UKC

Does anyone know if uninstalling and then re installing some software on a PC will eventually slow it down? I've heard that it may leave extra data on the registry.

In reply to Quarryboy:
It is something you really don't need to worry about, install and uninstall to your hearts content.

In reply to Quarryboy:

Installing software, then un-installing it will leave some data in the registry, which is why 30-day trial software knows that it has previously been installed and you can't just get another 30 days (ad infinitum) by repeatedly installing, un-installing, then re-installing.

However, I don't think that it would increase the amount of data in the registry every time you do a repeat installation, but some software may get your OS to create a Restore point every time it installs and un-installs, so that would use extra disk space.

In reply to Quarryboy: Eventually yes. The computer is looking for things that are not there. You can run registry clean up programs every so often to get rid of these remnants. Once when I did this my PC speeded up dramatically but I'n not sure how significant a difference it would make with modern dual-core processors.

Al

In reply to Gaston Rubberpants:

Did you use a windows registry cleaner or something else?

In reply to Quarryboy: Depends on the software vendor. Some companies leave all sorts of sh1t lying around. Others have the same ethic as a conscientious wild camper leaving no trace.

My top tips for speeding your PC up are:
- Delete any cr@p lying around, be it temporary files, obsolete files, browsing history, recycle bin. There is a wizard in windows somewhere that can help you do this.
- Uninstall / remove programmes that are no longer needed or used.
- Delete unwanted programs from the Startup sub-menu in the start menu which will improve startup speed
- run 'msconfig' and uncheck any programs / tasks that start when you log in that you don't need / use. For example, Adobe updates, anything to do with Java updates and Google updates are all common culprits.
- Check your running tasks for any naughty programmes that are running unwanted in the background and uninstall / delete them.
- Once you have tidied up, a good defrag overnight can do wonders.

Although I am happy to bomb around the registry, you can cause more harm that good by tinkering with it so I wouldn't worry about it too much.

In reply to Quarryboy: I have used several registry cleaners and never had any problems. I think that the one I have at the moment is "Ashampoo Winoptimiser 6"

Al

In reply to Quarryboy:

Cheers guys, really useful information!

In reply to Quarryboy:

Top Tip: use OSX!

In reply to Glen:

errr no. Even macs aren't virus proof any more and that was practically there only selling point for years.

In reply to Quarryboy: yeah. Ugly computers. Very difficult to use. Break down as soon as you look at them. Always having to defrag, clean, fiddle withe innards, reload the os. Can't see why anyone buys macs. It's so mucheasier dealing with registry issues

In reply to pneame:

Macs don't get many registry problems because Apple don't use an open source system unlike Windows. (you cant make a program for mac and then put it out there without it going through tones of tests through Apple and having it rejected 99% of the time) so you're somewhat limited on what software is available to you and most of it is written by Apple themselves. some of us don't want to use a system that work's in the same way communism does + if you have a Mac you pay a ridiculous amount for what you get. A low end mac costs around £700 but for that you can get a really high spec PC.

PCs aren't ugly either there a hell of a lot easier to use than a Mac as well. So long as you're careful you don't get problems with them either I don't have problems with mine I just asked the question that I did because I am uninstaling and then installing a newer version of some software and I wanted to know if someone did this lots weather it would have any effect on the speed of the computer.

In reply to pneame:

i'm sorry i have to take you up on a couple of points there...
very difficult to use? then why do pretty much all businesses use them?
ugly? it's a tool to do a job... who gives a flying funk how it looks?
win7 has resolved most of the complaints you make.

i'm pleased for you that you can afford a MAC, personally i'd rather spend the extra money on doing something fun, you know like climbing?

No, uninstalling removes everything provided you haven't modified the config files. You can "yum install gimp; yum remove gimp" to your heart's content.

This might be different with crappy software like Windows.

In reply to Philip:

<like>

although APT rather than yum here thanks very much!

In reply to Quarryboy:
Eh? I think you are thinking of the iphone.

In reply to Quarryboy:

I'm just about to experiment with Linux Mint again. Its a love hate relationship where I keep drifting back to Win7, probably because I'm not patient enough to learn.

Not too many probs with the registry or viruses with Linux though.

In reply to Mike_Watson_99:

i did chuckle at windows is open source too

In reply to The Lemming:
Problem I had with linux last time was I tinkered too much with it and broke it! Dont join the alpha release repositories!

Why go with mint out of interest? I saw that ubuntu got a lot of flack for messing around with the desktop.

In reply to Mike_Watson_99:

+1

fwiw the only thing i prefer in osx over windows is the command line access.

In reply to Mike_Watson_99:

I always broke it tinkering. I remember ditching windows 98 in favour of Red Hat Linux the first time. Only use Linux on my rack server at home now.