Registry cleaner problems

[obehave]

Downloaded a registry cleaner for my girl's laptop (vista) and it has been a nightmare. Everyone says it a good tool but it has been a major inconvenience (pop up windows that wont go away, and she's trippen cause it looks like all her files are gone. Can I make it work with your help or should I delete the download -and if so, how do I delete without screwing anything up? HELP!!

 

[gwb56]

If you have a Restore Point, you could revert back to a time before the reg cleaner was installed and or used. Or if you have backed up Vista at one time or another, then use the backup.
You have made the wrong assumption that many others have and that is to apply a cleaner to the registry. Vista and Win7 have a different registry matrix than XP and requires no such utility. Most geek sites will plainly state that these utilities do more harm than they actually say they fix. Stay clear of them, especially if running Vista or Win7. If you must use a light cleaner such as Ccleaner
http://filehippo.com/download_ccleaner/
#NOTE: During installation of Ccleaner, un-check any toolbar offers or the like as these sometimes cause undesired effects to your browser.
If you cannot restore your registry to a working condition you may want to do a factory restore or, if you own a full Vista Installation Disk, then a clean install is the way to go.
Cheers...gwb56

#EDIT: If you're receiving pop-ups, it's a good chance that spyware was included in the registry cleaner tool. Download, install, UPDATE and run a quick scan with MalwareBytes AntiMalware (MBAM).
http://filehippo.com/download_malwarebytes_anti_malware/

 

[Dark Lord of Tech]

reinstall!!!!!!

 

[obehave]

Thank you gwb56 for confirming my suspicions. What is the process for uninstalling it properly? Went to add/remove but not certain which program to delete. Also, the wife believes all her files are lost so I need to get everything back to normal -or I will live to regret!

 

[gwb56]

Thank you gwb56 for confirming my suspicions. What is the process for uninstalling it properly? Went to add/remove but not certain which program to delete. Also, the wife believes all her files are lost so I need to get everything back to normal -or I will live to regret!

You should go to C/Program Files (x86) and carefully look for the install folder of the registry cleaner. Once you find it, open up the .exe and look at the settings within the application for a registry backup. Some registry cleaners, such as Ccleaner (the registry cleaner in Ccleaner is one tool of many) will ask you to back up the registry before any changes are made. This would be your best case scenario. If it didn't write a backup, then try the restore suggestions in my first reply. If any of these fails due to no backups or restore points, your registry is probably in such a mess that area51reopened's suggestion of re-installing Windows is the way to go. Also, within the registry cleaners folder should be an uninstall tool. If it is not, then go to "Control Panel" switch to 'Classic View', open 'Programs and Features' and uninstall it from there.
run Ccleaner to delete any leftovers. Here is a complete tuitorial on the utility, which is one of the best crap cleaners (Ccleaner) out there...
http://www.howtogeek.com/forum/topic/ccleaner-tutorial?replies=26

Please post back if you need further assistance.
Cheers...gwb56

 

[livebriand]

Try revo uninstaller in safe mode to banish it.