Windows XP: Reasons behind reformatting your hard drive and reinstalling Windows OS?
- 8/21/09 2:39 PM
Format
by gysgtusmc74 - 8/15/09 3:44 PM In reply to: The only time I ever reinstall Windows... by rbsjrxWhen you do a full format windows is checking the disk for errors. Thats why you should never do the quick format on anything other than possibly a new HDD. Just thought I would pass along. Thanks
A format a year keeps the bugs away?
by kalel130 - 8/14/09 7:49 PM In reply to: Reasons behind reformatting your hard drive and reinstalling Windows OS? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Here's the secret little answer: it cures just about anything.
Here's the long answer: by reformatting and reinstalling the OS you do two things. One, you destroy any old data on your hard drive. Thru the course of regular use on any computer files become fragmented. This is normal and nothing major to worry about. In fact right now if you want, you can go in and de-frag your pc. The process can take anywhere from two hours to a full day depending on how many/large your hard drive(s) are. The physical time it takes to locate files on the disk is increased with a fragmented drive for obvious laws of physics. Think of a new install of a computer a nice organized file cabinet and as you use it, you slowly forget to put all the paper back into folders so when you need to find something you need to rummage thru piles. Now the hard drive knows exactly where those 'lose' papers are, but the analogy is accurate as the increased time it takes to put a file together. So by clean installing over a formatted drive, you have the fresh filing cabinet again.
Now the second thing it does is put a fresh version of Windows on your computer. Every file, right where its supposed to be, without (hopefully) anything corrupted or missing. Now for reasons beyond me, during the normal use of a operating system occasionally things get 'misplaced' or registry errors occur in the operating system. Now 99.9% of software issues that pop up - anything from viruses to "missing file x0003910slale etc..." errors will be corrected with a new install. For the most part, every malfunction can be treated on an individual basis, but for most people it would take longer to figure out what is wrong then it does to re-install windows and be done with it... think of it as using an atomic bomb to kill a mosquito...
Most importantly (IMO) it will speed up your computer. Whether your computer is old or new - the system will perform better. Windows has a nasty habit of logging everything and you can imagine that those logs fill up.
So how often? Well, if your computer is operating normally and you don't notice any sluggishness or errors, you really don't need to do anything. I'm slightly crazy so I re-install about every 3-6 months even if things are operating normal. It will speed up your computer (whether or not you notice it depends on how long you've been running that particular install of windows and how old your computer is) but it can be 'tricky' to first-timers. You need to make sure you back up all of your information that you might want to keep. This involves first thinking of what you want to keep (I suggest writing out a list) and then securing on an external drive of some sort. This could include music, documents, and pictures. Then you need to do the process of re-installing windows which could take several hours in itself (it basically does everything you just need to sit there and wait for it to finish) and then you need to worry about installing all the program you had on plus importing all the files you just saved.
I think the old homage "if it was easy, everyone would do it" applies here. But in my opinion, I think it's worth your time to at least do it every 18 months. Thank you!
System Reinstalls
by RobertWFrei - 8/14/09 7:54 PM In reply to: Reasons behind reformatting your hard drive and reinstalling Windows OS? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Stephanie,
When systems are newly installed there are many items that are optimized, but degradation begins immediately. As time goes by they become increasingly cluttered and inefficient. Some programs and utilities install updates without completely cleaning out the old versions. Over the years many users install and discard many utilities and programs. Another problem arises when hardware upgrades cause changes in the optimal configuration. A computer installed with 512mb that is upgraded to 2 GB suddenly wants a larger swap file, or new applications demand more virtual memory. The new swap files are then spread across the drive instead of in a single optimized and contiguous segment near the center of the hard drive. Remote tech support often installs patches, fixes and utilities that continue to degrade the computer long after the initial problem has been resolved. All of these create overhead that your system must handle in order to operate. As a result the computer that once seemed like a speed demon has become a creeping clunker.
There are lots of utilities for cleaning and optimizing systems, but each of these is imperfect and none of them cover everything; many even leave code running on your computer even after performing their optimization.
Over the years I have found that home machines with lots of utility installations, plenty of clicking on email attachments, several episodes of remote tech support and other risk factors common to home computers make it advisable to do a full reinstall after about 3 years.
Office computers that have professional oversight and strict limits on what gets installed, what email attachments get clicked, and have no computer neophytes attempting to “fix” problems can usually go 5 years. Of course most businesses try to replace desktop computers every 5 years in order to minimize tech support costs, so business computers often do not need reinstallation. If the business needs to stretch usage to 7 years, it is usually advisable to completely reinstall after about 4 years.
Wipe the Slate Clean and Start from Square One
by Arvind.exe - 8/14/09 7:54 PM In reply to: Reasons behind reformatting your hard drive and reinstalling Windows OS? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
When the issue you are experiencing with windows seems to be too tricky to deal with, or the solution is too tedious to implement - the easiest way out is to reformat and reload windows provided you have backed up all your data.
Also, some times your windows OS can be damaged beyond repair due to some faulty driver, corrupt system files (which are vital for Windows to run), failed program installation or virus/ malware - leaving you with the quickest way out - a format and clean installation.
On the other hand people who have unsaved important data or have customised their system a lot will spare no effort to try to prevent a reinstallation of their OS.
Cleaning out the junk
by grandam121 - 8/14/09 8:03 PM In reply to: Reasons behind reformatting your hard drive and reinstalling Windows OS? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Over time your PC collects a lot of junk from the internet which will slow windows down. Programs running in the background, cookies, adaware, malware etc. that the average user isn't aware of. Instead of reloading windows I clean it up with a great free program called "ccleaner", also use a good antivirus and windows should be good for a long time without a reinstall. People are to quick to reformat and reinstall when it's not needed. Also don't be to quick to download everything on the internet.
Reasons behind reformatting your hard drive and reinstalling
by gandhawk - 8/14/09 8:38 PM In reply to: Reasons behind reformatting your hard drive and reinstalling Windows OS? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Many problems are hardware related and reinstalling software will not help the problem. Many users are careless when accessing suspicious websites and opening emails resulting in viruses, spyware, adware... being installed their computer. The same users have outdated or no virus/adware/spyware software installed. Rather than recommending inspecting the hardware and purchasing the software some people will tell them to reformat the hard drive and reinstall Windows. Keeping anri-virus/spyware/adware software and running hardware diagnostics should eliminate the need reformatting and reinstalling software. I would also recommend a good registry cleaning product.
Reinstalling OS
by jevenew - 8/14/09 8:40 PM In reply to: Reasons behind reformatting your hard drive and reinstalling Windows OS? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
In my humble opinion, I believe that most PC users rely on the restore disk that comes with their computer, and most OEM's seem to recommend the reformat and reinstall when the user has problems that can't be resolved by phone support.
I have never owned a computer that was not built by me, and yet, there have been times when the reformat/reinstall seemed to be the only answer to vexing problems
I have learned that using System Restore is not a good way to cure a computer's ills, because any virus/trojan/malware that gets on your system is sometimes reproduced in the snapshot that MS uses to make the restore process possible. The same thing for the recycle bin. Any problem that simply gets deleted to the recycle bin is still on your hard drive. I prefer using the Eraser software for unwanted files.
There are other unwanted files that can clog a computers hard drive, but there are better ways to get rid othem, such as with CCleaner, an application that cleans out many of the cobwebs left by browsing, memory dumps, copies of documents, searches,history, etc. I find that my system performance stays relatively stable by using these small applications to fine tune instead of reinstalling.
Windows XP - Regular re-installations and the overall benefi
by Bubbles1142 - 8/14/09 8:54 PM In reply to: Reasons behind reformatting your hard drive and reinstalling Windows OS? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Hi Stephanie, I regularly reinstall Windows XP SP3 and presently Vista SP2 and my rationale is that basically, Windows lives and breaths by its "REGISTRY". If you have a bloated registry (this is easily achieved by many ways such as installing and uninstalling Programs, Games (which are programs in their own right) or even such things as Defragmentation. Every action in Windows has an equal and opposite reaction. The "reaction" aspect is the thing that affects your Registry. There are any number of programs around (both FREE & Copyright) that state that they can clean your Registry but believe me, please, they can cause more harm than the amount of good that they supposedly do. They attack your registry and only the most experienced IT Persons should delve into their Registry. Anyone else should stay WELL AWAY from the thing. You can cripple your Machine with one simple Key Stroke. So, how do you keep your Machine running smoothly and stopping REGISTRY BLOAT? Simple, say at the barest minimum, reinstall windows at the least once every 12 months. Preferably, around once every three months would be better. You return your computer to "AS NEW" state with a totally CLEAN REGISTRY without any extraneous entries that will SLOW YOUR COMPUTER DOWN, both in computing and in BOOT UP. You can test this by checking BOOT Time prior to the installation and then check it following your reinstallation - you will soon see the difference. Seconds only, yes, very true but look at it this way, the computer is not labouring along so whilst seconds may not necessary appeal, you computer is benefitting immensely. Use a good PARTITIONING PROGRAM ("Easeus" is free and is excellent). Create Partitions for all of you Music, Pictures, Documents, Video's, etc so that the only things in your C:\> Drive is your Operating System and your Programs (and absolutely nothing else). That way, when you reinstall, you will have no fear of losing everything, you will only replace/format/reinstall your C:\> and nothing else. Noel P "Molly" Muller.
Windows problems and solutions
by rbsjrx - 8/14/09 10:26 PM In reply to: Windows XP - Regular re-installations and the overall benefi by Bubbles1142The vast majority of computer performance issues can be cured with a good disk defrag utility and Windows own Disk Cleanup utility - use them about once a week. Every 1-3 months or so (exactly how often depends on what you do with your PC), it's a good idea to use a reputable and reliable (i.e. _not_ scareware!) registry cleaner. Some of the best utilities these days come from IObit (http://www.iobit.com/). although Ccleaner and the Glary utilities remain popular as well.
The only time it should ever be necessary to reinstall the OS is in case of an HDD failure or if the machine won't boot at all.
Primary reason is lack of knowledge and experience.
by letmepicyou - 8/14/09 9:03 PM In reply to: Reasons behind reformatting your hard drive and reinstalling Windows OS? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Honestly the main reason people have to format their PC, aside from a major component upgrade or change, is a simple lack of knowledge and experience. The best thing a person can do first and foremost before they do ANYTHING with their pc, is learn a little bit about it. Learn what your hardware specifications are, and how to locate, download, and install drivers for each and every component in your computer. Learn your operating system. This is the key to avoid most problems. Buy a book, find a good source of information on the internet, or take a class even that will teach you the ins and outs of the operating system you use. Knowing your operating system is VERY important, things such as how to perform basic and mid-level maintanence. I've had Windows XP installations that run like the day I installed it. I think my oldest XP installation to date is 2004. If you take care of it well, and learn what and what not to download, use, and click on on the internet, and there's no reason a Windows XP installation can't last the effective lifetime of the machine. Anyone else that says differently, is surfing too much pr0n.
Windows experience
by msmicksmith - 8/22/09 12:33 AM In reply to: Primary reason is lack of knowledge and experience. by letmepicyouI agree with this. It is very easy to simply browse the internet and click on anything that takes your fancy, especially those silly smilies and cursor programs. These are at worst virus infected, and at best use far too much system processing capability and effectively slow your computer own. Avoid anything like this and learn about what effect these things can have on your computer.
Download some maintenance software. I use CCleaner first, then I run UniBlue Registry Cleaner, but only after I have removed files I no longer need, pictures I no longer want and un-install programs I no longer use. After running these two gems of software, I will run Defraggler (from the same provider as CCleaner) and my system is as good as the day I bought it. CCleaner and Defraggler are free (donations are accepted). UniBlue is around £30.
For some reason, Windows likes to hoard junk. It needs removing to keep the system running well. It's a bit like a huge filing cabinet. When Windows takes something from the filing cabinet, it's lazy and doesn't put it back together in one piece or in the same place. After a while, it takes more and more time to find what you're looking for. The only way is to clean it out, remove thee junk you've accumulated and put everything back in order. These 3 pieces of software will do exactly that and are the best I've come across in my 28 years of computer experience.
Windows help
by msmicksmith - 8/22/09 12:37 AM In reply to: Windows experience by msmicksmithIf you are still having trouble or are not confident to repair a system yourself, visit www.mslcomputerservices.co.uk
I have deals with couriers and can arrange for your computer to be collected for as little as £6.99 (UK only & depending on size/weight), delivered to me for repair, and returned to you within a few days. I also don't charge a fortune and am definitely cheaper than most (and probably better). All the details are on the website.
Please feel free to take a look.
It isn't necessarily standard procedure
by 4Denise - 8/14/09 9:10 PM In reply to: Reasons behind reformatting your hard drive and reinstalling Windows OS? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Wiping out your current system and reinstalling is seldom actually necessary, but it is recommended under some circumstances. What the process does is start you out with a known "clean" system. In other words, it starts you all over again, as if you had never had a problem. This is only actually necessary if you have a serious problem with your system and it cannot be solved by less extreme measures.
The thing is, once you know how to do it, and especially if you prepare for it in advance, a full clean install is often preferred by people who recommend it. I am one such person. Even if it isn't necessary, it can be helpful.
First of all, problems are often caused by adware, spyware, viruses, and other malware. Second, many problems are caused by mistakes and variations in the file system that occur naturally over time. There are numerous other things to consider, such as remnants of uninstalled programs and even tampering with the files by people who do not know what they are doing. Eventually, your computer can slow down or even stop from accumulated junk and random problems. Sometimes you can have a malware problem that just can't be solved any way except by wiping out the system.
What you do during this process is completely erase all data on your drive (a less extreme version is to just format the drive without erasing, but it has the same effect). Any problem that was present, such as malware or a virus, is now dead. It cannot come back. Of course, your system is also dead, so the next step is to reinstall everything and rebuild it back the way you want it. Some people even do this right away, as soon as they get a new system. That way they can eliminate unwanted software and set things up just the way they like it. If you are thinking ahead (and you probably are if you do this), you then back up the system immediately at the point where it is just the way you want it. That way you can get it back that way very quickly any time you like.
The advantages are obvious. You now have a system you know is clean-- free of infections and malware, and free of accumulated problems from long use. You can then reinstall any of your personal files that you have already backed up and continue as usual.
Should you do this periodically? That all depends on you. You should definitely know how to do it. There may come a time when you need the information. Once you know how, doing this as a regular maintenance task is entirely up to you. It all depends on how "clean" you like your system to be. I aim for about once a year, but that's just me.
Still No Reason to Reformat and Reinstall
by john.ford1 - 8/14/09 9:13 PM In reply to: Reasons behind reformatting your hard drive and reinstalling Windows OS? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Stephanie,
I have just read many posts which indicate there are still reasons one should obliterate all your hard work and on top of it take out your OS Windows. I for one would find reformatting the last resort and not the first resort. Should the registry become corrupt, then correct the registry. There are many utilities which precisely do that clean up a messed up registry. I have for many years run a computer on Windows XP Pro and never once had to reformat and reinstall the OS. In fact I took an older machine and upgraded from Windows 3.11 to Windows 98 and never had a problem with that machine either. My HP laptop is running now some 6 years without having to reformat and restart all over again. So you see taking care of what you have is far easier than starting all over again. I have never met anyone who has reformatted and reinstalled Windows OS and immediately regretted their actions as they lost data beause what they thought was a complete backup was not complete. Take care of what you have correct problems when they occur and you will be all set.
I disagree with this
by Darrelray777 - 8/22/09 8:15 AM In reply to: Still No Reason to Reformat and Reinstall by john.ford1First of all, if your registry or anything else messes up, and you get a "program" that will fix it for you-watch out. Even if it says its spyare/malware free, doesnt mean they are telling the truth. Maybe they are-but then notice if said program has to "connect" to the internet afterwards. Its best to figure out how to fix something yourself, if you can, before allowing someone elses software do more damage. Ive worked with computers for a long time, and Im a fan of fresh installs. Its like renewing your computer to brand new status again. You dont lose your hard work, if you put it on cd's, dvd's or flash drives first, which you should do anyways to back up your work.
Sadly to say, Windows isnt perfect. Files get corrupted. If you are ablle to find every corrupt file and fix it yourself, good for you. But a freash install will take care of everything
On the other hand, you can get a Mac
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