How often do you clean install?

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How often do you clean install?

Postby iJohnE » Wed 23 Mar, 2011 8:53 am

I'm posting in the windows thread, on a mac. Snap!

Anyways, real question: How often do you do a clean install of your Windows Operating System?

I try to do one at least once a month. Keeps things fresh and fast.
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Re: How often do you clean install?

Postby Antony » Wed 23 Mar, 2011 9:25 am

In the past, only when I upgrade to a major one (e.g. from Windows 98 to Windows 2000). Well, that was just me.
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Re: How often do you clean install?

Postby James » Wed 23 Mar, 2011 10:04 am

Only when I upgrade to a new OS.
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Re: How often do you clean install?

Postby Fulvio » Wed 23 Mar, 2011 11:37 am

James wrote:Only when I upgrade to a new OS.


Updrage or downgrade. There are a few pesky programs which have required clean installs, but, normally,, the fastest way to install the better, as some programs will remove the previous version.
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Re: How often do you clean install?

Postby Anonymosity » Thu 24 Mar, 2011 12:11 am

I have installed Windows XP only once and have not had to reinstall it.
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Re: How often do you clean install?

Postby Mandrake » Sat 26 Mar, 2011 1:39 pm

Once every six months or so.
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Re: How often do you clean install?

Postby Ghostman 1 » Thu 12 May, 2011 8:59 am

Since I work on so many computers, I must do a reinstall about 2 a week... On my own computers I would say 2 a month..
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Re: How often do you clean install?

Postby Antony » Thu 12 May, 2011 10:38 pm

Ghostman 1 wrote:Since I work on so many computers, I must do a reinstall about 2 a week... On my own computers I would say 2 a month..

You do a clean install on your own computer fortnightly!?! :shock:

I know I am using Mac, but only when there's a major new release of Mac OS X (e.g. from 10.5 to 10.6) then I would consider if a clean install is required.
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Re: How often do you clean install?

Postby beanboy89 » Fri 13 May, 2011 9:44 am

Not very often. I only reinstall Windows when I feel that it needs done (something breaks, when the computer needs a good cleaning, or performance is waning). My record is nearly three years on one Vista installation.
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Re: How often do you clean install?

Postby Fulvio » Fri 13 May, 2011 12:00 pm

I use System Mechanic, which does a good job cleaning up my system. Otherwise, I don't see any reason to mess with what works. Indeed, my computer is pretty slow, but it is seven years old, and I use 60 of 75 GB, and it has 512 MB RAM. No clean install would accomplish much.
But if anyone who does frequent clean installs, followed of reinstallation of all the existing program can tell me that there is, even, a small improvement, I may put up with the nuisance of having to do it. How much time is spent doing the complete job?
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Re: How often do you clean install?

Postby Ghostman 1 » Fri 13 May, 2011 1:52 pm

Well, If you want to do a full reinstall, You first might want to backup the programs you want to keep first..
And yes there will be an improvement... By doing a fresh install and optimizing xp and turning off allot of its resource's, you can get it to run pretty good.. The time it takes to do all this is up to you..Usually takes 3 to 4 hours....
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Re: How often do you clean install?

Postby Don_HH2K » Fri 13 May, 2011 2:16 pm

I'm currently on my longest install in awhile (1.5 years on Seven RTM, having upgraded from the RC in winter of 2009), though I'm planning on doing a reinstall as soon as classes are over. I had an update install wrong a few months ago that left me unable to apply any other updates, like SP1, or use some MMC snap-ins like the event viewer.
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Re: How often do you clean install?

Postby iJohnE » Fri 13 May, 2011 5:24 pm

beanboy89 wrote:Not very often. I only reinstall Windows when I feel that it needs done (something breaks, when the computer needs a good cleaning, or performance is waning). My record is nearly three years on one Vista installation.


Wow, I'm amazed. I've never been able to use Vista that long. It usually has a break down. My vista installations are famous for having updates install wrong.
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