How long do you go between reformats?

[XyZspineZyX]

I'm wondering if there is an average time...months? Years?

If it isn't working perfectly I redo the whole works. About every 6 months for me, which I suspect is very frequently.

[XyZspineZyX]

I'm wondering if there is an average time...months? Years?

If it isn't working perfectly I redo the whole works. About every 6 months for me, which I suspect is very frequently.

[XyZspineZyX]

I guess it depends on your skill level with computers, how much freeware you download, how good you are about not picking up virus's and what programs and games you run. I've had to reformat 2 times in the last three months. Mostly due to conflicting driver issues.

Luckyboy = senior hydraulic landing gear designer for the P-11

[XyZspineZyX]

And I thought I had it bad.

[XyZspineZyX]

My brother in law must have some sort of record: 4 years on an install of Windows 98. Pretty messd up though.

I'm amazed that it still boots.

[XyZspineZyX]

I was running windows XP from when it first came out until about last week. It still ran rock solid, but I got a new board and processor so I decided a fresh start was in order.


"Ich bin ein Wuergerwhiner"

"The future battle on the ground will be preceded by battle in the air. This will determine which of the contestants has to suffer operational and tactical disadvantages and be forced throughout the battle into adoption compromise solutions." --Erwin Rommel

http://lbhskier37.freeservers.com/Mesig.jpg
--NJG26_Killa--

[XyZspineZyX]

I ran my old Windows 98 SE machine for 3.5 years without ever reformatting. I used disk clean up and defragged fairly often. I never had a serious problem and it booted fine.
Hans_Svetty wrote:
- My brother in law must have some sort of record: 4
- years on an install of Windows 98. Pretty messd up
- though.
-
- I'm amazed that it still boots.
-
-



Nuley - Man I love this game!

[XyZspineZyX]

Hans_Svetty wrote:
- I'm wondering if there is an average time...months?
- Years?
-
- If it isn't working perfectly I redo the whole
- works. About every 6 months for me, which I suspect
- is very frequently.
-
-
-
-

My motto is...each major hardware change should be followed by fresh windows...such as mobo, video cards... other then that...i say once a year it wouldn`t hurt...

Regards,
VFC*Crazyivan
http://www.rmutt.netfirms.com/ivan-reaper.gif

"No matter how good the violin may be, much depends on the violinist. I always felt respect for an enemy pilot whose plane I failed to down." Ivan Kozhedub

[XyZspineZyX]

I've reformatted windows 98, I've never reformatted XP, is it done the same way? I would like to do this this Friday.

Are the following steps the proper way?

1st prepare the following:

Download latest drivers:
1) Cat 3.7
2) Sound card (TB santa cruz)
3) Direct X 9.0b

Gather CD's of:
1) MSFFB2 4.0
2) XP cd (I heard you have to call in for a number?)
3) Wireless mouse and keyboard CD
4) TrackIR cd
5) MS office CD (again, do I need to get number?)

Save all docs to CD.

Get a floppy disk to reformat (no idea where).

Boot from floppy, type in ms-dos "run/reformat C:"

When finished, boot with XP CD, follow prompts.

Install drivers and software (does order matter?)



I can bring home a floppy from work, I'm sure there's one around here somewhere. Where do I get the A: info?

[XyZspineZyX]

Win95, 95 OSR2, 98, 98SE, ME Every 6 months
NT, 2K, XP most liekly every yr or so depeding on what you are doing with it.

Beta tester for;
C&C Generals,Independance War 2, Starfleet Command 2,Settlers IV, Tzar, Allegiance, Starfleet Command,MAX 2, Defiance

[XyZspineZyX]

with windows XP you dont want to boot from a floppy. You should boot directly from your windows XP cd(you may need to go into your bios setup and specify cdrom as first boot device). It will ask you if you want to install windows or repair, select install. From there you can select the partition windows is currently on and delete the partition. Then select to install windows on that partition and it formats it and starts the install. Much easier IMHO than the old windows 9x way. And yes, you will probably have to call MS for XP and Office. One feature of XP you might want to use before reformatting is the files and settings transfer utility. Just pop in the XP cd(before reformating of course/i/smilies/16x16_smiley-happy.gif ) There is a files and settings transfer utility there that will save the settings for almost any of your programs, and files also. Then the file it creates can be burned and loaded up once you have windows reinstalled. Good luck on it, and make sure to double check youve saved everything you want before you do it, I keep kicking myself because I lost my addressbook when I did it last week/i/smilies/16x16_smiley-sad.gif


"Ich bin ein Wuergerwhiner"

"The future battle on the ground will be preceded by battle in the air. This will determine which of the contestants has to suffer operational and tactical disadvantages and be forced throughout the battle into adoption compromise solutions." --Erwin Rommel

http://lbhskier37.freeservers.com/Mesig.jpg
--NJG26_Killa--