Broke Basic PC functions

[CCbrokemyPC]

Installed Ccleaner, Ran the registry cleaner. Instantly My audio devices stopped working, My windows search and start menu stopped working, Discord no longer opens on my PC. AND it has blocked me from restoring registry backups.
The amount of damage this program did in 1 click is astounding. 
The fact that it somehow blocked me from restoring a back up of my registry makes me think this is intentionally implemented Malicious software. 

[nukecad]

We recommend that you don't regularly use the Registry Cleaner with Windows 10 or 11, only use it if you have a specific problem.
The Registry Cleaner is meant as a tool for fixing things if there is a problem, it is not meant for regular use.

Using any registry cleaner will not speed up your machine in any way, and only saves a few KB of disc space.
Using a registry cleaner on a healthy machine can even 'break' it, as you have found.

Windows 10/11 changes the registry too often to make using any registry cleaner safe.
You might get away with using one, - but doing it regularly can and does lead to problems.
For the official Piriform advice on using the CCleanerRegistry Cleaner see this: 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

Think of it something like a chainsaw, - anyone can get one and it's a good tool for the right job, but it can cause real problems if used indiscriminately.

[CCbrokemyPC]

https://www.ccleaner.com/ccleaner/is-ccleaner-safe#:~:text=CCleaner is both secure and safe to use.&text=Security%2C safety and privacy are,will be safe to use.

According to your website, it is safe to use, 
Compared to a chainsaw which has CLEAR warning labels


I followed the directions given by CCleaner. At no point did i insert a chainsaw into my laptop.
I "Scanned for issues",  Clicked "Review selected issues", Created the backup of my registry as prompted to do, then in your words, your app inserted a chainsaw into my laptop and blocked me from removing it?



I get the pop-up
" Not all data was succesfully written to the registry. Some keys are open by the system or other processes, or you have insufficient privileges to perform this operation."

I have already made sure im using an admin profile, confirmed i had privileges on every folder in the registry..
I also started the laptop in safemode and attempted to restore the back up from there and still received the same error.

I understand your software might be more dangerous to use than advertised, but i dont understand why it's also blocked me from restoring back ups.
 

[CCbrokemyPC]

Update, attempting to use recovery tools to restore a previous point before installing this software, but it appears since Ccleaner has access to system restore points, it also deleted ALL of my previous restore points, disabled the feature in windows completely, and blocked me from creating or even enabling the feature anymore...
Not sure what else to do besides a complete factory reset at this point. Chainsaw safety certainly isnt helping anything here.

 

[Augeas]

I sympathise with your problem, and can add little, a factory reset seems to be the way to go.

In Win 10 system restore is disabled by default (except on updates, when it  is temporarily enabled and then disabled again). So unless the user activates it, it will be disabled. But you should be able to enable it whenever you wish.

I only use the registry cleaner to remove unknown file extensions and perhaps bad links to no longer there files, and that's only very rarely. I suspect that more complex systems - those with more applications installed - are at a higher risk from registry 'cleaners', especially if a Clean All approach is taken. But that, like the fact that both my chainsaws use low kickback chains, is of little use to you.

 

[nukecad]

I also do sympathise, (and the chainsaw metaphore was just that - a exaggerated metaphore).

Whilst CCleaner's Registry Cleaner is one of the more 'gentle' ones out there it's still the fact that any registry cleaner can break a computer if not used carefully.

Registry Cleaners do still have their uses in Windows 10/11, but that use is fairly specialised and not for regular cleaning.

We do see users break their machines by using CCleaner's Registry Cleaner, and it has been promised for a while now that it will be moved into 'Tools' so that it's less prominent and less of a temptation to unwary users. (It will/should be given a stronger warning as well).

 

On a more practical note:

Unfortunately if you do break your machine using a registry cleaner then it will need to be restored back to health.
Personally I'd first try using SFC and DISM to repair and restore the system image.
https://www.howtogeek.com/222532/how-to-repair-corrupted-windows-system-files-with-the-sfc-and-dism-commands/

In the end though sometimes the only real solution it to reset/reinstall Windows.
You can usually do that keeping your current files and apps.

In either case then as you can still access your machine I'd make a backup your files to an external disc drive before starting the repairs.
(You should make regular backups anyway, the cost of an external drive isn't much these days and is well worth it to keep a copy of your precious, sometimes irreplacable, files safe).

[CCbrokemyPC]

SFC and DISM had no effect. 
Still completely blocked out from restoring the registry back ups, and unable to recover the savepoints i manually set up which CCleaner deleted.

If i need to backup all my files to an external hard drive i expect you will be providing me with one to do that?
Your "completely safe" software destroyed basic windows. You can not continue advertising this as safe software while destroying computers.

I either expect a new laptop of equal hardware, or the external hard drive to back up my files in order to factory reset to fix the damages youve done.