OT: Registry compacting, optimizing, and degragmen

ShaneJ wrote on 4/20/2009, 11:35 AM

Hello everyone. I'm currently cleaning out my computer and uninstalling a lot of programs. The computer runs great, no real problems or anything like that. I defragment, run various anti-spyware software (Adaware, SpyBot, Windows Defender, etc...), anti-virus software (AVG in case anyone is wondering), and also CCleaner all on a regular basis. I did recently run a script to reset something in the registry from Microsoft when I couldn't get XP SP3 to install, so I don't know if that did any optimization or compressing. I got SP3 to install just fine after running that registry script. I also run all the Windows updates regularly.

I'm very careful about what software I put on my machine and run a pretty tight ship. However, I'm wondering if I could possibly optimize my system further by running software that will clean out the registry. Sure, CCleaner has a great feature that will clean out any invalid registry keys and values, but it does NOT compress and optimize anything in the registry. From what I understand, the registry grows over time from installing and uninstalling software.

The last time I reformatted my main operating system hard drive was over three years ago in February of 2006. The machine runs great and since I run a tight ship like I said and keep up to date with all the maintenance, everything is still running smooth. But like I said, since I recently took out a lot of programs and applications that I don't use anymore, I'm sure the registry is a bit fragmented and in need of being compressed and defraged. I don't want to reformat my machine because I don't really see any need to since everything is running good along with spending all the time it takes to do that. It's not even all that sluggish when restarting, but I'm sure it could run a little faster and fresher if the registry gets optimized. I'm sure that's the main issue with computers when people reformat and reinstall everything fresh, I'm sure it's mostly the registry. If that can be simply sorted out, there would be no need for a reformat. I would like to avoid a reformat as much as possible, and like I said, there is no real need since everything is running good. I just want to optimize a machine that is already running good because I'm more than certain that optimizing the registry could speed up my computer a little bit more. The last time the computer was all installed fresh was three years ago after all.

I was Googling around for the subject for compressing the registry and found this software called, Registry Defragmenter & Compactor by a company called Acelogix. http://www.acelogix.com/regcompact.html

I've never heard of them before and have no idea if it's any good. I'm thinking of buying it, but wanted to check in with anyone who may be more of a registry expert who can best give me a better answer on this matter.

Can someone please help me here and let me know which would be the best method that I should take and if that software should do it? Any helpful answers would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

Comments

Jøran Toresen wrote on 4/20/2009, 1:54 PM

From Download.com:

Editor's review of Registry Defragmenter & Compactor
3.0 stars

This application compacts the size of your registry files to help improve system performance, but it does not live up to its claim of defragmenting the files. Its interface is simple and relatively easy to understand. Although Registry Defragmenter & Compactor claims to repair registry file defects, during testing it only compressed the files. Additionally, the program is sorely lacking the capability to back up those registry files. On a positive note, the program shows its results fairly quickly and leads with a warning on its backup limitation. The one-function Registry Defragmenter & Compactor won't grab many users' attention because of the availability of similar applications with more robust functionality.

Jøran Toresen

ShaneJ wrote on 4/20/2009, 2:00 PM

Thank you very much for posting that. Does anyone know of any better software to use for defragmenting the registry?

jabloomf1230 wrote on 4/20/2009, 2:03 PM

My advice is don't bother. You won't speed up your computer by "cleaning out" your registry and you could make things worse.

ShaneJ wrote on 4/20/2009, 2:06 PM

I disagree. After three years, the registry gets fragmented after all the installing and uninstalling that takes place over that course of time. The registry needs to be resorted and should be.

Please, if anyone has any other info on how to actually get this task done rather than talk me out of it. Would be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

John_Cline wrote on 4/20/2009, 3:18 PM

Advanced System Care from IOBIT is pretty good and it's free.

http://www.iobit.com

blink3times wrote on 4/20/2009, 4:41 PM

"I'm very careful about what software I put on my machine and run a pretty tight ship. However, I'm wondering if I could possibly optimize my system further by running software that will clean out the registry. Sure, CCleaner has a great feature that will clean out any invalid registry keys and values, but it does NOT compress and optimize anything in the registry. From what I understand, the registry grows over time from installing and uninstalling software."

Why do people constantly go through this rubbish???

[b]DISK IMAGING IS YOUR FRIEND!![/B]

Don't bother with cleaners, virus scanners and all that other rubbish. Do a fresh install, of the OS and all your basic programs, set up all your preferences and personal settings, do a defrag.... AND THEN DO A DISK IMAGE.

You will never have to defrag again. You will never have to clean out again, you will never have to register something..... or anything of that nature. Just reload your disk image when you want a fresh install. It takes 20 minutes to reload your image and everything is there, all set up and ready to go.

I have reinstalled Vegas 100's of times (by reloading my fresh install image) and I have NEVER had to worry about the number of times I've installed.

Disk imaging has been around for years.... there is simply NO excuse not to be using it.

Chienworks wrote on 4/20/2009, 5:47 PM

How does disk imaging help when you've installed applications A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, and I, then you realize that C and E were the root of all your problems? You can remove C and E and do some cleanup, or you can restore from before installing C and then reinstall D, F, G, H, and I all over again. Hmmmmm.

I'd rather do the cleanup.

As far as registry cleaning ... it's an indexed hash file. BigO on accessing it is better than (Log N)/2, which is pretty darned fast no matter how enormous N gets, and the registry doesn't ever get big compared to things like video files and Word documents. I doubt one could measure the system speed improvement after cleaning it since most folks don't have stopwatches that measure hundredths of milliseconds.

And here's the real kicker ... indexed hashes actually slow down markedly when sorted. Their peak efficiency is when they are balanced, and the most common way for them to be balanced is when they are nearly random. Therefore, sorting your registry results in *decreased* system performance! Of course, the decrease is once again measured in hundredths of milliseconds.

blink3times wrote on 4/20/2009, 6:01 PM

"How does disk imaging help when you've installed applications A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, and I, then you realize that C and E were the root of all your problems? You can remove C and E and do some cleanup, or you can restore from before installing C and then reinstall D, F, G, H, and I all over again. Hmmmmm"

Nope.

I have my BASE programs loaded and set. These are programs that I KNOW work (Microsoft office...etc), then I do a disk image. Then I add more programs... do another disk image. In other words I have images at certain intervals of which I can return to at any time.

Before I install any new program I always return to my previous image just so that i know I have a good reliable base, install my program, then do a disk image. If I notice bad things happening, I simply return to my previous image.

The same thing essentially as windows restore... only with restore there are certain files/folders that DON'T and NEVER get get restored. With disk imaging EVERYTHING gets restored. No cleaning or defragging or any of those other hassles.

The other part of your "clean up" idea is that it NEVER gets completely cleaned up. With disk imaging there is little or nothing to clean because the mess isn't there in the first place by simply returning to your prior disk image.

Chienworks wrote on 4/20/2009, 6:23 PM

Ah, but my point was that you may not decide that bad things are happening until much later, after you've already installed more than a few more applications. I think that's probably closer to the norm for most people. They won't necessarily drive the new application hard enough to spot problems before they're on to working with something else.

blink3times wrote on 4/20/2009, 6:40 PM

Look, I'm not going to debate this with you. As far as I'm concerned there's nothing to debate.

I've done it both ways and from my perspective disk imaging is a much safer, cleaner, easier, better way to go. If you don't wish to try ..... then Oh well... no skin off my nose

ShaneJ wrote on 4/20/2009, 10:38 PM

I'm not crazy about blink3times' way here. Not practical for me. I'm not looking to redo everything. Only uninstall a few things and just optimize my registry to accommodate. Nothing to it. Reimiaging all the time sounds ridiculous. There will always be applications that will not be installed on the image, and then I'll be left re-installing those. So what's the point? No, my way is just fine. Everything is running fine, all I want to do is tighten up my registry a little bit. Once I have the software it will take a minute. Much more practical than reimiaging.

douglas_clark wrote on 4/21/2009, 5:07 AM

I have used NTREGOPT (http://www.larshederer.homepage.t-online.de/erunt/index.htm) to compress/optimize the registry after cleanups or major installs. I didn't notice any great speed up, however.

ShaneJ wrote on 4/21/2009, 6:21 AM

You probably never notice any speed up because you've always ran this periodontally after un-installs and cleanups. Right? I'm just wondering if there will be some improvement for me since it's been three years since all my software and operating system was set up without ever having run a registry optimization.

Al Min wrote on 4/22/2009, 11:18 PM

I have a program called Advanced Unistaller Pro (not free tho) that includes a reg defragger.

douglas_clark wrote on 4/23/2009, 12:17 AM

Shane, I ran the registry optimisation on my ThinkPad after 4 years of use. I didn't notice any dramatic improvement. I didn't time it, so I can't say how much or how little it helped. But the improvement was nothing compared to the clean WinXP SP3 install I did recently. THAT made a big difference.

JJKizak wrote on 4/23/2009, 5:31 AM

One of the worst programs leaving garbage in the registry after un-install is Nero 8/7. I estimate over 300 items remain. Took me an hour of clicking to get the stuff out.
JJK