how often do you re-install windows?

[xanthophobia]

How would I go about reinstalling Windows?
*googles around*
Hmm... okay, but isn't it a hassle to back up all your info and reinstall any drivers, reconfigure whatever...?
hehe maybe I'm just lazier than you guys

 

[FalseHope]

I haven't done it yet. I've had my computer for over 2 years now. I don't know if that would be a good thing or a bad thing, though. hehe

 

[port5900]

I dont under stand why you guys have to reinstall Windows so much. Just maintain your computer. Free stuff> AVG anti virus, Ad Aware, Ccleaner, and revo uninstaller. Had mine running from 2006 with no problems.

 

[Smith6612]

I dont under stand why you guys have to reinstall Windows so much. Just maintain your computer. Free stuff> AVG anti virus, Ad Aware, Ccleaner, and revo uninstaller. Had mine running from 2006 with no problems.

Couldn't agree more. Guys, read all of my previous posts in this thread and see how I can keep my computers running brand new all the time.

 

[Kieran G]

Like you said, I reformat every 4-6 months, had XP since 2004(I thinks). Had it going for a whole 7 months!!!. Wonder how long will it be 'til I run out of activations?....

 

[Sohail]

Not everyone usually does that, but i have Mac and i completely erase and install everything just to help my computer run faster and keep it organized around every year or so...

 

[satheesh]

I am so many timer re-install my windows.

 

[galaxyAbstractor]

about once every day...
















































































j/k
once every 3 months

 

[stealth_thunder]

At least 50 - 100 times in 1 year depending on how much junk been left behind... after testing bunch of softwares.

But then somehow I manage to reduce that amount to 30 to 50 times in 1 year now...

 

[eliasr]

Couldn't agree more. Guys, read all of my previous posts in this thread and see how I can keep my computers running brand new all the time.

Re-install is a good practice, it's no only we are crazy or have a lot of time.

Sites like cnet.com recommends, magazines like PC World to, even Microsoft talk about that like a goog practice.

"PC World"
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Step-By-Step: Reinstall Windows
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No matter which version of Windows you run, at times your PC will start to become unstable--especially if you often install and uninstall software or change hardware...

 

[port5900]

"PC World"
---------------------------------------
Step-By-Step: Reinstall Windows
---------------------------------------
No matter which version of Windows you run, at times your PC will start to become unstable--especially if you often install and uninstall software or change hardware...

Thats like saying if you have a pimple rip your face off and get a new one. It makes no sense, more shocking is where you get the info from -=/
I install alot of freeware programs and i dont use the built in uninstallers. Use revo uninstaller it takes out every left over file from the program even the empty folders and reg files.
http://www.revouninstaller.com/
(freeware)5 stars from cNet if you dont want to take my word for it.

 

[AutoItKing]

I've reinstalled Windows about... let's say, 4 times. XP twice, and Vista twice. Ubuntu: Never. Debian: Never. CentOS: Never. Mepis: Never. Any other Linux distro: Never. So it's safe to say that Windows sucks. But I still love it. It's a love/hate relationship. I use many Linux VM's, my favorite being Ubuntu.

 

[jetmav]

Hi Guys,

For me it always depend on how my three <3 - ages 25, 23 and 16> chldren messed up with mine. They got their own. Somehow they are aware of what to do or not to do with their own computers. Mine always does the dirty job for them. I don't mind at all but it can be irritating at times.

I always have two <2> partitions on my hard disk and install two <2> operating systems <Windows 98SE and Windows XP>. I don't understand but if XP is corrupted, I can't get Win98SE work normally too. Somehow on safe mode, Win98SE do give me a window of hope to retrieve and move my files around before I do that, "FORMAT D:" on DOS prompt. I do that about two or three times a year.

Since 01 January 2008 - I don't have much of a problem yet.

 

[Staind1982]

I have never had to reinstall windows on my desktop but on my first laptop I had to reinstall it about 8 times. I was about to snap my laptop in half on a few occasions but I finally got another laptop and essentially stopped using that one. On a side note I had to replace the hard drive on that laptop twice. I had so many issues with it.

 

[disturbedart]

I reinstall windows at least once a year on my computer to keep it optimized, but if it is still running cleanly i won't reinstall it. Just depends on its performance and how well Vista ultimate is running.

 

[eliasr]

Thats like saying if you have a pimple rip your face off and get a new one. It makes no sense, more shocking is where you get the info from -=/
I install alot of freeware programs and i dont use the built in uninstallers. Use revo uninstaller it takes out every left over file from the program even the empty folders and reg files.
http://www.revouninstaller.com/
(freeware)5 stars from cNet if you dont want to take my word for it.

Revouninstaller make things that sometimes we need do manually, but the empty folders and the register is not the problem, if the program dont exist the reg is just... nothing.

Imagine this:

You install a lot of programs, this programs needs some shared files, and sometimes they overwrite the current, with a own version.

Any uninstaller [even the "magics"] can erase everything, because others program use this files [shared], they dont have a copy of the old versions. I remember when Windows 98 ask me wich version i want keep it.

That is why windows become unstable, no by thousands of empty folders.

Sometimes the built-in uninstallers ask if you want delete shared files, this is because if this files are erased others programs will no be affected.

 

[iholla]

Alot of you claim its about keeping the system clean..defragging, eliminating duplicate files, dlls, registry cleaning, installing updates, a-virus progs etc.

I have to say, I keep my windows as basic as possible. I eliminate even pre-installed apps like games, calcs blah blah blah....

I keep the system updated with fixes n whatever crap Bill says I need. I do not defrag cause its kinda useless in the long run. All system files are kept on primary drive C, apps are installed to other partition. Backup-image of clean system and drivers and updates on hidden drive X.

All the same, with time, my windows detiriorates. I have an xp installation cleaned to 60% its original size after removing unnecessary apps. It runs in turbo too!

I am a heavy multimedia programmer and developer and have VS 2008, 3ds Max 9, Maya, AutoCAD, Blitz 3D, Nokia SDK n tools, DevTools, web server environment, Adobe CS3 Production edition etc..

I am pretty great when it comes to computers but still, a 2 second delay when multiplied by some algorithm results into alot of angst and frustration.

If you cannot play music on Aimp, use vs 2008, fireworks cs3, dreamweaver cs3 and photoshop cs3 concurrently then that itches your karma like heeeeelll!!!!!

for the sake of my calm, i have to re-install or rather re-deploy my backed-up system images.

 

[frankfriend]

I haven't reinstalled XP for 3 years, but I am going to have to soon. For some reason, unknown to me, windows explorer [directory listing] has 'lost contact' with the files it lists, as when i pick a file the system responds with 'Not Responding'. I can open them from within an applications. So I plan to back it all up, then reinstall!

Best regards

 

[Daniel S]

I reinstall windows whenever it goes dead slow i normally try to remove any junk from it first as it takes a while for me to reinstall all of the program i use

 

[TechAsh]

I usually re-install every 6 or so months. But it depends on whether something goes seriously wrong with it or not. About a year ago, for some un-known reason, I had to re-install 2 weeks after I did another re-install!

This is my 200th post. Yay!