Should You Defrag Your Registry?

[donetao]

Hi I like to keep the forum active. Who wants to join a forum with no action??
Should you optimize your register or other wise defrag your registry??
I say yes and here's why! I use ERUNTgui. This doesn't need to be often, but IMHO it needs to be done if you are removing and installing a lot of programs. You can see that my registry didn't need to be defraged and it's been several months sense I last defraged it!!. ERUNT isn't a snake oil program and has been around for ever and it will get the job done. Please add your opinions!
http://www.majorgeeks.com/files/details/eruntgui.html
Causes for Registry Fragmentation

The registry is one of the most used components of your Windows system because it comprises configuration data of all hardware devices and software programs installed on your PC. Therefore, each and every operation that occurs on your system adds or removes information from the registry. Most of the time, when these entries are no longer required, they are removed from the registry. However, in reality, a lot of information gets left behind causing the registry to bloat up. This registry bloating eventually fragments and damages the registry files.

Registry files also get fragmented due to the accumulation of several empty registry keys within it. These keys are generated when the registry entries that are removed from the registry fail to remove their placeholders. In due course, the number of these empty registry keys increases in the registry and causes registry fragmentation.

 

[allheart55 (Cindy E)]

I've used Erunt many times to back up a registry but never to defrag or optimize it.

 

[donetao]

I've used Erunt many times to back up a registry but never to defrag or optimize it.

Hi Cindy you will need ERUNTgui. You can down load it from here! Give it a try. You might want to uninstall the older version. Don't think it will install over the top, but it might????
http://www.majorgeeks.com/files/details/eruntgui.html

 

[allheart55 (Cindy E)]

I don't use any registry defraggers. IMHO, it's almost always better to compress the registry hives to a normal state rather than defrag them. I don't think you see any real performance improvement, especially in the later version of Windows after using registry defragmenters.

I am always very careful when dealing with anyone's registry, which is why I do use Erunt as a registry backup. I think it's too easy to brick a computer when messing with the registry. (That's just my opinion.) Others may disagree.

 

[Katrina]

So, is it considered dangerous to defrag your registry or is it ok if you back the registry up first? I'm confused.

 

[donetao]

Hi Cindy! I agree that you shouldn't mess with the registry if your not comfortable there. I have been cleaning my own register for several years.
I believe I know what I'm doing and I always have a back up image of my OS ready to install. This program is just defraging the registry like you defrag your C drive. It doesn't delete any thing. I believe it to be very safe or I would never recommend it here on the forum, but I respect your decision not to use it.

 

[donetao]

So, is it considered dangerous to defrag your registry or is it ok if you back the registry up first? I'm confused.

ERUNTgui will back up your registry before you defrag it. I have always trusted ERUNT. If your not comfortable with this, please do not use it.
I have been using it for a long time. This program is just rearranging the registry and moving things around just like when you defrag your C drive!
I can't see where any thing could go wrong. Can I guarantee that 100%. No I can't! Will it speed up you PC?? Probably not.
I'm a clean freak and I like to keep my PC in the best maintenance shape that I can.

 

[Katrina]

Thank you donetao. I guess I probably shouldn't use this then.

 

[starbuck]

This program is just rearranging the registry and moving things around just like when you defrag your C drive!

The Windows 7 registry can grow to 2gb before the OS falls over, and even a well used system is unlikely to have a registry over 250mb.
So why on earth would you want to defrag it?
Moving things around???? .... everything has a place in the registry.
Move something and the system will suffer.

is it considered dangerous to defrag your registry or is it ok if you back the registry up first?

I would never trust a piece of software to defrag my registry.
When most registry cleaners find an invalid key, they automatically mark it as an system error. But just because the key is invalid doesn't mean it will cause system errors. Most invalid keys will not effect your system's performance unless they are invalid system startup entries.
Although a registry setting can become corrupt on occasion, in general, the registry is self-sufficient.

 

[donetao]

Hi I guess we can all agree to disagree here on Free PC Help Forum.Here's my humble opinion! Taken from a web page! Does ERUTgui do the job safely? I guess you will have to decide that for your self. Will you need to use this software?? That's up to you. I think it's very safe to use.

Windows doesn't know a thing about kludge- it just reads it all in whether it's needed or not. This not only wastes memory but adds to the boot time as well.
In a worst-case scenario it can even cause some problems due to conflict within the registry itself.

On a fast machine, this won't be noticeable, unless, of course, there is a true conflict.

In any case, continual installation & uninstallation of software will leave 'holes' in the registry that take up unnecessary space and cause the registry to grow to huge proportions. Enter defragmentaion utilities.

What they're supposed to do is find the unnecessary entries and close up those 'holes' thereby creating a smaller more efficient registry.

 

[donetao]

I'm very conformable in the registry. I respect it and I know what I'm doing there. The registry is very complicated and very few understand how it works. Do I know how it works? Nope!
Am I a pro. No I'm not. I'm self taught. Do I understand and know every little corner of my Toshiba lap top. Yes I do! I have said that I do not believe in registry cleaners and I would never advise any one to use them. This is not a registry cleaner. ERUNT has bee around for ever and has earned my trust. This program is merely closing holes left from uninstalling software!!
Great discussion everyone.
Thank you!

 

[DSTM]

I have used Erunt to backup my registry for some years and works great.
Very simple to use.
I think defragging your registry is crazy.
No one knows your registry as well as Microsoft.

 

[allheart55 (Cindy E)]

Years ago, Microsoft had it's own reg cleaners which were discontinued from XP and on.

 

[donetao]

Yuppers! Registry cleaners are not needed these days and once again. I'm sure that ERUNT would not create any software program that would cause me grief. There's only one that might know more about the registry than Microsoft and that would be ERUNT IMHO! They have been around for ever.
I really have no more to say, but all replies are always welcome on my threads. That's the way I learn!!
I do not recommend any registry clearners Period!

 

[donetao]

I lied . I have one last reply!!There are 68 Speedfan registry entries. Even REVO uninstaller will miss some of them. If I decided to uninstalled the program.
I would not leave one of them on my PC . I do know a little about the registry and I would never recommend a software program that would cause anyone here grief on Free PC Help Forum. I'm no stranger to the registry. I do not use this program to clean my registry. I use it to search for left over registry entries after a uninstall. I'm not recommending RegSeeker. You need to know what your doing to use this program.
Thanks everyone for your contribution to this thread.

 

[donetao]

PS ! I would use Search Everything to find all left over files that REVO left behind after uninstalling SpeedFan.
That's what I call a clean uninstall my friends. If any thing remains after this, it can stay on my PC

 

[allheart55 (Cindy E)]

Search Everything is a great program. It's something I have been using for years.

DSTM recommended it to me and I have it on all my computers.

 

[donetao]

Search Everything is a great program. It's something I have been using for years.

DSTM recommended it to me and I have it on all my computers.

Yuppers @DSTM knows his stuff. We agree on most thingsIt's a great program. Do you know that it will find files on a external drive if you have it plugged in to a USB port?? Now that's one smart program! I have used it for a long time and I have recommended it several times.

 

[donetao]

Hi I can hold my own if I'm playing on a level playing field.

 

[Frogboy]

I have been using Tweaking.com for the last few years to backup my registry. It is a nice software. Shane knows his stuff. About five years ago i was a Beta tester for his Windows repair program. Link to reg backup http://www.tweaking.com/content/page/registry_backup.html