When do you think its a good time to redo windows?

[Sniper82]

Been roughly 4-6 months since I last redid WinXP. Whens does one know when its time to redo everything?

 

[darktubbly]

It's usually just best to let sleeping dogs lie. If XP doesn't mess with me, I don't mess with it. However, if the system is acting particularly sluggish and defrag, bootvis, and removing startup apps isn't cutting it, reformatting doesn't hurt. That, and if there's some glitch that refuses to go away are my grounds for reaching for the XP CD.

 

[jonmullen]

there is really no need to "redo" XP unless you are too lazy to fix it the right way. Unless you totaly trash your file system (like I did the other day) there should be no need.

 

[Wolfsraider]

i still format at around 6 months

just to kick the trash to the curb



sure you can just be on top of every file etc... but then who has time every day/week to search every directory?

for me formatting and re-installing is a 30 minute process.

 

[Davegod]

when it goes fubar or something is being annoying. I know i'll end up having to reformat-reinstall often enough, so i dont volunteer for it much. might change next time 'cos im going to ghost it soon as its all done, cutting the whole process down rather a lot

 

[Nothinman]

Never, unless you break something horribly. This isn't Win9X, get out of those bad, pointless habits.

 

[Jeff7]

For me, I format and redo if a) I have the time for it, and b) if I think the system needs it, like if a driver is acting up and it's screwed up a few other things, or if it's just accumulated a lot of registry damage that can't be fixed. I don't like doing that, because while the reinstall of Windows isn't too bad, reinstalling everything else, and restoring all my settings takes a long time.

 

[GtPrOjEcTX]

when a program is acting up, random restarts, or when I upgrade a signifant piece of hardware.

 

[corkyg]

Originally posted by: Nothinman
Never, unless you break something horribly. This isn't Win9X, get out of those bad, pointless habits.

Amen! That's my policy. All these periodic reformats are sort of juvenile, pointless exercises that are rarely necessary. It is better to properly maintain a system - with XP is may never have to be reinstalled.

 

[igowerf]

I do it when I screw something up and I don't know how to fix it. Usually a system restore will fix any problem though. It's a nice feature to have enabled.

 

[BurnItDwn]

I only reinstall windows when i upgrade my motherboard.

 

[Nothinman]

I only reinstall windows when i upgrade my motherboard.

Even that's not necessary most of the time.

 

[sandorski]

Win 98 benefited from regular re-installs, but WinXP doesn't seem to suffer from the same phenomena.