CCleaner's usage on Windows has become obsolete

[Petrovic]

CCleaner has been a widely used disk cleanup program to help tidy up your computer and free up disk space. At one time it was a go-to application for many to clean things up quickly and efficiently, recommended by many. Sadly, their programs quality went downhill substantially over the years. Bug reports would often go ignored for months at a time. I can recall using it in the tech shop where I worked. Even then, it caused problems on a few machines we worked on. Those were mainly due to the registry cleaner. It should be common knowledge by now that registry cleaners do nothing to improve performance.

Now, CCleaner is known to break Cortana, indexing, caused Blue Screens with the November Update, vital Windows components, issues with Steam's VAC, and the list goes on and on. Many of these are simple to find just by doing a search for what CCleaner breaks. This once great program for quickly cleaning a computer has since become more of both a problem and a security risk than what it's really worth. The time where CCleaner was a quality program is no more.

Just a few years ago I discussed changing over to BleachBit. In this discussion I covered several areas of concern, though a major one was how CCleaner adds a CCleanerSkipUAC task into your Task Scheduler Library. The problem with this is that they are bypassing a security check because CCleaner needs permission to access your hard drive and registry as well. So, why add in this CCleanerSkipUAC task? That's where many problems begin is because CCleaner is setting cleaning options and more to be enabled for things that should never be touched. There is an option in CCleaner that was added back in May 2012 to skip the UAC check, but the major problem here is that it too is enabled by default. Users should opt-in to this, not have to opt-out. Many users have no idea this option even exists! You can even see for yourself the task that is added without a user's knowledge in our screenshot below.

CCleanerSkipUAC task in Windows 7

A thread on reddit discussing the Windows 10 Anniversary Update covers numerous user questions and concerns. In this thread they explicitly say to avoid using CCleaner and to instead use the built-in Windows Disk Cleanup tool. The built in Windows Disk Cleanup tool is far safer and still removes temp files.

Why is CCleaner not recommended anymore? I thought registry cleaners were a part of essential maintenance?

• Registry cleaners have been non- essential since Windows Vista, as Windows is now capable of maintaining its registry and require programs to better clean up.
• CCleaner, for whatever reason, likes to “clean” (i.e. delete) Windows components, which can lead to lots of issues, such as broken search indexing, broken Windows update and other major problems.
• A good proportion of frequent issues on /r/windows10 relates to CCleaner usage. A trip to the developer, Piriform’s forums may give you some indication into the issues it can cause.
• For clearing up disc space, it is instead recommended to use Microsoft’s own built in clean up utility. To access, press start, type ‘disc clean up’ (without quotations) and open the utility. From here you can delete temp files, cache files, upgrade logs and previous updates without fear of damaging your install.

 

Many threads can be found on reddit discussing why people should avoid CCleaner entirely. It seems over the years the number of problems this program causes have grown and have not been properly addressed by the developers.

Due to the high number of issues CCleaner has been found to cause, Lunarsoft will no longer be recommending CCleaner as a recommended or useful program. Stay safe, uninstall CCleaner and let the Windows Disk Cleanup tool do it's job. It works just fine and won't put you at a high risk of causing problems on your Windows install.

Article source

[jovelash]

1 hour ago, Petrovic said:

CCleaner has been a widely used disk cleanup program to help tidy up your computer and free up disk space. At one time it was a go-to application for many to clean things up quickly and efficiently, recommended by many. Sadly, their programs quality went downhill substantially over the years. Bug reports would often go ignored for months at a time. I can recall using it in the tech shop where I worked. Even then, it caused problems on a few machines we worked on. Those were mainly due to the registry cleaner. It should be common knowledge by now that registry cleaners do nothing to improve performance.

 

Suggestion on an alternative program?

Thanks in advance..........

[Petrovic]

1 minute ago, jovelash said:

Suggestion on an alternative program?

 

wise disk cleaner

[Togijak]

@jovelash

 

 

PrivaZer http://privazer.com/

[Pete 12]

Well, its still a good cleaner ; so far you know WHAT/WHICH you can safely ( harmless) delete............

And if you are unsure ; DO NOT use it !

[pc71520]

PrivaZer + CCleaner with CCEnhancer

[Holmes]

You can use ccleaner Im sure any issues that have happened with ccleaner the developer is aware of and there working on a fix or are going to be working on a fix.

[Kalju]

1. Ccleaner is completely safe and is still irreplaceable.
2. Privazer is very dangerous malware if you are not very careful. The biggest problem is that there is no possibility of exceptions (exceptions or white list are simply not included). It is very often outdated and deletes updated software, because it isn't added in safe or trusted list. For me it is absolutely not recommended strange and very dangerous malware.
3. Wise Disk Cleaner, Wise Registry Cleaner and as well as the Wise Care 365 are all completely safe and always modern, but is unable to clean up if a folder is read-only by default, but Windows has set even many temporary folders as read-only. Before it wasn't so. Sometimes happens also so, that is possible to delete to recycle bin, but not possible to shred, so thy will stay as they were.

 Is increasingly see, that Microsoft / Windows is interested that all your data are maintained on your hard disk, and they can not be destroyed. CCleaner can still to do that.
I think, this is the main thing, why is going on a strong fight against the CCleaner. It is because CCleaner can unlock folders and files, which are locked by Windows, and can destroy them so, that not possible to restore. This, however, prevents spying.

[Akaneharuka]

I only use Cleaner option in ccleaner

 

I never use Register Cleaner in ccleaner

 

Btw, After I clean my junk files with ccleaner I have a little problem, Windows ask me to re sing in again in every program that need Microsoft account

 

Xbox Groove Mine-craft Quantum break 

[el_espaniol]

3 hours ago, Kalju said:

1. "....I think, this is the main thing, why is going on a strong fight against the CCleaner. It is because CCleaner can unlock folders and files, which are locked by Windows, and can destroy them so, that not possible to restore. This, however, prevents spying."

 

....Best Said impossible, Agreeded....

[Kalju]

3 hours ago, Akaneharuka said:

I only use Cleaner option in ccleaner

 

I never use Register Cleaner in ccleaner

 

Btw, After I clean my junk files with ccleaner I have a little problem, Windows ask me to re sing in again in every program that need Microsoft account

 

Xbox Groove Mine-craft Quantum break 

Then do not delete browser cookies! So simple it is.

CCleaner does not have in this no way to blame, if you want to delete a cookies. You're blame itself.

CCleaner's registry cleaner is also absolutely safe, it cleans only obsolete key and values, nothing more. it is so normal and primitive to remove obsolete keys.

[Akaneharuka]

@Kalju Oh I don:t know that Microsoft use browser cookie to sing in into account  XD

 

thank you .I will keep cookie in ccleaner next time i use it.

[Whi5t1eR]

To keep certain cookies on your PC

1. In CCleaner, click the Options icon on the left.
2. Click the Cookies button. The list may take a few seconds to load. This list displays cookies from all the browsers you have installed on your system.
3. By default, all cookies are in the Cookies on Computer column. To keep cookies, move them to the Cookies to Keep column by selecting cookies and clicking the right-arrow button. You can select multiple cookies by using CTRL+click, or select a set of cookies in a row by clicking the first one and then SHIFT-clicking the last one.

[straycat19]

9 hours ago, Akaneharuka said:

@Kalju Oh I don:t know that Microsoft use browser cookie to sing in into account  XD

 

thank you .I will keep cookie in ccleaner next time i use it.

 

Not to pick on you, but this is an example of why you must understand the workings of an OS before you begin modifying anything.  You learned from your mistake, so this is a valuable lesson.  Unfortunately there are too many users who don't and will make the same or similar mistakes over and over and then blame the software.  Ccleaner is an excellent program in an expert user's hands but can totally trash a system in anyone who doesn't thoroughly understand the OS.

 

People shouldn't trash software because of their own stupid actions nor overrate their own abilities.  Just because some software packages allow a user to change its mode to advanced or expert doesn't mean the user is either advanced or expert.  Just means they might be stupid.

[Holmes]

10 hours ago, straycat19 said:

 

Unfortunately there are too many users who don't and will make the same or similar mistakes over and over and then blame the software.  People shouldn't trash software because of their own stupid actions nor overrate their own abilities.

 

Perfect example why windows ten doesnt suck ass.  In the right hands and if the user has the right amount of patience and has the know how they can make windows ten into the operating system it was intended to be.  In the right hands ccleaner is a excellent program thats correct.

[pc71520]

On 4/8/2016 at 3:46 PM, Kalju said:

PrivaZer is very dangerous malware if you are not very careful.

For me, it is absolutely not recommended strange and very dangerous malware.

PrivaZer can be modified as the user can un-check items.

For example, I selected to clear Memory (RAM) but not the Pagefile (Swap) file.

 

In the hands of an inexperienced user, every software could be dangerous...

However, I wouldn't consider PrivaZer to be Malware.