Microsoft is testing its own CCleaner alternative

[Geralt]

I cannot wait to migrate 100% away from Windows. Linux Mint has been fantastic for me and I use it 90% of the time. There are some "quality of life" things, like window scaling, that I wish they would address but that's all tolerable.

I really wish MS would just make an OS that we have full control over and use how we want. They had a great thing going with Windows 7, Windows 10 was actually pretty good at the start but they made so many changes to it over time that I now hate using it. Now we have this Windows 11 dumpster fire, them pushing Ads in the start menu(on an OS that WE PAID FOR), data collection, logging in with a Microsoft account.

I cannot wait for the day when Linux is 100% a viable alternative to Windows. It could be for me if I wanted to put the work in, but I'm talking for the average consumer for who a computer "just needs to work."

No Adobe in Linux. This stops me from moving to Linux.

 

[m3tavision]

I know so don't mock me for thinking I don't know something that I know but you don't know.

Wait, so you are a CCleaner Pro user..? And actually own the product..?

Cuz it has features that do more than just wipe out browser histories, etc. That is remedial stuff.

 

[takaozo]

I got my own "cleaner" for windoze, it's called the USB reinstall.

 

[captaincranky]

I have made it a personal rule to never make new partitions on a new drive, it is just asking for trouble. If I want a new OS on a new partition, I get another physical drive. I do think it is ok to put all your temp and dummy partitions on a single "junk" drive but that should be isolated from your primary OS and data drives.

Speaking of "junk drives", in a fit of obsessive compulsive buying frenzy, Newegg has the 6 TB :Black" as a "Shell Shocker" today, netted down to $115.00. No computer addict should be asked to bypass such a deal. I know I couldn't. (in spite of the fact it's the older part # 128 Mb cache).

Buyer's remorse won't set in until I get my next credit card statement. By then I'll be able to rationalize it, "oh well, it could have been worse, it could have been a GTX-3080 (or similar) on sale. I got off lucky.

 

[ZedRM]

Microsoft is testing its own CCleaner alternative

Oh hell no! CCleaner is much better than anything MS would be willing to offer. For example CCleaner can remove any unwanted app, including those MS doesn't want you to remove. MS is just trying to dissuade people from using that aspect of it.

I got my own "cleaner" for windoze, it's called the USB reinstall.

What a waste of time and effort..

 

[m3tavision]

I got my own "cleaner" for windoze, it's called the USB reinstall.

hunh..? What about if you install a different dGPU and DDU doesn't fix the libs..?

I use CCleaner Pro and never (not once) have I've allowed it to optimize my system, I use it to unfetter my libraries and registry errors, etc..

Try it for free, then uninstall it. I bet it can find tons of stuff wrong with your system... you don't even need CCleaner to fix the issues, if you are so upset. I can decline and uninstall if you want.

And that is just mostly remedial stuff. SSD's today, make even the most junk systems perform great... doesnt mean you can't clean up your system directories.

 

[m3tavision]

Speaking of "junk drives", in a fit of obsessive compulsive buying frenzy, Newegg has the 6 TB :Black" as a "Shell Shocker" today, netted down to $115.00. No computer addict should be asked to bypass such a deal. I know I couldn't. (in spite of the fact it's the older part # 128 Mb cache).

Buyer's remorse won't set in until I get my next credit card statement. By then I'll be able to rationalize it, "oh well, it could have been worse, it could have been a GTX-3080 (or similar) on sale. I got off lucky.

What are you 3 most played Games..?

 

[Nobina]

Wait, so you are a CCleaner Pro user..? And actually own the product..?

Cuz it has features that do more than just wipe out browser histories, etc. That is remedial stuff.

I used to use CCleaner and programs similar to it way back. I am fully aware of the features it offers.

 

[captaincranky]

No Adobe in Linux. This stops me from moving to Linux.

Believe it or not, last time I was on the site, Adobe is offering Photoshop Elements for Linux, download only.

I know that doesn't help if you're a Creative Suite subscriber, but at least there's light at the end of the tunnel

 

[ragreeen2646]

I worked it IT support for 27 years (UNIX). I have been hearing that Linux is the answer to all the worlds problems, and it will replace Windows. Linux is very popular in the server world, but there are too many distros and NO central control. Windows is successful because a single corporate entity controls it. Like it or not I don't see any viable alternative to Windows.
If OSX or whatever it is called now was available to other hardware vendors besides Apple, it would then be a worthy contender. Windows succeeded because Microsoft didn't restrict Windows to there hardware only.

 

[Trillionsin]

I would really appreciate it if the mods wouldnt delete my comments without reason. Where do I go to make an official complaint against the mods in here?

 

[yRaz]

I worked it IT support for 27 years (UNIX). I have been hearing that Linux is the answer to all the worlds problems, and it will replace Windows. Linux is very popular in the server world, but there are too many distros and NO central control. Windows is successful because a single corporate entity controls it. Like it or not I don't see any viable alternative to Windows.
If OSX or whatever it is called now was available to other hardware vendors besides Apple, it would then be a worthy contender. Windows succeeded because Microsoft didn't restrict Windows to there hardware only.

I've been dabbling with Linux for almost 20 years, it has been until the last 5 that I would consider it anything close to a daily driver. Mint is fantastic and with Valve making a big push toward Linux compatibility there actually might be some light at the end of the tunnel

Something that actually changes things is that Microsoft can't seem to stop P***ing people off with changes to windows. For a long time they made great OS's. 98SE, XP, Windows 7 and Windows 10(at release) were all fantastic OS's. Vista was even decent if you had modern hardware and they even quickly made changes to Windows 8.1. Now they want us to log into a Microsoft account, hide things from us, take system control away from the user and forcing their software down our throats.

Microsoft has put themself in a position where people are trying really hard to jumpship. People are unhappy enough that they are willing to deal with the inconveniences of switching to a different OS. Combine this with Valve dumping millions into Steam OS and we could have the perfect storm.
I'd also like to point out that having many different distros isn't really an issue. Many applications are getting close to being universally compatible with *.appimage replacing the tar.gz BS. It's basically down to pick the one you think looks the best and use it.

 

[Northstar10]

Oh God, people still use CCleaner?

What would you recommend?

 

[loki1944]

What we really need is not a cleaner program, but a mainstream alternative to Windows and Apple OSs; linux based is too complicated for mainstream unfortunately.

 

[Snazz]

If you actually care about junk accumulation on your PC (outside of the easily-emptied Recycle Bin), why not backup your configs in a convenient place (or make your own image if you want to be pro) and do a reinstall occasionally?
You're going to have to do it sooner or later. Besides there are benefits to a refresh such as rethinking how you organise things.

If you just want to force-uninstall specific apps, there are various free methods for that. Including simple copy-paste PowerShell scripts in the case of bloatware.

CCleaner(Pro) seems like a redundant, half-measure. Sold on the increasingly-questionable notion that your modern computer needs to be free of clutter to function normally, while dismissing reinstalling as being harder/lengthier than it really is these days.

 

[Geralt]

What we really need is not a cleaner program, but a mainstream alternative to Windows and Apple OSs; linux based is too complicated for mainstream unfortunately.

I agree, but that is very difficult. Only a big corporation can do it effectively. Millions of different hardware configurations, etc. make it really difficult.

 

[RudyBob]

I quit using "junk" like that years ago and haven't missed it. I quit believing the tech news just like I quit believing the "real" news and all is well

 

[m3tavision]

If you actually care about junk accumulation on your PC (outside of the easily-emptied Recycle Bin), why not backup your configs in a convenient place (or make your own image if you want to be pro) and do a reinstall occasionally?
You're going to have to do it sooner or later. Besides there are benefits to a refresh such as rethinking how you organise things.

If you just want to force-uninstall specific apps, there are various free methods for that. Including simple copy-paste PowerShell scripts in the case of bloatware.

CCleaner(Pro) seems like a redundant, half-measure. Sold on the increasingly-questionable notion that your modern computer needs to be free of clutter to function normally, while dismissing reinstalling as being harder/lengthier than it really is these days.

How else can a non-professional do what CCleaner does, in mere seconds...? Seriously, your elitism is palatable..

Game errors after installing a different GPU and broken libraries, etc.. all fixed! Are you mad that CCleaner Pro can do what you do, in mere seconds..? And back it all up, too..?

I'm worth more per hour to myself, than what this program costs. (ie: It's not worth my time to comb my systems manually...)

 

[toooooot]

I really liked ccleaner in the days of hdds.
There was an option that made pc a bit more responsive.
After upgrade to ssd I stopped using it.

Speaking of "junk drives", in a fit of obsessive compulsive buying frenzy, Newegg has the 6 TB :Black" as a "Shell Shocker" today, netted down to $115.00. No computer addict should be asked to bypass such a deal. I know I couldn't. (in spite of the fact it's the older part # 128 Mb cache).

Buyer's remorse won't set in until I get my next credit card statement. By then I'll be able to rationalize it, "oh well, it could have been worse, it could have been a GTX-3080 (or similar) on sale. I got off lucky.

I went with a 4tb refurbished Ultrastar HDD from Amazon 3 years ago. I got it for 50 bucks.
I was told these enterprise drives are very reliable and seller offered 3 year warranty. So far they all work flawlessly.
WD Black is a much better option than their basic drives that always failed me. But since I have had such good luck with refurbished datacenter drives, I think they are more practical.

 

[Ben Myers]

The default cleaner settings aren't harmful. Unless you know what you are doing, stay with the defaults. DON'T touch the registry cleaner.

I have never had any difficulty after using CCleaner's registry cleaner, with all cleaning options enabled.

 

[Ben Myers]

Replacing a CCleaner-malware with another Microsoft-malware.
Soon will replace Microsoft with Linux

Malware??? Gimme a break!

 

[Ben Myers]

For testing and other stuff a VM is more than recommended. Hyper-V, vmWare or Virtualbox have free versions. Or you can just add more storage devices and install on second drive if you want the full experience.

What real kills dual boot is UEFI and secure boot for me. Not a simple task to backup/restore UEFI/GPT disks, at least not that simple as BIOS/MBR days.

Better still, why risk trashing a computer with dual boot Windows and Linux? Get another computer to run Linux.

 

[Ben Myers]

I use Edge, so I'll give this a shot. I'm more interested in integration over 3rd party apps to keep things simple and clean when possible.

Integration is Microsoft's Achilles heel. Trying to integrate it all together merely adds greater complexity to the most complicated operating system in the world. And greater complexity leads to (DRUM ROLL! Get ready!) greater risk of instability. And that's what we've got, what we've had since XP.

 

[Ben Myers]

I see you people are still bashing CCleaner calling it a "malware". The fact is, some time ago I tested a lot of "maintenance tools" for an Italian magazine including CCleaner, and it still has a lot of great cleaning options if you don't consider the shady behaviour shown after the Avast purchase.

Compared to CCleaner, anyway, this... "thing" made by Microsoft is pure snake oil. Totally undesirable, to say the least...

Due to rants and screams by users, the Avast shady stuff is at a minimum.

 

[hahahanoobs]

Integration is Microsoft's Achilles heel. Trying to integrate it all together merely adds greater complexity to the most complicated operating system in the world. And greater complexity leads to (DRUM ROLL! Get ready!) greater risk of instability. And that's what we've got, what we've had since XP.

Sounds like a waste of time worrying about what could happen.