ARGH! Is it time to switch to linux?

[MSnumber1]

Hey guys, every couple months M$ Winbloze crashes on me because my registry goes bad on me. I'm almost ready to give up on M$ and install Linux. Do you guys have any suggestions before I format my hard drive?

[atomizer]

brother, i can more than sympathize with ya! i've been threatening to switch to Linux for years, but have become so familiar with wintendo and how to FORCE it to act the way i want, that i just haven't bothered. i'm no expert by a long shot, but the registry is one of 2 major reasons i dislike windoze. i think it's OK to store system wide, OS only settings in the reg, but i hate the fact that 99% of software developers insist on storing their settings there. then, when you uninstall, there's often a boat load of crap left behind that's next to impossible to root out by hand (and of all the "reg cleaners" that i know of, none of them are able to find everything). to my knowledge (someone correct if wrong), one of the purposes of the registry is to SPEED up the OS and the applications you run on it. well, BULL! when you have a junked up reg with 30,000 garbage entries from s/w developers that have no clue how to write a good installer, that speed gets eaten away piece by piece. i think ALL settings, outside of the core OS stuff, should be stored in its own program group. to my knowledge, that's the way Linux does it.

[wizardofwindows]

i agree too many stray redunant entries when will the madness end if your reading this bill fix it now or i buy a ps2 lol

[Zxian]

Hey guys, every couple months M$ Winbloze crashes on me because my registry goes bad on me. I'm almost ready to give up on M$ and install Linux. Do you guys have any suggestions before I format my hard drive?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

How does your registry "go bad"? Sure it can fill up with lots of junk entries from poorly written software, but "go bad"? If that's the case then you probably haven't been taking care of your computer security wise.

If you look around here a bit, you'll see a couple of threads regarding Linux. Long story short - it's not at all like Windows, and it's probably still not up to par for the common user. Unless you've had a good deal of experience with the command line, it's probably not for you.

Have a look around here for suggestions on alternate AV and firewall programs. There are plenty out there that don't write lots of entries into the registry (which is actually a decent tool if you know how to use it).

And a good habit of computing is not to install and uninstall lots of programs... that's when problems start happening (in more ways than one). If you want to install a program "just because" do it in a virtual machine in VirtualPC or VMWare.

[atomizer]

And a good habit of computing is not to install and uninstall lots of programs...

very good piece of advice. also, be SURE the program you're installing doesn't contain any "add-ons"/spyware/adware/nagware/etc.. it is my experience that, in general, the open source guys write better installers and cleaner applications.

[prathapml]

Do you guys have any suggestions before I format my hard drive?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Re-install your windows instead, as frequently as you want.

This guide will make it easy - http://unattended.msfn.org/

[Lost Soul]

Hey guys, every couple months M$ Winbloze crashes on me because my registry goes bad on me. I'm almost ready to give up on M$ and install Linux. Do you guys have any suggestions before I format my hard drive?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

How does your registry "go bad"? Sure it can fill up with lots of junk entries from poorly written software, but "go bad"? If that's the case then you probably haven't been taking care of your computer security wise.

If you look around here a bit, you'll see a couple of threads regarding Linux. Long story short - it's not at all like Windows, and it's probably still not up to par for the common user. Unless you've had a good deal of experience with the command line, it's probably not for you.

Have a look around here for suggestions on alternate AV and firewall programs. There are plenty out there that don't write lots of entries into the registry (which is actually a decent tool if you know how to use it).

And a good habit of computing is not to install and uninstall lots of programs... that's when problems start happening (in more ways than one). If you want to install a program "just because" do it in a virtual machine in VirtualPC or VMWare.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

true true and also its a good rule of thumb to normally on a routine to clean your registry up with a safe programlike RFA) or some thing to cut back on future problems

[MSnumber1]

I'm what you would call a power user. I use lots of programs and it can't be avoided. Every once in a while I'll try something new and not like it and then subsiquently uninstall it. It seems that this process of installing/uninstalling leads way to a fatal flaw in all Windows Operating Systems. I unfortunately do not have the luxary of being able to afford a 2nd machine just for experimentation with new software so I'm stuck with slowly screwing up my only desktop. It's extremely annoying to reinstall windows all the time! I know some linux guys and they have shown me reinstalling is much easy as you can keep all your programs since they are not dependent on a registry. maybe someone should come up with a program for people reinstalling windows that exports the entries for the programs you want to keep?

Anyway, I'm seriously considering switching to linux now. As I see it, the only thing keeping me from doing it is games and it seems there are solutions out there now to play windows games in linux:

http://www.transgaming.com/

[Zxian]

I'm what you would call a power user.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

How do you define the term "power user"?

For me, a power user is someone who knows their computer inside and out and relies on their computer for their daily work (not just as a word processor either). Using lots of different programs doesn't constitute being a power user... it's actually somewhat the opposite IMHO. There are only so many useful types of programs that we can use, and many programs that all do the same thing - look at all the different media player software available. There's no point in installing them all and then uninstalling them.

Like I said before, if you're curious about various software, test it in a Virtual Machine. This way, you don't need a second computer.

And did you even have a look at the link prathapml gave? You can set up a CD/DVD to install Windows and all your favorite programs completely unattended - i.e. put in the CD, come back an hour later, and your computer is completely clean with all your settings in place. It takes a bit of work, but much less than learning Linux (if you're a Windows power user).

[jondercik]

Create an image of your perfect set up using Acronis then.

[interminded]

I agree, with a nice (ghost-) image or a personalized install, you can be back on track within half an hour and you can f*** up your registry, system32, boot.ini or whatever as many times as you like..

If you use any Windows OS to its limits (or beyond), it's bound to crash once in a while.

Needless to say, any Open Source OS will react the same. Maybe it takes a bit longer or it will not crash to the same extent a MS, but believe me... it will eventually.

They all have their limits, my friend..

Edited July 15, 2005 by interminded

[Win2k3EE]

RegCleaner 4.3.0.780 This is one of the best registry cleaning utilities. I'm using it for a loooooooong time now and had no troubles at all. Never had to install Windows more than once per version.

[techniquefreak]

And jv16 Power Tools - except it's payware - pay attention what you do with it though - you can really screw your setup with it but at the same time it's a very effective reg. cleaner (Regsupreme Pro is equal - but is without a few added features that jv16 has) ...

[DKasler]

See.... thats the thing. Every suggestion you all made where 100% correct when dealing with Windows, and ONLY Windows.

Those tips listed above are excellent ways to keep windows working the way it was intended to work. Though I know tons of people who run *nix boxes for years and never have to: re-install, clean "the registry", format, etc. Why because Windows is technologically inferior (in my opinion).

Yes, I use windows and I do all the things people suggested. The point is... We shouldnt have to. Mac OS just WORKS, Linux just WORKS, BeOS just WORKS. Therefore Windows should JUST WORK, but I guess MS feels thats not a requirement since they control the market.

[Zxian]

Yes, I use windows and I do all the things people suggested. The point is... We shouldnt have to. Mac OS just WORKS, Linux just WORKS, BeOS just WORKS. Therefore Windows should JUST WORK, but I guess MS feels thats not a requirement since they control the market.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Sure Mac OS just works... for their hardware. Have you ever considered the vast differences in hardware that Windows supports that OSX just wouldn't work on? Remember, Apple is a hardware company first, software company second, and the software that they write only has to work for their hardware.

As for Linux and BeOS - I'm sorry to say (and anyone who thinks otherwise can say so) that it is more difficult for someone who isn't familiar with computers to setup a *nix system from scratch (i.e. install OS, drivers, apps, etc). Sure, once you get it working, it's great, but getting it there can be a pain in the a** for most people (remember - not everyone is as computer savvy as you might be).

I think it's been said elsewhere regarding the registry - it's not Microsoft's fault that other software companies misuse the registry. There's a lot of talk about moving program settings to XML files and leaving the registry (or whatever it turns into) for the OS (which I think would be a much better method).

And stop it already with the whole "because they own the market" crap... Many of the top execs in Microsoft realize that people are becoming more aware of the alternatives to Windows, and they want to make sure that they keep their products up to par to keep their share of the market. If you were to run a company, would you sit back and relax once you've got the majority of the market? Of course not - you'd try to keep it that way. I've just seen too many of those kinds of comments, and it's usually from people who haven't done their reading on the subject.