Archived from groups: microsoft.public.windowsxp.help_and_support (
More info?)
What started me thinking about a registry cleaner is this; About a week or so
ago, I noticed that each time I clicked a link in a mail message, it would
start AOL instead of opening an IE page like it normally does. I had AOL on
this machine but had never installed it or activated it. So I uninstalled the
AOL program hoping to solve the problem. Then I started getting the following
error message at startup: ZHOTKEY HAS ENCOUNTERED A PROBLEM AND NEEDS TO
CLOSE. Now, the links in email messages are dead. They won't do anything at
all. They won't open a new window - nothing. Someone said zhotkey is a
registry key, so I thought a registry repair / cleaner might be the solution.
I don't notice any other symptoms and if I use Yahoo mail, the links in
messages work fine.
--
dk7195
"dk7195" wrote:
> It just seems that everything I've read indicates that a cluttered registry
> is the primary culprit in performance drop. Are there definitive instructions
> available JUST for cleaning the registry? I wouldn't know what belongs, what
> doesn't and in what sequence the entries belong. Willing to learn but so far
> haven't found a good tutorial on how to clean the registry.
> --
> dk7195
>
>
> "Bruce Chambers" wrote:
>
> > dk7195 wrote:
> > > I've been told that there are several freeware registry cleaner / repair
> > > programs available. Anyone have success / horror stories from using these?
> >
> >
> >
> > What specific problem are you experiencing that you *know* beyond
> > all reasonable doubt will be fixed by using a registry cleaner? If you
> > do have a problem that is rooted in the registry, it would be far better
> > to simply edit (after backing up, of course) only the specific key(s)
> > and/or value(s) that are causing the problem. Why use a shotgun when a
> > scalpel will do the job? Additionally, the manually changing of one or
> > two registry entries is far less likely to have the dire consequences of
> > allowing an automated product to make multiple changes simultaneously.
> >
> > The registry contains all of the operating system's "knowledge" of
> > the computer's hardware devices, installed software, the location of the
> > device drivers, and the computer's configuration. A misstep in the
> > registry can have severe consequences. One should not even turning
> > loose a poorly understood automated "cleaner," unless he is fully
> > confident that he knows *exactly* what is going to happen as a result of
> > each and every change. Having seen the results of inexperienced people
> > using automated registry "cleaners," I can only advise all but the most
> > experienced computer technicians (and/or hobbyists) to avoid them all.
> > Experience has shown me that such tools simply are not safe in the hands
> > of the inexperienced user.
> >
> > The only thing needed to safely clean your registry is knowledge
> > and Regedit.exe. If you lack the knowledge and experience to maintain
> > your registry by yourself, then you also lack the knowledge and
> > experience to safely configure and use any automated registry cleaner,
> > no matter how safe they claim to be.
> >
> > Further, no one has ever demonstrated, to my satisfaction, that the
> > use of an automated registry cleaner, particularly by an untrained,
> > inexperienced computer user, does any real good. There's certainly been
> > no empirical evidence offered to demonstrate that the use of such
> > products to "clean" WinXP's registry improves a computer's performance
> > or stability.
> >
> > I always use Regedit.exe. I trust my own experience and judgment
> > far more than I would any automated registry cleaner. I strongly
> > encourage others to acquire the knowledge, as well.
> >
> >
> >
> > --
> >
> > Bruce Chambers
> >
> > Help us help you:
> >
http://dts-l.org/goodpost.htm
> >
http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html
> >
> > You can have peace. Or you can have freedom. Don't ever count on having
> > both at once. - RAH
> >
.
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