Found issues keep repeating

CCleaner for Windows
1

Everytime I run CCleaner and scan for issues it comes up with:

Problem Data Registry Key

Unused File Extension r?_auto_file- HKCR\r?_auto_file &

Unused File Extension ?_auto_file- HKCR|?auto_file

I click Fix selected issues and it says "The file extension r?_auto_file references an invalid program identifier. These are often left behind after uninstalling software.

Solution: Delete the registry value.

I click Fix issue.

The file extension ?_auto_file references an invalid program identifier. These are often left behind after uninstalling software.

Solution: Delete the registry value.

I click Fix issue.

They go away.

I close CCleaner and scan for issues again and the same thing happens.

Why is it doing this? How can I get rid of these for good?

2

Hi Cassie and Welcome to the forum :)

This is common and is related to a permissions issue.

Download DAF medium (in my signature) > tools > repair permissions > go

Enjoy! :D

3

Download DAF medium (in my signature) > tools > repair permissions > go

Enjoy! :D

I know this is OT but whats the difference between the lite, medium and full versions of Dial-a-fix? (I have used the lite version in the past to fix a Windows update problem)

4

http://wiki.djlizard.net/Dial-a-fix#Full_version

http://wiki.djlizard.net/Dial-a-fix#Medium_version

5

Thank you krit86lr for your quick response to my problem. I have downloaded DAF medium but have not used it yet. After reading the full page at

http://wiki.djlizard.net/Dial-a-fix#Medium_version

I guess I have a few things to do first before I run it. I'll work on it tonight and let you know how it worked.

I'm still such a novice when it comes to fixing problems like this--the Registry scares me. I'm so glad there are forums and people like you so willing to share your expertise with me.

Thanks again, Cassie

6

Well, I must be in the 10% of problems in CCleaner that are not fixed by DAF medium. I double clicked Dial-a-Fix.exe after extracting it, clicked Tools, Clicked Repair Permissions and clicked Go. All worked well. I closed Dial-a-Fix, opened CCleaner, ran a new issues scan, those two little beggars showed up, I clicked Fix Selected Issues, they went away. I closed CCleaner, ran an issues scan again and sure enough, they were back again. I rebooted and ran an issues scan again thinking maybe DAF needed a reboot to fix. Same thing all over again. I booted into safe mode and ran an issues scan and they didn't go away there either.

If these Unused File Extensions are not harmful, I guess I can live with them but they are sure are annoying, appearing every time I run CCleaner. By the way, I downloaded Registry Mechanic which does not pick them up as file extension problems. Any other suggestions?

Thank you again, Cassie

7

Oh I get it... CCleaner is not a UNICODE compliant program (MrG: hint hint) and thus cannot delete any files or registry keys that contain UNICODE letters. Instead, UNICODE characters will show up as question marks. What you'll have to do is run regedit yourself (which is UNICODE compliant) and find those keys and delete them yourself. Basically, you *do* have appropriate permissions to touch them, but CCleaner is literally trying to delete a key with question marks in it (which are not actually question marks).

Start > Run > regedit.exe

Highlight HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT.

Hit Control+F (or Edit > Find) and type: _auto_file

Now you have to search repeatedly (by hitting F3) and looking around for the key. That's the harder way.

The easier way is to make me do it for you... right-click HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT, choose Export, and save to a file on your desktop. It'll take a long time to export, so don't freak out when it hangs. The file will be 10 or 20 MB. If you have a compression utility like WinRAR, 7zip, or even Winzip, zip the file you exported at the strongest possible compression. Then PM me and I'll give you my email address so you can send the zip. I'll then find the key and make a .reg file for you to import which will delete those keys.

8

Thank you DjLizard for your reply.

Because I don't have a compression utility at the moment, I ran regedit.exe and found the following:

r`(what looks like a box) _auto_file AB (Default) REG_SZ

Shell AB (Default) REG_SZ (value not set)

Edit AB (Default) REG_SZ &Edit

Command AB (Default) REG_SZ C:\Windows\notepad.exe%

Open AB (Default) REG_SZ (value not set)

Command AB (Default) REG_EXPAND_SZ

%SystemRoot%\System32\notepad.exe%1

(an open boxy looking 4)_auto_file AB (Default) REG_SZ

Shell AB (Default) REG_SZ (value not set)

Edit AB (Default) REG_SZ &Edit

Command AB (Default) REG_SZ C:\Windows\notepad.exe%

Open AB (Default) REG_SZ (value not set)

Command AB (Default) REG_EXPAND_SZ

%SystemRoot%\System32\notepad.exe%1

Do they look safe enough to delete? If so, I'll create a system restore point and delete them and see what happens, thereby saving you some work on my behalf.

Do you know what could have created these? Spyware? Virus?

Are these two issues harmful?

Does Registry Mechanic not find them because they contain Unicode?

Sorry I'm so full of questions but computer stuff facinates me and I like to learn.

Thank you so much for your help and patience with me.

Cassie

9

Hi Cassie,

These sites explain how the reg keys get created

http://personal.cfw.com/~tkprit/ui/re_types.html

http://www.windowsitpro.com/Articles/Index...playTab=Article

They are safe to remove.

Andy

10

Problem solved. My two little annoyances are gone. I ran regedit, found those keys and deleted them. I ran CCleaner a couple time last night, and again today and they do not get identified as issues any longer. I have only one problem yet to solve, but it is not a CCleaner problem so not for this forum. Little by little, I am getting this computer back in shape without having to format and reinstall everything, something I dreaded. Thank you so very much krit86lr, DjLizard, and AndyManchesta for helping me understand what this problem was and how to get rid of it.

Cassie

11

Problem solved. My two little annoyances are gone. I ran regedit, found those keys and deleted them. I ran CCleaner a couple time last night, and again today and they do not get identified as issues any longer. I have only one problem yet to solve, but it is not a CCleaner problem so not for this forum. Little by little, I am getting this computer back in shape without having to format and reinstall everything, something I dreaded. Thank you so very much krit86lr, DjLizard, and AndyManchesta for helping me understand what this problem was and how to get rid of it.

Cassie

12

Now MrG needs to add UNICODE support. :)