How often do you reformat your computer?

[GeForceX]

All I'm saying is that stuff will accumulate. What, in your perfect computer, do programs always uninstall themselves without leaving configuration files/saved games/extra plugins/etc. behind? Do your drivers delete everything, unlike everyone else's? I'm not ignorant; I do clean out my system manually (thus "fixing" it), which is why I haven't had to format since my last motherboard change (which was in my original post).

Instead of attacking me, why don't you do something constructive act posting links to all the utilities that you use to keep your system clean? I don't think you realize that not every utility on the Internet does what it says it does, or as well as it's advertised. In which case, the utility becomes more crap that you have to clean! I don't have time to test how well every single system optimizer or cleaner works, so I do it manually instead. So please great master, educate instead of criticizing!

However, I wouldn't trust my family to navigate the Registry, hunting for invalid or obsolete entries, because they'd screw something up big time. They wouldn't remember to run a simple utility like Spybot or Ad-aware every week even if I told them- they just blow me off. Then they come running to me when something goes wrong. You try dealing with three younger sisters that are like that before passing judgement. That's why my father (a Luddite who can barely use the Internet) only surfs on the Mac, where he can do minimal damage that I can easily fix.

Well then, what an adoring family you have.

I'm not an educator, just an advisor. So...

Do some research on that and you’ll be glad you did.

-J.

 

[Hvatum]

For Linux I never reformat since it doesn't need it.

For Windows I reformat with every major upgrade.

 

[Carnival Forces]

whenever it needs it (when folding is no longer stable)

 

[EhJayKim]

when reformatting will take less time than cleaning it out manually

 

[slapnuts]

...

Junk starts to accumulate no matter what you do? Programs that leave crap when its uninstalled? Caches that don’t clean themselves out? You have a completely piss poor mentality. You can prevent that! But no, you will remain being ignorant thinking there is no possible way to fix all that.

I clean out my “junk” automatically with little effort. I also can clean out “crap” automatically as well with little effort. I also clean out my “caches” easily within a click of a button. Ever heard of utilities that are widely free and available on the internet? Do some research on that and you’ll be glad you did.






-J.

So would you mind telling us a how to in regards to cleaning the system is the way you do it, as well as what you use?

I am curious.. It would stop reformats for me on a reg basis.

SLAP!

 

[Mr_Evil]

Shoot, won't be long and I'll be up to a year and a half on the same installation of Windows. No problems really. I keep my machine spotless as far as Spyware and stuff is concerned. I have 2 partitions on my main HDD plus a 2nd hard drive in the system, I don't keep much if anything on the OS Drive that can't be moved to another partition or drive.

 

[USMC2Hard4U]

I Formatted my iBook 1 Time only. And I really didnt need to. When I got Tiger I Formatted, wrote zeros to the Hard drive just for S&G and then Installed Tiger Fresh.

I think my iBook went the longest out of any computer I have had between formats. That says alot, doesnt it......

 

[siegecraft4]

I haven't formatted in 2 years. Honestly I would rather shoot myself in the head than format. The degree of customization I have reached on this computer is such that it would take weeks to get everything back to the way it was before formatting. I know I could just use Ghost Images but my default configuration changes so frequently that making backups constantly wouldn't be practical.

I truly believe that an operating system is intended to be installed once... yes once during the lifetime of computer with a static hardware configuration. If an OS is properly maintained there is no bloat factor. My system runs just as well now as the first day I set it up and countless things have been installed and uninstalled since then. I do believe there is a point of diminishing returns and the tiny amount of speed gained though formatting simply isn't worth the time/hassle it takes.

When I knew less about computers I would use formatting as my fix it all solution. Now, I've learned to troubleshoot better.

 

[USMC2Hard4U]

I haven't formatted in 2 years. Honestly I would rather shoot myself in the head than format. The degree of customization I have reached on this computer is such that it would take weeks to get everything back to the way it was before formatting. I know I could just use Ghost Images but my default configuration changes so frequently that making backups constantly wouldn't be practical.

I truly believe that an operating system is intended to be installed once... yes once during the lifetime of computer with a static hardware configuration. If an OS is properly maintained there is no bloat factor. My system runs just as well now as the first day I set it up and countless things have been installed and uninstalled since then. I do believe there is a point of diminishing returns and the tiny amount of speed gained though formatting simply isn't worth the time/hassle it takes.

When I knew less about computers I would use formatting as my fix it all solution. Now, I've learned to troubleshoot better.

This may be true. But I know I am a enthusiast here... I couldent live with myself to have the same hardware config for 2 years straight. I put something new / replace somethihng every 3 - 4 months. New/More Ram, New CPU, New Video Card, New Mobo. Not all at one time, sometimes, 1 at a time, until eventually i have a new system. If I left everything just on one hard drive and never formatted the OS, i would be in a mess. And thats just the hardware side of it. Enthusiast needs speed to survive.... So I am always tweaking stuff... Getting and trying the newest drivers... going back and forth between Beta drivers, and new releases.... then if I had an ATi card... then I buy a NVidia card... so there a whole slew of other drivers.... Then theres the Overclocking Factor. Sometimes when you OC too much... your data can be corrupt and you have errors all over the place.

So, with all that being said. I cant survive with installing an OS one time with my life style. But maybe someone who dosent care about top notch performance / parts... and will settle for a Mid range system that "Just works" for 2 years. But that is certainly not me.

 

[siegecraft4]

But maybe someone who dosent care about top notch performance / parts... and will settle for a Mid range system that "Just works" for 2 years.

I disagree. My system certaintly isn't top of the line (AXP 3000+, 6800nu,) but I do consider myself an enthusiast. The amount of hardware you purchase doesn't make you an ethusiast, the knowledge about the hardware you have does. And I have upgraded my video card and other hardware several with this same OS install, not to mention the amount of drivers i've tried.

The point I was trying to make is that it is possible for an enthusiast system's OS to survive inspite of many upgrades. Usually its even possible to install a new mobo. I realize that each upgrade has a certain amount of risk in terms of OS stability, but a properly maintained and tweaked system shouldn't have too much of a problem.

I realize that some people's focus is more on top notch performance then detailed customization and I respect that too. If you don't have alot of customization, formatting is probably the easiest solution to a clean system. Thats not for me, because my install of XP has had many hours of tweaking put into it.

 

[gHeTTo.AzN.PrEp]

I do it when I need to.

 

[flint338]

that depends on what im reformatting.. I've had my little freebsd gateway running on a single build since 96 (had a few hardware changes, but never reformatted it!).

 

[flynlr]

I do it when I need to.

holy thread is back batman.

 

[hity645]

I usually go for about 2-6 months and whenever it needs it. But right now Ive gone longer than 6 months cause everything is running smoothly, Ive even upgraded and installed quite a few new things. Now Im holding off for when I get a new hard drive..

 

[Frosteh]

I reformat for any major upgrade (change in motherboard)

I will reformat my comptuter about once every 8-12 months anyhow, even a perfectly run copy of windows with strict anti-spyware and anti-virus and with minimal installed apps/games still benefits from a complete format from time to time.

I do a complete re-format as well, ground up from the XP disc, gives me chance to download all the latest apps I use since I usualy cant be arsed to update anyting not directly security related, it also gurantees a virus/spyware free install and cleans out any rubbish that you've forgotten to remove.

 

[blade52x]

whenever Windows gets to f***ed up to use anymore

 

[jordan172005]

I have to format quite often because I'm always screwing something up on accident lol

 

[OregonLAN]

I reinstall/reformat frequently (1 or 2 times a month). I’m continually testing hardware in my system and find that Windows runs much smoother on a fresh install. Rarely does removing the drivers for hardware actually remove all of the drivers. For most people, this would be a burden. However, I have my system setup in a fashion where the operating system is on 1 hard drive and the important data is on another. Furthermore, I use Acronis. It takes approximately 2 minutes to wipe and reinstall Windows using Acronis.

For those of you that use Ghost, I urge you to check out Acronis. I started using it a year ago and haven’t touched Ghost since…

 

[saan44]

Usually every 8-12 months if nothing goes wrong. I obviously reformat as the occasion demand though if there's a mobo upgrade, catastrophic failure etc.

It cleans out all the crap that accumulates in the registry as well as frees up disk space because I don't install all the random stuff I installed for one use and never need again. Plus, I only install the games I play often so I get some HDD back from that as well.

It's just a good thing to do every so often. I tend to save the installers for the assorted programs I use, but formatting is nice because it allows me to go out and find the latest versions and make sure I'm up to date. Also, I don't save drivers so I know all my hardware is running on the latest installs which is always a good thing.

 

[Jasonx82]

whenever i upgrade or usually every 2-6 months