Full instructions on best way to use CCleaner

[pattybrew]

I have used CCleaner for many years on all my computers and have been very careful on what I tick before running it. The newest version has so much more on it that I am now uneasy everytime I use it. I found 2 instruction videos on You Tube and crashed my Windows 10 HP Laptop by following the info. The entire Windows 10 was removed and fortunately the copy was still in the system recovery. I now just tick the basic very simple items. (temp, registry cleaner, cookies, etc. just the basics)I would like to venture out and use the software in a greater capacity. The only instructions I have been able to find are yours (Computer Hope) dated 2006. That is so many years ago and CC has come a long way since then. Can you help me to utilize this wonderful software in a greater capacity?
Thank you so much.

[Allan]

It really doesn't do anything other than delete files, which you could easily do without 3rd party software.

[Geek-9pm]

Here is a short list of alternatives to CCleaner.
    Bleachbit
    Glary Utilities
    Clean Master
    Wise Registry Cleaner
    Wise Disk Cleaner
    Wise Care 365

But first, you ought to reads this:
http://www.computerhope.com/issues/ch001077.htm

Although these utilities can make the Windows Registry clean, the overall potential benefits are greatly outweighed by the potential harm they could cause. We suggest users do not install or use Windows Registry cleaners on their Windows computers. 

Without getting technical, the Windows Forestry has it own way of deciding what is relevant. Invalid entries have little impact on performance. That are just ignored.

[Allan]

Please ignore the above advice regarding registry cleaners. You should NEVER use a registry cleaner - they do more harm than good (and they do NO good).

[patio]

Which also means do NOT use CCleaner's registry cleaner...

[pattybrew]

Thank everyone for their advice about the reg. cleaner but there are so many other areas listed such as menu order cache, tray notification cache, old prefetch data, windows size/location cache and a few other cache items. Several items/areas listed in Windows System and Advanced. Are they relevant at all?

[zep516]

Don’t use the Advanced options unless you are very, very sure that you know what you are doing. These options are precisely the tools that could do some serious damage to your system if used wrongly.


http://features.en.softonic.com/ccleaners-advanced-options-should-you-risk-it

[Allan]

Thank everyone for their advice about the reg. cleaner but there are so many other areas listed such as menu order cache, tray notification cache, old prefetch data, windows size/location cache and a few other cache items. Several items/areas listed in Windows System and Advanced. Are they relevant at all?

All that does is automate the deletion of unneeded files - something you could easily do on your own if you wanted to. But candidly there is little if any value in deleting them 99.9% of the time.

For some reason people have come to believe that ccleaner is some magic cure-all. It is not. It's good at what it does, but what it does is very basic and almost always unnecessary.