Reimaging Vs. Formating

[zero13]

So what's the deal with Reimaging?
Does it contain the same procedure of formating?

Here's the story:
I go to a university with a laptop program (every students is require to get a laptop)... Whenever there is a problem the IT staff can't fix, all they do is reimage. For some reason, everytime they re-image my computer, it runs slower and slower. This is not the case for my desktop pc when i format it..

So what is the potential benefit formating has over re-imaging?
or are they both the same thing in different wordings?

 

[DaveSimmons]

It's all in your mind. Reimaging completely wipes clean your C: drive then restores the drive exactly like it was when the image was made, just like manually reinstalling the OS.

You could be neglecting to to use Windows Update to add the latest 50 Microsoft security updates, and immediately getting the PC infected with virii, worms, spyware / adware, etc. which would slow it down.

Or you could be running some P2P app at school that steals enough bandwidth and CPU to slow you down.

 

[EeyoreX]

If the computer runs "slower and slower" there is probably a problem with some hardware.

Reinstalling an image formats the drive and then restores an image of the default install (all settings, programs, if any, favorites etc. Anything that was backed up on the image will be restored. The best practice is to install everything fresh, with base applications you always use, then create an image. Of course, what it sounds like in your case is simply the IT dept. using the laptops restore image that will likely include Windows and whatever software they provide, not your settings etc. A format and reinstall amounts to the same thing. It just takes longer and you have to reset everything the way you like it, while an image can be saved after you set Windows up like you want it.

\Dan

 

[Sid59]

Originally posted by: zero13

So what is the potential benefit formating has over re-imaging?
or are they both the same thing in different wordings?

hours and hours of saved time. IT = time = money ..

reimaging is the rich and smart brother when comapared to the "slow, poor, time consuming" formatting brother.

 

[WobbleWobble]

I don't think that the computer is slower because you imaged it, it's the software they load into the image that makes it slower.

IT staff would probably constantly add more common programs as students demand it bloating up the image a bit therefore making it feel slower.

 

[techwanabe]

I image computers at work and it saves tons of time. I can restore a computer with all it's apps in a matter of 15 minutes using Ghost. If I had to install Windows and apps from disk, it would take all day, or longer.