README.TXT for RegClean 4.1a (build 7364.1) December 30, 1997 ----------------------------------------------------------------- HOW TO INSTALL -------------- Copy RegClean.EXE to any folder on your machine. HOW TO RUN ---------- Double-click on the RegClean icon. RegClean will start by displaying a progress dialog. While this is shown, it will load a copy of the parts of the registry that it is going to check, and perform the actual scanning. Depending on how much information is in the registry and the speed of your CPU, this will take anywhere from about 2 to 30 minutes. If you have many entries in your registry, there may be times when RegClean appears to have stopped working. In fact, RegClean may appear completely halted whenever it is checking remote or removable drives. Once these progress meters are gone, you will be prompted for the next action. You can do two things at this point: 1. Exit RegClean. Well, that’s kind of pointless, but you can do it. Just press the Cancel button. 2. Allow RegClean to fix errors that it found. This will create an UNDO.REG file in the folder where RegClean was run. The file will be titled "Undo computer yyyymmdd hhmmss.REG," where computer is the name of your machine, and yyyymmdd is the date and hhmmss is the time. After the file is saved, RegClean will remove these entries from the registry. You will see a progress meter while it does this. Sometimes, the progress meter may stop momentarily, but it should resume after a few seconds. When the meter is gone, RegClean is done. Press Exit to end RegClean. WHAT REGCLEAN DOES ------------------ RegClean analyzes Windows Registry keys stored in a common location in the Windows Registry. It finds keys that contain erroneous values, and after recording those entries in the Undo.Reg file, it removes them from the Windows Registry. WHAT REGCLEAN DOESN'T DO ------------------------ RegClean does not fix every known problem with the registry. It does not fix a "corrupt" registry; it only fixes problems with some of the entries that are in a normal registry. It is very possible that RegClean will not correct a problem that you have encountered. RegClean will leave any entries in the registry that it doesn't understand or could possibly be correct. ---------------------------------------- FIXES FOR REGCLEAN 4.1a - ALWAYS REPORTS ERRORS RegClean will now report that it has found all the errors that it can correct. Usually, you must run RegClean twice the first time to get it to this point. This is expected behavior for RegClean. - CRASHES RegClean should run correctly on these Intel-based operating systems: Microsoft Windows NT 3.51 (with Service Pack 3) Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 (all versions) and later Microsoft Windows 95 (all versions) and later GENERAL ISSUES -------------- - OLEAUT32.DLL - DOESN'T SOLVE PROBLEMS/MAKES NEW PROBLEMS - CAN'T UNDO THE REG FILE ---------------------------------------- FIX: REQUIRES UPDATED OLEAUT32 (status updated: 17 Apr 97) SYMPTOMS -------- Two messages boxes appear. One box says: "REGCLEAN.EXE is linked to missing export OLEAUT32.DLL:421" while the next message box says: "A device attached to the system is not correctly functioning" RESOLUTION ---------- You need to install the update to the OLE Automation system libraries. These files are contained in the executable OADIST.EXE, which is included in the download. (NOTE: If you are using Window NT 3.51, you must use OADIST2Z.EXE instead; read the KB article shown below.) Alternately, you can find these files either at: http://support.microsoft.com/support/kb/articles/Q164/5/29.asp -or- ftp://ftp.microsoft.com/Softlib/MSLFILES/oadist.exe ftp://ftp.microsoft.com/Softlib/MSLFILES/oadist2z.exe You can use most web browsers to download this file from either location. This file is also on the Microsoft Download Library BBS. MORE INFORMATION ---------------- OADIST.EXE is a self-extracting Cabinet that will install the Automation libraries on your system. You just need to download the file OADIST.EXE and double-click to run it. It will prompt you to be sure that you want to proceed. Answering "yes" will update the Automation libraries on your computer. This self-extracting Cabinet only works on Windows NT 4.0 and Windows 95. If you are on Windows NT 3.51, you will need to get OADIST2Z.EXE instead, which is still being published. Both contain the same files. However, the OADIST2Z.EXE is a self- extracting ZIP file with a README.TXT file that contains installation instructions. OADIST.EXE is 490096 bytes. OADIST2Z.EXE is 559499 bytes. ---------------------------------------- PROBLEM: IT DOESN'T SOLVE MY REGISTRY PROBLEMS -or- IT JUST CREATES MORE PROBLEMS (status updated: 30 Dec 97) Running RegClean may, in a few cases, cause other problems, such as causing part of the Microsoft Network viewer to stop functioning, or causing other programs to stop functioning. If this happens to you, simply Undo the changes RegClean made, by double-clicking on the last Undo.Reg file. These types of problems are very rare, but it's a good idea to keep your last Undo.Reg file for at least a few days or so. Microsoft will continue improving RegClean to reduce the frequency of problems like these. ---------------------------------------- PROBLEM: CAN'T UNDO THE UNDO.REG FILE (status updated: 18 Mar 97) SYMPTOM ------- Windows displays several error message boxes when you try to double-click the UNDO.REG file to undo the changes RegClean made. RESOLUTION ---------- This problem is unrelated to RegClean. It's a problem with the Associated Program for .REG files. To correct this problem: 1. Go to any Explorer window, click the View menu, and select Options. 2. In the Options dialog, select the File Types tab. 3. Scroll down in the "Registered file types:" list until you find the entry called "Registration Entries." 4. Double-click this item or click on the Edit button. 5. In the Edit File Type dialog, select the "Merge" entry, and either double-click this item or click on the Edit button. 6. In the "Editing action for type: Registration Entries" dialog box, make sure that the text in the "Application used to perform action:" field has the following entry, including the double quotes: regedit.exe "%1" 7. Click the OK buttons to dismiss all three dialog boxes. 8. You should be able to double-click on the Undo.Reg file now. ---------------------------------------- Thanks for using RegClean! We hope you find this utility useful. - The RegClean Team ---------------------------------------- REGCLEAN IS PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND. MICROSOFT DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING THE WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. IN NO EVENT SHALL MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER INCLUDING DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, LOSS OF BUSINESS PROFITS OR SPECIAL DAMAGES, EVEN IF MICROSOFT CORPORATION OR ITS SUPPLIERS HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. SOME STATES DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF LIABILITY FOR CONSEQUENTIAL OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES SO THE FOREGOING LIMITATION MAY NOT APPLY. -----------------------------------------------------------------