Just had to reformat my computer!!!!!

[kduncan5]

Being the update freak that I am, when CNet's Catchup announced an update for the Microsoft Data Access Components, I jumped on it. Unfortunately, when the installation process detected I had applications running, it announced it would have to restart my PC when finished. I decided I would help things along by closing the open applications and when the installation finished, it apparently decided it didn't need to shut down & restart anymore. So I shut down & restarted anyway (I always do...), and the DOS-based scandisk kicked in, found errors, tried to fix them & couldn't (corrupted string values or some such), and I couldn't get into Windows no matter how many different ways I tried (and I tried many different ways:|

So I reformatted the HD, re-installed Windows, but I JUST HAD TO KNOW IF IT WAS MY ERROR OR THEIRS, so I downloaded MDAC again. This time everything went well, and I'm in the process of re-installing all my software. Talk about being a glutton for punishment.

The fun never ends.......

-kd5-

 

[boyRacer]

Same here... something got corrupted... dunno what it was... but it was something. So format i go! Now its running smooth...without the junk that some of the stuff i uninstalled left over.

 

[ViperMagic]

formatting is fun

 

[tommigsr]

<< formatting is fun >>

 

[Maleficus]

<< formatting is fun >>



true true

i format prolly every month

 

[bacillus]

<< formatting is fun >>
I love pain as well! :Q

 

[veryape]

Internet Explorer has caused me to reformat twice in the last 2 months because it has somehow corrupted my files to the point of me not being able to fix them without reformatting, so now i'm back to IE5.5 and having no problems. I have no idea what was wrong, and don't care to try that crappy browser again, since there are really no improvements over 5.5.

 

[cuteybunny]

if you going to reformat windows often make sure that c drive is about 1-2gig range or you end up losing downloaded files. You can reinstall windows again if it is corrupted and 99 percent of the time format isn't neccessarily. to me it seem like your harddrive was the culprit because scandisk can fix just about anything except bad sectors.

 

[4824guy]

Too bad you don't use a program like Ghost or Drive Image before installing any new software. You should have been able to restore the PC back to the way it was. These are 2 great programs IMHO.

FYI, I seen that Norton's Ghost is available for sale in the FS forum

 

[tweakmm]

burn me once, shame on thee, burn me again, shame on me...

 

[kduncan5]

veryape, I use IE 5.01 SP2, I refuse to go any higher than that

cuteybunny, mine's only 4.3GB, but it suffices..... I tried re-installing Windows over the existing configuration, didnt help

cuteybunny & 4824guy, I used Ultimate Boot Disk to perform a DOS-based scandisk, it told me it couldn't fix the error & suggested I run scandisk from Windows, but I couldn't get into Windows Also used Ultimate Boot Disk to use prior Registrys, but the problem was still in evidence.....so.....


Reformatting is fun!!!!! -kd5-

 

[RSI]

Sheesh.. why oh why are you using Win9x?

-RSI

 

[FrogDog]

I just formatted too, but only because I felt my hard drive needed it.

 

[ImTyping]

I built this pc a year and a half ago, have had ONE BSOD, and have never needed to reformat.

What causes you all to do this, other than messing with aps?

I am running win98 SE, the latest version of IE, and more programs than I could shake a stick at. Reformatting and reinstalling would take at least a day, maybe two, considering all the programs I use...a day or two that could be spent doing better things.

Is reformatting considered a "better thing" by some people?

 

[VTrider]

<< I built this pc a year and a half ago, have had ONE BSOD, and have never needed to reformat. >>



Phew! I though I was the only crazy one here! The machine i'm on right now has also been running for well, I mean well over a year since I last re-formatted/installed Windows 98SE.
This is right out of the twilight zone, I too have more junk installed/deleted on this system than most AT members would ever have in a lifetime! This happens to be a BX chipset/Celly II@850MHz/Win98SE system - most stable configuration I ever had hands down. I hardly get BSODs or any other system errors.
It's really scary, it's driving me nuts because I'm really anal and like to reformat/re-install all the time, but i Just won't touch this machine. I guess that old saying holds true..."If it aint broke, don't fix it!"

-VTrider

(I have a friend who probably reinstalls his OS once a month, for the last 3 years! - there's just something really wrong with that if you have to do that, that often)

 

[Egrimm]

I've had to reinstall Windows three times in the last six weeks (exactly every 14 days). It's my own fault though, I constantly try get oc my pc that little bit extra to squeeze out the last power, and that causes Windows to crash and eventually get corrupted.

Reinstalling Windows isn't that bad, to get it running with all drivers, Office and a couple of other programs (PhotoShop, some games, etc.) takes less than 2 hours for me, not that bad. Just remember to keep you documents on another drive