Windows 10: Why was "scanreg.exe" removed quietly without any alternative?

This question is re-opened due to no viable solution.I don't want to rely on some other software because of the risk of removing or corrupting other registry entries.There should be a Microsoft solution to a dirty registry caused by software removals, document location changes, etc.The original question/responses is here:https://answers.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/forum/all/why-was-scanregexe-removed-quietly-without-any/5b6ca5b7-4985-4337-bbd4-fd10f8200340Clearly, there is no solution that is provided by Microsoft to clean a 'dirty' registry riddled with useless entries.Rick

:)

 

How to use ScanReg (or the alternative) on Windows 10

I'm looking for an alternative to ScanReg for Windows 10.

Seems as if it's been removed from Windows 10 for whatever insane reason.

I don't mean SFC, which does NOT do the same thing as ScanReg did.

I know how to run the SFC - that's not what I'm interested in, please do not answer suggesting SFC.

What is the correct alternative for ScanReg in Windows 10?

I'm looking for the tool that's used to scan the registry.

 

Why was "scanreg.exe" removed quietly without any alternative?

Microsoft, Windows is nice up until you have old apps that were uninstalled and leaving a ton of useless entries in the Windows Registry. Yeah, one that knows what they're doing can go in and manually fix them, but there's a few issues with that idea:

1. Most importantly, not everyone has the know-how to work with the Registry Editor.
   
2. Of those that do, there can be hundreds of bad entries in it that are safe to be removed.
   
   1. Such as provided in the example found here which explains how references to files that don't exist anymore.
      
      1. Prime example is the removal of Internet Explorer. So the registry entry located at "HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\https\shell\Open\command" named "(Default)" should be removed or changed to Microsoft Edge's IE compatibility. This entry refers to "iexplorer.exe" in "C:\Progam Files\Internet Explorer\iexplorer.exe" which does not exist anymore.
         
   2. Second example: I removed the Riot Games Client which stored itself in "C:\Riot Games\Riot Client" which no longer exists and yet their uninstaller did not remove the entry related to it as well as part of the folder itself. "Riot Client" is gone, but "Riot Client.old" exists with a .OLD file in it. Either way, this entry is invalid and can safely be removed.
      
   3. Final example: Visual Studio Code is still installed and there is an entry at "HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\VSCode.plist\DefaultIcon" and refers to an icon at "<usrdir>\AppData\Applications\Code Apps\Microsoft VS Code\resources\app\resources\win32" called "plist.ico". After looking into this directory, there is no .ICO file located here called "plist.ico". This registry entry can safely be removed.
      
   4. These are only three out of the many invalid entries in my own registry.
      

Microsoft has said time and time again that it's not recommended that customers use third-party software such as CCleaner and Malwarebytes. Yet, Microsoft is not offering an official, first-party application to this. It is in the best interest to provide such tool. The Microsoft Malicious Software Removal Tool is regularly found in Windows Update whenever a new update is available. A similar tool could be done in this self-same way: "Microsoft Registry Correction Tool".

I personally installed CCleaner to see how many errors it thinks I have with my registry. I cannot confirm or deny it he accuracy of this program, but it's counting 413 errors in total. CCleaner scans for the following in the Registry:

1. Missing Shared DLLs
   
2. Unused File Extensions
   
3. ActiveX and Class Issues
   
4. Type Libraries
   
5. Applications
   
6. Fonts
   
7. Application Paths
   
8. Help Files
   
9. Installer
   
10. Obsolete Software
    
11. Run At Startup
    
12. Start Menu Ordering
    
13. MUI Cache
    
14. Sound Events
    
15. Windows Services
    

Of these, my scan includes:

1. Invalid Icons
   
2. Open with Application Issues
   
3. Invalid or empty file classes
   
4. ActiveX/COM Issues
   
5. Application Paths Issues
   
6. Installer Reference Issues
   
7. Obsolete Software Keys
   
8. Invalid Firewall Rules
   
9. Missing MUI References
   
10. Unused File Extensions
    
11. Missing Shared DLL's
    

Now I will note I don't trust third-party software to fix these issues. However, I now have 413 issues I must research whether or not these are genuine, and also fix if they are so my registry is valid. All of which could've been avoided if Microsoft still had a official registry correction tool.

 

How do I do a scanreg in Windows 10?

Have been trying to find scanreg with the instruction for windows 10, Was told to just Right click the start button. Did it, get all kinds of things listed, but no scanreg. Looked all through all of the places listed, did not find scanreg. Dont conside
myself stupid, but need a little more info. Maybe its just me, but I was looking for something that remotely looked like scanreg, is under something else.. Would be more helpful if the instructions where more specific. Can anyone out there help me

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