"Search" (ctrl + f) to Registry Cleaner

CCleaner for Windows CCleaner Windows Suggestions
1

My suggestion:

the ability to search the Registry Cleaner "found issues".

There are several occasions where I'm considering looking to remove registry keys associated with certain programs.

So, instead of me looking through a large list of keys---- CCleaner would be incredibly more useful to me if it would allow me to search the results of the Registry Cleaner scan.

For example:

I presently have CCleaner offering to "clean" a program that doesn't exist on my computer (whether due to an bad uninstall or upgrade, I don't know.)

I know that removing a few registry keys will address this problem------ I don't enjoy scrolling and scanning through a large list of registry keys upon clicking "scan for issues." It's tedious to do this on every machine with this issue and I'm sure many techs would be happy to see a built-in search function.

(Yes, I could save a text file and search through that. That's not a solution, that's a workaround. I adore the fantastic idea of ctrl + f bringing up a magical search dialogue.)

2

I like it.

3

Could also combine it with the ability to right click and select "Open in Regedit" if it's a registry key detection or "Open Path" if it's a folder/file detection. That could be useful on those cleaners which are still detected but have already been uninstalled, and since CCleaner's context menu is uncluttered with little options it could be useful.

4

+1

Been wishing for this a long time, actually started to post this same request several times but didn't.

CCleaner needs a registry editor that will find and remove registry entries using text string searches.

For example, find all instances of "Norton" and "Symantec" and offer to remove them.

By now, the moderators and some members are gearing up to make war on poor old login123. :ph34r:

The moderators are having visions of gazillions of posts saying that CCleaner destroyed something.

Members are saying "Just how stupid is that login fella, doesn't he know what he is getting into there?"

Also I know this has been suggested before, and not met with much approval.

Still, it is a serious recommendation. I know there are already apps that do this, but given the skill and track record of the Piriform team, I would feel more comfortable using one of their softwares.

I never do a sweeping registry cleanup, of say an entire category of registry issues, like the categories offered by CCleaner.

I always just remove a few entries at a time. So the only use I can make of CCleaner for this purpose is to find a class of suspects, then use some other method to hunt them down individually and decide about them.

Edit: I know that CCleaner will open individual entries in the registry editor, but it would be much faster to just look for every instance of, say, "norton"

OK, that's it. Its just a suggestion. Please don't send me hate mail or teach your children that I am an ogre.

5
It's tedious to do this on every machine with this issue and I'm sure many techs would be happy to see a built-in search function.

@Jake if you have a business licence, perhaps consider contacting Piriform directly with your suggestion.

@login123 I must admit to doing things the old fashioned way and doing my search for strings etc using regedit's 'find' facility.

6

@hazelnut, me too.

Reg editing is dangerous, scary.

One idea might be to include that function only in the pro or business version, thinking that those guys have enough IT know how to avoid serious mistakes.

7

I find Regscanner far more user friendly and much faster than RegEdit

http://www.nirsoft.n...regscanner.html

8

For example, find all instances of "Norton" and "Symantec" and offer to remove them.

Can't be done with 100% safety unless of course it could have a whitelist of the Security Center detection's/behaviour or anything else that's already built into the OS by Microsoft for certain antivirus/firewall software.

@login123 I must admit to doing things the old fashioned way and doing my search for strings etc using regedit's 'find' facility.

I use it too, but must admit it's just too slow which is why I'll alternate to using Nirsoft's RegScanner when I remember to use it.

9

CCleaner wouldn't have to remove the entries, just find them and offer to do so. Still dangerous, I know.

10

Could also combine it with the ability to right click and select "Open in Regedit" if it's a registry key detection or "Open Path" if it's a folder/file detection. That could be useful on those cleaners which are still detected but have already been uninstalled, and since CCleaner's context menu is uncluttered with little options it could be useful.

Heck yes, that'd be a fantastic addition.

-----

-----

@ Hazelnut

First of all, hi! I've always appreciated your input on the forums across all these years!

-No, I don't have a business license. I'm presently out of the professional computer repair game (gettin' a degree!)

-----

-----

@hazelnut, me too.

Reg editing is dangerous, scary.

One idea might be to include that function only in the pro or business version, thinking that those guys have enough IT know how to avoid serious mistakes.

I get where you're coming from. But this thinking (hesitation, as to protect users from themselves) has poisoned/delayed/stalled the introduction of software features throughout history.

Again, I know why you suggest such a thing (and I'm not saying it's bad) but anyone digging around their registry is already in "you shouldn't be here unless you know what you're doing" territory AND if they've clicked "scan for issues" they're plannin' on looking at/deleting registry keys anyway.

-----

-----

@Andavari

A whitelist is a lot of extra upkeep for Piriform to keep track of. (that'd probably function better as an "add-on", whether through a 3rd-party program or whatnot)

I think a registry program should either be low-powered (such as CCleaner's, and I'm glad for such) with less room for false positives or improper flags OR unhindered/uncensored for (risky, dangerous) full power.

While Piriform could do a good job of implementing a whitelist (because the Piriform crew is awesome) the registry isn't a place for the lol-how'd-I-get-here?

-----

-----

We all know the risks of meddling with the registry, and I think there's virtually no risk added to CCleaner's functionality by adding a "search" feature to the results page of the registry cleaner.

Thank you all for your posts and input. A lot of good energy here!

11

A whitelist is a lot of extra upkeep for Piriform to keep track of. (that'd probably function better as an "add-on", whether through a 3rd-party program or whatnot)

Well there already sort of is a whitelist the exclude feature, so there'd be no need for a plugin. What I was referring to in that post about a "whitelist" would only need to protect/ignore one single registry key location where those antivirus references are created during the OS installation.

12

Oh, if it's just a single registry key entry then that's super viable and would be a good consideration.

(pardon my ignorance)

13

Not everybody knows the risks of meddling with the registry, but 1 or 2 bad experiences will teach them (and I am not going to confess as to how I know that :P ). Most of the folks I know have a reeaallly limited knowledge how windows works.

One lady I know opened the clock in win xp then moved it forward 2 months to see what the day of the week would be. When finished, she clicked "OK". Sounds reasonable, eh? Better choice than "Cancel" which for all she knew would "Cancel" the clock, or "Apply" which meant nothing to her. And she didn't want to click the little red X and shut off the computer. Of course she crashed a bunch of stuff and had no idea where to turn next. Easy fix for even a non-tekkie like me, but she had no idea how to do it.

Anyway, the dilemma for developers is how to make an app powerful enough to be useful but still safe.

Still, I agree with your suggestion, Jake. A registry search function and a file path opener would be great if there were built in safeties. I'd probably call them "Open in Regedit" and "Jump to This File" for clarity.