Softpanorama
(slightly skeptical) Open Source Software Educational Society

May the source be with you, but remember the KISS principle ;-)

Google   

Free Windows Registry Tools Bulletin, 2005

[Nov 9, 2005] The 46 Best-ever Freeware Utilities Interface is interesting but the quality is extremely low. Very unstable, in Windows XP Professional SP2 hangs all the time.

41 Best Free Registry Editor
I've used the full version of Resplendent Registry Editor for years and have never had any reason to look for an alternative. Recently a subscriber asked me what was the best free registry editor and that made me realize I've never looked at that particular product category. The first product I checked out was Registrar Lite, the free version of Resplendent Registry Editor and I'd have to say it's an impressive freebie. To start with, it works totally reliably - an essential feature for any registry editor. On top of that, the user interface is simple, the functionality excellent and, perhaps most importantly, it has a really fast search. I did, however, miss a "search and delete" option - that's unfortunately only available on the full product. That said, it leaves Regedit for dead. If you know a better free registry editor, drop me an email. (2.0MB).
http://www.resplendence.com/reglite

[Oct 7, 2005] Registry Jumper - freeware registry navigation utility Provides HTML view of registry using regjump protocol.

Registry Jumper is a small utility that makes system registry navigation easier. This tool allows you to open desired registry keys in Windows® Regedit by one click. Works in two modes: GUI mode and command-line mode (opens the registry key supplied as a command-line parameter). Additionally, Registry Jumper handles the "regjump://" custom protocol, which, for example, can be used in links in HTML pages to point to specific registry locations.

Registry Jumper advantages

ZDNet Anchordesk

I like Lexun Freeware RegScrubXP to clean the registry, and it contains many XP tweaks as well. It will run on XP/2000 only. Check out other good system apps on their website as well:

 http://www.lexundesigns.com/LexunFreeware/

RegClean [The RegClean Utility has been withdrawn by Microsoft ]

I have Windows XP Pro and still use the free program designed for Windows 98, RegClean. It works just great and I have never had a problem with it. I use it about once a month just for maintenance. If you ever do have a problem, just double click on the Undo file and it will restore the deleted entries.

Posted by: rfcresto    Posted on: 12/23/04

4 freeware solutions

Use more than one reg cleaner because each one will find what others miss.

3 good free ones are RegClean by Microsoft, Easy Cleaner by Toni Helenius (do NOT pay for a subscription to toniarts.com--that's not Toni's site), and CCleaner.

In addition get Spybot Search & Destroy, and activate its subsidiary module called "Tea Timer". That acts as a registry watchdog, alerting you any time any pgm tries to make any changes to your registry.

Posted by: Neil Parks    Posted on: 12/23/04

The RegClean Utility has been withdrawn by Microsoft

On computers with Windows XP. RegClean can causes problems with some Microsoft Programs. So Microsoft no longer supports the RegClean Utility and has removed if from all Microsoft download sites.

Microsoft KnowledgeBase Article 299958

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;299958

[Aug 25, 2005] Freeware Find Best Free Registry Tools list of several interesting registry tools.

[Aug 24, 2005] What a great app!

Feedback for the page Spyware Removal Using Spybot S&D; slightly edited for clarity:

Thanks for recommending this freeware -  I recently cleaned my pc from a Trojan which disabled the wallpaper and gave a warning tool in the task bar telling me to buy some anti malware software. I knew this was a hack from the start and set about cleaning the registry , resetting dodgy files in SYSTEM32 to a .doc extension, etc but I was not able to clean certain items - I was not allowed to delete certain entries from the registry (in particular the RUN key) - seemed like a permissions problem. I ran recommended program in safe mode booting of XP and I cleaned everything it found and the machine seems much happier now!

What I would like to know is how you remove an item from the registry when you know its bad . I tried messing about with the permissions on the item but nothing worked.

... ... ...

Keep up the great work!

Regards

Peter

Peter,

There are several good free registry editors,  watchers. See Free Registry Tools for more information. But the first step is easy to do with regular Windows registry editor (regex.exe):

Often spyware is pretty primitive and removal of the component that is installed in

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run

registry key disinfects the PC.

To do this follow the step outlines below. Be very careful working with the registry and do not delete entries just because they look suspicious. check each of them as outlined below:

  1. Open your registry in regedit
    • Click "start" (bottom left of your screen)
    • Select "Run"
    • Type "regedit"  in the command line displayed
    • Click OK. 
  2. In a tree that is shown select HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE
    • then click on + sign for the key SOFTWARE
    • then click on + sign for the key Microsoft
    • then click on + sign for the key Windows
    • then click on + sign for the key CurrentVersion
    • then click on + sign for the key Run
  3. Put a bookmark for the Run entry (Click Favorites, Add to Favorites and preserve the name Run that Microsoft Registry Editor suggests, so that you can gat tot he same place quickly if you need to.
  4. Print all entries (File, Print).  Look for suspicious entries, that have strange names, load programs from strange locations, etc but don't take any actions on them.
  5. Open Windows Explorer  Click on  Tools, Folder options , View and and Details View and
    • uncheck:
      • Hide extensions for know file types
      • Hide protected operating system files
    • check
      • Show hidden files and folders
      • Remember each folder view setting

    click apply to all folders and OK.
     

  6. Find each suspicious file from the printed list of Run section and check the creation date. After that go to the listed directory find the file, left click and click on properties. Check Version section.  If Description is missing, Version is missing or this is an unknown company, then the file is suspicious.
  7. For each suspicious file search Goggle. If Google search proves that this entry belongs to spyware  simply delete the key.
  8. For each other file try to search Google. But be critical as for results. do not rush to delete it without additional consultation in one of the recommended in Fighting Adware/Spyware Paranoia page forums.

Distributing Registry Changes in Windows 2000 By Kathy Ivens

This article is from the April 2001 issue of Windows 2000 Magazine.

3 ways to make registry changes on systems across your network—without leaving your desk

Whenever I talk or write about using registry changes to troubleshoot problems, people ask the same question: "How do I make a registry change on multiple computers without traveling to each machine?" To distribute registry modifications across the network, you can use one of three methods: imported registration (.reg) files, regini.exe, or group or system policies.

Before I discuss these options, I'm compelled to give the usual warning: Messing with the registry is dangerous. Don't try any of these suggestions unless you're comfortable with the registry and you qualify as a power user. Before you begin, you can use regedit.exe to export a key as a backup measure. The exported file carries the .reg extension. Importing the file back into the registry is a quick way to repair the damage if your manipulation of the key causes problems. (Even if you prefer to work with regedt32, you should open regedit first and export the key you're going to tweak. Regedit's export and import features are easier to use than regedt32's equivalent backup procedures.)

You can apply many user and computer restrictions through Group Policy Editor (GPE — in Windows 2000) or System Policy Editor (SPE—in Windows NT and Windows 9x). This article assumes that those resources don't already include the changes you want to make and that registry tweaks are your best option.

Sample chapters from windows books

Managing The Windows 2000 Registry
http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/mwin2reg/chapter/index.html" Using Group Policies

Copyright © 1996-2008 by Dr. Nikolai Bezroukov. www.softpanorama.org was created as a service to the UN Sustainable Development Networking Programme (SDNP) in the author free time. Submit comments This document is an industrial compilation designed and created exclusively for educational use and is placed under the copyright of the Open Content License(OPL). Original materials copyright belong to respective owners. Quotes are made for educational purposes only in compliance with the fair use doctrine.

Standard disclaimer: The statements, views and opinions presented on this web page are those of the author and are not endorsed by, nor do they necessarily reflect, the opinions of the author present and former employers, SDNP or any other organization the author may be associated with. We do not warrant the correctness of the information provided or its fitness for any purpose.

Last modified: March 15, 2008