How often do you reformat?

KillaBong

Senior member
Nov 26, 2002
426
0
0
I format my C drive every time it gives me any crap at all, or if I've installed too many things in the last month or two.

Only takes about 20 minutes to install windows + everything I use for a format.
 

thawolfman

Lifer
Dec 9, 2001
11,107
0
76
Whenever I need to?

I ghosted soon after my last install, so pretty much everything essential can be just ghosted back onto it.

After I ghosted it I still forgot stuff, but what I really needed was there. :)
 

CrazyHelloDeli

Platinum Member
Jun 24, 2001
2,854
0
0
Whenever I need to really, dont have a set timeframe. XP System Restore saved my but a few times.
 

illusion88

Lifer
Oct 2, 2001
13,164
3
81
Only when I need to.
You see, I fix my problems through blood sweat and toil... not a simple format c:
 

Bignate603

Lifer
Sep 5, 2000
13,897
1
0
Originally posted by: thawolfman
Whenever I need to?

I ghosted soon after my last install, so pretty much everything essential can be just ghosted back onto it.

After I ghosted it I still forgot stuff, but what I really needed was there. :)

What did you use to ghost? I want to do that so I can just rebuild my system once and a while
 

thawolfman

Lifer
Dec 9, 2001
11,107
0
76
Originally posted by: Bignate603
Originally posted by: thawolfman
Whenever I need to?

I ghosted soon after my last install, so pretty much everything essential can be just ghosted back onto it.

After I ghosted it I still forgot stuff, but what I really needed was there. :)

What did you use to ghost? I want to do that so I can just rebuild my system once and a while

Text.

Worked great.
 

Squisher

Lifer
Aug 17, 2000
21,204
66
91
6-9 months, but this combination of WinXP and my knowledge of what software to keep off my computer might just keep me in the game a little longer.

 

Electrode

Diamond Member
May 4, 2001
6,063
2
81
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. :D
 

Miramonti

Lifer
Aug 26, 2000
28,653
100
106
I backup the registry every night, ghost every month.

I've got 109 different program installations on my program partition alone and no way do I want to ever have to reformat again. XP has been awesome tho.
 

JEDI

Lifer
Sep 25, 2001
29,391
2,738
126
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
 

Kaervak

Diamond Member
Jul 18, 2001
8,460
2
81
Whenever it's necessary. Usually it's only necessary when I screw around and mess something up. :D
 

FuZoR

Diamond Member
Sep 22, 2001
4,422
1
0
just formatted 2 weeks ago...
it was a little over a 8 months since the last format.

 

Slickone

Diamond Member
Dec 31, 1999
6,120
0
0
I never understood how people can reformat so often. It'd take me weeks to reinstall and reconfigure everything after a reformat.
 

tcsenter

Lifer
Sep 7, 2001
18,893
544
126
I am struck with the ocassional motivation to reformat and reinstall everything so often, just for the fun of it.

What I hate is HAVING to reformat not by choice.
 

Eli

Super Moderator | Elite Member
Oct 9, 1999
50,419
8
81
I haven't reformatted in about 2 and a half years. :)

Gotta love Windows 2000.
 

Hamburgerpimp

Diamond Member
Aug 15, 2000
7,464
1
76
It takes me a long ass time to reinstall everything since I have my Win2K system tweaked like a mofo, especially with an SCSI boot drive. So, maybe once a year. This P4PE 2.7G will last me until the 800FSB P4 comes out.