how often do you re-install windows?

[iholla]

I am avid user of both win32 and linux platforms. However it is common knowledge that your installed copy of windows detiriorates at some unknown algorithm with time. No matter how clean you try to keep it and download updates.

I am forced to refresh my copy with a new one every 4 to 6 months. How often are you forced to re-install yours? Why is it like that? Is there any way to have a life long installation?

 

[CartoBot]

Probably a conspiracy.
Yeah, it does seem like that, although I do tend to mess around with my computer a lot. I re-install a few times a year, depending on Windows really.

 

[HomerJ]

I haven't used it for a couple years, but over the course of 3 years I re-installed Windows XP so many times that it said I had run out of activations.

 

[cityeyes]

I've never had to reinstall either XP or Vista. I've always believed in maintenance when it comes to computers. I'm the only one who uses my Vista box and my girlfriend uses my XP laptop (she's good with computers). Every week I defrag, I only install what's needed (often using portable versions). I keep crap from starting up with my computer. I actually built my own desktop so I wouldn't have to worry about pre-installed stuff.

My friend just reinstalled for the first time in a while, but both him and his girlfriend are horrible with computers. His computer was horrible.

 

[tittat]

i will reinstall windows every six months to improve my system performance.It also helps me to avoid fragmentation.

 

[dwd2000]

I've had my current computer for about 18 months, with XP. So far, so good, and I have lots of stuff.

 

[oiwio]

I only re-install windows when I get a virus so big that I cant even download an anti-virus program to get rid of it, or when I move

 

[sumitmehta]

You can't be specific that windows runs for 4-6 months. I also used to think the same but since I started using avast and zonealarm, it works great and I don't have to re-install for almost 18-20 months. My system is heavily loaded with asp.net, .net 2, java runtime, and many theming applications but touch wood, it has not caused any problem.

 

[Jarryd]

I use Windows XP x64-edition and i havn't had to reinstall it since i started using it (8 months), it is running as fast as ever, i guess it just really depends on what programs you install and such, im very careful with what i install.

 

[Spartan Erik]

I reformat when I've got the time to back up all my data to my external drives

 

[masshuu]

anytime i get a virus/worm that won't go away, which has been like 5 times in the past 7 years over 4 computers(that ive had in those 7 years)

i normally restart them every 2 weeks to 2 months. I have some basic antivirus and don't do bad things.
my tips for not getting a virus:
use 3rd party browser for random surfing(i say opera)
don't download files from strange websites(if it uses any top level domain other than the normal, com, net, org, co.uk, etc like ru or something, carefull)
run programs you are unsure of under limited or a guest account, or even use a virtual computer so if there is damage, you can easlly fix it.

 

[CoolFinalFan]

I re-install 4-6 mos

 

[Smith6612]

I've had life long installations on all of my computers. I keep them maintained and "optimized" enough where they stay brand new in speed compared to the time they were bought, no hardware upgrades what so ever. Heck, one of my slowest computers still runs very fast, even though it's over 8 years old now lol, and it's last upgrade was an Ethenet card as well so that it could get put on the network. That was the only thing I ever upgraded on it, besides adding 64MB more of RAM to it (which it needed, as 128MB wasn't enough lol). If anyone wants to know the specs of that one comp, PM me and I'll send them to you.

Regarding Viruses/Worms, I have a system here, which is operated by a Linux box which I've found helps keep that stuff from getting to the computer, from blocking ads to a whole mess of sites that I've gotten on a blacklist that are known to mess stuff up, to preventing Peer-to-peer programs from getting any connection at all. Otherwise, AVG Free is on most of my computers (the Windows 2000 machines and the gaming Vista machine), Norton Internet Security 2007 (free from ISP) is on my only Windows XP machine. So it's pretty secure here, so there's nothing to worry about. Also I have gotten, before I got DSL a little over two years ago (grr... all of my viruses came over friggin dial-up!!!!), I got a few unremovable viruses, that I managed to remove by hand. Don't ask me how long that took though, it wasn't a matter of deleting and overwriting files.

Also, about fragmentation, NTFS formatted drives help keep fragmentation down, so there's a tip for you guys.

 

[eliasr]

I've never had to reinstall either XP or Vista. I've always believed in maintenance when it comes to computers. I'm the only one who uses my Vista box and my girlfriend uses my XP laptop (she's good with computers). Every week I defrag, I only install what's needed (often using portable versions). I keep crap from starting up with my computer. I actually built my own desktop so I wouldn't have to worry about pre-installed stuff.

My friend just reinstalled for the first time in a while, but both him and his girlfriend are horrible with computers. His computer was horrible.

Well this is no all right, every installation copy .dll's and other files of course, and every program wants to have their version of some dll's [or others], yes, the shared ones and this make some issues.

For example, Office and Visual Studio instal some features for VBA [their versions] and Windows have their own, and one program overwrite the other program's dll. This is a low problem because this products come from Microsoft and they try to make this applications run happy together. But Solid Works [3DS Max] use this feature and the change can issues.

Back to the thread

I try to reinstall every three months [school's breaks], but sometimes i keep my installation almost a year, and the system status depends too.

 

[blackhand101]

meh it depend for me i can go 6+ months not reinstalling it all has to do with what you install and uninstall btw for some unknown reason MS windows updates actually will make you need to reinstall
that is why i can keep my system up for so long is cuz i dont go ms updating

 

[Smith6612]

I keep my systems all up to date, every single update and every single new driver as well (only if the drivers are known not to screw anything up). Read my above post in this thread to know how much I reinstall Windows.

 

[CoolFinalFan]

defraggin' is good to do even when it says you don't have to , when analyzing the drive and the report comes up saying u don't have to...!
I still do and it helps alot!

 

[Smith6612]

I press Defrag right away, I don't even bother to Analyse, especially on my slower computers, as those things are crammed with info (and I still manage to keep the paging file in the middle of the disk).

 

[sunils]

When ever my system gets infected by some annoying virus, The only option left for me is to completely format my system and then install windows again. But that takes usually long hours as i may have to backup nearly 20 to 40 gbs of data before doing that.
Some time i may be installing windows 3 to 4 times... That depends on whether the os has correctly installed or not.

 

[bilal855]

I reinstall it in 4-5 months