Is it possible to erase EVERYTHING on a computer by running CC Cleaner?

I ran CC Cleaner on my moms computer last night and now the prompt for her to log on doesn't come on and all of her icons are gone. PLEASE HELP!!

No it is not possible to delete everything on a computer using CCleaner.

However if you use the wrong tool in CCleaner, or use it in the wrong way. then it is possible to mess one up.

The two CCleaner Tools most likely to do that if used without being entirely sure of what you are doing are Registry Cleaner and Driver Updater.


Did you use either or both of those tools?

What you describe sound like the computer is booting into a 'Temporary Profile', Windows will sometimes do this if your main profile has a fault.

It's a way that Windows has to give you a change to fix the 'broken' profile.


Because it's a <em>temporary</em> account and not <em>your</em> account it doesn't have any of your icons, just the standard Windows icons.


When you/she restarts the computer does it say anything about being logged into a temporary acount?

Being logged in with a temporary profile can (usually) be fixed by someone with a modicum of computer knowledge, and the original profile restored.

This gives the 5 simplest fixes to try, if you are not confident about using any particular one then skip it and try the next, or get a family member or friend who is more familiar with computers to help.

https://www.guidingtech.com/top-ways-to-fix-logged-in-with-temporary-profile-error-on-windows/

If none of the methods there work then there are more advanced things to try, but you may need a 'techie' friend, or failing that a computer shop, to help.

Was your mom's computer backed up?

I'm assuming for now that this is Windows 10.

If when replying you can confirm that and tell us which Win 10 version it is then that could be helpful.


It also usually helps to know what antivirus is being used.

Hi Nukecad, I would like to know your opinion on if I should even run the Registry Cleaner at all? I did with my last computer, but simply deleted everything the Scan found. I've come to understand that this could mess up my computer? No, I have no idea what to parse out, or what to keep. Would there be somewhere I could learn? Thank you!

I know I'm not nukecad but I've followed the rules in my signature since XP and never had a bug

3 hours ago, Michael Byerly said:
<div class="ipsQuote_contents ipsClearfix" data-gramm="false">
	<p>
		Hi Nukecad, I would like to know your opinion on if I should even run the Registry Cleaner at all? I did with my last computer, but simply deleted everything the Scan found. I've come to understand that this could mess up my computer? No, I have no idea what to parse out, or what to keep. Would there be somewhere I could learn? Thank you!
	</p>
</div>

If you follow Nergal's 3-line advice in his signature you will proably be OK, but no guarantees.

If you just run Registry Cleaner blithely you will proably be OK, but no guarantees.

We do get posts here from people who have messed up their machine by using the Registry Cleaner.

Some of them say they have always used it (sometimes weekly) with no problems - until it suddenly is a problem.


In many cases they have to Repair or even completely Reinstall Windows to get their computer working again.

For the official Piriform advice on using the Registry Cleaner see this post by Dave CCleaner:

https://community.ccleaner.com/topic/59952-i-get-a-registry-error-on-ccleaner-on-windows-10-i-have-scanned-5-times/?tab=comments#comment-326804

Here is Microsofts advice on using any Registry Cleaner:

https://support.microsoft.com/en-gb/help/2563254/microsoft-support-policy-for-the-use-of-registry-cleaning-utilities

Personally I will use it if I have been doing a lot of installing/ununstalling, usually I'll only remove entries that are obviously connected to those installs/uninstalls or to downloads. (Those will ususally be left over Application Paths for things that have been uninstalled, and/or Installer References).

TBH even that doesn't <u>need</u> doing, a few (or even a few hundred/thousand) incorrect or leftover/unecessary registry entries only take up a few bytes of space and won't affect the running (or the speed) of your computer at all.

To put it in simple words:

If you never, ever, use a registry cleaner then you won't even know that there may be incorrect or orphaned registry entries, entries that don't affect your computers running in the slightest way.


If you do use a registry cleaner to remove any incorrect/orphaned entries then you take a risk that you could inadvertently remove something that is needed and so break your computer.

Once you see it spelled out like that then you see that there is no real need to use a registry cleaner, and especially not regularly, but there is a risk in using one.

In the end it's up to each person to decide if they want to take that risk.


(Registry Cleaning does have it's uses, it might help as part of if you are trying to fix/clean a computer that has been infected with malware, but that's an advanced job).