Post by carol duncan on Nov 10, 2011 21:09:06 GMT -6
If your software garbles this newsletter, read this issue at WindowsSecrets.com.
Home Newsletter Lounge Search Polls Contact
This issue Library Upgrade Preferences Unsubscribe
Windows Secrets Newsletter • Issue 313 • 2011-11-10 • Circulation: over 400,000
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Table of contents
INTRODUCTION: Windows Secrets readers' survey posted
TOP STORY: Putting Registry-/system-cleanup apps to the test
LOUNGE LIFE: Fortunate exchange between Scotland and Earth
WACKY WEB WEEK: Wily dog takes over the beautiful game
LANGALIST PLUS: Can Windows 7's XP Mode be uninstalled?
INSIDER TRICKS: Find out where that e-mail really came from
PATCH WATCH: UDP networking ports threatened by TCP/IP flaw
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
INTRODUCTION
Windows Secrets reader survey posted
By Tracey Capen
Windows Secrets' most important mission is providing our many subscribers with useful information about Windows and Windows-related topics.
Once or twice a year, we post a Windows Secrets reader survey to ensure we're delivering the content you need.
We all know that PC technology is constantly evolving — sometimes faster than we'd like. Just within this year, Windows 7 has established itself as the Windows of choice. We've also seen the rapid rise of online services, such as Cloud computing, and new platforms, such as tablet computers. New and more sophisticated security threats appear regularly. So keeping up with the latest changes in PC technology is a constant, continuing task.
As always, we aim to help you make personal computing fun, productive, and safe. We (the Windows Secrets editors and all the newsletter's outstanding contributors) hope we have accomplished that task through 2011 and will continue to do so in 2012.
To help make Windows Secrets a valued news source throughout the next year, I invite all Windows Secrets subscribers to fill out the survey. It's an important resource for planning our future newsletters.
Reader participation is key to the survey's usefulness. So please fill it out when you have a few spare minutes. It will take you less than five minutes. Click this link to go to the survey.
Thanks to all our subscribers for your continuing support. Without you, there is no Windows Secrets Newsletter.
Tracey Capen
Editor in chief
Table of contents
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TOP STORY
Putting Registry-/system-cleanup apps to the test
By Fred Langa
The most contentious software category has to be PC-system/Registry cleaners. Some users find them invaluable; other users consider them worse than useless.
A series of controlled experiments puts these apps to the test — and turns up some surprises.
Many Windows programs are still sloppy about their uninstall process, leaving behind digital debris. In older versions of Windows, this situation was a known cause of trouble.
Leftover, "orphaned" files waste space on your hard drive and create extra work for Windows when it performs indexing, searching, defragging, backups, or other file-related operations.
Leftover Registry entries similarly inflate the Registry — to no useful purpose. Erroneous Registry entries can create system instabilities and crashes, and a bloated Registry might needlessly slow down system startup and shutdown.
Registry- and system-cleaning software is designed to correct these problems by finding and removing orphaned files, useless Registry entries, and other junk. The end result is supposed to be a leaner, cleaner, more stable system.
There's plenty of anecdotal evidence to suggest that cleanup software can do what it claims. But most of this information derives from older versions of Windows, which were notorious for not cleaning up after and policing third-party software.
Windows 7, on the other hand, has more self-protective features than any previous version of Windows. So, are Registry- and system-cleaning tools still worthwhile in a Windows 7 world? I decided to find out.
Designing the tests and the baseline system
First, let me be perfectly clear about this report: my tests were not designed to find the best Registry cleaner — or even a comparative analysis of one cleanup tool versus another.
My sole point was to see whether the general principles of system and Registry cleaning deliver quantifiable, measurable improvements to Windows 7. Do specialized cleanup tools really let you remove more junk than Windows 7's own built-in tools? Do system and Registry cleanups provide any real-life, practical benefits, such as faster boot times?
To find out, I started with a known-good, plain-vanilla, up-to-date, fully normal Windows 7 setup in an Oracle VirtualBox (site) PC. (See Figure 1.) VirtualBox systems can be cloned easily, which meant I'd be able to use exactly the same system as a starting point for different cleaning tests.
Figure 1. The test system was a plain-vanilla, minimalist Windows 7 VirtualBox setup with very little extra software installed, as shown.
Because this system was to be the starting point for all that followed, I documented several key variables.
First, I timed how long the unmodified system took to boot. I used a stopwatch to measure the time from the moment I switched on the system to the initial appearance of the Windows sign-on password dialog box. I then paused the stopwatch and entered my password. On hitting Enter, I restarted the stopwatch and continued timing to the point of full boot; — when the full, normal Windows desktop appeared and the system was stable and ready for use.
I also timed how long the system took to turn off — from the moment I clicked Shut down on a stable, idle system to all lights out.
I ran the tests several times in succession, with a full power-off shutdown in between, and then I averaged the results to help smooth out any human timing errors or other random variables.
These initial timing numbers would let me see whether my cleaning experiments would have any effect on startup and shutdown.
I measured the size of the test system's Registry by exporting its full contents (via Windows' Registry editor, Regedit) to a text file and noting the size of the file. I also used Windows Explorer to record the aggregate size of all the files on the hard drive.
These Registry-size and file-size numbers would let me see the effects, if any, of various cleanup techniques and tools, regardless of what the tools themselves might report. (Many cleanup tools tend to overstate their own effectiveness.)
Looking for trouble: adding 20 popular downloads
With the baseline measurements established, my next step was to create a system with lots of orphaned files. That meant installing and uninstalling applications that might leave digital detritus. To choose software commonly used by real-world users, I consulted CNET's list of the "20 most popular Windows downloads."
I installed all 20 apps on the test system as inexperienced Windows users might over time — layering on the software without regard to consequence and accepting all default settings, including the offers of extra toolbars, download managers, and so on.
As you'd expect, the system ended up a mess. (See Figure 2.) After loading the programs, Windows was much less responsive; several subsystems (Internet and sound, for example) stopped working entirely.
Figure 2. Installing 20 popular apps brought Windows to its knees.
I measured the boot/shut-down times and file sizes on the bloated system. Incredibly, the time for a full boot went from under a minute (39 seconds) on the clean system to almost 10.5 minutes (629 seconds) for the bloated configuration. The Registry ballooned 170 percent — from 99MB to 169MB. Table 1 shows the results.
Table 1: Adding 20 popular downloads to the test system created a bloated setup whose full boot time went from 39 to 629 seconds — over 10 minutes!
Removing the bloat: Uninstalling the 20 apps
As planned, the test system was now desperately in need of cleanup.
The first step to clean any bloated system is to simply uninstall unneeded software. I uninstalled each of the 20 programs in the normal way — using the control panel's Uninstall a program applet. This removed much of the bloat — as it should — and also resolved whatever conflicts had caused the sound and networking failures.
My next round of timing and size measurements showed that, as happens all too often in the Windows world, uninstalling programs left behind various files and Registry settings — it did not fully restore the test system to its initial condition.
Table 2 shows the results. After standard uninstallation of the popular software, the test system did not regain all its initial startup and shutdown speed. Also, 1.4GB of orphaned files and 6MB of Registry entries were left behind.
Table 2: After I uninstalled the sample apps, the test system still contained leftover files and suffered from reduced performance.
I was now ready to see what the cleanup tools could do.
Windows Disk Cleanup versus third-party cleaners
I had planned to run three different cleaning tests (I'll explain them in a moment), so I cloned three, identical copies of my test system. These cloned systems would give each of my clean-up tests precisely the same starting point.
On the first cloned setup, I downloaded and ran the standard edition of Piriform's free CCleaner (site), an immensely popular and easy-to-use system- and Registry-cleaning tool. (See Figure 3.)
Figure 3. Piriform's CCleaner is designed for quick, easy, and routine removal of junk files and useless or broken Registry entries.
I chose CCleaner because I'd recommended it many times in the past and wanted to see whether my recommendations still held. CCleaner also represents a class of tools primarily intended for frequent, routine cleanups rather than a deep, targeted spelunking of the system's internals.
I ran CCleaner's file and Registry cleanup routines in their default settings, letting the software decide what to clean on the test system. I then rebooted the system and made new timing and file-size measurements. I'll discuss the results in a moment.
On the second cloned setup, I downloaded and ran Macecraft's jv16 PowerTools 2011 (site; free, fully functional trial for 50 days, $30 thereafter). This software represents a heavier-duty class of tools that can do routine cleaning but also offers much more power and configurability for expert users.
Figure 4. Macecraft's jv16 PowerTools 2011 includes features and functions aimed at advanced users.
Using jv16 PowerTools' default settings, I ran its Registry Cleaner, Registry Compactor (a type of tool unavailable in CCleaner), and File Cleaner. I then rebooted the system and recorded times and file size.
On the third, identical clone setup, I used Windows' built-in Disk Cleanup app, a system-cleanup tool that's been included in every version of Windows from Win98 onward. (You can enter cleanmgr into the Search programs and files box to access the tool in its most basic configuration.) Win7's Disk Cleanup is actually surprisingly powerful and complete; it's one of those unheralded tools that have been quietly improved with each iteration of Windows.
I've always found Disk Cleanup to be safe and reliable, but Microsoft — in an abundance of caution, perhaps — has always made Disk Cleanup's most potent cleaning functions a little hard to get at. In fact, to use the tool to its best effect, you have to enter cleanmgr in a Command Prompt window or from a command line, and that's what I did. When run that way, Win7's Disk Cleanup is actually surprisingly powerful and complete; it's one of those unheralded tools that have been quietly improved with each iteration of Windows.
Disk Cleanup's basic commands haven't changed in almost a decade, and long-time readers may recall the April 4, 2002, article, "Sageset unlocks CleanMgr's power." The how-to instructions in that story still work perfectly in Windows 7.
Figure 5. Windows 7's built-in Disk Cleanup can delete about 20 different kinds of junk files.
I ran cleanmgr exactly as described in that article. When it was done, I rebooted the system and again noted the startup and shutdown times, the Registry size, and the overall disk space used — just as I'd done with CCleaner and jv16 PowerTools.
Table 3 shows the results of these tests.
Table 3: All three tested cleanup methods reduced bloat and helped improve system performance.
These results make it clear that Windows 7 can indeed benefit from use of cleanup tools!
Bottom-line conclusions and caveats
The primary takeaway from these tests is that use of any cleanup tool — even the free, built-in cleanmgr — can help fight bloat and improve your system performance over what you get if you simply uninstall an application.
Although I was surprised that no tool removed all the junk files and leftover Registry entries, they all — even the lowly cleanmgr, if launched from a command line with all its cleanup options enabled — reduced the startup and shutdown times to those of my original, clean system.
The real surprise? jv16 PowerTools actually made the cleaned-up system slightly faster than the original, unmodified, baseline machine! It seems that use of a more advanced tool can yield greater benefits than using simpler, less-powerful tools.
But while system cleanup clearly is worthwhile, I urge you not to get carried away, obsessing over a few seconds of speed or a bit of extra disk space. Reducing boot time from 629 seconds to 32 seconds (by uninstalling unneeded software) is truly worth pursuing; going from 32 seconds to 33 seconds (for cleanmgr) or 30 seconds (for jv16 PowerTools) is almost meaningless in real life.
And although I encountered no problems from use of the cleaners in the above tests, it must be said that the more advanced, expert-level cleaning tools can royally mess up a system if they're used improperly or too aggressively.
So don't risk destabilizing a solid system for a trivial gain. Stay within your own comfort and skill zone — and always, always, always make a backup before using any cleaning tool.
For me, the bottom line is this: I'll continue using — and recommending — lightweight tools (such as command-line cleanmgr and CCleaner) for routine cleanups and expert-level tools (such as jv16 PowerTools) when simpler software isn't enough.
And now, if you'll excuse me, I'm off to clean up my personal-use PCs. I suggest you do likewise!
Feedback welcome: Have a question or comment about this story? Post your thoughts, praise, or constructive criticisms in the WS Columns forum.
Help people find this article on the Web:
Digg
Delicious
Other
Permalink
Please tell us how useful this article was to you:
Poor
Fair
Good
Great
Superb
Fred Langa is a senior editor of the Windows Secrets Newsletter. He was formerly editor of Byte Magazine (1987-91), editorial director of CMP Media (1991-97), and editor of the LangaList e-mail newsletter from its origin in 1997 until its merger with Windows Secrets in November 2006.
Table of contents
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
BONUS DOWNLOAD
The ultimate guide to fixing Windows 7 problems
Windows 7 is the best Windows ever, but no one calls it perfect. As with all operating systems, stuff happens.
Troubleshooting Windows 7 Inside Out by Mike Halsey is a soup-to-nuts reference for keeping Windows 7 running smoothly. Its 25 chapters cover such essential topics as security and maintenance basics, malware threats, Win7 fixes (both simple and advanced), disaster recovery, and advanced diagnostics utilities.
This month, all Windows Secrets subscribers can download Chapter 16, Windows Problems Demystified. It explains Win7's core system files, techniques for checking and restoring those files, how to create a slipstreamed installation DVD, and more.
If you want to download this free excerpt, simply visit your preferences page and save any changes; a download link will appear.
All subscribers: Set your preferences and download your bonus
Info on the printed book: oreilly.com
Table of contents
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
LOUNGE LIFE
Fortunate exchange between Scotland and Earth
By Kathleen Atkins
Lounge member Tinto Tech of Scotland, puzzled by the behavior of a telnet client, posted details of his perplexing problem in the Networking forum.
Paul T, who lists his residence as Earth, solved Tinto Tech's problem — illustrating almost by the way that geographical location is no impediment to clearing up digital difficulties and human errors.
Head to the Lounge to read about the problem and its solution. More»
The following links are this week's most interesting Lounge threads, including several new questions to which you might be able to provide responses:
Office Applications
General Productivity
Can I safely delete Adobe products on my computer?
☼
Word Processing
Word 2007: Losing content controls in unlinked footers
☼
Spreadsheets
Display an image based on user selection
Databases
Access: How to intercept "You must enter a value … field"
☼
Visual Basic for Apps
Word 2002: How to group shapes into two separate groups?
Microsoft Outlook
Weird paragraph spacing in Outlook 2010
Non-Outlook E-mail
Windows Live Mail 2011: Problem with pictures
Windows
General Windows
Should I partition?
Windows 7
Broken hibernate mode is a pain
Windows Backup error message
64-bit Win7: Can't fully uninstall, delete, or reinstall IE 9
☼
Windows Vista
Windows Media Player not working right
Windows XP
Windows Search indexer problem
Windows Servers
How to change default workgroup name in WHS 2011
Internet/Connectivity
Internet Explorer
A good substitute for Adobe Flash Player 11?
☼
Third-Party Browsers
Firefox 8 released Nov. 8
Networking
Telnet over VPN uses local IP address?
☼
Social Media
Skype security problems?
Other Technologies
Security & Backups
How to find out what Malwarebytes is blocking?
Other Applications
Alternative to Copernic Desktop Search, Home Edition?
☼ starred posts — particularly useful
If you're not already a Lounge member, use the quick registration form to sign up for free. The ability to post comments and take advantage of other Lounge features is available only to registered members.
If you're already registered, you can jump right into today's discussions in the Lounge.
Help people find this article on the Web:
Digg
Delicious
Other
Permalink
The Lounge Life column is a digest of the best of the WS Lounge discussion board. Kathleen Atkins is associate editor of Windows Secrets.
Table of contents
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
WACKY WEB WEEK
Wily dog takes over the beautiful game
By Kathleen Atkins
Nowhere is speed and cunning play valued more greatly than in soccer. So when a dog took to the field in the middle of a game and cheerfully eluded all potential capturers, the fans were not annoyed.
In fact, the crowd cheered him — a kindred spirit. Enjoy! Play the video
Help people find this article on the Web:
Digg
Delicious
Other
Permalink
Table of contents
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ADVERTISEMENTS
Share Windows Secrets with a friend
Do you know someone who loves to tinker with his PC? Do you have a friend who's the go-to PC troubleshooter? Give that person the inside scoop; share best Windows resource on the web - Windows Secrets. Every week, readers tell us that they refer Windows Secrets every chance they get, so we've made it even easier to share. Click the link to share Windows Secrets via e-mail, Facebook, or Twitter.
Windows Secrets Newsletter
See your ad here
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
PERMALINKS
Use these permalinks to share info with friends
We love it when you include the links shown below in e-mails to your friends. This is better than forwarding your copy of our e-mail newsletter. (When our newsletter is forwarded, some recipients click "report as spam," and corporate filters start blocking our e-mails.)
The following link includes all articles this week: WindowsSecrets.com/comp/111110
Free content posted on Nov. 10, 2011:
INTRODUCTION
By Tracey Capen
Windows Secrets readers' survey posted
TOP STORY
By Fred Langa
Putting Registry-/system-cleanup apps to the test
Designing the tests and the baseline system
Looking for trouble: adding 20 popular downloads
Removing the bloat: Uninstalling the 20 apps
Windows Disk Cleanup versus third-party cleaners
Bottom-line conclusions and caveats
LOUNGE LIFE
By Kathleen Atkins
Fortunate exchange between Scotland and Earth
WACKY WEB WEEK
By Kathleen Atkins
Wily dog takes over the beautiful game
You get all of the following in our paid content:
LANGALIST PLUS
By Fred Langa
Can Windows 7's XP Mode be uninstalled?
Based on the feedback we've received, many Windows Secrets readers have switched to Windows 7 but retain a keen interest in Windows XP. Now that I've thoroughly covered how to set up and use Windows 7's XP Mode, it's time for the final chapter — removing it.
In this story
Uninstalling XP Mode — step by step
Suddenly, Intuit's Quicken will not launch
Using newer drivers on older hardware
A less-expensive alternative for creating PDFs
INSIDER TRICKS
By Susan Bradley
Find out where that e-mail really came from
Potentially dangerous scam e-mails might be landing in your inbox, masquerading as legitimate mail. Fortunately, there are tools that can help you determine the source of suspect messages and possibly identify who's sending them.
In this story
Malicious e-mails are getting harder to detect
Dissecting mail headers can provide useful info
Just another tool in the war against malware
PATCH WATCH
By Susan Bradley
UDP networking ports threatened by TCP/IP flaw
For the average Windows user, the topic of networking ports is often confusing — and easily ignored. But November's Patch Tuesday includes an critical patch for Vista and Windows 7 users for an unusual networking protocol vulnerability.
In this story
TCP/IP vulnerability threatens Vista and Win7
The continuing process of fixing DLL threats
TrueType font attacks lead to true headaches
Another TrueType-fonts patch is a minor one
A fix for Windows XP is fixed again
Domain controllers face internal threats
Pass on nonsecurity Office 2010 updates for now
Firefox and Thunderbird Versions 8 released
Apple's iOS 5 is easier to buy than to upgrade
Regularly updated problem-patch chart
TO VIEW THIS ARTICLE IN ITS ENTIRETY, VISIT THE "NIGHT_FLIGHT" WEBSITE AND CLICK ON "WINDOWS SECRETS"