A true registry cleaner, exist ?

[vhelp]

Are there any registry cleaner utilities that I can obtain for the purpose of totally cleaning out the history of any software apps/suites I've installed ?

I have installed many OEM version series of Movie Factory and ULead suites that came with serial numbers (ones either printed on tapes onto the cd sleeves, or that came factory set inside the software)

I think that somewhere in one of these installs it corrupted the serials to the point that none of the suites will allow themselves to work, so I can't capture video from any of them.

So, I what I need is something that can resign permanently all these apps so that I can re-install the one that I really want back, which is the one that came with my ADS Video Xpress box, it had the best ULead mpeg encoder built into the OEM suite.

-vhelp 5218

[usta]

Have a look at this thread: https://forum.videohelp.com/topic318801.html?highlight=registery

[jollyjohn]

I use three different ones, including CC. They all find leftovers but I then go to Regedit and finish with a manual cleaning. There is no magic wand.

[lordsmurf]

CCleaner

[hech54]

There are software-specific removal tools.....like Norton Zap....put out by Norton(Symantec) to completely remove everything. I doubt Ulead has one but hey...they do exist....if that is indeed what you are looking for.

[Marvingj]

CCleaner is good but also use RegVac which seems to be good also.

[ranchhand]

This is what you need: http://www.hoverdesk.net/freeware.htm

It's free, and I have been using it for years. Do not use the auto cleaner function - I don't trust any of them, I haven't seen one yet that didn't eventually do some damage. However, the search feature is a gift to mankind. Just type in the name of the program you want to clean the remnants of, and it will scan your entire register and post all the entries that have that name in them. The actual name that you search in the string is posted in blue to help you check it out (nice feature). If you double-click on any entry, regedit will launch you to that actual entry in your register for direct editing (another nice feature). You can delete the whole bunch at once or singly at a time. You can choose to keep a backup or not. It has other fun features that I don't have the space here to explain. One thing I like doing when removing malware infections is to scan for the name of the bad file, and nuke all register entries for that file which cripples the virus. Then I go into explore and nuke it.

AND.... it's free. How can you lose?
Oh - and I am not the author, it's some guy in France.

[MOVIEGEEK]

I use three different ones, including CC. They all find leftovers but I then go to Regedit and finish with a manual cleaning. There is no magic wand.

That's what I do, it's tedious but manual cleaning is the only way to be sure.
Eusing Registry Cleaner is another one I use.
http://download.cnet.com/Eusing-Free-Registry-Cleaner/3000-2094_4-10521691.html

[Dr_Layne]

I use three different ones, including CC. They all find leftovers but I then go to Regedit and finish with a manual cleaning. There is no magic wand.

That's what I do, it's tedious but manual cleaning is the only way to be sure.
Eusing Registry Cleaner is another one I use.
http://download.cnet.com/Eusing-Free-Registry-Cleaner/3000-2094_4-10521691.html

That's a great program. I recently removed a Creative Labs Audigy 2 card from my PC. Uninstalled all the divers and software. Had 783 entries in the registry still.

A_L

[vhelp]

thank you everyone. I haven't picked up anything just yet..been too busy.

The problem that I'm having (I believe) is an isolated one. I kept installing different Ulead suites from the cd's for the (capture cards) products I had. I'm not sure when exactly (Ulead suite) stopped working correctly, but every time I Proceed to capture real-time to MPEG is when I would get the message that my serial key(s) are corrupted.

(I'm just looking to fix the isoluated issue with ULeads/Movie Factory software suite, not the whole registry and applications)

When I realized this, I proceeded in uninstalling every ULead and (movie factory) suite I had installed, and then install only one (for testing purposes) but no matter which one I would re-install, I would get the same message, or even an new one recently.. key expired. I got that one once, but it never showed up again. I'm guessing that I really screwed up by installing so many times that the registry is screwed up with ULeads RVS (registry verification system) and maybe has something to do with dates too. I don't know. But these OEM suites and stamped serials (on the cd sleeves) are not suppose to expire (assuming that is the case in some) but I still have these issues. I just want the main one that worked, but finding that exact one is now become tricky.

@ ranchhand, that description (link below) seems interesting. I"ll check it out, too.

http://www.hoverdesk.net/freeware.htm

Thanks everyone for your advice and tips,

-vhelp 5223

[ranchhand]

In your situation, first uninstall Ulead and make sure all entries in Explore/Program files are deleted. Then boot Regseeker, and type ULEAD into the search box. Regseeker will pull up every entry in your register that contains the word Ulead in it. Review each entry to verify. Make sure that autobackup is enabled (small check box lower left of screen) and nuke them. You can delete the whole bunch by holding Shift and clicking the first, then scroll to the last one and click again; that selects them all. Then reinstall Ulead and that should get you up & running again.

[JohnnyBob]

In future when you uninstall stuff, use RevoUninstaller then you probably won't end up with this problem in the first place.

[johns0]

The best registry cleaner is doing the good old format and reinstall,may take a couple hours to do with all the important files backed up first vs taking a couple hours manually cleaning the registry hoping it will fix things.

[hech54]

The best registry cleaner is doing the good old format and reinstall

NOT an option to 95% of the world's population and a gross overkill to anyone with the slightest amount of common sense.

[johns0]

The best registry cleaner is doing the good old format and reinstall

NOT an option to 95% of the world's population and a gross overkill to anyone with the slightest amount of common sense.

Its not overkill when your registry get screwed up real bad and spend hours trying to fix it,i only do a format when things get too bad and thats my recommendation.It would be overkill if it was a simple problem to fix.Sometimes its not so simple.