[jiber]

Is it safe to fix all registry errors that ccleaner detects?

I'm getting this "The program can't start because MSVCR80.dll is missing from your computer. Try reinstalling the program to fix this problem." error when I try to run my outlook. And I bought this laptop from my school so I don't have the CD, the software came with the laptop.

OFFTOPIC: Any mail handling programs to recommend for Windows 7? Like Apple's Mail software?

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Most registry cleaners pose a risk that they may remove something vital so they are generally best avoided. In any case, a registry cleaner won't fix your missing file problem. It may not be missing anyway, just in the wrong place. See this: http://www.instant-r...missing-errors/

But bear in mind that where Outlook is concerned, it's a commercial software which requires a separate end-user licence to use it legally, because it is not built into Windows (it's a separate application). Unless the school passed on the Outlook or Microsoft Office licence to you, you are not entitled to use it and it should by rights be removed from the laptop.

As regards alternative mail programs, Apple Mail will not run on Windows, it's strictly for the MacOS only.

You could try the free "Thunderbird" by Mozilla, the same people who are responsible for giving us the Firefox web-browser.
Get Thunderbird here: http://www.mozillame...GB/thunderbird/

Edited by phillipcorcoran, 31 October 2010 - 12:31 PM.

[phillipcorcoran]

Most registry cleaners pose a risk that they may remove something vital so they are generally best avoided. In any case, a registry cleaner won't fix your missing file problem. It may not be missing anyway, just in the wrong place. See this: http://www.instant-r...missing-errors/

But bear in mind that where Outlook is concerned, it's a commercial software which requires a separate end-user licence to use it legally, because it is not built into Windows (it's a separate application). Unless the school passed on the Outlook or Microsoft Office licence to you, you are not entitled to use it and it should by rights be removed from the laptop.

As regards alternative mail programs, Apple Mail will not run on Windows, it's strictly for the MacOS only.

You could try the free "Thunderbird" by Mozilla, the same people who are responsible for giving us the Firefox web-browser.
Get Thunderbird here: http://www.mozillame...GB/thunderbird/

Edited by phillipcorcoran, 31 October 2010 - 12:31 PM.

[etalmar]

Is it safe to fix all registry errors that ccleaner detects?

The safest way to fix any registry errors that CCleaner detects is to always make sure that CCleaner is configured to prompt you to save a backup of your current registry settings first.

Open CCleaner
Options button
Advanced button
check "Show prompt to backup registry issues"

Now, whenever you run the CCleaner registry cleaner, it will ask if you want to save a backup of the registry before it removes the errors it found. Create a folder and label it CCregistry (or any name you want) and save the CCleaner registry backups in this folder. If you would ever have to restore the previous settings, you now have a copy of them.

Also, a good rule of thumb is to look over the registry errors that CCleaner detects and uncheck any that you do not want to be removed. Most people just blindly clean everything and never stop to look at the errors that it found first. If you are unsure about a program or file name, don't remove it. Look it up online to see what function it serves before you delete it. That will help to prevent important program files from disappearing suddenly.

One last suggestion .. you should clean your registry about every two to three months. Any more often than that is really unnecessary.

I've been using CCleaner for years and never encountered a problem with the registry cleaner, as it doesn't dig too deeply, which is good.

Edited by etalmar, 02 November 2010 - 01:31 PM.

[Ehsanit]

Cleaning the registry as a performance boost isn't beneficial because when Windows accesses a registry entry it isn't a blind search through all the entries. The registry is a database, and as such an ordered arrangement of keys, and Windows can work out the relative position of the searched key from the present location. So it employs a Binary search. It checks the central key, if the target is after that it checks the 3/4 key, if it's before that one it checks the one in the 5/8 position, and so homes in on the missing key. The effect of this is that you would have to DOUBLE the size of your registry with junk before introducing even one additional check to identify the correct key. And I can assure you that any cleaner that thinks it's going to take off half your registry as junk is going to leave your machine a useless lump of metal once it's done. The risk of getting rid of something important and the risk of fragmenting the registry is very real, the potential benefit is effectively nil. It may well be that the CCleaner reg cleaner doesn't delve to deeply and doesn't damage your machine, but that doesn't make it worth the risk.

It is possible that a cleaner might resolve a conflict or problem within the registry. However if there is such a problem then it needs proper troubleshooting from a human who knows what they're looking for, not idly getting rid of whatever a program thinks isn't needed. In this case the link provided by Phillipcorcoran seems a more promising route to follow.

[rshaffer61]

A registry cleaner will not increase your system's speed or performance, and has the potential to break your registry to the point that your PC is no longer bootable.
We strongly advise that people stay away from any of the registry cleaners out there.
Go HERE to get more information about why registry cleaners aren't needed.


Thanks to Sari for the explanation

[etalmar]

Nowhere in my post did I state or imply that using CCleaner's registry program (or any registry program for that matter) would boost performance. A registry cleaner's main purpose is to get rid of leftover keys from uninstalled programs..plain and simple.

Insofar as never using a registry cleaner for any reason, that is a personal decision (albeit a somewhat drastic and overly cautious one in my opinion).

As with any computer, the end results insofar as cleaning and system optimization (good or bad) are directly attributed to the end user.

Edited by etalmar, 02 November 2010 - 03:07 PM.

[rshaffer61]

etaimar I think you are missing the point of my post here. I'm actually not saying anything about performance but only the following:

We strongly advise that people stay away from any of the registry cleaners out there.

Playing in the registry for any reason is not something we here at GTG advise anyone to do without guidance. The keys you speak over (leftovers) do nothing unless the system needs them.
The problem with most registry miracle programs is they don't stop with those and find other issues that may or may not exist. This in turn to a normal user can cause panic and they act on that by using some fix out there on the internet.
Unless there is a specific registry entry that jiber is asking about I would suggest steering clear of it.

[Ehsanit]

Nowhere in my post did I state or imply that using CClenaer's registry program (or any registry program for that matter) would boost performance. A registry cleaner's main purpose is to get rid of leftover keys from uninstalled programs..plain and simple.

Nowhere in any of our posts have we stated that you did. However such programs are advertised as speeding up your system, and explaining that they don't do so and often cause problems on the side is the motivation for our responses. However, with the second part of your statement I disagree. There is no reason to remove leftover keys (or the many other forms of "junk" keys removed by these programs) if they do not offer any other benefit, and the benefit (erroneously) cited is that they speed up your system.

Saying that the end result is directly attributed to the end user is a very irresponsible line when the end user is encouraged to trust in an essentially opaque third party system, blame for any problems falls more heavily on those who should be in the know and still gave bad advice. That is why GTG doesn't advocate using such cleaners; the site exists to help people, not to make more problems and then dump them to sort themselves out.

[etalmar]

Agreed. I do not think that anyone should play around with the registry unless they know what they are doing. I was only trying to help the OP who had a question about CCleaner.

As an aside comment .. I am inclined to not want to participate here very often, as the tone of this forum is very unfriendly to a new member such as myself.

Just an observation.

Edited by etalmar, 02 November 2010 - 03:23 PM.

[rshaffer61]

I am inclined to not want to participate here very often, as the tone of this forum is very unfriendly to a new member such as myself.

Not sure why that is as we are all here to help each other.
I'm not trying to belittle you or anyone but to only pass along information.
I am very sorry if I came across that way as it was never my intentions.
I do apologize and will step out now.

[Ehsanit]

As an aside comment .. I am inclined not to want to participate here very often, as the tone of this forum is very unfriendly to a new member such as myself.

I've just joined this site as well, though I've been around another tech-site for a bit more than a year. It can be uncomfortable fitting in but it does get easier. I had such an early experience of being shot down by multiple members for making a mistake, though I didn't have the bad fortune to get it on the first post. With time you get better known, more knowledgeable, and get the feel of where you can help. It actually becomes quite a comfort knowing that there are people watching your back in case you blunder. We are after all all trying to help one another. I would suggest that you stick to the site, but do a bit of reading around to find out what the site line is on different issues. In particular if you haven't already done so read the Terms of Use, erring there can have more serious reprisals. If you want to help and want to learn then things will fall into place.


With a view to and only to helping each other, the ccleaner backup system (and the regedit backup system) uses Reg files which are of dubious value, restoring them can result in a real mess. When a registry backup is needed, GTG tends to recommend backing up the registry with Erunt which actually makes a copy of the files. Read around, you'll see how things work.

Edited by Ehsanit, 02 November 2010 - 03:41 PM.

[photeck]

I am inclined to not want to participate here very often, as the tone of this forum is very unfriendly to a new member such as myself.

To be honest, i also felt this way when i came to this forum a few days ago, and i've felt that way on a few other forums, but the feeling usually passes, cause you cannot judge emotion/tone through text, i found the people here very helpful and informative, and willing to help, for as long as it takes. The only thing i can suggest is to stick with it, i was actually thinking of sticking around myself to see if i could lend a hand.

[etalmar]

This is the third tech forum that I have joined in the past year and all of them have these three characteristics ...

1. Less than 10% of the membership post 90% of the total posts and generally control how the forum functions and its overall tone.

2. There is a clique amongst the 10% of regular posters and they do not eagerly accept newcomers. You must slowly earn their respect by basically always agreeing with them. They decide what is right and wrong, acceptable and unacceptable. No exceptions.

3. Forums, while alleging to offer "help" to those who need it, are actually very competitive and downright hostile at times. If you dare to disagree with the beliefs of the regulars, you will be swiftly and severely reprimanded. Count on it. Basically, you are entitled to your opinion, just as long as it falls within the accepted parameters of the 10% clique.

I have decided to go back to helping people in person and steer clear of tech forums. This was just a very bad idea to attempt helping others online. Time to unplug.

Edited by etalmar, 02 November 2010 - 06:28 PM.

[photeck]

I do agree with part of what your saying, but you will find that "clique" just about anywhere you go, and i do at times, find trying to help others online is a bit frustrating compared to in person, but if everyone boycotted helping others through the net, forums, and volunteer techs such as these wouldnt exist, and where would the people who have absolutely no tech experience what-so-ever get help? aside from paying a big brand name company to pay for PC repair.

I will end my post here, i just thought i could put my two-cents in, and i dont want to drag this further away from the actual topic.