Reinstall OS - How many times and when?

[LuckyTaxi]

Ok, I have nothing better to do on xmas eve, so I'm cleaning out my laptop. Doing a total fdisk, and reinstalling win2k and turbolinux (hey...it recognized my sound card unlike Mandrake!!!). I think one of my new year's resolution is to stick to my directory scheme. I would always have two partition under windows. a C for my programs and a D for my apps. However, I find myself throwing files onto the C drive, and I will never save things to the appropriate directory!!! I better do this right this time!

So, when do you normally do "spring cleaning" for your PC? I figure, during semester break when I get some free time.

 

[erikiksaz]

Reformatting/Reinstalling isn't really an annual, bi-annual, or tri-annual affair for me. I just decide to reformat whenever things get fubared, or whenever i install a new piece of hardware. I recently bought a new hard drive, which prompted me to reformat because i would want this new drive to be the boot drive.

But if there is any sort of schedule, i've noticed that i format every 6-7 months on average.

 

[Barnaby W. Füi]

every 3-6 months depending on how much i abuse the poor thing. its like douche for your computer, it feels really nice.

i have 3 partitions: OS, apps, and "stuff".

i'm fairly organized, i never put "stuff" on C: (OS), once in a while "stuff" will get on E: (apps) because of progs like morpheus which have a folder where they save stuff. but i change it to a folder on f:. so i'm pretty religious at keeping organized.

 

[igiveup]

douche for your computer. Thats a nice mental image.

If I didn't mess with my computer configuration so much I would have to say it would normally be about once a year, if ever. My issue is that I am constantly going from windows 2000 server to XP corp to Linux and back again. Kinda whatever tickels my mind at the moment.

Hey, I like playing....

 

[btvillarin]

I'm a neat freak, so I rarely ever get my stuff messy. All my stuff is neatly in it's respective folders. It's nice to have two hard drivers. One is for Windows and programs (one partition), and the other is for the swap file at the front of the HD, and the rest for my data. But, as for Windows, it's a little different.

The times that I reinstall Windows is when I choke it with a buggy program, or if there's enough programs that's had major updates, that I'd rather just start fresh. It's probably overkill, but I don't know why I do it. I've had a change of habit by trying my hardest to stick with what I've got. I haven't had to format and reinstall, so I'd figure I'd just settle. If Windows XP comes out with a service pack, I'll probably slipstream it into the CD, then clean install it Windows XP with the service pack already included.

It's a great idea to use a imaging program like Drive Image to save your setup just the way you want it, once it's perfect. That way, if you do choke it, you can go back to the way it used to be.

 

[n0cmonkey]

I reinstall every 6 months. It just so happens there is a new version out every 6 months!

 

[MrHappyMonkey]

hmm I would say every 5-6 monthes on average. Although I had to format 3 days after I installed WinXP becuase I FUBAR'd something and it kept crashing on me. I am a newat freak too. I only have 2 partitions, one for my OS and apps, and the other partition for backing stuff up when I format.

I always forget to make an image of my HD when I have everything "just right" after a format.

 

[NetGuySC]

Since I got Windows XP I have formatted probably about 20 times in the last 2 months. Mostly because of my trying to find/fix some of the problems that XP had with my computer and most from me messing with things that I shouldn't like different services, and trying to tweak my computer to the max.

I just like messing with things to learn about them, What is the worst that can happen...a reformat? No problem

 

[Nothinman]

I have had the same Debian install for over 3 years now, although I've had to reinstall Win2k a few times because of hardware upgrades it didn't survive.

 

[Quad]

hmm i'd say every 5-6 months or so

last time i formatted was about 5 months ago, and lately win2k has been sluggish and apps have been crashing a lot. and plus i've got a lot of garbage that i don't need etc....

come to think of it, this is probably a really good time to format, because i need to stripe my drives for raid anywayz.... =)

 

[Elledan]

Reinstalling?! But that means that I've got to reboot the computer! :Q

I'm running Linux and Win2k on my systems and, unlike with Win98SE, I never feel the need to reinstall. Upgrade after a while, yes, but that's all. Win2k might someday mysteriously disappear from my systems and be replaced by Linux, but that's beside the point

 

[SyahM]

i reformat once a year .. just the OS partition though. I do defrag whenever needed.

 

[SuperGroove]

It's a bimonthly thing for me. Damn you, WinXP Pro! DAMN YOU! Why won't you be compatible with my MSI K7PRO?!

Sigh...it doesn't matter. Win2K PRO on an IBM T23. Yet I'm still thinking of going to WinXP Pro. WhY?!

 

[Nothinman]

Man, it's really sad how much time people spend reloading their software.

 

[n0cmonkey]

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