Recommended Apps

[greyowl]

I am trying to find some utilities that have been proven to be both effective and safe (either freeware or commercial). Please recommend what you have found as the best in the below catagories:

 

Windows Cleaner

 

Defrag & Optimizer

 

Registry Cleaner & Optimizer

 

Secure Delete of files and free space

 

Undelete

 

Thanks for your help.

[LOCOENG]

Windows Cleaner = CCleaner

 

Registry Cleaner & Optimizer = Ccleaner

[blutach]

For registry cleaning, I also like:

 

- Glary Utilities (free)

- Registry Mechanic (commercial)

- jv16 Power Tools (commercial, but an old freeware edition exists which doesn't look as snazzy but does the trick)

 

but you need to know how to drive them (or be scrupulous in making registry backups)

 

Eraser is great for permanetly getting rid of files.

 

There are many defraggers out there - Diskeeper (payware) is perhaps the most popular, though there are many others which perhaps are as good or better.

 

And for undeletes, try Recuver (freeware).

 

Regards

[greyowl]

Thanks for the recommendations.

 

I don't know a lot about computers. I would not know how to determine whether an item identified by a registry cleaner was legit or not to delete or fix. Are these registry cleaners safe? Do they have the potential to wreck the operating system so your computer won't even start? Are there any that are real safe for a novice like me? Or, should I just stay clear of them?

[Cynthia]

If the development is still in progress for a registry cleaning program I would use it. If the development stopped years ago - avoid them. Also pick those that are known to work - and not use the reg cleaner from ACME Inc or a similar company...

 

[greyowl]

If the development is still in progress for a registry cleaning program I would use it. If the development stopped years ago - avoid them. Also pick those that are known to work - and not use the reg cleaner from ACME Inc or a similar company...

 

 

Thanks for this perspective.

 

Which programs meet your criteria?

[Cynthia]

When I installed Vista there was no one free that was compliant with Vista. I haven't used anything since then than CCleaner.

 

I couldn't find any note on the Glary Utilities web page if the program supports Vista.

 

[blutach]

@cynthia - according to MG, Glary is OK for Vista (but not 64 bit versions).

 

http://majorgeeks.com/Glary_Utilities_d5870.html

 

Regards

[LOCOENG]

The only program that I haven't been able to use in Vista (32 or 64 bit) is Peer Guardian...I'm sure my toolbox isn't as diverse as some here though

[greyowl]

For registry cleaning, I also like:

 

- Glary Utilities (free)

- Registry Mechanic (commercial)

- jv16 Power Tools (commercial, but an old freeware edition exists which doesn't look as snazzy but does the trick)

 

but you need to know how to drive them (or be scrupulous in making registry backups)

 

Eraser is great for permanetly getting rid of files.

 

There are many defraggers out there - Diskeeper (payware) is perhaps the most popular, though there are many others which perhaps are as good or better.

 

And for undeletes, try Recuver (freeware).

 

Regards

 

 

Which registry cleaner do you think is best in terms of effectiveness and safety?--Glary Utilities, Registry Mechanic, or jv16 Power Tools? I'm not concerned about the price because dealing with the registry is so risky.