CCleaner update can cause Windows errors

[Kick]

Hi,

This morning, when I booted my Windows 7 desktop, the Event Viewer reported many errors relating to the Search service and Esent. Searching the Microsoft Community forum, I found a post relating to a similar problem posted back in 2011. Although there were suggestions to run scannow and edit registry settings, the person who started the thread found are far simpler solution. He discovered that an update of CCleaner had caused the problem when it changed the setting for 'MS Search' under 'Applications' > 'Windows' and checked the tickbox.

It seems CCleaner has done it again - I updated CCleaner yesterday so I checked 'Applications' > 'Windows'>'MS Search' and found a tick in the tickbox adjacent to 'MS Search'. I removed the tick, rebooted and the Event Viewer showed no new errors.

I thought it worth sharing this information as other forum members who have CCleaner on their systems may be experiencing the same problems.

 

[Tony D]

I recommend NOT using CCleaner's register cleaner. The temp cleaner is fine.

 

[allheart55 (Cindy E)]

Interesting find, Kick.

I agree with Tony.
CCleaner is relatively safe as long as you don't use the registry cleaner.

 

[Kick]

Hi Both,

You may have misunderstand what I was saying. The cure for the CCleaner update problem did not involve entering the registry, it was entirely within the CCleaner program. As I am sure you know, the opening gui of CCleaner has three main panels, on the left are the options including 'Cleaner' and 'Registry', then there is a tabbed panel (Windows and Applications) and on the right is a pane where activity information is displayed. When I stated the pathway to the tickbox to uncheck ('Applications' > 'Windows'>'MS Search') this related to the tabbed panel of the program where the 'Applications' tab is opened, you scroll down the list to the 'Windows' and untick the box in front of 'MS Search'.

My reference to registry editing related to some of the advice given by members of the Microsoft Community Forum which proved way over the top and actually unnecessary. My point was that the cure for the problem was straightforward and basic and that members of this forum, who experience the Windows errors that I saw, may well be able to cure the problem simply if it was indeed one that occurred just after a CCleaner update.

Regarding your point about not using the CCleaner registry cleaner, that is generally good advice and certainly is applicable to most other registry cleaning software. However, the registry cleaner in CCleaner is fairly gentle and, if the user is prepared to show caution, may list items that clearly are not entitled to be there. For example, sometimes there are bits left over from program uninstallation that even the likes of Revo and Wise Uninstaller don't remove. Deleting a reference to a program that is not on the system is generally reasonably safe. Willy nilly use of the CCleaner registry cleaner is a different matter and, for sure, references that are not obviously relating to things the user knows should not be there, should not be deleted.

CCleaner registry cleaner offers to back up the registry when it is about to clean items; it is prudent to do this. Of course it is possible to delete something that stops Windows booting next time, so definitely no registry cleaning should be attempted if the user has no recent image backup of the 'C:' drive stored safely off the computer.

Cheers.

 

[plodr]

I run CCleaner, even the registry cleaning part. I don't run it very often and I always save a copy of the registry fearing that if I don't, that will be the one time I run into a problem.

I don't update CCleaner monthly. I can't see the point. Even a browser, which I use daily, doesn't get monthly updates.
I'm on Windows 7 and I don't need features added for Windows 8 and 10.

I just checked and I'm still using v 4.19.4867 from Oct. 30, 2014. So I've passed on 34 updates!

 

[Kick]

Hi plodr,

I updated CCleaner after the nag message when I opened it. I don't actually undertake a regular monthly update because I don't use the program that regularly but I have updated every time I've been nagged but I take your point that for a Windows 7 user, the updates don't really offer any advantages. The version I'm using is v5.32.6129 portable - where a portable version of a program I want is offered I tend to go for that.

My anti-virus program is the free version of Avast (all up to date) and that includes an updater for a few key programs like file compaction software, browsers and email clients. I've set it not to do this automatically so that I can choose. Possible security issues lead me to keep my favoured browser (not IE 11 which updates automatically via Windows Update) and email client up to date.

 

[plodr]

I don;t know if v 5 has the same interface as v 4 but look for settings (gear icon at the bottom) in CCleaner


I get no nags.

I also put portable versions of apps on a USB stick. I grab the stick if I have to go to a Senior Citizen's home to "fix" the computer.

 

[Kick]

Hi plodr,

CCleaner V5 does have a similar interface - the 'Automatically check for updates' item was not checked. Possibly I have been clicking the 'Check for updates' button out of habit with other software, after all, I am a senior citizen . I also put the portable apps on a memory stick and a DVD. These are basically backups but I add a few items that I don't need to be kept on the computer like 'Recuva' and various small utilities.

 

[plodr]

I'm also a Senior Citizen. My volunteer work is helping other Seniors get the better of the computer.

 

[Kick]

I'm not in any volunteer group but I am in regular email contact with an even more senior citizen (in his late eighties) and I try to help him with his computer problems. He has moved on to Windows 10 with which I am not familiar so often I have to use the internet to get the information. We are working on several problems at the moment; he seems to have deleted Edge and got confused over the instructions I sent regarding the process of resetting Edge after it has become corrupted. Also his monitor resolution and aspect ratio has suddenly changed so he cannot see crucial outer bits of program windows. However, that's not for this thread - I don't think he uses CCleaner.

 

[starbuck]

when I booted my Windows 7 desktop, the Event Viewer reported many errors relating to the Search service and Esent.

This has been going on for as long as I can remember.
This error message always comes up in FRST reports if the user is running CCleaner.

 

[Kick]

Hi Starbuck,

I'm not sure what you exactly what you mean. What are FRST reports?

I've been using CCleaner for years from Windows 98, ME, XP and 7 (I probably will never use it in 10 as I doubt I will ever use that operating system - I will probably go the Linux route when Microsoft cease supporting Windows 7). In all my years using CCleaner, I have had no problems with it - this recent issue was easily resolved once I realised the updated program had changed a setting. Changing the setting back to my preference stopped the errors appearing. Until this occasion, I cannot remember a CCleaner update not maintaining my previous settings.

As I have previously said, my reason for reporting this issue was to alert CCleaner users who suddenly get the Event Viewer error reports but don't necessarily associate them with CCleaner. I know many of you posting on this forum are professionals and technical experts so unlikely to be puzzled by the reports as I was, but there will be readers of this forum who are not experts so I hope my experiencemay be helpful for them.

 

[starbuck]

What are FRST reports?

(Farbar Recovery Scan Tool) it's a tool that we use to gather information from a system when helping with malware removal.
One of the things it shows is the information in the Event logs.

I cannot remember a CCleaner update not maintaining my previous settings.

I see what you mean now.
No, once the setting has been changed it should keep that setting.

the Event Viewer reported many errors relating to the Search service and Esent.

Sorry I misread your post, I thought that you had just noticed this about CCleaner.
It has been an ongoing problem and not everyone is aware of it.
Changing the setting does get around the problem as you stated..... and it should maintain that setting even after an update.

I thought it worth sharing this information as other forum members who have CCleaner on their systems may be experiencing the same problems.

Definitely worth posting about.
Like i said earlier some may not even be aware of that setting change anyway.