Can any one recommend a free registry cleaner to download?
Thanks!
Podz
None of them. They’re not needed for most people.
XP and Vista can handle a large registry fine. It’s not like the days of Windows 98 where a large registry slowed things down.
Unless you install and uninstall an unusual amount of software or are a software developer that gets the registry filled with work in progress code, then there really isn’t a need to clean out the registry.
The problem is that there are a couple residual parts from a version of adobe reader 6.0.2 on there, I think.
When I try to install a modern Adobe reader, it sees some reference to this older adobe 6.0.2 somewhere (I am assuming the registry) and when it tries to delete the files as a part of the update, it cant find them and fails to update.
I think this is all because I tried to uninstall adobe 6.0 once and aborted for some reason, the process only got so far.
then someone at work kind of successfully loaded Adobe reader pro 7.0 on my laptop, and that’s failing because the “Core dll” won’t load when I open the program. I can’t uninstall 7.0 it because the computer keeps trying to find this 6.0.2 thing upon uninstall or install.
That probably doesn’t make any sense, but thanks for reading and appreciating my frustrations.
Oh… I have a PC and am running XP on it.
Thanks John,
Blake
The general purpose registry cleaners aren’t likely to remove the entries from a failed uninstall of Adobe Reader. They’re geared for removing general things that are safe to remove.
You’re going to have to do it manually or contact Adobe support to see if they have a special purpose automatic tool to clean up failed uninstalls.
Adobe does have a KB for how to manually remove the Adobe 6.x registry entries. They also have similar info for other versions like 7.x and 8.x.
Thanks, John. Will do!
I am one of those folks who knows enough about computers to give an computer tech person an ulcer.
B
Fortunately the procedure doesn’t require that you manually edit the registry. But it does require you to run some commands at the command line (DOS style).
If you want to use a freeware registry cleaner I have used two with some success and no disasters. CCleaner and Advanced Windows Care. Both have several clean up features that can be accessed separately like spyware removal, junk file cleanup, and other such stuff. Both give you the option ahead of time to export or backup the registry before you start. I have used another one named RegClean that I was not impressed with.
Ace utilities has worked well for me.
I didn’t think we needed a new thread for this
Somehow, my Start flag is at the top right, with the column (?) going down the right side.
I prefer it on the bottom.
What happened? How can I return it back to the bottom?
Am I being clear?
Click and drag the taskbar as though it were an icon.
Edit: If it doesn’t move, right click and deselect “Lock the taskbar”
When I right click, the dropdown menu says: Open Explore, Find, Play in Winamp, but no “Lock the Taskbar.”
When I right click on icons, they move along with a drop down menu that says "move here? etc, but this does NOT happen with the START taskbar.
Right click an empty are on the taskbar, somewhere in the middle where there is nothing. A pop up menu should appear with options for the taskbar and ways to organize your windows. Unlock the taskbar. Then left click an empty area and then, while holding the left mouse button down, move the cursor to the bottom of the screen where the taskbar traditionally lives. Should work. Assuming PC.
Definitely PC, WIN 98.
When I right click on the empty space, I get the following choices: Toolbars -> links, address, desktop, quicklaunch, new toolbar
cascade windows–horizontally, veritcally; minimize all windows, and Properties
Am I missing something?
Maybe I am. Guess its not the same on 98.
Edit: Then again annoyances.com has windows 98 checked in this “article”:
This is from memory: Click on Properties (of your Taskbar). In there should be the controls you need. When unlocked, the Taskbar is draggable as long as you grab it in the right place. Not on a button, not on an icon, not on a divider and not on the edge. Just a blank part of the middle somewhere. Hopefully the unlocker is in the Taskbar Properties dialog box.
My recommended registry cleaner for PCs is called Mac OSX. Unfortunately it’s not free, but worth considering at your next equipment upgrade. 
Not that Macs are completely without problems. Even a Honda Accord breaks down occasionally. It just breaks down less than a Yugo.
Yes, Adobe may have Knowledge Base articles that tell exactly what you need to do, and you’re always going to be in good hands following advice from JC.
I Did It!! Thank You!!
I DID IT!! THANK YOU!!
It wasn’t locked, and I couldn’t find out how to unlock it.
I think part of the problem was that it wouldn’t move when the Forums or my Email were taking up the big window.
As an aside, they only give me 4 taks bar options: always on top, autohide, show clock, and show small icons in Start menu. So I couldn’t find unlock anyway.
Can I ask another problem? I can only delete emails BEFORE I go online. After visiting the Forums or anything, I cannot delete any emails until I shut down.
Can I ask another problem? I can only delete emails BEFORE I go online. After visiting the Forums or anything, I cannot delete any emails until I shut down and power up again.
Billy-
You MAKE problems. You ASK questions.
Are you saying Billy is making problems when he’s asking questions?
Yes. Do you disagree for some reason?