Is it necessary to optimize and clean the registry on windows?

Question

Windows

On a PC under windows 10 I use the Reg Organizer and CCleaner programs for optimization and cleaning. deleting OS registry errors. I asked myself: Do I need to clean, optimize (defragment and compress) the OS registry? Could it harm the OS? Should You Use Registry Optimizer Software?
In the distant past, there was one case, even on windows XP. After "cleaning" with CCleaner, the OS did not start at the next start and I had to reinstall the OS.

Answer 1

Should You Use Registry Optimizer Software?

Not!
This is not something that is not useful, but also a harmful thing.
Sometimes you need to make some adjustments to the registry, this is done manually through regedit, thoughtfully and with a full understanding of what you are doing, well, with a preliminary backup.

Answer 2

Why are there different registry optimizers and what are the main tasks they perform?
1. optimization of the registry file (registry defrag)
2. removal of unnecessary information from the registry: the history of open files, for example.
3. removal of "extra" information from the registry: links to non-existent objects of the file system, for example.
This is not a complete list, but what looks like a basic one.
The 1st point was relevant while the computers had slow disks. The less fragmented the registry file is, the faster it is read by programs. Now there is no point in doing this: the disks are fast enough so that you do not notice reading the registry file, in principle, the
2nd point is in principle useful now, but only programs that store such information in the registry are to blame for it.
3rd point - the main headache and a tough "AGAINST" the use of optimizers: each developer of a registry optimization utility has his own opinion on how and what to clean properly, and this is what leads to disastrous consequences.
On the other hand - do you need to clean at all?
"Optimizers" clean up the data that (in their opinion) is no longer needed.
Programs that use the registry read their branch where they store settings.
Thus, "garbage", even if it is collected, does not interfere with them and the lack of cleaning will simply lead to an increase in the size of the registry file, which is not a problem in modern versions of Windows

Answer 3

In general, cleaning and optimizing sometimes does not hurt. But the result is very individual and unpredictable. Most of the time, everything is fine, but at one ugly moment, everything can screw up.