that, in case of surprises, you can always return the operating system to a working state), and your efforts will pay off handsomely.

"- Which program is the best for cleaning the system of debris??"

(from a computer forum)

Introduction

The official publication of Microsoft - the Microsoft Computer Dictionary - defines Windows system registry (Windows Registry) as a hierarchical centralized database used in Microsoft operating systems, starting with the WinNT line, and designed to store information necessary to configure the operating system to work with users, programs and devices. Any user action, be it a mouse click or changing wallpaper, instantly leads to changes in the registry. Over time, the registry "bush" is steadily growing in size, filling up with... and “garbage” from uninstalled applications (invalid keys, incorrect links, “broken” shortcuts), which can lead to program conflicts or errors when installing new drivers. In addition, in older versions of Windows up to Win2000, the overall system performance directly depended on the size and degree of fragmentation of the registry (starting from XP, not the entire “hive” is loaded into memory, but only the information that is needed at the moment). Preventive (manual) cleaning with the standard registry editor RegEdit takes a lot of time and not everyone can do, so it is not surprising that special utilities for automatically cleaning the registry have become widespread.

There are a great variety of similar solutions, what should you choose? Unfortunately, as a search in the Russian-language sector of the Internet showed, there have been adequate comparative reviews in periodicals over the entire period of time – you can count them on three fingers, so the author decided to fill this gap. Competes in tests 10 , both paid and free, utilities, both in the form of separate specialized solutions and as part of tweakers (operating system customization programs). This ten was selected through preliminary testing of about 30 ( ! ) the most popular and effective contenders and, after all the tests, is looking forward to our verdict.

The ideal "cleaner"

First, let's try to imagine a model of an ideal registry cleaning program. What should she be able to do? Firstly, quickly and efficiently find registry “garbage”, and speed (or the time of detection of this “garbage”) is secondary, the most important criterion is efficiency. By efficiency we mean the depth of the search or, in practice, the number of errors detected (= corrected, if necessary) per session. Secondly, create a backup copy of the registry (before each cleaning - a must!), so that, in case of problems with the operation of the OS, you can quickly “rollback”. Now almost all similar utilities can do this, but remember. Thirdly, the ability to optimize (i.e. compress and defragment) a cleaned registry without the use of third-party utilities is very welcome. Why is this necessary? The fact is that in fact, entries from the registry are not deleted, but reset, which leads to its fragmentation. For the final ordering of the registry, de-fragmentation is necessary. And, lastly, any self-respecting “cleaner” would obviously do well to have not one, but several levels of registry auto-cleaning, from “easy” and guaranteed safe to the most thorough, depending on the specific goals of the user. Everything else, such as advanced “manual” editors in defiance of the standard RegEdit, comes as a bonus, and this is the feature that separates tweakers from simple free solutions and for which they often demand money.

Participants and tests

Let's get to know our ten participants. All programs were downloaded from official websites and have the latest versions at the time of preparation of the article for publication.

1. ACleaner 3.5

Developer - Cleanersoft Software; website - http://www.cleanersoft.com; distribution size - 1,15 MB; work under control - Windows 9x/Me/NT/2000/XP/2003/Vista/7; Russification – absent; Distribution method: freeware.

Developer - Piriform Ltd. (Great Britain); website - http://www.piriform.com; distribution size – 2,9

3. Eusing Free Registry Cleaner 2.6.6

Developer - Eusing Software; website - http://www.eusing.com; distribution size – 0,94 MB; work under control - Windows 9x/Me/NT/2000/XP/2003/Vista/7; Russification – yes; Distribution method: freeware.

4. Reg Organizer 5.12

http://www.chemtable.com; distribution size – 2,66 MB; work under control - Windows 2000/XP/Vista/7; Russification – yes; distribution method - shareware (30-day demo version), price - $39.95 (for Russian users - 400 rubles).

5. Registry Cleaner 2.0.6.55

Developer - Auslogics Software Pty Ltd.; website - http://www.auslogics.com/ru; distribution size – 4,52 MB; work under control - Windows 2003/XP/2008/Vista/7; Russification – yes; Distribution method: freeware.

6. Registry Life 1.26

Developer - ChemTable Software (RF); website - http://www.chemtable.com; distribution size – 7,33 MB; work under control - Windows 2000/XP/Vista/7; Russification – yes; Distribution method: freeware.

Developer – ZhiQing Soft, Inc. (China); website - http://www.wisecleaner.com; distribution size – 4,35 MB; work under control - Windows 98/Me/NT/2000/2003/XP/2008/Vista/7; Russification – yes; Distribution method: freeware.

10. jv16 PowerTools 2011 v. 2.0.0.1007

Developer - Macecraft Software (Finland); website - http://www.macecraft.com; distribution size – 9,3 MB; work under control - Windows 2000/XP/Vista/7; Russification – yes; distribution method - shareware (60-day demo version), price - $29.95.

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