At 11:02 AM 11/29/2008, Tom Piwowar wrote: >>CAVEAT: i had run a similar program a couple years ago. it found some >>200 errors in my registry. after i cleaned them all out, the machine >>would not boot, and could not be repaired. i had to reload XP, programs, >>and data. > >That is why the one I use (Registry First Aid) forces me to make a >registry backup before it runs.
Does it include a process to (emergency boot disk, with utils to) perform restoration of the old registry when the machine won't boot at all? Or at least do it from a safe mode boot, if that still works? The problem with all these programs is that they don't give you a selection list of things to potentially delete -- along with enough information to make an informed decision about each item. They don't tell you what a particular registry entry says/does. Try turning your virus scanner off before rebooting (launching a web page, whatever). How much time is saved by not scanning files that are launching? How much is the risk to you? If slow boot / launch is a problem, you need a faster machine or a machine with more RAM. Try one of the many "Startup Manager" programs out there. They allow you to use a check-box to disable individual startup programs/functions. Uncheck the ones that you recognize and you don't really use much, and see what happens. Uncheck some others on a "lets try it" basis. Lots of applications, especially suites, load into memory helper objects that will speed the launch of that program. But they also permanently utilize some memory that might be better allocated to the current foreground app. Is there any database out on the web that will identify executable (all program code, including .dlls, etc.) filenames and tell you who they likely were installed by? Is such information written into the "header" of executable files? Utility to read such header? The Windows user is still left with a dearth of effective/useful information and tools for troubleshooting. Or I don't know where to find the good ones. Fred Holmes ************************************************************************* ** List info, subscription management, list rules, archives, privacy ** ** policy, calmness, a member map, and more at http://www.cguys.org/ ** *************************************************************************
