There are registry defrag software programs available. If I want to defrag the registry, will I need to obtain one of these or does Piriform Defraggler do this task?

To defragment the registry must mean defragment the registry hive so that the system can access entries in the Registry faster?

But since the system exclusively uses the Registry, some programs will have to be closed or the system has to be restarted for this process to take place.

Not everything can or needs defragmenting. The registry being one of those things.

There are basic registry cleaners, like CCleaner. But honestly, in the 10+ years of using the registry, I've never seen any product do anything to it that made a speed increase on my system.

What is usually meant by 'defragmenting' the registry, is compacting the hives to their minimum size, which, especially if you've never done it, can result in better system performance.

NTRegot is a good choice: http://www.larshederer.homepage.t-online.de/erunt/

Registry defrag removes the unnecessary gaps from the registry and that way compacting it.

Here's one registry defrag program: http://www.registry-clean.net/free-registry-defrag.htm

It's good, because there's an "Analyze" option. You can analyze the registry first to see, if it needs defragging.

It costs US$29.95

It does a few other things but its not worth the money to me as there are equivalent programs available for free.

You are wrong Kenny.

It's a freeware and completely free to use. Just enjoy it.

Do I need pay for using this product?

No. The product is a freeware and it is completely free to use. You don't need to pay anything to use it.

Hi mazzy,
As you can see from the other replies Registry "defrag" OR "optimization" is a very special task.
I use ERUNT to backup the Registry before doing anything to the Registry.THIS IS CRITICAL.
Like many other members I use NTREGOPT to optimize the Registry.
However,only run this when all other programs are stopped running.
As soon as you run it then reply YES to reboot immediately.THIS IS CRITICAL.
This program made a significant change to my Registry size with a proportional increase in speed. (17 %).

Good luck,
davey
New Users and all users
P.S. Follow this link and get both ERUNT and NTREGOPT at the same time. Maybe something else also. UPDATED JULY 19,2008
http://forum.piriform.com/index.php?s=&...st&p=102905

Why does it nag me to purchase the application?

I made that same mistake, you need to click on the link just above the screenshot, the list on the upper left takes you to "Defrag Cleaner", which is a different program.

I've never liked using things that mess around the the registry, I use and trust CCleaner with it but there are so many rouge programs floating about out there you honestly don't know what your doing to your machine these days.

Yep, here's the direct download link: http://download.registry-clean.net/downloa...stry-defrag.exe

I use Auslogics Registry Defrag and I find it to be a very good free program.

Auslogics Registry Defrag

Cheers

Please review as Auslogic programs aren't that good:
http://forum.piriform.com/index.php?s=&...st&p=110417

Stick with the tried and true NTREGOPT

I put Auslogics disk defrag and Auslogics registry defrag to the test and they are good programs. When I run Auslogics registry defrag and then after a reboot I run Free registry defrag from Registry Clean Expert it says that the registry does not need to be defragmented nor optimized so it means that Auslogics registry defrag did its job. When I run Auslogics disk defrag and then right after I run Defraggler it says that the drive is not fragmented so it means that Auslogics disk defrag did its job (faster then Defraggler)
Anyway I prefer Defraggler because it has more features and options. I used to use NTREGOPT in the past but I wasn't sure if it did a good job at that time. Auslogics asks you to close all running applications before optimizing which makes sence since they are in use by the registry. NTREGOPT does not ask you to close all running programs. I will give it a try in Vista anyway. I am trying many programs at the moment, I will have to choose one day which is hard lol it would be nice if Piriform could do a registry defrag program.

I went on NTREGOPT website and did some reading. Apparently it does not defragment the registry, it only compacts it. I found the following note from the editor:

Note that the program does NOT change the contents of the registry in
any way, nor does it physically defrag the registry files on the drive
(as the PageDefrag program from SysInternals does). The optimization
done by NTREGOPT is simply compacting the registry hives to the
minimum size possible.

Both Auslogics Registry Defrag and Free Registry Defrag v2.35 Defrag, Compact and Optimize the registry hives. I will continue to put those two programs to the test. Auslogics Registry Defrag is updated every ragularly.

I was using RegSeeker to remove dead registry entries:
http://www.hoverdesk.net/freeware.htm

One could fritter away a lifetime discussing the merits of one defrager or optimizer or tweaker or if there is a &Deity so I settle on one and am willing to try another but usually they just do the same thing in a different way:
http://www.quoteworld.org/quotes/9896

I agree with you YoKenny, there are many good programs out there for free. I tend to stick with the ones that are regularly updated. I just ran Auslogics registry Defrag and Free Registry Defrag and they both showed the same result: I will save 672KB (1%) in registry size after compacting. I will have to choose between those two programs.

Auslogic's products are really good, and that's what I use for Registry and PC Defrag.

Hi Xion,
The above statement is what makes me very wary.
Why the constant updating ?
NTREGOPT copies the old registry to a new file. That is simplicity itself. No need for constant updating.
Upon Reboot the new file will be the new Registry. No chance of conflicts with "bad" software in the system.
davey
P.S. http://forum.piriform.com/index.php?s=&...st&p=109057
When someone with the reputation and credibility in the PC industry as Tony Klein says NTREGOPT is a "good choice", I know he is not just whistling in the wind.

I believe PageDefrag from Sysinternals defrags the registry. You can either launch it on demand -- or automatically at startup.

Notice the date:
"So how did I get infected in the first place?" © Tony Klein
http://www.freedomlist.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=22879

Also:
http://boards.cexx.org/index.php?topic=83.0

Not too sure what you mean here Kenny.

Are you saying Tony Klein's advice is out of date, or just pointing out that he has a lot of experience?

I mean that he has a lot of experience and is a willing helper and a good explainer and he is a contributor here:
http://forum.piriform.com/index.php?s=&...st&p=109600

I was a bit confused there, I thought you meant the opposite.

Tony is one of the goodun's and has saved many a user.