Do you fresh reinstall windows or use imaging program?

[l Xes l]

I was wondering what most of people do these days to clean up their computers..
I've been only doing fresh reinstall of windows couple times a year.. but it kinda gets tiring when you want to setup everything to ur perference, reinstall programs, and do the tweaks in the windows for better performance and appearance.....
I haven't done imaging before but seems pretty convienent.. what's the cons and pros of using imaging? and wats the best imaging program out there?

 

[n0cmonkey]

I don't screw my computer up. The best imaging program? That's outside of the scope of this particular forum.

 

[Varun]

We use Zenworks imaging at work, works pretty well.

If I installed my OS as often as you it wouldn't be a bad idea to just have an image, however I try to delay reinstalls as long as possible.

 

[CrimsonCutie]

This is what i do when i build a new system:
-Do a clean install
-Update the OS
-Update drivers
Then make an image useing NortonGhost.
If i need to do a re-install of my system for any reason, it takes just a few min, verus the 45min of isntalling windows. Then baring any major things like a ServicePack for the OS, its just a matter of install programs and normal updates.

I use Ghost because its fast, and very good. You can creat booting/self installing images. It can make an image of active data, or go as far a true bit-by-bit mirror of the whole partition/drive (meaning even the empty space... which i can't think of a reason other than some forensic applications.

 

[DrZoidberg]

I do a fresh install every 1-2 years. Yeah it is a pain to format, reinstall.
I have a procedure where i export Outlook inbox, export browser bookmarks, game saves, word documents on CDR. When i finish doing reinstall it should be almost exactly like my old comp before format but slightly faster and no spyware/problems.

 

[l Xes l]

for those who still reinstall windows...
i actually made an "automated" windows install CD w/ SP2 and all the updates integreted in it..
try http://unattended.msfn.org/index.htm
it made the things a lot easier but i want to try imaging which seems more convenient...

 

[Some1ne]

I don't screw my computer up.

Ditto. I never have and never will perform "maintenece" reinstalls of Windows to clear out spyware/virii/other malicious/performance sapping things...it just seems like a waste to me to wipe out everything after getting the system the way that you like it. My maintenence cycle includes things like manually checking the registry to make sure everything is legit, scanning periodically with AdAware and Norton Antivirus, keeping all my OS patches up to date, and defragging the HDD's when things start seeming a bit slow. It actually works quite well.

Also, I've never once had an imaging application work correctly (or at all, for that matter), so I don't trust them anymore, although admittedly the situations I've attempted to use them in had a very low likelihood of success. For example, when I upgraded and installed my RAID array, I tried to image my current OS install onto the array and set the drive letters correctly so that I could have my OS on the array and keep all my stuff working, and that didn't take at all...there have also been a couple of other incidents in which the imaging did not take, but I don't remember the exact circumstances. Suffice to say I'm done relying on imaging applications to ever do anything useful.

 

[d2arcturus]

Keep all my non-system files on a seperate HD so reinstalling Windows is a breeze.

 

[CrimsonCutie]

Originally posted by: Some1ne

I don't screw my computer up.

I upgraded and installed my RAID array, I tried to image my current OS install onto the array and set the drive letters correctly so that I could have my OS .....

Most of the imageing programs work only for that machine, and that orginal configuration. Changeing ANYTHING about the machine you are applying the image to (that it was orginally made from... short of maybe adding/removie RAM) will create issues i have found.

But mentioning defragging is a good suggestion... doing an early early install of DisKEEPer and havieng it run in the background/at nite or whatever to keep the system defragged will make a world of difference.

 

[SlitheryDee]

I'm considering picking up Norton ghost myself. I back up anything thats really important to cd/dvd and I think I've already formatted and reinstalled windows four times this year. The main gripe I have is updating windows and reinstalling my favorite programs. Seems like it might make my life a great deal easier to have an image of a fresh install with current updates and maybe a few of my most often used programs.

 

[w00t]

typo "reinstall"

 

[l Xes l]

Originally posted by: w00t
typo "reinstall"

wat typo?!

 

[bob4432]

i have been using acronis true image in case of a hdd failure - i image complete hdds to other secondary hdds in other computers usually every week.

other than that i have o&o defrag defrag my c: drive every bootup and if you want to do a quick reinstall the nlite does make a nice thin xp w/ sp2 boot setup.

for changing mbs, i use this tutorial, works excellent:thumbsup: