Periodic Reformat and Clean XP Install

We all know the benefits of having a clean windows install over the bloatware filled OS that many manufacturers include with their pc's.

But i've also noticed quite a few posts here about periodic reformats, often just as regular maintenence. It seems that some people even do it every few months even if their computer is in perfect working order.

What exactly is the benefit of doing this? I realize that with regular usage/installs/uninstalls the hdd and registry can get filled up with a lot of junk, but does this really effect performance, and is it really worth having to install all of your own programs again? What if we take meticulous care over the organization of our programs and files? Is windows xp that inefficient that it slows down general usage or activity like gaming when it's been active for a year or so?

 

I reinstall WindowsXP about every 6 months or so it is a good opportunity for me to reorganize my files and update drivers. I can tell the difference between a fresh install and a 6 month old install - installing/uninstalling alot of programs plus messing with windows all the time tends to leave alot of junk around.

I install my programs into a seperate partition and all my personal files into yet another partition. The only files of importance on my C drive are my mail folders and bookmarks. I also wrote down a list of what drivers and programs I need to install and in what order I need to install them in. This way I dont have to hunt around and try to figure out what I need to do. This makes reinstalling mostly painless and very quick.

If you are not having any problems with Windows and you don't notice it slowing down much then there isnt any need for you to reinstall unless you want to. Most of the time I do it I really don't need to but I kind of look at it as preventitive maintenance.

 

I always do Hard drive defragment and registry clean up after I do more than 5-10 install/uninstall, and the performance gain is noticeble.

 

Yes, the Registry does get a lot of junk inspite of using any or several of the registry cleaners available. How soon you will notice the slowdown depends on how oftern you use the system.

Mine is on every day for over 12 hours and after about 8 months of use I have noticed that Word, Outlook Express etc take a little longer to open up - not unbearable yet for me, but a definite slow down. Plus if you've been checking the time it takes for the system to boot to the desktop, that will eventually get longer. Initially mine took 1 min 15 seconds, now it is taking a full 2 minutes to do so.

And if you're like me ,you install a program to try it and never use it after a few days - more junk in the Registry. Even the Uninstall routine doesn't remove everything.

So yes, mine needs to be reformatted but it does take time to put back the programs you really use.

 

i regularly use system mechanic professional 6 to keep my registry robust and efficient but that isn't enough. right now my shortcut icons on my Gateway CX2610 are mostly fouled up and no amount of automatic registry cleaning nor icon repair fixes the job. i have to do it manually which is a sure pain. so i guess i would just have to do my annual hd reformatting and reinstall to keep the system abreast. this is one of those things i hate about Windows. in contrast, i never encounter any such problem with my linux machine.

 

I heard repeated format/re-install can lead to the hard drive speed decreasing due to such a high amount of load and stress during these operations.

Is this true?

 

totally not true.

dgkulzer, i also reformat and reinstall about every 6 months as well. and i agree, the performance difference is absolutely noticable.

 

How many of you have your OS, programs, and files on 3 seperate partitions?

This seems like it could make reformatting a breeze but could be a pain when actually using the computer. Also, wouldn't you need the install files moreso than the installed programs since the software will all need a re-install anyway?

 

I regularly defrgament my hard drive, and do a disk cleanup using the windows system tools. I also regularly run virus and spyware scans with Grisoft AVG and Lavasoft Ad-Aware. I haven't reformatted my computer in 3 years, maybe it is time for a re format....I don't know

What's registry clean up? Just getting rid of useless registry keys that are not used? Are there are specific programs to do this?

 

****Cleaner - http://www.ccleaner.com
+
RegScrubXP - http://www.sofotex.com/RegScrubXP-download_L7528.html
+
Weekly Defragment
+
Weekly System Tools Disk Cleanup
=
Decently fast system

Mike

 

No matter how clean I think my computer is, a fresh install is always faster.