Tools

CCleaner for Windows
1

I am really ignorant but trying to learn and hope this is not a stupid question.

On the Tools option a list is generated. Programs to remove. Is this a list of old applications and updates. Is this list what CCleaner thinks are safe to remove, or do I need to somehow know if these programs are needed. To me it looks like old updates and prior versions of installed software? Can I safely remove these programs?

I did a search and could not see this question.

Thanks for your help.

2

I am really ignorant but trying to learn and hope this is not a stupid question.

On the Tools option a list is generated. Programs to remove. Is this a list of old applications and updates. Is this list what CCleaner thinks are safe to remove, or do I need to somehow know if these programs are needed. To me it looks like old updates and prior versions of installed software? Can I safely remove these programs?

NOOOOOO. Thats your installed programs, remove them you'll have a very empty computer. Its basically whats listed in Add/Remove programs with some extra programs that Windows doesn't display.

3

Thanks, Seeing the title Programs to remove confused me.

4

Welcome to the CCleaner Forums reddswiss! :)

Thanks, Seeing the title Programs to remove confused me.

Well at least you asked first before removing anything. ;)

Also check out the CCleaner Beginner's Guide for a more in-depth explanation of features.

5

reddswiss asked:

To me it looks like old updates and prior versions of installed software? Can I safely remove these programs?

and

JDPower answered:

NOOOOOO. Thats your installed programs, remove them you'll have a very empty computer. Its basically whats listed in Add/Remove programs with some extra programs that Windows doesn't display.

That is not particulary true.

The Windows-Add/Remove Programs are indeed listed there, but the Information provided is not always displaying the current and correct load of Programs that are actually installed on your Windows-System - more on the contrary - the Information provided by the Windows-System (that also CCleaner-Tools is depending on) can be sometimes defective as it belongs to the Install-Section of the Windows-MSI-Installer. That one might also defectively announce previous Versions of Programms that actually don?t exist anymore, especially if you have installed a newer Version of a Program over an existing older one without completely uninstalling the older one beforehand. The MSI-Installer then displays the old and the new Version. Same happens if a Program hasn?t been properly uninstalled.

The correct path for deletion in the Registry would therefore be:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER/Software/Microsoft/Installer/Products/{Number-ValueXXX}/ProductName or PackageName [Date]

so it is actually true to say, old Versions of Programs or old Programs might be displayed within the Tools-Section of CCleaner - just try to be careful with the Program (or Version) you want to delete - there I agree with JDPower.

Oliver