Cleaning up programs & registry:

I somehow (blame it on the wine) managed to semi-delete a bunch of plugins without (apparently) uninstalling some of them. As a result, I have programs which no longer show in my DAW but still have files hanging around in 'program files' and similar, and which still show in registry. Also, Celemony and PSP FETpressor still show as being installed, but they aren't, and they both show in registry. Sloppy, huh?

Is it more or less safe to just delete those files and then delete the registry entries? I'm not registry-literate and need a little guidance. :confused:
Thanks.
 
I somehow (blame it on the wine) managed to semi-delete a bunch of plugins without (apparently) uninstalling some of them. As a result, I have programs which no longer show in my DAW but still have files hanging around in 'program files' and similar, and which still show in registry. Also, Celemony and PSP FETpressor still show as being installed, but they aren't, and they both show in registry. Sloppy, huh?

Is it more or less safe to just delete those files and then delete the registry entries? I'm not registry-literate and need a little guidance. :confused:
Thanks.

I am sure a 'proper' PC person will be along shortly, meantime here is his monkey...

Ccleaner* will sort out any registry problems and AFAIK cause no other issues with the computer. I have used Cc for many years and have never had a problem with it (also look at "RevoUninstaller") .

Some PC peeps say you don't need a registry cleaner, some even say they can do harm but these people seem a tiny minority and people I trust (at sos.com e.g.) have recommended these products for years.

*I have read that Ccleaner has been "got at"? No harm but is now a bit bloated and 'nosey'? Maybe download it, do the bizz then get rid? Have a look at Ninite - Install or Update Multiple Apps at Once If they have it it will be dead safe to install.

Oh my post got there! Twice I got "Error 503 backend fetch failed" XID 49253055..No, not a clue either!
Dave.
 
I am sure a 'proper' PC person will be along shortly, meantime here is his monkey...

Ccleaner* will sort out any registry problems and AFAIK cause no other issues with the computer. I have used Cc for many years and have never had a problem with it (also look at "RevoUninstaller") .
Dave.

Yep. I've done the same. If you're scared, you can deselect stuff you don't want it to touch. But I use it all the time., both the general cleaner and the registry cleaner (found under the tools tab).
 
I like and use CCleaner regularly, but my recent update also installed Avast malware protection (Avast now owns CCleaner). Usually there is an obvious prompt in an installer that notifies of 'extras', but I didn't notice one this time. The choice may have been in the 'Custom' install, but I usually just opt for 'Typical'. I didn't even know Avast was installed until I happened to look at a list of running programs. Uninstalling was easy.
 
I like and use CCleaner regularly, but my recent update also installed Avast malware protection (Avast now owns CCleaner). Usually there is an obvious prompt in an installer that notifies of 'extras', but I didn't notice one this time. The choice may have been in the 'Custom' install, but I usually just opt for 'Typical'. I didn't even know Avast was installed until I happened to look at a list of running programs. Uninstalling was easy.

DAMN I HATE THAT SHIT! I'm anti anti virus software...of any kind... On the PC side of life windows by default has us set up as administrators,,,the first thing I do is set up users without admin power and those are the users I and my family use to go out onto the internet...I / we NEVER go online in administrator mode which makes it impossible for anything we might "catch" out there on the internets while not in admin mode from getting into my registry and making me and my PC cry. Oh those were the days my friend... I do use the Windows defender system of protection...I do a lot of interneting and deal with international companies and (knock on wood) using this Modus Operandi 7 years in not one successful attack..I have had a few baddies try but they can't get into the registry with it being password protected and that pretty much stops these mass produced virus's from getting to me...They are not designed to get pass passwords they are only effective at getting to the registry if you are running in admin mode when they enter your PC.
 
TAE, you seem to have found the Holy Grail of PC protection!

P.L.E.A.S.E!!! Tell me how to setup my machines this way! I know little about "Administrator Mode" (except that you need it for certain "cmd" functions)

I have 4 Win 7 machines and one Win10...No! Not rich! Old to V old PCs and two have been cobbled and kludged together.

Dave.
 
I somehow (blame it on the wine) managed to semi-delete a bunch of plugins without (apparently) uninstalling some of them. As a result, I have programs which no longer show in my DAW but still have files hanging around in 'program files' and similar, and which still show in registry. Also, Celemony and PSP FETpressor still show as being installed, but they aren't, and they both show in registry. Sloppy, huh?

Is it more or less safe to just delete those files and then delete the registry entries? I'm not registry-literate and need a little guidance. :confused:
Thanks.

Why don't you reinstall them...and then uninstall properly. :)
 
...I / we NEVER go online in administrator mode which makes it impossible for anything we might "catch" out there on the internets while not in admin mode from getting into my registry and making me and my PC cry.

Mmm...I don't think it makes it "impossible"...it just prevents some admin required executions to take place when attempted by some types of hacks.

At my day gig, all the staff ran in non-admin mode, yet some still managed to get hacked.
It was a major PITA for us IT people, because it got to the point where even installing a local, non-networked printer required admin creds... :facepalm:

At home, I recently set up three online computers, one which is for my mother when she's visiting here...and because she is not computer savvy and likes to hit a lot of these foreign language soap opera websites (they are full of junk)...I decided to NOT give her full admin rights. She just doesn't know what not to click on.
Otherwise...I run my computers with full admin...and after 20+ years, have yet to get hacked... (knock on wood) ...but I know what not to click on. :)

Besides that...I'll create an image every so often...and if something gets hacked...it's about 20 minutes to drop that image back on the computer and get it back to normal.
 
If there is anything left in programs and features tab in control panel you should be able to uninstall. Also you may be able to use windows recovery to restore to prior to deleting that uninstall as needed
 
Well, THAT didn't work out, did it? There are 7 options on Ccleaner relating to IE, but none to Firefox that I could see, and it cleaned out 2 years of Firefox history, a thing which I search many times daily - or did. I don't see that it is recoverable.
 
Well, THAT didn't work out, did it? There are 7 options on Ccleaner relating to IE, but none to Firefox that I could see, and it cleaned out 2 years of Firefox history, a thing which I search many times daily - or did. I don't see that it is recoverable.

:laughings:

Sorry...but that is too funny, and I do feel you pain.
We've had users go into tears when a new computer install didn't include their old bookmarks.
My work partner use to go "oh well" and move on... :D ...but I would always try and find out what stuff someone wanted to save/move before killing their old system.

I always keep a backup of my ever-growing bookmark list.
If you had the same ones in IE...you could import to Fireshit....which really IS a shit browser overall, IMO.
 
Mmm...I don't think it makes it "impossible"...it just prevents some admin required executions to take place when attempted by some types of hacks.
To the best of my knowledge it is impossible to get into the registry without admin privileges...now if you didn't set the admin up with a password I could see a virus possibly getting in..password protected I can think of no way it can happen. I can't remember who it was on this site that hipped me to this but it was here...Mind you I have egghead IT buds and we were using this special PCI card made by Promise technology that required a password to get into the registry...when I spoke to my bud who works for Cisco and explained what I learned here at HR.com he kind of laughed and said "shit why didn't I think of that?" We quit using the cards and the rest is history...If you know of way a virus can get around a password protected registry lemme know...If you go out on the internet in Admin mode you are open to the evils that exist out there...Maybe you're disciplined and smart enough not to bring something in accidentally but most of us average Joes are not... Nothing is absolute but this simple extra step can save a lot of us average Joes from some major bummer down time... BTW do you use anti virus software?
 
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TAE, you seem to have found the Holy Grail of PC protection!

P.L.E.A.S.E!!! Tell me how to setup my machines this way! I know little about "Administrator Mode" (except that you need it for certain "cmd" functions)

I have 4 Win 7 machines and one Win10...No! Not rich! Old to V old PCs and two have been cobbled and kludged together.

Dave.

Yo Dave...It's really pretty simple you just set up a new user but don't give it permission to add or change programs...I usually leave the original admin as admin and then personalize my restricted user name...It's the same computer but unlike what you are used to EVERY TIME you want to do something that changes things in the registry you will need to enter your admin password for it to install...Generally when you want to install a program you need to log off "open to world" mode and switch into Admin mode... Now if you're out there surfing and all of a sudden a pop up comes up and says you are trying to change something and you haven't tried to change anything you know you have a baddy trying to do it's thing...that's where it get's dicey figuring out what and where it is...that's where process explorer comes in handy....
 
Well, THAT didn't work out, did it? There are 7 options on Ccleaner relating to IE, but none to Firefox that I could see, and it cleaned out 2 years of Firefox history, a thing which I search many times daily - or did. I don't see that it is recoverable.

OY! Sadly you clicked before you really understood what you were clicking...see the image below...I have to say they have changed things and it easier to make the mistake you just made OUCH!

When you clicked analyze the default page you see is under the Windows tab at the upper left...had you clicked on Applications before you clicked run cleaner you would have had the opportunity like I did here with Opera and Chrome ..I unchecked internet history...then your history would not have become HISTORY...sorry for your loss...painful...

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To the best of my knowledge it is impossible to get into the registry without admin privileges...


I'm not talking about specifically getting into the registry.
I'm saying that there are hacks that don't need to involve your registry...so if you assume that not logging on with admin creds is somehow making your online experience very safe...it's not.

I think limiting admin creds from users who are kinda naive and have limited computer experience to know all the pitfalls and "click-me" traps that are all over the websites...is a smart thing. Otherwise, on a computer with good A/V and an experienced user...you're fine running as admin.

That said...I'm amazed at how clueless most typical home computer users are...and they just bounce around online so innocently. :D
 
On a computer with good A/V and an experienced user...you're fine running as admin.

Just to clarify ..I said...

I / we NEVER go online in administrator mode which makes it impossible for anything we might "catch" out there on the internets while not in admin mode from getting into my registry and making me and my PC cry.

You said....

Mmm...I don't think it makes it "impossible"

So that was what got me a little concerned that maybe you were aware of something I wasn't...That said you agree without a password these baddies aren't going to corrupt mt registry which is what usually causes the death of a the Windows OS...

On Anti Virus....I'm Anti anti virus

I HATE anti-virus software! Cluttering up our computers and paying for the Virus Mafia to protect us from Virus's that are suspect in origin and motive. The only anti virus software I use is Windows defender BECAUSE that isn't how they make their money and it works...

I am curious what your perspective is, other than browser hacks ( which is why I use Chrome) with my registry being protected of what other threats I need to worry about that Windows defender alone won't protect me from? I mean I understand that a new "thing" could happen tomorrow that isn't protected but they are on it just as fast as any of the "good" anti virus software companies are.
 
I HATE anti-virus software! Cluttering up our computers and paying for the Virus Mafia to protect us from Virus's that are suspect in origin and motive. The only anti virus software I use is Windows defender BECAUSE that isn't how they make their money and it works.

:)

For the record...Windows Defender is generally a joke, and it is NOT anti-virus software....it is "malware" protection that has too many false negatives and false positives...but people think it's "better than nothing"...mainly cuz it is free.

I find it funny that you remove admin rights because you have concerns...but then opt for nothing more than Windows Defender to protect your computers. :D

AFA the admin thing...there are hacks that allow someone to gain admin access through the guest account...and probably a couple of other ways.
Yes, it requires higher level skills...but then, most dedicated hackers possess them.

Personally...I suggest you install a decent A/V application (along with your Windows Defender) and do whatever you want to do with admin rights.
Good A/V is not that expensive anymore....and if you live online, you need it.

At least (or in addition to the A/V) make an image of a clean computer and save it for if/when something breaks...that way you can easily drop the image and get back up and running...but if you have a lot of new data on the computer after the image was created, then you will lose it if it was not backed up or if it was corrupted by any hacks.
 
:)

For the record...Windows Defender is generally a joke, and it is NOT anti-virus software....it is "malware" protection that has too many false negatives and false positives...but people think it's "better than nothing"...mainly cuz it is free.

I find it funny that you remove admin rights because you have concerns...but then opt for nothing more than Windows Defender to protect your computers. :D

AFA the admin thing...there are hacks that allow someone to gain admin access through the guest account...and probably a couple of other ways.
Yes, it requires higher level skills...but then, most dedicated hackers possess them.

Personally...I suggest you install a decent A/V application (along with your Windows Defender) and do whatever you want to do with admin rights.
Good A/V is not that expensive anymore....and if you live online, you need it.

At least (or in addition to the A/V) make an image of a clean computer and save it for if/when something breaks...that way you can easily drop the image and get back up and running...but if you have a lot of new data on the computer after the image was created, then you will lose it if it was not backed up or if it was corrupted by any hacks.

Geeez!! WHAT is a poor "3 score years and ten +" to make of you guys? ! I basically only know analogue electronics!

I have used MS Security Essentials for years on all my W7 PCs and never really had a problem. I have HAD problems, quite a while ago. It purported to be a missed parcel UPS delivery and I opened the attachment and all the demons of hell were let loose on my machine. That took a return to the recovery partition (HP have one do others?) and I lost a few things but learned the lesson!

Way before that I had XP and some undefined trouble could only be fixed by a full HD format and re install.

Since nobody here seems to agree on a firm policy I shall stay with what I have and continue to be vigilant.

Maybe the fact that I have not had alcohol this 14 years (ENFORCED sobriety! NOT saintliness!) has something to do with my web safety?

Dave.
 
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