Opinions on Registry Cleaner I wrote nearly 4 years ago I im
This reminds me of when me and my friends created that XP/2000 Tweaker and got heat for it. Better watch when you post your own programs on here. Not that I care, it was the past. . . . but good stuff man.
This reminds me of when me and my "friends" created that XP/2000 Tweaker and got heat for it.
Better watch when you post your own programs on here.
Not that I care, it was the past....but good stuff man...someday, I'll get back in to doing something like that, on my own this time.
Better watch when you post your own programs on here.
Not that I care, it was the past....but good stuff man...someday, I'll get back in to doing something like that, on my own this time.
Participate on our website and join the conversation
This topic is archived. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast.
Responses to this topic
Ok, a bit more info - I re-read that 2nd error message & decided to try disabling Visual Styles & try again. This time I got this:
then when I click ok on that I got this:
then the prog opened! I ran the analysis & it found 95 errors results & took about 20mins. Considering I'm using a faster CPU than you or 1 or 2 of the others I was a little surprised @ how long it was taking, so I checked on CPU useage & it stayed fairly steady between 4 & 6%. It might be interesting to see how much quicker its progress would be if it utilised more of the available CPU power.
When I re-enable Visual Styles it goes back to not working & gives the original 2 error messages.
<edit>
I forgot to mention - it needs wheel-mouse support as well.
</edit>
<edit 2>
Sorry to keep finding fault dude, but when I deleted a few of the results/orphans/whatever it didn't just delete them, & continue to show the rest, but it blanked the list as well, so to do any others I had to re-analyse. That could get real annyoung after doing it a few times.
</edit 2>
then when I click ok on that I got this:
then the prog opened! I ran the analysis & it found 95 errors results & took about 20mins. Considering I'm using a faster CPU than you or 1 or 2 of the others I was a little surprised @ how long it was taking, so I checked on CPU useage & it stayed fairly steady between 4 & 6%. It might be interesting to see how much quicker its progress would be if it utilised more of the available CPU power.
When I re-enable Visual Styles it goes back to not working & gives the original 2 error messages.
<edit>
I forgot to mention - it needs wheel-mouse support as well.
</edit>
<edit 2>
Sorry to keep finding fault dude, but when I deleted a few of the results/orphans/whatever it didn't just delete them, & continue to show the rest, but it blanked the list as well, so to do any others I had to re-analyse. That could get real annyoung after doing it a few times.
</edit 2>
Quote:You had 2 instances of it running... it will issue that if you try to start more than one instance (so it is not doing anything to the registry 2x).
No, I did not have 2 instances running, I'm not stupid. It happened the 1st time I ran it & I can reproduce the error with Task Manager open to show that there's only 1 instance running & post a screen capture of that if it'll make you believe me.
Quote:Did you run it AFTER reading the directions on how to install it using either the automating batchfile, OR the manual installation directions?
Those are errors you'd see if you did not install it properly.
(Missing the .reg files that are in the zipfile... they have to be in your Windows folder, usually C:\WINDOWS or C:\WINNT)
According to the readme it's a no-brainer, just unzip [which I'd already done to get the readme], then run InstallMe2kXPME.bat. Having just checked the batch file, I think you need to brush up on your DOS. I didn't bother with the manual install as I thought that if you could manage a registry cleaning prog then you'd know your way around DOS.
Quote:P.S.=> Those errors you saw are the results of simply just not installing it right, & also trying to run 2 instances of it at once... you install it right & avoid having it 2x in RAM, you'll be fine! Everyone else did fine, except for yourself, & I know those errors... installation not done right is all, no biggie... should fix ya up!
No, they are the result of you making a mistake in the batch file. You shouldn't be so quick to blame a user for problems with a prog that you're still beta testing. If you'd checked the batch file properly then there would be no need to do a manual install. Under normal circumstances I would have told you what's wrong with it, but as you were so quick to blame me I'll let you figure it out yourself.
Also, something like this rather dents my confidence in using a prog that you've written that does stuff that's a lot more complicated than DOS.
Quote:On the "Visual Styles" thing... I don't use it here. Sounds like it is trying to mask/overlay how a program form draws itself.
If that is the case, I can see it messing around with my program... definitely. I do that as it is right now, with the black to dark blue title bar gradient... sounds like it is in your face!
(That's a first too, in this test...)
*
I've never come accross a prog that had a prob with Style XP before. I discovered that it is actually that & not specifically Visual Styles. Style XP gives you more control over Styles & allows U to use more than the 3 that come with XP.
Quote:P.S.=> "Visual Styles"... I am not familiar with that, what is it? Some 3rd party skinner? I dunno, I had trouble with those here & stopped using programs of that ilk, like Window Blinds... so it is not tested with that! apk
Visual Styles is part of XP, it does kinda skin all [well, most] progs, but not as much as more traditional skinning progs. You know when you 1st install XP & the start button & window frames & title bar buttons look different to that of previous versions of Windows, rounded & 3D? Well that's the new Visual Styles thing [like themes on steroids ].
Quote:Put those files where it instructs to have them... simple fix.
Actually, I think I'll pass.
Quote:(Not a bad display, 95 errors is a pretty good find rate. You must do alot of file shuffling/using &/or deleting...)
Not really, quite a few of them were things like recently used file lists stored by XP itself, & some stored by other progs, eg Paintshop Pro. Things like that are normally the domain of security-type progs that remove traces/records of what you've been doing, not registry cleaners. There were also a bunch of files referenced that are part of windows [i don't remember what specifically & can't be bothered to look again].
Quote:Could be your registry is just bigger/more packed with entries, could be variation in diskspeeds too...
I have an IBM Deskstar 75GXP on a KT7A-RAID v1.3 mobo, running in UDMA/100 mode so I don't think it's a disc accessing problem. Neither Norton Uninstaller Deluxe or Norton Windoctor take anywhere near as long, & Norton Windoctor does a fair bit more in less time.
Quote:Most of your "faults" are easily fixed. Bad install looks like caused 1/2 of them with files not in right spots,
So fix the batch file, or as someone else suggested try a proper installer, like Nullsoft's 1.
Quote:the rest are result of your use of this Visual Styles thing.
Style XP is actually a rather popular prog, so you might wanna get hold of it & find some way to solve the prob, as ppl might get put off if they have to disable it everytime they want to use your prog.
Quote:Delete them ALL at one shot. The program is designed to be SAFE, by not exposing OLE Server controls... anything it finds is 100% safe as a candidate for deletion. It was designed with safety in mind foremost, & I'd guarantee that.
If you EVER doubt it?
You can always restore from its file tracking method or eventlog tracking... all time/date stamped too!
No way! If I don't even trust progs made by major software companies to do it automatically, & insist on going through the results & deciding which 1s to fix/delete & which ones to leave alone then I'll be damned if I'm gonna trust a prog that although showing potential, still needs a fair bit of work. I don't care if it does do backups - I prefer to avoid problems in the 1st place than sort them out afterwards,
No, I did not have 2 instances running, I'm not stupid. It happened the 1st time I ran it & I can reproduce the error with Task Manager open to show that there's only 1 instance running & post a screen capture of that if it'll make you believe me.
Quote:Did you run it AFTER reading the directions on how to install it using either the automating batchfile, OR the manual installation directions?
Those are errors you'd see if you did not install it properly.
(Missing the .reg files that are in the zipfile... they have to be in your Windows folder, usually C:\WINDOWS or C:\WINNT)
According to the readme it's a no-brainer, just unzip [which I'd already done to get the readme], then run InstallMe2kXPME.bat. Having just checked the batch file, I think you need to brush up on your DOS. I didn't bother with the manual install as I thought that if you could manage a registry cleaning prog then you'd know your way around DOS.
Quote:P.S.=> Those errors you saw are the results of simply just not installing it right, & also trying to run 2 instances of it at once... you install it right & avoid having it 2x in RAM, you'll be fine! Everyone else did fine, except for yourself, & I know those errors... installation not done right is all, no biggie... should fix ya up!
No, they are the result of you making a mistake in the batch file. You shouldn't be so quick to blame a user for problems with a prog that you're still beta testing. If you'd checked the batch file properly then there would be no need to do a manual install. Under normal circumstances I would have told you what's wrong with it, but as you were so quick to blame me I'll let you figure it out yourself.
Also, something like this rather dents my confidence in using a prog that you've written that does stuff that's a lot more complicated than DOS.
Quote:On the "Visual Styles" thing... I don't use it here. Sounds like it is trying to mask/overlay how a program form draws itself.
If that is the case, I can see it messing around with my program... definitely. I do that as it is right now, with the black to dark blue title bar gradient... sounds like it is in your face!
(That's a first too, in this test...)
*
I've never come accross a prog that had a prob with Style XP before. I discovered that it is actually that & not specifically Visual Styles. Style XP gives you more control over Styles & allows U to use more than the 3 that come with XP.
Quote:P.S.=> "Visual Styles"... I am not familiar with that, what is it? Some 3rd party skinner? I dunno, I had trouble with those here & stopped using programs of that ilk, like Window Blinds... so it is not tested with that! apk
Visual Styles is part of XP, it does kinda skin all [well, most] progs, but not as much as more traditional skinning progs. You know when you 1st install XP & the start button & window frames & title bar buttons look different to that of previous versions of Windows, rounded & 3D? Well that's the new Visual Styles thing [like themes on steroids ].
Quote:Put those files where it instructs to have them... simple fix.
Actually, I think I'll pass.
Quote:(Not a bad display, 95 errors is a pretty good find rate. You must do alot of file shuffling/using &/or deleting...)
Not really, quite a few of them were things like recently used file lists stored by XP itself, & some stored by other progs, eg Paintshop Pro. Things like that are normally the domain of security-type progs that remove traces/records of what you've been doing, not registry cleaners. There were also a bunch of files referenced that are part of windows [i don't remember what specifically & can't be bothered to look again].
Quote:Could be your registry is just bigger/more packed with entries, could be variation in diskspeeds too...
I have an IBM Deskstar 75GXP on a KT7A-RAID v1.3 mobo, running in UDMA/100 mode so I don't think it's a disc accessing problem. Neither Norton Uninstaller Deluxe or Norton Windoctor take anywhere near as long, & Norton Windoctor does a fair bit more in less time.
Quote:Most of your "faults" are easily fixed. Bad install looks like caused 1/2 of them with files not in right spots,
So fix the batch file, or as someone else suggested try a proper installer, like Nullsoft's 1.
Quote:the rest are result of your use of this Visual Styles thing.
Style XP is actually a rather popular prog, so you might wanna get hold of it & find some way to solve the prob, as ppl might get put off if they have to disable it everytime they want to use your prog.
Quote:Delete them ALL at one shot. The program is designed to be SAFE, by not exposing OLE Server controls... anything it finds is 100% safe as a candidate for deletion. It was designed with safety in mind foremost, & I'd guarantee that.
If you EVER doubt it?
You can always restore from its file tracking method or eventlog tracking... all time/date stamped too!
No way! If I don't even trust progs made by major software companies to do it automatically, & insist on going through the results & deciding which 1s to fix/delete & which ones to leave alone then I'll be damned if I'm gonna trust a prog that although showing potential, still needs a fair bit of work. I don't care if it does do backups - I prefer to avoid problems in the 1st place than sort them out afterwards,
Firstly, it's XP Pro that I'm using.
Now, about the batch file: I'm not a DOS guru, nor have I claimed to be, but I did use it quite a lot in the past, & still do use it now & then when I think it's appropriate. [FYI DosFreak's the DOS guru on here ]. It's not a complicated thing, & I believe in circumstances such as this, when something's really simple to try & get the person to think it through for themselves, that way they're less likely to do the same thing again in the future than if you just give them the answer. If it was something complex I would have told you.
I'll give you a clue: there are possibilities that you should have accounted for, but haven't. Have some of whatever chills you out [for me it's coffee really gonna kick yourself. It's 1 of those things that you can sometimes miss because it's too obvious.
2nd clue: your DOS syntax is fine, the flaw's in your logic.
3rd Clue: both batchfiles have same problem [i didn't use both, but had a look @ other 1].
As to the manual install thing - like I said - once you realise your mistake you will no-longer need the manual install option.
On the subject of StyleXP & performance hits - no, that's not how it works. The ability to use visual styles is built into XP, however [for whatever reason] by default, you can only use the 3 styles that come with XP. To use any others you have to get a prog like StyleXP [though it's possible that there may be more in the Plus! pack, but I don't have that]. Once installed StyleXP doesn't actually use any memory, except when you have it loaded up to change Styles, themes, etc. The actual .dll [which after the install of StyleXP is a patched v. of MS's 1] uses up 1080k as far as I can tell, which these days isn't a lot. My mum has it installed on her P2/450 with 128MB RAM & a 16MB TNT1, & I don't notice any performance hit with it. The things that can cause a performance hit on XP are stuff like animated [as in sliding open] windows, list boxes, & menus, but I don't use any of those.
I have used other skinning progs in the past, 1 in particular [Windowblinds] had a noticeable performance hit, but Visual Styles don't.
About trusting your prog: Sorry, but whenever possible I like to know exactly what a prog is going to do before I let it do it [i'm not really a paranoid control freak, honest! ].
Now, about the batch file: I'm not a DOS guru, nor have I claimed to be, but I did use it quite a lot in the past, & still do use it now & then when I think it's appropriate. [FYI DosFreak's the DOS guru on here ]. It's not a complicated thing, & I believe in circumstances such as this, when something's really simple to try & get the person to think it through for themselves, that way they're less likely to do the same thing again in the future than if you just give them the answer. If it was something complex I would have told you.
I'll give you a clue: there are possibilities that you should have accounted for, but haven't. Have some of whatever chills you out [for me it's coffee really gonna kick yourself. It's 1 of those things that you can sometimes miss because it's too obvious.
2nd clue: your DOS syntax is fine, the flaw's in your logic.
3rd Clue: both batchfiles have same problem [i didn't use both, but had a look @ other 1].
As to the manual install thing - like I said - once you realise your mistake you will no-longer need the manual install option.
On the subject of StyleXP & performance hits - no, that's not how it works. The ability to use visual styles is built into XP, however [for whatever reason] by default, you can only use the 3 styles that come with XP. To use any others you have to get a prog like StyleXP [though it's possible that there may be more in the Plus! pack, but I don't have that]. Once installed StyleXP doesn't actually use any memory, except when you have it loaded up to change Styles, themes, etc. The actual .dll [which after the install of StyleXP is a patched v. of MS's 1] uses up 1080k as far as I can tell, which these days isn't a lot. My mum has it installed on her P2/450 with 128MB RAM & a 16MB TNT1, & I don't notice any performance hit with it. The things that can cause a performance hit on XP are stuff like animated [as in sliding open] windows, list boxes, & menus, but I don't use any of those.
I have used other skinning progs in the past, 1 in particular [Windowblinds] had a noticeable performance hit, but Visual Styles don't.
About trusting your prog: Sorry, but whenever possible I like to know exactly what a prog is going to do before I let it do it [i'm not really a paranoid control freak, honest! ].
For a start, when you extract the program, you might extract it to another drive, other then C. It could be D, E, F, X, even a network drive, and in which case, your installation batch file would fail.
It seems a lil pointless to me to copy all those registry files to multiple places. Thats bad practice dude. Its a lil messy if you ask me.
So I installed it, and I ran it. Things I noticed: -
1. The title bar flickers like mad, as its changing to a 'working' message, and its original constantly, as does the mouse cursor... urgh.
2. Its using next to no processing power.. what gives? LOw CPU utilisation code? or perhaps Delphi (thats what you develop in yes?) just can't use resources very efficiently (even on the high CPU setting which doesn't change Window's own priority, though I guess it an internal setting to your program).
3. It takes freakin' ages to complete a run! It may find a lot more entries (according to everyone elses results), but to take as much time as it does, it just doesn't feel right. I clicked 'Analyze' (spelt wrong btw? Should it not be Analyse?) over 10 minutes ago and its still going. I'll update this post when its finished with the final time.
4. Its not multi-threaded.
5. There is no difference between the 16-bit and 32-bit menu options when running in XP, and I'd say 2000 but I can't check that to verify it. It would be nice if you talor the options dynamically to suit the OS that its running on.
6. There is an icon on the taskbar and in the system tray, and no option to have either one. Both is pointless.
Oh, and I agree with Alien about the list clearing when you delete stuff - if it does do that. I'm yet to find out... its still bloomin' scanning after about 10 mins!!!!!! 8) Thats crazy.
Also, you should have an option to save the keys it finds, so that you can load it up again later. Just a thought.
EDIT: O'kay the program is still running and I have go out, so I'm unable to see how long it'll take. Its at 70% and its been over 40 minutes amd found less then 30 keys.
--Cynan.
It seems a lil pointless to me to copy all those registry files to multiple places. Thats bad practice dude. Its a lil messy if you ask me.
So I installed it, and I ran it. Things I noticed: -
1. The title bar flickers like mad, as its changing to a 'working' message, and its original constantly, as does the mouse cursor... urgh.
2. Its using next to no processing power.. what gives? LOw CPU utilisation code? or perhaps Delphi (thats what you develop in yes?) just can't use resources very efficiently (even on the high CPU setting which doesn't change Window's own priority, though I guess it an internal setting to your program).
3. It takes freakin' ages to complete a run! It may find a lot more entries (according to everyone elses results), but to take as much time as it does, it just doesn't feel right. I clicked 'Analyze' (spelt wrong btw? Should it not be Analyse?) over 10 minutes ago and its still going. I'll update this post when its finished with the final time.
4. Its not multi-threaded.
5. There is no difference between the 16-bit and 32-bit menu options when running in XP, and I'd say 2000 but I can't check that to verify it. It would be nice if you talor the options dynamically to suit the OS that its running on.
6. There is an icon on the taskbar and in the system tray, and no option to have either one. Both is pointless.
Oh, and I agree with Alien about the list clearing when you delete stuff - if it does do that. I'm yet to find out... its still bloomin' scanning after about 10 mins!!!!!! 8) Thats crazy.
Also, you should have an option to save the keys it finds, so that you can load it up again later. Just a thought.
EDIT: O'kay the program is still running and I have go out, so I'm unable to see how long it'll take. Its at 70% and its been over 40 minutes amd found less then 30 keys.
--Cynan.
Quote:It uses %systemroot% & %windir%... whatever system you use that on it will find the proper Windows folder (or should since those are system environment variables) in the batch installers, & in the code itself in the .exe file, it uses API calls to find what it needs thru the GetWindowsDirectory API call.
A quote from it:
"1.) Copy the program APKRegistryCleaner.exe to you harddrive (anywhere, as it is fully self-guiding & intelligent code that can find your system registry automatically) & run it."
A harddrive is NOT a network drive, although, once the files are in place, it will run even from a floppy.
If I extract your program to a folder on D: say, 'D:\APKRegClean', and then run your installer, it will fail. Why? Because the very first line executes 'C:'. So sorry bud, but no, whatever system you are on, it won't work if like I said, you extracted it to another drive.
Quote:
Quote:It seems a lil pointless to me to copy all those registry files to multiple places. Thats bad practice dude. Its a lil messy if you ask me.
Is it? Do you know the exact mechanics of this program?? You have not considered if it is necessary for it to function for it to be that way... clue:
IT IS! Absolutely necessary for one reason only: Safety.
[snip]
Actually I did, and I know how I would have done it. Just take what I said as a friendly comment. I'm not going to get into the logistics of this with you.
Quote:
Quote:
So I installed it, and I ran it. Things I noticed: -
1. The title bar flickers like mad, as its changing to a 'working' message, and its original constantly, as does the mouse cursor... urgh.
That's to let users know it is working & was at user request.
How... urm, poo (imo.. no offense intended). How about a small lil panel that alternates its colour? Using the title bar is.. well, I don't like it, but then I guess it doesn't matter if I do or not, as I won't be using your program really. Just thought I'd give you my feedback.
Quote:
This also (as a side benefit to me) makes it harder for others to dissassemble as well, changing titlebars.
...must be really crap programmers trying to disassemble it then if that causes them a problem...
Quote:
Quote:
2. Its using next to no processing power.. what gives? LOw CPU utilisation code? or perhaps Delphi (thats what you develop in yes?) just can't use resources very efficiently (even on the high CPU setting which doesn't change Window's own priority, though I guess it an internal setting to your program).
Delphi is the MOST efficient of all the RAD tools & even gives C++ a whipping... in fact, ask Clutch!
Yo Clutch, Delphi is faster then VC!? *raises an eyebrow*. Actually if you answer that Clutch, best send me an email or something. Don't wanna get into a bigger debate here do we.
Quote:
On its multitasking/multithreading:
It is internal to itself, and this program is already (due to string parsing) using alot of CPU (4% on any program is quite a bit)... I internally multitask it alot so it is smooth & also cede processor time manually rather than depending on the scheduler stressing it more! I am of the "old-school" & come out of the Win16 coding world. I don't believe in depending on the OS or stressing it making it timeslice. I do it myself, has never failed me yet in an app, or the OS itself.
Hehe... Put it this way: If I did not, once the main engine started you could not even move the screen & it WOULD use around 10% of the CPU... I won't allow that, or build such junk.
You timeslice in your own program huh? Then why does it stop processing the registry when the help screen is displaying? or when you click on a menu item? Thats some timeslicing...
Out of interest, I think 4-10% is nothing. If a user has the program running as the fore-most task, it should automatically use more. Why not make it use the available idle time, like RC5/SETI etc does? Then you would have the best of both world. Maximum CPU usage, and no slow down to the user.
Quote:
Now THAT is BAD PRACTICE! Again, I don't build that kind of junk. I build clean programs that cooperate with others, are not CPU hogs, nor are they inefficient (believe me, this one's as optimized as the compiler can make it, the FASTEST compiler, & I go WAY above & beyond that too with directives, & use of register variables as well as other tricks, + Win32 API calls like crazy & alot of Inline Assembler I dumped from the CPU analysis Windows into the code inlined using ASM).
You use a lot of 'fancy' controls. Thats hardly clean.
Quote:
Also, DO compare it to its competition as others did & found mine WAY better above on the first page of this thread.
I did. I've used others before, and I'm sorry to say, I prefer them.
Quote:
Oh, in U.S. English, it IS "Analyze" not the U.K. Analyse afaik. Check www.dictionary.com ... it is that spelling. Former National Spelling Bee contest finalist here in fact in my youth.
Well, I was just pointing it out incase
Quote:
Quote:
over 10 minutes ago and its still going. I'll update this post when its finished with the final time.
Should take about 20-25 minutes, tops 30, on a Pentium III CPU 1ghz as it notes in its help menu item.
Well it took considerably longer on my Dual PIII 800.
Quote:
You can compare it to other as did the testers earlier. They found yes, it ran 2-5 times as long, but found 2-5x as many bogus entries to remove... 2 of them bought it from me in fact, & still are running fine...
No problems caused by it either. Two of the testers purchased it from me in fact... bonus!
I guess us two are the Minority Reports that Mr Cruise is looking for
Oh, and good for them!
Quote:
Quote:
4. Its not multi-threaded.
What?
I think you had best use taskmgr.exe & restate that... whatever you use to analyze things is WRONG!
It has 2 separate threads... wtf are you smoking man?
Rather, what on earth did you use to analyze it to make that erroneous statement??
See above. It may have seperate threads, but it doesn't use them very well - again, imo. This is just feedback. Do with it what you will. Don't throw stones just because its not what you wanted to hear.
Quote:
Quote:
5. There is no difference between the 16-bit and 32-bit menu options when running in XP, and I'd say 2000 but I can't check that to verify it. It would be nice if you talor the options dynamically to suit the OS that its running on.
In XP, no!
There is in NT there is vs. 9x... I put that into the menus for legacy Os' which I should dump, but I wrote the code "generic" so it runs on them all fine & does a good job equally on all!
HOWEVER: The program runs on them all fine. In XP you will note, you can use either one & its fine & summons regedit.exe anyhow!
Soo... detect the OS that its running on, and tayler the menus to suit. It'll make a more professional looking product.
Quote:
Quote:
6. There is an icon on the taskbar and in the system tray, and no option to have either one. Both is pointless.
Use its hide screen option. You will have only icon in tray. You must not have seen that too.
It would be nice if minimizing the window did this.
Quote:
Quote:
Oh, and I agree with Alien about the list clearing when you delete stuff - if it does do that. I'm yet to find out... its still bloomin' scanning after about 10 mins!!!!!! Thats crazy.
Well, it's already proven by testers on the first page of this thread that it works better than what?
5 others including Norton Products & System Mechanic as well as a host of others it competed against above?
Now... what's crazy?
Well I am for one thing
Quote:
a.) One that works thoroughly & find the most bogus entries (but takes some time to work)...
b.) Or the one that misses stuff & also exposes dangerous ones to remove like OCX registrations.
...each to their own...
Quote:
Quote:
Also, you should have an option to save the keys it finds, so that you can load it up again later. Just a thought.
It does! The Backup to Event Log & File Backup checkboxes near its bottom do that... you can even copy records, or parts of them it shows on the grid. What more do you want? I think you missed that too...
*sigh*. What I mean is, you can't save the keys to a file, and then reload them into your program for deletion later. I think its you that missed what I meant, not that I missed stuff in your program Language barriers eh... the cause of lot.
Quote:
Quote:
EDIT: O'kay the program is still running and I have go out, so I'm unable to see how long it'll take. Its at 70% and its been over 40 minutes amd found less then 30 keys.
What did you compare it to? Nothing right??
What did someone say in Under Seige once? Assumptions are the mother of all f**k-ups.
Quote:
For your speed variation, several factors can affect this:
1.) What CPU type did you run it on speed-wise?
2.) How big are your registry hives files
3.) How many other processes are running
4.) While running, did you minimize it??
* These factors ALL effect its speed.
HOWEVER, Speed's NOT the important part:
Accuracy & Safety ARE... Especially regarding system files like these.
I am SO confident in the engine, that I actually feel I could remove the backup to EventLog & Files in fact... but leave them there for users JUST IN CASE, time & date stamped.
Lastly, if you cleaned your registry recently... and mine STILL found more...
Well, that ought to tell you something if the others analysis above (who actually DID compare it to other registry cleaners & found mine better) did not.
(NOT TOO GOOD OF AN ANALYSIS... give it time, just like novocaine, it always works, & better than the rest (proven already, & safer too), to the point two testers purchased it from me already! Neat...)
Sheesh, I don't have time for this. I was trying to help YOU, not get roped into a debate. I see no point getting into an argument trying to convince you or anyone else I am right over you, and then you doing the reverse. If my feedback isn't what you wanted, then I'm sorry.
Quote:
P.S.=> Cynan, I have to ask a question: Are you sober right now? Not bustin on you, but dude, You missed things it does that you said it does not, & said it was not multithreaded & it is... I honestly found TOO many holes in your analysis... apk
Well, as above, if its threaded, its threaded badly
Goodnight.
A quote from it:
"1.) Copy the program APKRegistryCleaner.exe to you harddrive (anywhere, as it is fully self-guiding & intelligent code that can find your system registry automatically) & run it."
A harddrive is NOT a network drive, although, once the files are in place, it will run even from a floppy.
If I extract your program to a folder on D: say, 'D:\APKRegClean', and then run your installer, it will fail. Why? Because the very first line executes 'C:'. So sorry bud, but no, whatever system you are on, it won't work if like I said, you extracted it to another drive.
Quote:
Quote:It seems a lil pointless to me to copy all those registry files to multiple places. Thats bad practice dude. Its a lil messy if you ask me.
Is it? Do you know the exact mechanics of this program?? You have not considered if it is necessary for it to function for it to be that way... clue:
IT IS! Absolutely necessary for one reason only: Safety.
[snip]
Actually I did, and I know how I would have done it. Just take what I said as a friendly comment. I'm not going to get into the logistics of this with you.
Quote:
Quote:
So I installed it, and I ran it. Things I noticed: -
1. The title bar flickers like mad, as its changing to a 'working' message, and its original constantly, as does the mouse cursor... urgh.
That's to let users know it is working & was at user request.
How... urm, poo (imo.. no offense intended). How about a small lil panel that alternates its colour? Using the title bar is.. well, I don't like it, but then I guess it doesn't matter if I do or not, as I won't be using your program really. Just thought I'd give you my feedback.
Quote:
This also (as a side benefit to me) makes it harder for others to dissassemble as well, changing titlebars.
...must be really crap programmers trying to disassemble it then if that causes them a problem...
Quote:
Quote:
2. Its using next to no processing power.. what gives? LOw CPU utilisation code? or perhaps Delphi (thats what you develop in yes?) just can't use resources very efficiently (even on the high CPU setting which doesn't change Window's own priority, though I guess it an internal setting to your program).
Delphi is the MOST efficient of all the RAD tools & even gives C++ a whipping... in fact, ask Clutch!
Yo Clutch, Delphi is faster then VC!? *raises an eyebrow*. Actually if you answer that Clutch, best send me an email or something. Don't wanna get into a bigger debate here do we.
Quote:
On its multitasking/multithreading:
It is internal to itself, and this program is already (due to string parsing) using alot of CPU (4% on any program is quite a bit)... I internally multitask it alot so it is smooth & also cede processor time manually rather than depending on the scheduler stressing it more! I am of the "old-school" & come out of the Win16 coding world. I don't believe in depending on the OS or stressing it making it timeslice. I do it myself, has never failed me yet in an app, or the OS itself.
Hehe... Put it this way: If I did not, once the main engine started you could not even move the screen & it WOULD use around 10% of the CPU... I won't allow that, or build such junk.
You timeslice in your own program huh? Then why does it stop processing the registry when the help screen is displaying? or when you click on a menu item? Thats some timeslicing...
Out of interest, I think 4-10% is nothing. If a user has the program running as the fore-most task, it should automatically use more. Why not make it use the available idle time, like RC5/SETI etc does? Then you would have the best of both world. Maximum CPU usage, and no slow down to the user.
Quote:
Now THAT is BAD PRACTICE! Again, I don't build that kind of junk. I build clean programs that cooperate with others, are not CPU hogs, nor are they inefficient (believe me, this one's as optimized as the compiler can make it, the FASTEST compiler, & I go WAY above & beyond that too with directives, & use of register variables as well as other tricks, + Win32 API calls like crazy & alot of Inline Assembler I dumped from the CPU analysis Windows into the code inlined using ASM).
You use a lot of 'fancy' controls. Thats hardly clean.
Quote:
Also, DO compare it to its competition as others did & found mine WAY better above on the first page of this thread.
I did. I've used others before, and I'm sorry to say, I prefer them.
Quote:
Oh, in U.S. English, it IS "Analyze" not the U.K. Analyse afaik. Check www.dictionary.com ... it is that spelling. Former National Spelling Bee contest finalist here in fact in my youth.
Well, I was just pointing it out incase
Quote:
Quote:
over 10 minutes ago and its still going. I'll update this post when its finished with the final time.
Should take about 20-25 minutes, tops 30, on a Pentium III CPU 1ghz as it notes in its help menu item.
Well it took considerably longer on my Dual PIII 800.
Quote:
You can compare it to other as did the testers earlier. They found yes, it ran 2-5 times as long, but found 2-5x as many bogus entries to remove... 2 of them bought it from me in fact, & still are running fine...
No problems caused by it either. Two of the testers purchased it from me in fact... bonus!
I guess us two are the Minority Reports that Mr Cruise is looking for
Oh, and good for them!
Quote:
Quote:
4. Its not multi-threaded.
What?
I think you had best use taskmgr.exe & restate that... whatever you use to analyze things is WRONG!
It has 2 separate threads... wtf are you smoking man?
Rather, what on earth did you use to analyze it to make that erroneous statement??
See above. It may have seperate threads, but it doesn't use them very well - again, imo. This is just feedback. Do with it what you will. Don't throw stones just because its not what you wanted to hear.
Quote:
Quote:
5. There is no difference between the 16-bit and 32-bit menu options when running in XP, and I'd say 2000 but I can't check that to verify it. It would be nice if you talor the options dynamically to suit the OS that its running on.
In XP, no!
There is in NT there is vs. 9x... I put that into the menus for legacy Os' which I should dump, but I wrote the code "generic" so it runs on them all fine & does a good job equally on all!
HOWEVER: The program runs on them all fine. In XP you will note, you can use either one & its fine & summons regedit.exe anyhow!
Soo... detect the OS that its running on, and tayler the menus to suit. It'll make a more professional looking product.
Quote:
Quote:
6. There is an icon on the taskbar and in the system tray, and no option to have either one. Both is pointless.
Use its hide screen option. You will have only icon in tray. You must not have seen that too.
It would be nice if minimizing the window did this.
Quote:
Quote:
Oh, and I agree with Alien about the list clearing when you delete stuff - if it does do that. I'm yet to find out... its still bloomin' scanning after about 10 mins!!!!!! Thats crazy.
Well, it's already proven by testers on the first page of this thread that it works better than what?
5 others including Norton Products & System Mechanic as well as a host of others it competed against above?
Now... what's crazy?
Well I am for one thing
Quote:
a.) One that works thoroughly & find the most bogus entries (but takes some time to work)...
b.) Or the one that misses stuff & also exposes dangerous ones to remove like OCX registrations.
...each to their own...
Quote:
Quote:
Also, you should have an option to save the keys it finds, so that you can load it up again later. Just a thought.
It does! The Backup to Event Log & File Backup checkboxes near its bottom do that... you can even copy records, or parts of them it shows on the grid. What more do you want? I think you missed that too...
*sigh*. What I mean is, you can't save the keys to a file, and then reload them into your program for deletion later. I think its you that missed what I meant, not that I missed stuff in your program Language barriers eh... the cause of lot.
Quote:
Quote:
EDIT: O'kay the program is still running and I have go out, so I'm unable to see how long it'll take. Its at 70% and its been over 40 minutes amd found less then 30 keys.
What did you compare it to? Nothing right??
What did someone say in Under Seige once? Assumptions are the mother of all f**k-ups.
Quote:
For your speed variation, several factors can affect this:
1.) What CPU type did you run it on speed-wise?
2.) How big are your registry hives files
3.) How many other processes are running
4.) While running, did you minimize it??
* These factors ALL effect its speed.
HOWEVER, Speed's NOT the important part:
Accuracy & Safety ARE... Especially regarding system files like these.
I am SO confident in the engine, that I actually feel I could remove the backup to EventLog & Files in fact... but leave them there for users JUST IN CASE, time & date stamped.
Lastly, if you cleaned your registry recently... and mine STILL found more...
Well, that ought to tell you something if the others analysis above (who actually DID compare it to other registry cleaners & found mine better) did not.
(NOT TOO GOOD OF AN ANALYSIS... give it time, just like novocaine, it always works, & better than the rest (proven already, & safer too), to the point two testers purchased it from me already! Neat...)
Sheesh, I don't have time for this. I was trying to help YOU, not get roped into a debate. I see no point getting into an argument trying to convince you or anyone else I am right over you, and then you doing the reverse. If my feedback isn't what you wanted, then I'm sorry.
Quote:
P.S.=> Cynan, I have to ask a question: Are you sober right now? Not bustin on you, but dude, You missed things it does that you said it does not, & said it was not multithreaded & it is... I honestly found TOO many holes in your analysis... apk
Well, as above, if its threaded, its threaded badly
Goodnight.
Quote:Quote:If I extract your program to a folder on D: say, 'D:\APKRegClean', and then run your installer, it will fail. Why? Because the very first line executes 'C:'. So sorry bud, but no, whatever system you are on, it won't work if like I said, you extracted it to another drive.
Not anymore!
Just pointing out what Alien was probably on about.
Quote:
(BUT, even with the C: at the start, & if it does fail, surely you knew that right & opted to run it from C:\TEMP say, correct?)
S'not the point. We were testing all aspects of your program no? Manual installations shouldn't have to be done. Anyway, you have fixed it now (I trust you, I don't need to check).
Quote:
Another thing: I know for sure most systems don't have multiple harddisks...
Thats just ignorant. You should program to cope with all situations. Not just the most popular.
Quote:
Quote:Actually I did, and I know how I would have done it. Just take what I said as a friendly comment. I'm not going to get into the logistics of this with you.
Good, you'd have no standing since you don't know how the program really works inside... it'd be unfair.
Whatever you say dude
Quote:
NOT gonna happen: Flipping the title bar like that stalls hackers/crackers & disassemblers as well as other stuff I do... no go! Plus, it is a good indicator of it running to my users not only on its own thread, but in idle time of the program... pretty slick, as is most of the interface feedback... efficient & slick!
How in heck can that stop hackers/crackers?
Quote:
I take it you are such an individual: A program cracker. Well... you'd be surprised the lengths I take to stop disassembly.
Assuuuuumption.
Quote:
That's a MODAL DIALOG BOX...no way to not have that do that! You show me how, I will get you published ok?
Fair enough. I personally wouldn't be using model boxes, and I personally wouldn't have execution being stopped when going through the menus.
Quote:
Guy, I don't think you have programmed in your time from some of your statements... you don't even know how to identify if a program is multithreaded or not when you said above mine was not.
Not busting on you, but before you make statements like that, learn how some of this stuff works... some stuff you can do, some you cannot. Think about Morpheus in the Matrix: "Some Rules can be bent: Others can be broken... think that's air you're breathing?"
On multiple thread driven programs: Hey, I invite you to try it sometime. Have fun blocking messagepassing & using semaphores & mutexes in C/C++ since you think it's so great...
Assuuuumption.
Quote:
LOL, boy are YOU in for a surprise. C/C++ are 5x as tough & slow coding normally... since you like using it, & espouse it above... find out that Delphi rules there too, much easier!
Tough? I best I better keep to being a lil kiddie and running lil scipts and being 37|t3...
Quote:
That's assuming you can code more than batches though, I should not assume anything.
*claps*
Quote:
A stringgrid is a std. control in Delphi. Think the SETI Spy Client you mention above does not use those also? It does MASSIVELY! Wake up, write some of this stuff before you open your mouth bro.
Never said I used SETI Spy. Try running the command-line version. Thats what I'be used.
Quote:
I subclass alot of mine in fact to make the LESS fancy, this is one of them along with the form of the program itself. Lighter, faster, & less memory intensive in fact. Hence, it lacks the mouse scroll. I tore that type up & out.
Is a sub-class not an extension of a previous one? i.e., a derives class? and thus, bloat it more?
Quote:
Heh, go ahead... use your VC++ with its dependency on MSVCRT.DLL & others OLE Servers to run form code with tons of "efficient" message passing & also the use of .OCX's ok... then, tell me about efficient.
Where'd I say I use VC? and if you are ASSUMING that I do use that now, how come you are saying how I should try programming everywhere else? This isn't a very consistant reply.
Quote:
Like up above trying to tell me how to code, look before you leap I guess!
Telling and suggesting isn't the same thing.
Quote:
The important point is you may pickup something here! I hope you do... on coding at least, & it may inspire you to try it.
Oh yeah, I'll go do that right not!! not.
Quote:
ANYONE can do it, it's the advanced nutty stuff like threads & messaging that get tough with syncronizing it all without having it break on race conditions.
Threads ain't really that hard a thing to do. Well, I guess it depends on how each indiviuals thought process works.
Quote:
Another of your wild leaps of faith in my spelling though, but I am used to that from UK folks & I've seen that before, lol... arstechnica guys are huge on that, it's hilarious, because it's their last resort in an "when ars attacks" scenario.
LMAO!! I was just wondering if it was right or not!
Quote:
Quote:
Well it took considerably longer on my Dual PIII 800.
That's 800mhz first off... secondly, it is also dependent like I said on the size of your registry, other programs running... lots of things I mention above. Do see that list.
That is is, two of them, and as your app. is multi-threaded, it'll run on both right? Oh no wait I forgot, it only has two threads, and only one of those does any processing... gee, what a shame.
Quote:
Trust me: GREAT DESIGN using threads!
I would, but sorry... no dice. Its not really using threads. I mean, any program can do that. I'm surprised actually that Dephi doesn't handle a small thing like that for you.
Quote:
At least now you know you were in error stating it did not have multiple threads. Believe me, it uses them VERY well...
O'kay, perhaps bad wording on my part. Its not that it doesn't have more then one thread, its that it doesn't really use threads very well. It might as well have none.
Quote:
Again: Without them, it would not even let you MOVE IT AROUND ONSCREEN while the engines run, let alone put out information... the code is THAT tight & powerful without threads & timeslices.
Your program only uses 4% of the CPU, so why would it stop you moving the dialog around the screen? Windows handles the dialog box.. not your program (and you say I should look into programming!?).
Quote:
*sigh*. What I mean is, you can't save the keys to a file, and then reload them into your program for deletion later. I think its you that missed what I meant, not that I missed stuff in your program Language barriers eh... the cause of lot.
Quote:
That's OK, & if you can give me a BIT stronger of an example, I could do that... but why?
LOL, blow them away right then!
Like Alien quite rightly said, not everyone wants to do that.
Quote:
Most importantly, whether you use my program or not... I hope you learn more about how this code works & get into programming yourself. It's fun & folks may get use or a kick out of something you do someday! If you get paid too? Hey, bonus... I want my cut! lol...
Not likely. My sutff is
me.
Quote:
Quote:
Well, as above, if its threaded, its threaded badly
Ok, I have to turn you onto one FACT, & maybe you can show me how to do this:
How to even make a THREAD overcome a modal dialog box like my HELP & ABOUT boxes are? Or, my menus?? Afaik, that is a NO GO here...
If the interface was on its own thread, then the help dialog box would only halt the interface, and not the engines thread. Thats how threads works. They are independant of each other.
Not anymore!
Just pointing out what Alien was probably on about.
Quote:
(BUT, even with the C: at the start, & if it does fail, surely you knew that right & opted to run it from C:\TEMP say, correct?)
S'not the point. We were testing all aspects of your program no? Manual installations shouldn't have to be done. Anyway, you have fixed it now (I trust you, I don't need to check).
Quote:
Another thing: I know for sure most systems don't have multiple harddisks...
Thats just ignorant. You should program to cope with all situations. Not just the most popular.
Quote:
Quote:Actually I did, and I know how I would have done it. Just take what I said as a friendly comment. I'm not going to get into the logistics of this with you.
Good, you'd have no standing since you don't know how the program really works inside... it'd be unfair.
Whatever you say dude
Quote:
NOT gonna happen: Flipping the title bar like that stalls hackers/crackers & disassemblers as well as other stuff I do... no go! Plus, it is a good indicator of it running to my users not only on its own thread, but in idle time of the program... pretty slick, as is most of the interface feedback... efficient & slick!
How in heck can that stop hackers/crackers?
Quote:
I take it you are such an individual: A program cracker. Well... you'd be surprised the lengths I take to stop disassembly.
Assuuuuumption.
Quote:
That's a MODAL DIALOG BOX...no way to not have that do that! You show me how, I will get you published ok?
Fair enough. I personally wouldn't be using model boxes, and I personally wouldn't have execution being stopped when going through the menus.
Quote:
Guy, I don't think you have programmed in your time from some of your statements... you don't even know how to identify if a program is multithreaded or not when you said above mine was not.
Not busting on you, but before you make statements like that, learn how some of this stuff works... some stuff you can do, some you cannot. Think about Morpheus in the Matrix: "Some Rules can be bent: Others can be broken... think that's air you're breathing?"
On multiple thread driven programs: Hey, I invite you to try it sometime. Have fun blocking messagepassing & using semaphores & mutexes in C/C++ since you think it's so great...
Assuuuumption.
Quote:
LOL, boy are YOU in for a surprise. C/C++ are 5x as tough & slow coding normally... since you like using it, & espouse it above... find out that Delphi rules there too, much easier!
Tough? I best I better keep to being a lil kiddie and running lil scipts and being 37|t3...
Quote:
That's assuming you can code more than batches though, I should not assume anything.
*claps*
Quote:
A stringgrid is a std. control in Delphi. Think the SETI Spy Client you mention above does not use those also? It does MASSIVELY! Wake up, write some of this stuff before you open your mouth bro.
Never said I used SETI Spy. Try running the command-line version. Thats what I'be used.
Quote:
I subclass alot of mine in fact to make the LESS fancy, this is one of them along with the form of the program itself. Lighter, faster, & less memory intensive in fact. Hence, it lacks the mouse scroll. I tore that type up & out.
Is a sub-class not an extension of a previous one? i.e., a derives class? and thus, bloat it more?
Quote:
Heh, go ahead... use your VC++ with its dependency on MSVCRT.DLL & others OLE Servers to run form code with tons of "efficient" message passing & also the use of .OCX's ok... then, tell me about efficient.
Where'd I say I use VC? and if you are ASSUMING that I do use that now, how come you are saying how I should try programming everywhere else? This isn't a very consistant reply.
Quote:
Like up above trying to tell me how to code, look before you leap I guess!
Telling and suggesting isn't the same thing.
Quote:
The important point is you may pickup something here! I hope you do... on coding at least, & it may inspire you to try it.
Oh yeah, I'll go do that right not!! not.
Quote:
ANYONE can do it, it's the advanced nutty stuff like threads & messaging that get tough with syncronizing it all without having it break on race conditions.
Threads ain't really that hard a thing to do. Well, I guess it depends on how each indiviuals thought process works.
Quote:
Another of your wild leaps of faith in my spelling though, but I am used to that from UK folks & I've seen that before, lol... arstechnica guys are huge on that, it's hilarious, because it's their last resort in an "when ars attacks" scenario.
LMAO!! I was just wondering if it was right or not!
Quote:
Quote:
Well it took considerably longer on my Dual PIII 800.
That's 800mhz first off... secondly, it is also dependent like I said on the size of your registry, other programs running... lots of things I mention above. Do see that list.
That is is, two of them, and as your app. is multi-threaded, it'll run on both right? Oh no wait I forgot, it only has two threads, and only one of those does any processing... gee, what a shame.
Quote:
Trust me: GREAT DESIGN using threads!
I would, but sorry... no dice. Its not really using threads. I mean, any program can do that. I'm surprised actually that Dephi doesn't handle a small thing like that for you.
Quote:
At least now you know you were in error stating it did not have multiple threads. Believe me, it uses them VERY well...
O'kay, perhaps bad wording on my part. Its not that it doesn't have more then one thread, its that it doesn't really use threads very well. It might as well have none.
Quote:
Again: Without them, it would not even let you MOVE IT AROUND ONSCREEN while the engines run, let alone put out information... the code is THAT tight & powerful without threads & timeslices.
Your program only uses 4% of the CPU, so why would it stop you moving the dialog around the screen? Windows handles the dialog box.. not your program (and you say I should look into programming!?).
Quote:
*sigh*. What I mean is, you can't save the keys to a file, and then reload them into your program for deletion later. I think its you that missed what I meant, not that I missed stuff in your program Language barriers eh... the cause of lot.
Quote:
That's OK, & if you can give me a BIT stronger of an example, I could do that... but why?
LOL, blow them away right then!
Like Alien quite rightly said, not everyone wants to do that.
Quote:
Most importantly, whether you use my program or not... I hope you learn more about how this code works & get into programming yourself. It's fun & folks may get use or a kick out of something you do someday! If you get paid too? Hey, bonus... I want my cut! lol...
Not likely. My sutff is
me.Quote:
Quote:
Well, as above, if its threaded, its threaded badly
Ok, I have to turn you onto one FACT, & maybe you can show me how to do this:
How to even make a THREAD overcome a modal dialog box like my HELP & ABOUT boxes are? Or, my menus?? Afaik, that is a NO GO here...
If the interface was on its own thread, then the help dialog box would only halt the interface, and not the engines thread. Thats how threads works. They are independant of each other.
Erm, I really did not mean to sound like I was attacking your spellling. Seriously, I just looked at it and thought, is that spelt right!?
The also btw, was meant as the copyright symbol.
The command line version of SETI isn't multi-threaded. I wasn't using that as an example of that. If you read what I said, you'll see I was talking about that in terms of how it just uses the idle time to run in.
Oh, and for what its worth, I actually I did go out on Friday and I wrote these replies when I got in between something like 2 and 4am. I think I can be accused some spelling mistakes in a forum. Geesh.
Anyway, as I'm making mistakes , and feel anyone can see my points clearly already, now, I will rest my case.... (its very heavy and my arms acheing .
The
also btw, was meant as the copyright symbol.The command line version of SETI isn't multi-threaded. I wasn't using that as an example of that. If you read what I said, you'll see I was talking about that in terms of how it just uses the idle time to run in.
Oh, and for what its worth, I actually I did go out on Friday and I wrote these replies when I got in between something like 2 and 4am. I think I can be accused some spelling mistakes in a forum. Geesh.
Anyway, as I'm making mistakes , and feel anyone can see my points clearly already, now, I will rest my case.... (its very heavy and my arms acheing .
