How often do you reformat?

[kami]

Usually once a year or whenever I make a major hardware upgrade (motherboard).

 

[Dacalo]

back in the days, I used to format like once in a month :Q

 

[dakata24]

about once a year.. actually, just did it yesterday so i could install RH 8.0

 

[Keego]

I rebooted 1/21/03

I don't reboot often, I format every 6 months if required.

 

[Skel]

Only when I install a new OS, other then that, I rarely have problems that warrent a format....

*knock on wood*

Skel

 

[CraigRT]

3 times a year on average. (or whenever I receive copious amounts of new hardware. )

 

[tcsenter]

Holy crap. One low level format (zero write), fdisk, format, fresh OS install and four hundred patches and updates later, I now have a working computer again. Damn you Microsoft!

Actually it was only seventeen patches and updates. Seventeen! For Win98SE and MSIE 5.5SP2. And that actually was not all the patches and updates, there were more than 30 available for Win98SE and MSIE 5.5SP2, but my configuration didn't require them all.

You'd think a 'cumulative patch' would mean just that, but it apparently only applies to 'critical' security updates. Functionality (bug fixes) and low-risk security updates are not addressed by 'cumulative' patches. I used to like reformatting when there were only three or four updates.

So confusing. I would prefer that Microsoft issue cumulative 'Service Packs' like they do with W2K and XP. Nope, gotta go sifting through all the updates and bulletins and KB articles to find which ones you need or don't need. Grrrr....

This is the last time I'll do that. I'm going to Ghost an image of this install, burn it to CD-R, and keep it for any future format/installs.

 

[datalink7]

About every 3 months.

 

[XCLAN]

Originally posted by: Electrode
Real operating systems don't require reformatting. The only time I'd ever do so is if I was going to make a major change, such as a new compiler or libc, that would most likely break every app on the system.

Just this week I had a power outage. Due to a somewhat flaky filesystem driver I lost about 30% of the files on the drive, but the OS booted right up and after re-installing a few packages, I was back to business as usual.

yeah but you dont look at internet pRon like all these other freaks

 

[ElFenix]

i try not to. i just did about a week and a half ago, though. i think that may have been the first time this computer has been formatted. well, i didn't really format it, i completely swapped out all the drives so now instead of a 20, 60, and 80 i have 3 80s.

 

[tcsenter]

Real operating systems don't require reformatting. The only time I'd ever do so is if I was going to make a major change, such as a new compiler or libc, that would most likely break every app on the system.

Well this HDD has had two owners, and now resides in its second configuration after I upgraded the computer my parent's (second owner) have owned for a few years. The HDD is an ATA/33 6.4GB that is probably going on five years old now. Its had a hundred applications installed, then uninstalled, then installed again, uninstalled, etc. Its went from Windows 95 OSR2.5 to Windows 98 to 98SE Updates, the registry has been sacked over and over.

It was like Disk Clutter Central, years of left-over files, registry entries, etc. So I zero-wrote the HDD, fdisked, formatted, installed Win98SE full + patches and updates. Its pretty snappy now, a lot more responsive and 100% stable.

 

[wicktron]

Originally posted by: datalink7
About every 3 months.

 

[The Dancing Peacock]

Every few months. Seems to work out to 4 or 5 months. When I start to screw with something and I'll hose it, and I just reformat for the hell of it. I'm due in the next month or two. I'd rather not do it, because it all is working pretty well. Haven't gotten around to ghosting it yet, that's gonna be my bad when I need it .

 

[GeekDrew]

Originally posted by: XFILE
everytime i upgrade to a new system, which is like every year. i cant ghost because it's a different system w/different chipset. XP gives me a blue screen if it's not the same system. anyone know how to use the same ghost image on different systems? THX

Investigate the Microsoft Tool Sysprep. It'll do just that. Just run the executable, shut down, ghost on the next boot...
What it does is tell the system that it's leaving the factory, and entering a customer's home... It removes the product key, the registered owner, and it re-enumerates ALL hardware devices. *WARNING* Make sure you have no encrypted data on the hard drive before you use sysprep. If so, it will be lost upon reboot.

Andrew

 

[murphy55d]

Originally posted by: Kaervak
Whenever it's necessary. Usually it's only necessary when I screw around and mess something up.

ditto

 

[spaceman]

depending on what i have done to my rig, it varies...on average once every 5-6 months.

 

[Sepen]

Originally posted by: HelloDeli
Whenever I need to really, dont have a set timeframe. XP System Restore saved my but a few times.

Since XP has come out I haven't. Still running solid and stable.

 

[radioouman]

Once a day. Sometimes before work and after, just to make sure.

 

[eplebnista]

Originally posted by: xuanman
very rarely. too lazy, no time

 

[VBboy]

Smart people don't reformat. They delete the OS files and install without formatting.

 

[Pliablemoose]

Haven't had to since I quit trying to use Roxio software & upgraded to XP.

 

[snooker]

I usually format after I start playing with settings and screw them up to the point of no return.

That is usually 2 times a year. Haven't done a format recently so it is about due

 

[snooker]

Originally posted by: VBboy
Smart people don't reformat. They delete the OS files and install without formatting.

So if you format you are a dumb person? I disagree. Even the best have to format once in a while

 

[Vernor]

My Asus MB doesn't like formatting. It starts beeping around 50-60% of the way through.

 

[jjones]

Never. I haven't needed to and there is no way I'm going to reformat and reinstall the OS, all my software, working files and archives just for the fun of it.