How often do you reinstall your OS???

[JoelEllison]

Wow, memorizing your windows cd key.

[kukubau]

oooo this is a great question. Everyone thinks I'm nuts. I collect so much crap on my computer between my addiction to GordianKnot and video games that I loose track of everything. I do it about once a month, sometimes twice a month if it really gets bad. I recently started ghosting my machine, because I'm tired of going through the install process. To give you an idea of how often I do it, I know my install key by heart!

Yeeeaaaahhhh, I know what you mean. I know my install key by heart too. Last year it didn't pass a week without installing my Windowz twice at least. It turned into an automatism. I think now I'm cured. Or not?! I think I'll get home today and do a fresh install. I'm looooooooooosingggggggg ittttttt!!!!!

[Hakira]

Hmm this is a good question.... For me it would be which system, Laptop, Server, Linux, Gaming, or the Family....

Laptop:
Gateway M275xl Convertable Tablet PC

This system is used for school so it gets a new reinstall every quarter. Prevents me from playing games in my new classes till I know I can pass them...

Server:
MB: Abit NF7-2
Processor: Athlon XP 3200+
Video: MSI RX9250
Memory: 1GB DDR 400
Storage: WD 74GB 10k rpm SATA HDD
Liteon 16x DVD-RW DL
Hot Swap drive - WD 250GB HDD

It has only one install and thats Windows Server 2k3 enterprize, Which, so far, hasnt needed a reinstall, Thats going on 2 years I think.... hell I dont think I have restarted that thing other that the SP updates and some security fixes...

Gaming:
MB: Abit KV8-Max3
Processor: Athlon 64 3200+
Video: ATI Radeon 9800XT Pro
Memory: 2 GB DDR 400
Storage: WD 250GB SATA HDD
WD 320GB SATA HDD
Plextor 16x DVD-RW DL
Plextor 8x DVD-RW
Plextor 52x32x52 CDRW

This system has had so many OS installed its not funny, the system has had everything from linux to windows server.. I was just trying to find the right combination for gaming... then I got windows xp x64, mmm much better, good memory managment as well as x64 support on some of the games I play.. on average this system gets reinstalls about every 6 mounths... restarts are about every mounth...

Linux:
MB: Abit KR7A
Processor: Athlon Thunderbird 1.4
Video: Matrox .... Somthing
Memory: 512mb DDR
Storage: WD 40GB HDD

This system gets reinstalled once a week or so... I do this because I havent found a distro I enjoy using....

Family:
MB: Abit NF7-2
Processor: Athlon XP 3200+
Video: ATI All-In-Wonder Radeon 8500
Memory: 512mb DDR
Storage: WD 80Gb HDD

This system has windows xp x32 and gets reinstalled whenever I can get my sister to let me do a clean install... so that averages about every year or so....

[Nikos]

I usually reinstall Windows each year. I never reinstalled Linux and Solaris (note that updating is not reinstalling).

[Hakira]

I usually reinstall Windows each year. I never reinstalled Linux and Solaris (note that updating is not reinstalling).

Well in my case it is.. I go betwen like diffrent distrobution, So its not updating.. Its a total reinstall for all intencive purposes

[-=Gryphon=-]

I really dislike reinstalling OSes so I do it only when necessary. Must have been 3 years since I last felt I'd "ruined" my system enough to require a fresh install. I'm a bit of a magpie when it comes to collecting little apps and stuff. I always lose something or other during the process and thats the main reason why I avoid it like the plague.

I should probably try Norton Ghost or something, just never really trusted them. I've got an open mind so try and sell them to me!!!

[Xtreme2damax]

wowwwwweeee and I thought I was bad

I reinstall my os (If using my emachines restore DVD counts as reinstalling) Whenever my PC Starts running slower than normal. I have my OS and spyware, adware and antivirus apps, some other small apps on the main (C drive, my larger apps such as games and lage programs like ms office, and visual basic.net are stored on my 160 GB secondary hard drive. I also restore after I buy and install new hardware, like recently when I bought a new BFG geforce fx 5500 OC, A new DVD Rewritable Dual layer drive (My Original one died on me), 2x 512 mb sticks of DDR PC2700 ram, A new soundblaster live 24-bit soundcard (previous one was AC realtek onboard audio)
and my 160 GB hard drive all my games are stored on now.

[RJARRRPCGP]

I reguarily reinstall the OS when testing tweaks on my PC.

[bryanondabeach]

ehm...

reinstallin' huh? Just think, that I try, when possible, to reinstall my operating system just only when there's a new os on the way. Last time this happen is when i installed WinXP 64bit... so, probably... my next OS reinstall will happen when Windows Vista x64 will be out.

Last thing.. believe me, I hate the OS reinstall process, you have to reinstall all the applications, drivers, configuring them.. etc. etc. but believe me, it is said that only after a storm you can feel the air better than before. So.. keep reinstallin'. It rocks! (kidding)

[robbo]

generally when something happens otherwise as long as it runs i leave it, the install of windows is not the problem the setting up of my computer for work afterwards is, now having a Laptop as a second Computer i can re-install my Workstation and use the Laptop for work, but generally say if its working then leave it.

[hinasina]

asdf

i reinstall quite often like 1 every 2 weeks

[lance1962]

Reinstall

On 32 bit systems - I use acronis from a image that is setup with all my base programs.
Reimaging takes about 15-20 minutes.

On my X64 systems its a little more complicated (acronis does not support x64 yet) - but basically the same - can do a fresh install from a image anytime with very little hassle.

Lance

[lance1962]

You guys should really look into IMAGING your fresh installs - makes life a whole easier.
Lance

[ManMountain]

Here it only takes 10 mins to boot from bootable disc, run ghost and restore a ghosted x64 install. Takes around 30 mins to backup a drive / partition depending on a) the amount of data b) compression to be used c) speed of drive.

Think of ghost as taking a "snapshot" of your entire operating system and should anything ever go wrong, you can restore that "snapshot" and have your operating system run exactly as well as it did when you first ghosted it.

As lance1962 already said, imaging is such a time-saver; Why go through lengthy reinstalls when you can install it once, ghost your operating system when you feel it is running "perfectly", store your backed up image safely away and should disaster ever strike, your faced with only a few mins restoration time.