Registry Problems Query

[LewPaper]

I've just read again what I've read so many times before - that registry cleaners are useless and do more damage than they clear. I know they know what they're talking about and I know I should take notice of it but I think it's like being told, after all this time I shouldn't wash, brush my teeth or comb my hair. I see it, understand it, but . . .
What does anyone else think?

[Buenchico]

There's just one (free) registry cleaner that's regularly recommended in the technical press (and quite often here on AB too). It's well-designed so that you can easily choose what you want it to do (or not to do) so, if you'd like to try a registry cleaner, it's the one that I'll recommend to you now:
https://www.piriform.com/ccleaner/download
(I've used it myself occasionally and my PC hasn't exploded yet!)

[Mosaic]

Is it my imagination, or have other later products that have come along since c-cleaner taken its function over?
eg malwarebytes?
I just seem to have fewer registry-type problems these days. Or maybe I've just stopped noticing and am in fact allowing all my digital assets to be run by the Russian mafia.

[anaxcrosswords]

I’ve been using CCleaner for a while and it seems to do a great job in terms of its immediate effects, but I’m not sure that ‘more harm than good’ is entirely wrong.
Not that I have evidence to directly blame CC, but problems come back, sometimes worse, and new problems arrive. In my case, videos/GIFs on Twitter (and some other sites) simply won’t run, and Disqus-based comments sections won’t load, and I didn’t have these problems before. I also don’t frequent dodgy sites; I’ve even deactivated my FB account (although I was using AdBlock and FB Purity on that and didn’t get unwanted stuff anyway).

[LewPaper]

Thanks for all your responses and I'm sure we all have our favs, CCleaner is one of mine too, but I'm just surprised that we shouldn't be using anything. Personally I get a lot of satisfaction when doing some maintenance and find there's loads of errors to correct. I begin to hope for a more responsive and faster comp (though it's never happened yet).

[ukbod2015]

I`ve used the one built into various versions of Norton Antivirus for many years and never had a problem.

[ukbod2015]

I cant say I`ve experienced any of those issues although initial setup is important - and I`d never leave something which has kept me safe for umpteen years