CCleaner Registry Cleaner Breaks Windows 8 Store

[v0 HaVoK 0v]

Did anyone else ever notice this?
After doing a registry clean with ccleaner, whenever I go to the store and click on an app, it tells me that its broken and I have to refresh my computer.
I luckily made a backup before doing it, but I still want to do a registry clean on my computer again.

 

[LMiller7]

Registry cleaners generally cause more problems than they solve and should generally be avoided. There is little evidence that regular registry cleaning improves performance or reliability and much that it does not. CCleaner is better than most but the registry cleaner should not be used.

There really is nothing wrong with deleting unneeded registry entries or repairing damaged ones, if it could be done reliably. As it turns out that is a very difficult thing to do. Because of the very nature of the registry it is very difficult to determine with 100% reliability that a specific entry is unneeded or in error. As a result, a registry cleaner must often guess. Most guesses are correct, but some are not. Deleting just one registry entry in error could have serious consequences. Since the benefits are so questionable why take the risk?

The registry is a database so the analogy of cleaning is flawed and essentially meaningless.

Registry cleaners do have some value when used by an expert to solve a specific problem. But in inexpert hands (the usual case) they can be dangerous.

 

[chev65]

I've run CCleaner registry cleaner many times and it sure never broke my Windows store. If this were a persistent problem we would certainly know about it by now.

Most likely somebody changed the NTFS permission settings on one of the User folders which can wreck havoc on the Windows store functionality. Turning off UAC has also been known to cause this type of problem.

 

[HippsieGypsie]

:thumbup: Never ever a problem with CCleaner either.

 

[amoled]

I have been using CCleaner for many years and NEVER had a single issue with this wonderful FREE piece of software!

 

[vrosa]

No problem here with any version of Windows, including Blue.

CCleaner all the way !

 

[groucho]

Programs like CCleaner can be very dangerous to your computer.
see Are Registry Cleaners Safe to Use? - Chris Pirillo

 

[Nuccii]

I have used it for years and never had any problem. One of the safest registry cleaners around. While some are too aggressive, I fully trust this one.

CCleaner Review (v4.01.4093)

 

[groucho]

Nuccii is extremely lucky. The advantages of registry cleaners are outweighed by their disadvantages: see
Registry cleaner - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
All registry cleaners are dangerous and damage your system: see
Are "registry cleaners" safe to use? - Microsoft Community

 

[Nuccii]

What's luck got to do with it? If you are not paying attention to what you are doing and backup your registry, you will be lost. Like it or not, cleaning you registry is necessary.

 

[groucho]

Nuccii: cleaning your registry is not only unnecessary but also harmful: see the above links as well as
Registry cleaners - necessary? worth it? - CNET PC utilities Forums

 

[Nuccii]

You may quote all the useless links you wish. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion. If you had a bad experience, I feel sorry for you. I know what works for me and will continue to do so. End of discussion.

 

[groucho]

Everyone is entitled to his own opinion

Watch out, everyone: you are entitled to your own opinion — as long as you agree with Nuccii. If not, he will end the discussion.

 

[Hopachi]

Nuccii: cleaning your registry is not only unnecessary but also harmful: see the above links as well as
Registry cleaners - necessary? worth it? - CNET PC utilities Forums

Link to another forum with opinions... Regcure must be bad... depends what you use.

CCleaner is safe. Using the latest versions and you're good to go.

 

[LMiller7]

I have never used a registry cleaner on either XP or Windows 7. In all these years I have somehow escaped all the dire consequences that supposedly must occur when you do not clean the registry. Or maybe these issues aren't real and cleaning the registry isn't necessary. I have heard of many problems caused by registry cleaners.

Cleaning the registry is an inherently risky procedure. And knowing what I know about the registry I don't see how it could be otherwise. My views are shared by Mark Russinovich, who will need no introduction to most experienced members of this forum.

 

[HippsieGypsie]

Mr. Brink, one of our administrators, knows more about the inner workings of Windows than anyone I've ever read on. I don't know his personal views on registry cleaners, but he has a dedicated thread to post when CCleaner updates, therefore, I have to think he recommends it.

Personally my experience is that it made my machine work more stable and quicker. It's my understanding that the registry gets to be rather large after a time, therefore slowing down a system.

It's important that one needs to know how to use a registry cleaner. First up, look at what it is posting to repair. So often we don't take the time to read that for being in a hurry. If we made changes such as uninstalling a program, or an update, driver change, and/or any other changes, crap left in the registry will usually show up. We will recognize these changes. If something looks strange, research before proceeding. One can even post a question on this forum if need be.

Next up backup > backup > backup before proceeding with the repairing operation. If something goes wrong, return the backup. Do more research. This doesn't happen but once in a blue moon. My experience anyway.

It seems to me over the years that when I performed a proper registry clean, I had less problems and a faster machine than if I didn't perform one or forgot to perform. It's always been a part of my maintenance routine. I try to perform biweekly and depending on changes I've made. I always run it after every program uninstall.

CCleaner is by far the best I've ever used. And what's more it's free. I have donated and suggest that. One can, however, by the professional version.

That's my two cents worth.

 

[jimbo45]

Hi there
Each to their own - but DO remember that the Registry is a totally integrated important part of Windows -- if it gets broken or degraded then system performance or worse system integrity itself can be compromised.

My own Personal view (Might not be everybody's - but surely these are DISCUSSION FORUMS) is that things like the registry are best left well alone -- and I'd take an image backup before installing software so I can restore the system easily if it doesn't work or I don't want it any more. Even better if you can manage it is to test everything in a Virtual Machine.

If you have an SSD in your system and keep the OS / programs in a separate partition / disk then a backup especially on an SSD will probably only take around 10 - 15 mins - and it's always good to have backups.

However other people might disagree -- but to say on a DISCUSSION FORUM that Way or Method A is the ONLY WAY --END OF -- doesn't post any useful or sensible contributions to users who genuinely need to know pros and cons of all the arguments.

I also recognize here on these Forums there are experienced people who've probably FORGOTTEN more about Windows than I'll ever LEARN in an entire lifetime - however sometimes "The Student" doesn't always have to do everything "The Teacher Says" - and over my years with computers I've found leaving the registry alone while backing up at every stage seems the best course of action - even though it might appear to a lot to be time consuming and "over the top". I'd rather have TOO MUCH backup than NOT ENOUGH - and I won't be the one having to re-rip 5,000 CD's again when my HDD Multi Media server breaks or lose all iTunes music etc.

One thing though (breaking my own rule here !!) is that YOU SHOULD ALWAYS HAVE RELIABLE BACKUPS.

Cheers
jimbo

 

[LMiller7]

There is a great deal more I could say about the dangers of registry cleaners but as a new member of this forum my views may not carry much weight. So I will provide a link to some comments made by Mark Russinovich who knows more about Windows than just about anybody.

Do I need a Registry Cleaner? | What the Tech

 

[slurp812]

I hear this from time to time. But I used ccleaner for years on dozens of pc's. My home setup is going on 3 years, no re-install. started out as windows 7 back in april of 2010, upgraded a few months ago to win8. Ran ccleaner at least 20 times on this install, no issues.

 

[slurp812]

Oh, and as always YMMV!!! Tread cautiously...