Hi Bofra I had system mechanic at the top of my list then regsupreme but after a while you go round in circles reading reviews etc I figured if you dont know ask If any advice helps, please post back as it might help others.

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You may need to print this. I use all these cleaners for W2K/XP, each one specialises in a different area. Do not be supprised if hundreds of files are found. Files are either removed to the programs backup or the Recycle Bin ( make sure the Recycle Bin is empty, before using the cleaners, that way you know the files you have removed ) All ( except DustBuster ) allow you to restore them back into the system, either by right clicking on the reg file in the programs folder ( example Regclean & OleClean > Windows Explorer > Unzipped, click on either RegClean or OleClean ) & clicking on Merge. jv16 PowerTools, RegCleaner & RegSeeker both store in Backup on their main page. Opening Backup allows you to either Restore or Delete. EasyCleaner removes to the Recycle Bin & by opening the Recycle Bin, right clicking on the files & clicking Restore. Has an Update button. Checks you have the latest version & blacklist. CCleaner, one advantage of this cleaner is, when Issues is clicked & the boxes ticked, it will tell you before you fix ( doing one file at a time ) why the file is there. Configure the Windows, Applications & Issues panels to suit. Tutorial http://www.download.com/How-to-use-CCleaner/1200-2023_4-5159733.html?tag=nl.e415 RegScrub Click on Restore, click the backup to be restored, click on Restore Selected backups. DustBuster Very quick, if you want to know what it cleaned, takes about 1 min to clean ( depends on the speed of your comp ) you have about 4 seconds to read the message displayed, when it is finished. Don't use whilst online. Find Junk Files I use only > Find Dead Links, which is part of Find Junk Files. Start > All Programs. Backups Once you are sure they are not needed again ( about one week ) they can be deleted. ============================= jv16 PowerTools 1.3.0.195, which doesn't expire. http://www.321download.com/LastFreeware/page7.html http://www.321download.com/LastFreeware/index.html#jv16 http://www.pricelessware.org/thelist/sys.htm Click on Registry tool > Tools > Registry Cleaner > Continue > Start. When finished, Click on Select > Special select > Items that should be safe to remove > Remove. Or, the renamed later version ( dos'nt hurt to use both ) RegCleaner http://www.321download.com/LastFreeware/ http://www.321download.com/LastFreeware/dload/RegCleaner.zip RegCleaner 4.3.0.780 ( last freeware version ) OS: Win9x/NT/ME/2000/XP Click on Tools > Registry Cleanup > Do them All When finished, click on Select > All, then down the bottom, click on > Remove Selected. ================================== RegClean http://www.majorgeeks.com/download458.html http://www.download.com/3000-2094-881470.html http://www.pcworld.com/downloads/file_description/0,fid,4666,00.asp Microsoft's RegClean ( freeware ) very conservative. By default it puts the 3 files into Windows Temp. I prefer them in Unzipped. Right click in an empty space in Unzipped, select Folder & name it RegClean. Now when you click unzip ( during install ) select the new folder. To use, you can either open up the folder & doubleclick on RegClean or right click & make a shortcut to your desktop & then put it anywhere you like. =========================== OleClean ( Freeware. I tick all 8 boxes in Options ) http://www.majorgeeks.com/OleClean_d452.html http://www.geocities.com/maurizioferreira/oleclean.html http://www.webgrid.co.uk/system_13.html http://www.webgrid.co.uk/index.html http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=oleclean =============================== CCleaner http://www.ccleaner.com/ One advantage of this cleaner is, when Issues is clicked & the boxes ticked, it will tell you before you fix ( doing one file at a time ) why the file is there. CCleaner (Crap Cleaner) is a freeware system optimisation tool. That removes unused and temporary files from your system - allowing it to run faster, more efficiently and giving you more hard disk space. The best part is that it's fast! (normally taking less that a second to run) and Free. :) Windows 95/98/NT4/ME/2000/XP/2003 ================================= RegSeeker http://www.hoverdesk.net/freeware.htm RegSeeker is a perfect companion for your Windows registry! RegSeeker includes a powerful registry cleaner and can display various informations like your startup entries, several histories (even index.dat files), installed applications and much more! With RegSeeker you can search for any item inside your registry, export/delete the results, open them in the registry. RegSeeker also includes a tweaks panel to optimize your OS! RegSeeker is FREE for personal use only! My personal use, is to, delete only the Green entries. Click on Select All and choose > Select all Green items. Right click to delete. ========================================= EasyCleaner http://personal.inet.fi/business/toniarts http://personal.inet.fi/business/toniarts/ecleane.htm Use the Updates button, before using. 1: Click on Unnecessary. I tick > Normal types, Extra types & Temp directories. Don't use Duplicate files unless you really know what your doing. If you try & remove a file that is being used, it will after about a 15 second delay, inform you so & will not delete. 2: Now click on Registry & run. ================================== RegScrubXP http://www.majorgeeks.com/download.php?det=2048 http://www.sofotex.com/RegScrubXP-download_L7528.html Registry Cleaner for Windows XP/2000 Systems (under development is a version that will run in Windows 98/ME/NT/2000/XP) I have made it very easy for you to backup the registry prior to using RegScrubXP. This backup process uses Microsoft's reg.exe program. Follow these directions: Go into the folder where RegScrubXP was installed. Double-click on these two programs: HKLM.cmd and HKCU.cmd You should see two files created: HKLM.reg and HKCU.reg Copy these two files to a safe place. If you ever need to fully restore your registry back to normal, double-click on HKLM.reg and HKCU.reg to fully restore your registry as it was before you used RegScrubXP. ================================== Eusing Free Registry Cleaner http://www.eusing.com/free_registry_cleaner/registry_cleaner.htm Eusing Free Registry Cleaner is a free registry repair software that allows you to safely clean and repair registry problems with a few simple mouse clicks. The Windows Registry is a crucial part of your PC's operation system. Problems with the Windows Registry are a common cause of Windows crashes and error messages. Registry problems can occur for many reasons, including references left behind after uninstallation; incorrect removal of software; missing or corrupt hardware drivers; or orphaned start-up programs. This will significantly increase the Registry size and slow down your computer, because Windows will need more time to load, search, and read data from the Registry. Eusing Free Registry Cleaner will scans your Windows registry for invalid or obsolete information and provide a list of the errors found. After fixing the invalid entries, your system will be more stable and run faster. For maximum safety, Eusing Free Registry Cleaner will make a backup of the repaired entries. You will be able to restore any changes made using the software by choosing Restore registry backup. Eusing Software products are free of spyware and adware. Windows 9x/Me/NT/2000/XP/2003 ==================================== DustBuster http://www.majorgeeks.com/downloadget.php?id=1182&file=11&evp=bfd7730c44fba586eaed019edd92d63c http://www.majorgeeks.com/downloadget.php?id=1182&file=10&evp=bfd7730c44fba586eaed019edd92d63c http://www.majorgeeks.com/downloadget.php?id=1182&file=12&evp=bfd7730c44fba586eaed019edd92d63c http://www.majorgeeks.com/downloadget.php?id=1182&file=9&evp=bfd7730c44fba586eaed019edd92d63c http://www.majorgeeks.com/downloadget.php?id=1182&file=13&evp=bfd7730c44fba586eaed019edd92d63c http://majorgeeks.com/downloadget.php?id=1182&file=14&evp=bfd7730c44fba586eaed019edd92d63c DustBuster is a garbage file removing utility for Microsoft Windows operating systems. It searches for junk files and temp files that are of no use and are just taking space on your hard drive. Based on a "common sense" scanning technology, DustBuster now cleans over 1500 different types of useless temp files and directories in a single click, detecting and deleting all these unneeded files automatically. This will increase hard disk space on Windows 98/ME/2000/XP/2003. ================================== Find Junk Files http://www.majorgeeks.com/Find_Junk_Files_d1953.html Find Junk Files is a user-friendly utility designed to free up disk space by deleting useless junk files. Each time you use your PC, unwanted files are created that increasingly use more space on your hard drive. Find Junk Files can find more than 165 types of junk files with ease. Unlike many other programs Find Junk Files will let you choose which drive or drives to clean, which file types to search for, and what folders to include or exclude. ================================== ATF Cleaner http://www.atribune.org/content/view/25/2/ This program is for XP and Windows 2000 only Double-click ATF-Cleaner.exe to run the program. Under Main choose: Select All Click the Empty Selected button. If you use Firefox browser Click Firefox at the top and choose: Select All Click the Empty Selected button. NOTE: If you would like to keep your saved passwords, please click No at the prompt. If you use Opera browser Click Opera at the top and choose: Select All Click the Empty Selected button. NOTE: If you would like to keep your saved passwords, please click No at the prompt. Click Exit on the Main menu to close the program. For Technical Support, double-click the e-mail address located at the bottom of each menu. This will remove all files from the items that are checked so if you have some cookies you'd like to save. please move them to a different directory first. ======================================= Binman http://steveseymour.0catch.com/ http://anothermirror.tripod.com/free.htm Seeks out the rubbish left behind by other programs. Use regularly it will save space. It can auto run at times set by you. Cleans automatically at boot up. Or, ( dos'nt hurt to use both ) XP Auto Delete Temporary Folder http://www.tweakxp.com/display.aspx?id=2021 First go into gpedit.msc ( only available in the Pro version of XP ) Start > Run, Copy & Paste > gpedit.msc & press Enter. Next select -> Computer Configuration > Administrative Templates > Windows Components > Terminal Services > Temporary Folder. Then right click "Do Not Delete Temp Folder Upon Exit" Go to properties and hit disable. Now next time Windows puts a temp file in that folder it will automatically delete it when its done!

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A small "caveat" re' ccleaner... I had a problem with it on an XP system; and another poster here also had a problem with XP + ccleaner... In my case it was necessary to re-install something - an application (cannot recall what it was...); the other poster managed to get back via a restore-point to pre-ccleaner arrrival/installation. Had no problems with ccleaner and '9x/ME/NT/W2K... - but there may be some issues with XP??? I think the problem is within the registry - it removes something or other... that it didn't "ort-a"..... Sorry to be so vague on this occasion... but may be useful to have in one's mind (in the background as it were) just in case?

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"A small "caveat" re' ccleaner..." That caveat applies to all cleaners trvlr, have enclosed a good tutorial with ccleaner. I personally do not tick Internet Explorer, Windows Explorer, Advanced & Firefox.

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Thanks to you all for your answers Given me plenty to go at If any advice helps, please post back as it might help others.

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