I recommend NONE.  They are totally unnecessary and potentially dangerous in the wrong hands.

Steve

I've been using System Suite by Vcom for the last 4 years. PCWorld rates it #1. Anyhow, this program(s) feature, spyware removal, antivirus with cleaner (rated above Norton), personal firewall, anti-spam protection, diag & repair, and PC recovery. One of the many programs included check and cleans the registry.  Anyhow, I run their "all in one" utility that checks for virus, defrags disk, cleans registry.

Never had a problem. I've tried other software before using this one. I don't work for them, just after 4 years, my experience with this product has been good.

Message Edited by zeke1312 on 08-24-200609:17 PM

Andrewgrumman,

There is no such animal as a safe registry cleaner.  There are simply too many variables to consider when "cleaning" a registry.  I have and do use Abexo Free Registry Cleaner which can be downloaded from www.download.com.  If you are trying to clean a specific program's registry entries, then first and foremost create a registry backup before running the cleaner.  Also, do not use a wild card approach; i.e., do not accept the usual "Check All"  invalid entries found.  Instead, manually check only the registry entries that apply to a specific program that does not or will not completely uninstall all of its registry entries. 

I should add that before I use a registry cleaner, I clone the hard drive.  It's the only way to completely avoid a registry so "clean" that Windows will not even boot up.   Read the instructions before using a registry cleaner.  The best ones allow you to restore their registry backups from a Recovery Console command prompt. 

In closing, let me add that the "safe" registry cleaners include your antivirus, antispyware, antiadware, antiriskware, and antimalware programs.  Now consider how many times you've had to use System Restore, Recovery Console or a Repair Install of Windows to get a system back up after "cleaning" up your infected system.

Tony