How often do you reinstall?

[InTheWayBoy]

True, but many of the poll answers question if the frequency or methods are for educational purposes. If you were to take that a step further, then using VMWare as a system to install and reinstall Windows in order to learn more would count. It's the same paints, just different medium.

[saugatak]

If I could get away with it, I'd never reinstall.

But that's just not possible with Windows. With all the malware out there, you have to keep on top of patches, and once multiple programs get patched, things start breaking, something slips through your security defenses, computer slows down despite running registry cleaners.

Plus, I'm always downloading crap and trying it out and sometimes it leaves tons of crap behind that screws up my system, so at some point reinstalls are necessary.

After a while, especially when M$ releases one of its monstrous 9 or 10 patches in a month, it makes sense to do a reinstall.

[fdv]

I don't love doing this sort of thing but why reinvent the wheel.

I'm curious to get new input on this from members who are new to MSFN since this was published 6 months ago.

[Mr Snrub]

Can't vote as I don't use any 3rd party tools to modify the install files so there's no option in the middle section appropriate.

However, for the other 2 questions I reinstall my main rig approximately every 1-2 years - testing machines get rebuilt pretty much every other week (i.e. Vista builds at work).

On a running system I just apply the hotfixes delivered by Windows Update as there is no benefit in updating an install image and reinstalling a system, then having the hassle of reinstalling all the apps and setting preferences back up.

I do , however, maintain my silent install DVD image with SATA/RAID drivers, slipstreamed hotfixes and silently-installed apps to minimize the effort if a rebuild is required - this is just common sense as I'm running RAID0 for my OS & app partitions.

Currently running XP x64 Edition, next reinstall will be when Vista is released and I'll put the 64-bit version on after checking my apps & games work flawlessly.

[Thunderbolt 2864]

I only reinstall if there is something wrong with my installation of XP or 2003, but lately, I've been reinstalling it after a month, either because I installed BETA software and I screwed something up and I can't fix it, or I do something and something f**ked up at the end.

First option: Voted for the second, I only reinstall if my machine plays up on me.

Second option: Didn't really match, so I voted the first one.

Third option: Second option. No need to slipstream them, just install.

Why would you need to reinstall Windows daily? Doesn't make sense.

[fdv]

"New member" bump for 2007.

[Stoic Joker]

I reinstall Windows on a daily basis, on other peoples computers, but that's just part of my job.

I havent had to reinstall Windows on my computer since I built it 3yrs ago.