CCleaner

Hope this is the proper forum. I have a rebuilt computer (Dell Optiplex) that runs superbly. I have used CCleaner on my computers for several years but have read some not so good reviews of it lately and wondering if I should look at another program that has all the same functions? Thanks.

Hi, there is now this by MS, is new.  Am using it and seems to work well plus does other stuff : https://pcmanager.microsoft.com/en-us which a article says is little brother type.

System Ninja is not as destructive either

Note : Windows 95 had a Registry Cleaner you could download.

So as you say take it as it is'

EDIT : https://betanews.com/2024/02/08/microsoft-pc-manager-feels-like-ccleaners-little-brother/

Edited by Pkshadow, 18 February 2024 - 08:23 PM.

I am not a fan of any regisrtry cleaner, they can break your OS if used indiscriminately.
We used to see that a lot at the CCleaner forum, and still do occasionally if/when someone uses the included Reg Cleaner indiscriminately.
It's that one Reg Cleaning tool that gave CCleaner most of the bad reports - nowadays though it tends to be when someone uses the 'newer' Driver Updater tool without care.

Since Win8 a registry cleaner is not something for regular use and will not save much space or make your machine any faster.
It's a tool to use (usually in desparation) with a machine that is already having problems.
(It's a bit of a leftover in CCleaner and could really do with being made less prominent if not removed altogether).

I use CCleaner daily, both the Custom Clean and the Health Check sections as wanted, and personally I also find the Duplicate Finder tool handy.
The rest of the included tools need care in their use, like any other tool. Make sure that you know how to use them properly.
And don't use the Registry Cleaner as a regular cleaning tool, it isn't needed. You may get away with using it for years but it can only take a one time mistake to mess up a working machine.
For the official CCleaner advice on (not) using their registry cleaner see: 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

As alluded in that betanews article that Pkshadow linked above the newly realeased MS tool appears to be a 'dumbed down' copy of CCleaner with the more advanced options removed so that less techie users don't get into trouble using then without thinking first.

Interestingly you do still see people online saying that Microsoft advise against using CCleaner - However that just isn't true and CCleaner is even available as a download in the MS store.

Disclosure: I am a moderator on the CCleaner forum.
That doesn't mean that I won't call out anything wrong or even bad with it, I'm a user not an employee.

Edited by Nukecad, 19 February 2024 - 08:00 AM.

I have used CCleaner for years, possibly even decades, without the problems which the Net Warriors complain about.

The first time I used the Registry Cleaner. I used (and still use) the Recommended Parameters. There were dozens of items. I cleared them in batches of 10 at a time, with a backup (to my Documents Folder, so it's easy to find) and then re-booted between each Batch.

Now CCleaner's clean-up is part of my Sunday Maintenance Routine. A basic Health Check and the Registry (usually only 2 or 3 items). I also use their Uninstall, which I'm led to believe is slightly more efficient than Microsoft's offering. I know that there are more efficient ones out there, but those that I have tried are a deal to complex for my simple mind.

I download updates direct from Piriform and although I have to refuse their Browser, each time, they've never tried to foist anything else on me.

The uninstaller in CCleaner simply calls the Windows uninstaller routine, it's just easier/quicker to get to in CCleaner than in Windows settings.

Personally I've used Revo uninstaller for a number of years now, that also uses the standard uninstaller but then goes the extra mile in cleaning up what the standard uninstaller has left behind.

@wee-edie, a tip for you which many experienced CCleaner users use.

Don't let CCleaner Automatically update itself, turn it off in Options>Updates, - and don't click the check for updates either.
Instead when there is a new CCleaner version (about once a month) go here and download the latest 'Slim' installer, it's the 3rd one down: https://www.ccleaner.com/ccleaner/builds
Once downloaded double-click it to install the new version over the old one, it will pick up your settings and your licence if you have one.
It's a slightly different installer to the 'Standard' one, it installs the same CCleaner.

You are also less likely to be given an offer to download anything else, although that can still happen nowadays there are very big 'Decline' and 'Accept' buttons that you can't miss, and you have to click one or the other there is not a default so you can't accept by mistake.

I have it tell me when an update is available and make the choice myself, using the tick box provided.

I've been down the Revo route a couple of times, but found that I did not understand the various options that were on offer. They seem to have access to a different dictionary.

The uninstaller in CCleaner simply calls the Windows uninstaller routine, it's just easier/quicker to get to in CCleaner than in Windows settings.

 

Personally I've used Revo uninstaller for a number of years now, that also uses the standard uninstaller but then goes the extra mile in cleaning up what the standard uninstaller has left behind.

 

@wee-edie, a tip for you which many experienced CCleaner users use.

Don't let CCleaner Automatically update itself, turn it off in Options>Updates, - and don't click the check for updates either.
Instead when there is a new CCleaner version (about once a month) go here and download the latest 'Slim' installer, it's the 3rd one down: https://www.ccleaner.com/ccleaner/builds
Once downloaded double-click it to install the new version over the old one, it will pick up your settings and your licence if you have one.
It's a slightly different installer to the 'Standard' one, it installs the same CCleaner.

You are also less likely to be given an offer to download anything else, although that can still happen nowadays there are very big 'Decline' and 'Accept' buttons that you can't miss, and you have to click one or the other there is not a default so you can't accept by mistake.

In my experience it is not a good idea to use ccleaner or windows uninstaller. There is a lot of stuff INTENTIONALLY left behind. Revo, or geek, can scan your computer after uninstalling and you will be surprised that up to 100 reg entries are still left behind, f.e. for edge! As far as ccleaner reg entry deleting goes, I have NEVER heard of anyone who actually really himself had a problem, because he had used it... and I have been using ccleaner probably since when it was released, and (back then) it was always good.-......until "our friends" at Avast bought it....

The best version was 508.. but it has been disabled by ccleaner for Win 11, because it prevents permanent reminders to buy or install this or that, from what I heard. 

What would be latest USABLE version, without telemetry, and where can it be found for downloading??

Thank you

Edited by ThomasMann, 27 March 2024 - 10:58 PM.

Related & overlapping thread now happening here:

https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/forums/t/795914/ccleaner/