CCleaner clearing more than it should

I use Windows XP Pro SP3 fully patched with CCleaner v3.29.1913. I have used CCleaner for many years and usually been very satisfied.

But! Now I'm seeing it removing all entries in my Start menu that are not set to be 'pinned'. Never happened with earlier versions and not changed settings. So why is this happening when I don't want it to?

Do you use Winapp2.ini or any other enhancement ?

No. Don't use any enhancements other than AV software and business apps.

But have done a search and winapp2.ini appears in the C:/Program Files/Ccleaner folder and in C:/Documents and Settings/[named user]/Recent. I presume these have been installed by Ccleaner and are managed by it.

Never had this happen before and only happened since updating to v3.28.1913

Plus it appears other icons/shortcuts in the Start/Programs menu are disappearing as well!

winapp2.ini is not installed (or officially supported) by Piriform, it must either be installed manually or via a program (there are several).

The unpinned start menu removal is caused by User Assist History in Windows - Advanced

The winapp2.ini file was not installed by me (I am the Admin) and not by any other software as none has been installed recently, only applying updates to Windows, AV systems, Ccleaner, etc. So where has it come from? Is it safe to remove/delete it? Plus what effect does it have on the way Ccleaner is working? Note that it is only present in the C:/Program files/Ccleaner folder and nowhere else. The file claims to have been created and modified on 21st March 2011 - but since that date Ccleaner has been completely removed twice and then re-installed twice. So something is telling lies somewhere! I am seriously considering another full removal, reboot, check for cleanliness and then re-install.

User Assist History is UNTICKED in the Advanced category - so why is it being cleared?

Note that no settings were changed by me when the program was updated but it is behaving differently since the update so all and any differences must be due to the updated software. I have run several AV scans (with 5 different scanners, 4 on-line and 1 in my AV suite) as well as MBAM, SpybotSD, anti-rootkits, etc. The system is reported by all these as being clear of any unwanted or infectious items.

When CCleaner was installed it had no knowledge of, or authority over, Winapp2.ini,

therefore that file would have been left within the parent folder.

Even if you removed CCleaner by the official UN-installation mechanism and it had attempted to removed the parent folder,

the presence of a file within the folder could well have prevented removal and WinApp2.ini would have survived.

YES, it is safe for you to remove WinApp2.ini.

This two year old version may now be conflicting with the latest CCleaner.exe.

Things will NOT get better whilst this situation remains.