Am I right re-installing Windows at least once a year?

[Jumpstart]

I use my desktop pc every day, around 18 hours a day.

I have programs on there that protect the computer from virus attacks and 'stuff' but I do find if I re-install Windows at least once a year, the computer is fast and brand new again.

I'm coming up to that time now. The computer is sluggish. It has a 1TB hard-drive and yet only 200gb is used and yet I only have 98gb spare.

Would you agree this is a good idea re-installing Windows? Only takes about 20 minutes.

Thanks.

 

[Lazarus]

[Linux]What's a Virus? ;)[/Linux]


Which version of Windows are you using, as a matter of interest?

Having you tried the universally loved CCleaner programme? If not, try it: Ten gets one you'll free up oodles of space and negate the need for a reinstall.

 

[Analoguesat]

Good grief no you shouldnt need to reinstall every year!

Its not the drive size that matters - its all the guff that gets loaded when the computer starts that slows it down - you would be amazed what junk can be loading at boot. Many programme software developers seem to think you want their baby all the time and therefore set them to auto start - thus using up valuable system resources.

Firefox is a hell of a memory hog these days too.

 

[Channel Hopper]

hiberfil.sys in the majority of cases

Is it Safe to Delete Hiberfil.sys and Pagefile.sys? • Raymond.CC

 

[4wd]

Firefox is a hell of a memory hog these days too.

Did a test, see attach., same 10 pages in latest IE & FF. FF wins by large margin.
In FF: flash 'ask to activate' + NoScript.

It has a 1TB hard-drive and yet only 200gb is used and yet I only have 98gb spare

Well, approx. 850gb has to be used in one way or other if only 98 available. Definitely run CCleaner as advised above. Also check in CCleaner > Tools > System Restore and see if there are many entries there.

Run diskmgmt.msc and post a snip, as there also may be strange partitioning going on.

 

[Jumpstart]

Doing a re-install is the only way I can get my 1TB or 995GB back.

I don't know where the hell the other space is going to. But least a know with a clean install I have got rid of a load of c***.

 

[Jumpstart]

[Linux]What's a Virus? ;)[/Linux]


Which version of Windows are you using, as a matter of interest?

Having you tried the universally loved CCleaner programme? If not, try it: Ten gets one you'll free up oodles of space and negate the need for a reinstall.

Windows 7 Home. But sometimes Professional.

 

[Captain Jack]

I've been a long time user of Windows 7 and I've never once reinstalled it. I did have to do this with Windows XP but Windows 7 (and Vista) seemed good at running efficiently long term.

But yes, do keep an eye on what gets loaded at boot time - services, 'auto update' programs etc. Upgrade to SSD as well, while you're at it.

 

[A nonymous]

When you have installed it and installed all the updates just make a backup which you can use to re-install later if and when your pc slows down. The back up program is inbuilt in all versions of Windows since at least version 7.

Takes about 10 mins to re-install my operating system from booting off the Windows disk.

 

[Jumpstart]

Thanks for the advice, gentlemen. I have taken the advice and I did not re-install Windows.

Instead, I got hold of C-Cleaner and installed. Also Spybot and Avast seemed to flush a lot of cr** out, and I recovered 700GB in a few minutes. PC is now running faster and C-Cleaner keeps reminder me I can get rid of 1.2GB every hour. Apparently it's been wasted but on what????

I have had all these programs before but I dunno why I deleted them. Maybe I felt they were clogging up my system at some point.

Thanks.

 

[rolfw]

I use a little program called Spacemonger, great for spotting where all of your spare space is going.

 

[Vipersan]

I personally use clone dock/station ..as my go back reference point ..and image my main O/S to a second drive about every 6 months ..
This doesn't cure the lost memory issue ..but is useful if the system gets infected..
It does require keeping imaged drives safe ..but I have a metal safe for that..but makes reverting to a known good point easy peasy.
Takes about an hour to image a 1tb drive..but well worth it..
First thing I did on receipt of the 2 Optiplex I bought recently ..
both had clean O/S installed ...so IF I f**k up ...I can start again.
;)
...and _yes_ I get through a lot of Hard Drives ...both in my servers ..and PCs (various)

...Re-installing windows would never suit me ...as it would take a huge amount of my limited time to also re-install the large amount of progs and apps ..I use daily..
Better to keep the installation files/licenses etc on my server ..and going back only 6 months reduces the number I have to re install..

 

[4wd]

C-Cleaner keeps reminder me I can get rid of 1.2GB every hour. Apparently it's been wasted but on what????

Mostly windows log files & browsing cache, but 1,2gb\hour is extreme\not normal to say the least. Try to find out what is writing all that, there must be some program going mad behind the scene...

Run resmon.exe and monitor disk activity for a while, may give some clues.
Also, run ccleaner 'Analyse' and look at the list for very large numbers.

 

[Archive7]

I have Windows 7 Pro installed since 2013 and never had the need to reinstall it again for any reason.
I think all the anti virus programs are c**p and I use only Windows Microsoft Security Essentials and nothing else.
I Never download anything from CNET website. They always install something without my knowledge.
Even going to their website seems to cripple my PC for at least a minute. Maybe they check weak spots in my PC first?
Have you tried defragmenting the hard disk? Careful, it takes a very long time until it finishes. Well maybe with 200GB it won't be that long, but if do want to do it, better start on a weekend morning so you can leave it to do the work under your watchful eyes.

 

[Jumpstart]

Wasted space is awful on a computer, you're right. Thanks again for the replies.

 

[Jumpstart]

I have Windows 7 Pro installed since 2013 and never had the need to reinstall it again for any reason.
I think all the anti virus programs are c**p and I use only Windows Microsoft Security Essentials and nothing else.
I Never download anything from CNET website. They always install something without my knowledge.
Even going to their website seems to cripple my PC for at least a minute. Maybe they check weak spots in my PC first?
Have you tried defragmenting the hard disk? Careful, it takes a very long time until it finishes. Well maybe with 200GB it won't be that long, but if do want to do it, better start on a weekend morning so you can leave it to do the work under your watchful eyes.

Defrag could only recover 6GB, but the other programs recovered 700GB.

 

[RedDevil_UK]

Hard drives are like garages, the bigger they are..... the more crap you end up storing

Having extra drives is good to stop you clogging up your C: drive, but as above make sure minimal programs start at boot up.
try this......
Click Start and in the search box type "msconfig"
run that and click the startup tab.
Its amazing whats running at startup!!
Now you know why your computer takes ages to boot up

 

[Jumpstart]

Got another problem with this computer. It goes very slow when I am using Chrome.

Never used to.

I've used C cleaner and other virus programs. No viruses. Must be something on Chrome.

An add on maybe...

I'm gonna find out.

 

[Jumpstart]

Located it.

It was an add on, onto Chrome. :mad:

Bankooka, or something, had been slowing down my computer performance. :mad:

Now it's gone.

 

[PaulR]

Any idea how it got on?