How often do you re-image your system?

[Crittias]

I'm going to be building a new rig this summer, and one thing that I'm thinking about doing that I've not done in the past is imaging the system so that I can reinstall the OS and my commonly used apps at a later date. I'll be installing Vista64 this time around.

In the past (with XP and older OSes), if my system got too slow or I ran into an error I couldn't solve, I've just reformatted and reinstalled the OS from scratch. I might do so every 6-18 months, depending on the state of the machine and my level of laziness. It's a time-consuming event, but a clean install is always a pleasure to deal with afterwards.

My question is: do folks out there reinstall their OS on a regular basis? If so, how do you go about the process? Any particular software tools out there that would ease the process?

Thanks in advance.

 

[loup garou]

Originally posted by: Crittias
My question is: do folks out there reinstall their OS on a regular basis?

I sure don't.

If so, how do you go about the process? Any particular software tools out there that would ease the process?

Thanks in advance.

In case of emergency, I do use Vista's builtin Complete PC backup on a biweekly schedule (in addition to nightly backups of user folders) on my Business and Ultimate machines. It creates images that can be restored after booting off the Vista disk.

Acronis True Image also makes fantastic imaging products, I've used everything from their Server software (universal restore to a VM -- that's cool) to the home products.

 

[sanzen07]

I try to avoid reinstalling as much as possible. I definitely don't do it enough to need imaging software... I have used Symantec Ghost before to copy an entire hard drive but that was only because I got a bigger main drive and didn't want to reinstall.

 

[bsobel]

Originally posted by: Crittias
I'm going to be building a new rig this summer, and one thing that I'm thinking about doing that I've not done in the past is imaging the system so that I can reinstall the OS and my commonly used apps at a later date. I'll be installing Vista64 this time around.

CompletePC backup will provide a base image and incrementals for you.

In the past (with XP and older OSes), if my system got too slow or I ran into an error I couldn't solve, I've just reformatted and reinstalled the OS from scratch.

System Restore is much more appropriate here. I have boxes that sans drive failure have never been reinstlled (my XP install was 3+ years old when I did the Vista upgrade on it).

 

[EtOH]

I use Acronis to image my system Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. I always have 2 images on hand (original clean os, and full loaded system). If I run into a major issue I try the full image first. I have never needed to use the clean os but it is nice to have.

All my images are stored on external backup drive, which goes with me when I travel.

 

[magomago]

never really

i have a winxp install that has been sitting there for quiet a few years.

Although i did do fresh installs of Linux when new versions came out - but since then i've just upgraded edgy to feisty~ and i may have done the same when moving from dapper...although I think I might has simply done a reinstall.

re imaging can be useful, and since i'm building a new rig i may make an image incase something goes horribly wrong such that i have a backup to fall on that already gives me desired functionality....
but i would never re image so i can reload every few months - waste of time, and improper care of a PC imo

 

[Alone]

Never; Linux.

 

[spherrod]

Never reimage unless it's one of my testing machines - in that case I use Acronis True Image.

 

[jkresh]

I use true image, for OS/programs I due a new full one once a month and a differential every week, I keep two months stored (just in case one month gets corrupted) along with a clean installed version. For my documents partition I do a full every week and keep 2 fulls (just in case one gets corrupted). Admittedly this means I use a large amount of storage for backup, but drives are a lot cheaper then loosing everything.

 

[bruceb]

I use Norton Ghost ... have only had to restore it once or twice, when for some odd reason,
the NIC Icon disappeared and was not in the Network Connections ... But the internet was
still connected and fully functional ... Who knows ? ... But is has been fine now for quite awhile
about 7 months now

 

[Noema]

Originally posted by: Crittias
I
My question is: do folks out there reinstall their OS on a regular basis?

This XP install I'm typing from is over 2.5 years old so, no.

 

[dighn]

I keep images as a purely precautionary measure; haven't had to re-image yet.

I use TrueImage