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How often you format?

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Once, when I buy the drive.
Install the OS (Slackware Linux btw) and run it until I buy a new drive.
I feel sorry for the Windows users who feel they need (or have to) reformat every once in a while like when they change motherboard.
It's really nice to be able to change system hd's from various computers (should that be needed). Pop it in, boot up and continue working right away.

 


<< I only format if I upgrade operating systems or change my motherboard. >>

Or when I screw something up big time (rarely though). Otherwise you?re just wasting your time. My current install was done over a year ago and it?s still running like the first day I installed it.
 
Every 2 months or so.

I usually reformat about 2-3 times in 1 day when I do reformat because I am totally anal about that.

If the slightest thing feels wrong then boom back to a clean slate.
 
It use to be alot (2-3 times a year), but the format before this one lasted over a year and I have no plans on reformating any time soon. I did play it smart this time. I ghosted after all the updates for my Nortons and Windows and have minor software installed (Office). So I could unghost and have a usable system in 15 minutes that only needs minor updating.

 
I only format when hard drive is brand new.
There are other ways of fixing errors without reinstalling everything from the scratch 🙂
 
Uggggh this has been a rocky year for my hard drive...format..format....format..again...again..again..


Ive formatted like 14 times this year (last 12 months).
 


<< Just curious how often you guys/gals format your hard drive. I just installed a new cpu and motherboard. Everything seems fine, but got an urge to format haha.

So how often you format? >>

Once or twice a year.

I know it's good to do that now and then, but it's a pain to set up all my programs again afterwards, so I don't do it all that often.
 


<< As little as posssible. I only format for new installs or for times when I have totally fubared a system. >>



I also defrag every couple weeks and have been using WinXP - everything's just fine for me....
 
"The only time I ever format is when I get a new HD. I don't know what's up with the other people on this thread that format so often."

zephyrprime,

I agree, it's been 317 days since I installed Win98SE on my current drive. What is up with you people?!
 
I usually format about every 6 months. When things start to get messy and buggy.

I hate having to set everything up again, patching games, installing drivers, etc.. so i try to avoid it as much as possible.
 
When I had Win9x I used to format every couple of months to keep the OS in tiptop condition. Since then I've been using Win2K since last September, it seems to degrade far less than 9x so I don't know if and when I'll need to reformat.
 
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