CCleaner: How do I use it without doing my system harm?

[Sylvander]

This program is so comprehensive.

And yet any one particular scan...
e.g. "Issues->Registry Integrity->Obsolete Software"
...could cause problems if the wrong thing is done.

Making choices in this is SO DIFFICULT!

Are there any help files or instructions anywhere?

[Budfred]

My recommendation these days is to use ATF:

http://www.atribune.org/ccount/click.php?id=1

* 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.


I don't have the instructions for CCleaner handy... I will post them later if I can grab them... One of the main things is to NOT install the toolbar that is offered unless you really want it...

[PrntRhd]

Sylvander,
The registry tool in CCleaner has risk, but at least it prompts you to make a back up of the Registry first. As always, if the PC is working, don't break it by going too far with your "cleaning", otherwise you will only get some heartbreak and some new practice in restoration/reinstallation.

More info on ATF-Cleaner:
http://www.snapfiles.com/get/atfcleaner.html

This is a milder temp files cleaner.

[Sylvander]

1. "at least it prompts you to make a back up of the Registry first"
Since I quite frequently make image backups of C: I probably wouldn't bother making a separate backup of just the registry.
But I'd like to know enough to be able to use this.
At the moment I feel the risk is too great.
Which seems a pity.
Right now I'm using janitor.vbs script files and Scheduled Tasks as shown HERE (http://www.pcguide.com/vb/showthread.php?t=66749).
The scheduled Tasks run each day...
And each deletes all files in a specified folder that are older than a specified number of days.
And it WORKS! :)
And it's SAFE! :cool:
Rather limited though. :(

2. "My recommendation these days is to use ATF"
I have ATF [portable] among my other portable programs, and had a shortcut to it in my Desktop folder, but wasn't sure how to use it, so deleted that to concentrate on trying to figure out how to use CCleaner.
[Whilst actually using the VBS script files]
ATF also frightened me off...
e.g. Didn't want to delete ALL my cookies; CCleaner has the facility to keep chosen cookies [like the PC-Guide cookie][nice].