Cleaning the registry

I could not get to the link posted by shivsa:


 RegScrubXP

http://www.freedownloadscenter.com/Reviews/r882.html


   As one tries new software, and new applications are not always up to scratch, the system registry gets more and more "dirty" - that is, there appear keys with no parameters or wrong keys that slow down system startup and performance. To manually delete those keys would be way too insecure. Use RegScrubXP for this purpose.
     RegScrubXP is a registry cleaner for Windows 2000/XP. It clears all the unnecessary keys, leaving you with a perfect registry that leads to better and more stable system performance. You can let the program scan for problem keys and then select the ones you feel safe to delete, or pick your own way through the registry and fix the wrong keys yourself. There are also additional tweaks for Windows XP users, including changing current user name and more.
     The tool is invaluable for those who need to get rid of junk keys on their NT-based system. Download it today and see for yourself

http://home.carolina.rr.com/lexunfreeware/RegScrubXP/RegScrubXP.htm

Couldn’t get to the above site, but you can download it at the following, but
They may not all be the same version.


http://www.softpedia.com/public/cat/12/5/12-5-18.shtml

http://www.sofotex.com/RegScrubXP-download_L7528.html

http://www.tucows.com/preview/279366.html

http://www.freewareweb.com/cgi-bin/archive.cgi?download=1&ID=1610

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Here are some others 2 look at:

REGCLEAN

CNET.com - Downloads - PC - Utilities - System Utilities - RegClean

http://download.cnet.com/downloads/0-10106-108-23283.html





That was good info, here's more info:

TIPS for REGCLEAN


When you install, uninstall, and reinstall programs on your computer, registry keys are created, modified, or deleted. Over time, your computer's registry may begin to contain corrupted, unused, and unnecessary registry keys, especially if keys are not removed when you uninstall a program. As a result, you may begin to experience problems when using OLE to embed objects or Automation to control other programs.



The RegClean utility is designed to clean up unnecessary entries in your registry.

How To Install RegClean

Download: Regclean version 4.1a build 7364.1
Create a new folder: Regclean, copy RegClean.exe to this new folder.
Create a shortcut icon for RegClean on your Desktop.
How To Run RegClean
1. Double-click the RegClean icon. RegClean displays a progress dialog box.



While the progress dialog box is shown, RegClean loads a copy of the parts of the registry that it is going to check and then performs the actual scanning. Depending on how much information is in the registry and the speed of your CPU, this will take anywhere from about 30 seconds to 30 minutes.

If you have many entries in your registry, sometimes RegClean might appear to have stopped working. In fact, RegClean might appear completely halted whenever it is checking remote or removable drives.


2. Once these progress meters have disappeared, you will be prompted for the next action. You can do two things at this point:

Exit RegClean. If RegClean did not find any errors in your registry or if
you do not want RegClean to fix the errors that it found, click Cancel.
Allow RegClean to fix the errors that it found. Click Fix Errors to prompt
RegClean to remove the entries containing errors that RegClean found in
the registry. A progress meter is displayed while RegClean does this.
Sometimes the progress meter stops momentarily, but it should resume after
a few seconds.
When the meter is gone, RegClean is done. Click Exit to end RegClean.
Clicking Fix Errors also creates an Undo.reg file in the folder where you ran RegClean. The file will have the following title: UNDO computer yyyymmddhhmmss.REG

where computer is the name of your computer, yyyymmdd is the date, and hhmmss is the time. If at any point you would like to "undo" or put back what RegClean removed from your registry, double-click the Undo.reg file.

What RegClean Does

RegClean analyzes Windows Registry keys that are stored in HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT in the Windows Registry. It finds keys that contain erroneous values, and after recording those entries in an Undo.reg file, it removes them from the Windows Registry.

What RegClean Does Not Do

RegClean does not fix every known problem with the registry. It does not fix a "corrupt" registry; it is limited to fixing problems with normal Windows Registry entries located in HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT.

It is very possible that RegClean will not correct a problem that you have encountered. RegClean will leave any entries in the registry that it does not understand or that could possibly be correct.



Here are the command line parameter's for RegClean, use the /D to access the hidden interface.


USAGE:
REGCLEAN
REGCLEAN [mode] [options]
Mode:
<none> : Standard mode
/A : Automatic (standard mode only, no prompting)
/S : Silent mode (no UI)
/D : Detail mode (full UI)

Options:
/? : Display RegClean options
/Help : Display RegClean options

/L [file]: Log all activity to file (default is REGCLEAN.LOG)


A more aggressive cleaner is RegCleaner:
RegCleaner is an easy to use program. With RegCleaner you can easily get rid of those old and obsolate registry entries created by software that you have destroyed ages ago. And by easily, I mean easily! You don´t have to be any expert to use this program. Note that this program is not like those other so called registry cleaners, they search any filenames from registry, then if the file doesn´t exists anymore they remove the registry key or value where this filename was. But RegCleaner shows you the list of software that are registered in the registry and by checking checkboxes you select which software you don´t have anymore and RegCleaner removes all registry created by those programs automatically. You can also remove start up programs that are started behind your back and can dramatically decrease your computer´s performance.

http://fileforum.efront.com/detail.php3?fid=963771680


Please rate my answer IF it helps, or post a follow-up question.



Excellent instructions here: http://www.createwindow.com/wininfo/regclean.htm

I use EasyCleaner by ToniArts.


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Subj: [Lockergnome] 02.17.2001 Weekly Digest Date: 2/17/2001 10:05:58 PM Pacific Standard Time


Reg Cleaner v4.0.0.744 [486k] W9x FREE

http://www.vtoy.fi/jv16/RegCleaner.exe

http://www.jv16.org/

http://screenshot.lockergnome.com/regcleaner.png


{Tidy up your system files} Another registry cleaner... so what's
the big deal? Hey, have I ever let you down? Okay, not counting
that ONE time. Mr. Reg will clean out those registry entries left
behind by the software of yesteryear (or yestermonth, for that
matter). The difference, though, is that instead of just zapping
registry keys left and right, this one gives a list and allows you
to select which ones you no longer need. Eh? "I uninstalled that
program ages ago... ZAP." The program also features automatic
backup and an uninstall functions. My registry has never been so
clean. It could use a few curtains, though. But that's another
binary.

jv power tools I don;t believe is any longer free.

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Advanced Registry Optimizer v  W9x-2k-XP US$29.95

[Lockergnome Windows Digest] The Nature of Backdoor Brain Problems  
Date: 10/11/2003 1:23:21 PM Pacific Daylight Time

Advanced Registry Optimizer v [1.4M] W9x/2k/XP US$29.95
 
The constant use of Windows, installing and removing new programs,
makes the working of Windows slower. In many cases, Windows'
performance goes down. Keeping this in mind, Systweak has
developed a utility that saves your system resources and optimizes
the performance of your Windows. Advanced Registry Optimizer is
the easiest and most comprehensive way to keep your PC running
smoothly and error free. It works with all versions of Windows.
Fix PC problems and prevent them from happening again, keeping
your PC running faster, cleaner, and error-free. [FOTD]

   
http://windows.fileoftheday.com/archives/007502.html

I use iolo.com System Mechanic and so far faced no problems.

I agree with sramesh I use system mechanic and have had no problems it also removes broken short cuts  links to pics that have been deleted and several other features the only thing  I have not been able to use is there popup stopped but sence getting the goggle one I dont need it

I use RegClean on my XP systems and it works just fine.  I have also used System Mechanic, and it also does a fine job.

Suggest you make sure your Registry is backed up before 'experimenting'.  In Ntbackup, choose the System State to do this.  Quick and Easy.

FE