How often do you reinstall windows?

[Tech-nerd]

i do once a year

[Phantom Helix]

about that sounds good

[Tech-nerd]

I'm install win7 rtm on new years eve for a fresh 2010 experience

[evo0o]

i do it possibly every 6 months?

it's a pain to backup my music files and itunes items though.

[Biotoxic_hazard_835]

Once a year or sooner if the need arises.

[Astra.Xtreme]

I'll usually do a fresh install when a new service pack is released.

[Andrew Lyle Global Moderator]

I'm install win7 rtm on new years eve for a fresh 2010 experience

Really? Does it really make that big of a difference to just do it now.

Could have added a poll to this.

I only reinstall Windows when I need... so every 2-3 years?

[Tim the Enchanter]

hardly ever, only when a new OS is released.

System still runs fast as ever, just gotta becareful what programs you install.

[frbubba]

Every 6 months.

[ironsight2000]

6 months

[david]

I have never heard of Windodws.

:ninja:

[Sikh]

6 months.

[Pupik]

Back in XP days used to do a fresh install with full format every two-six months or so, but not anymore since Vista.

Never again felt that the system runs too slow and needed a clean install. So about once a year, if not even that.

[s0nic69]

Im doing it right now. Installing on my laptop now and my desktop is next. Ill reinstall right now and when office 2010 comes out, ill reinstall again. But usually ill reinstall every 5 months or so.

[inactive]

well for me i would say once every 1-2 years (closer to 2-ish lately). or as others have said, as time requires because every once in a while '$hit happens'. lol

but on average i noticed i am clean installing windows less and less often as i typically don't mess up my PC like i used to a long time ago when i would probably average at least 2 formats each year minimum. lol

but in general no one would really NEED to reinstall windows more than 1 time per year if there careful and don't install 2 billion applications etc etc.

p.s. i installed Windows 7 RTM around Aug/Sep 2009 and it's been fine since then.

[Yorak]

Every 2-3 months.

[still1]

I do it every 6 months.

[zhangm Supervisor]

I've seen no need to do it periodically since XP SP2 came out. Vista and Windows 7 also appear to be reliable and self-maintaining.

[pyehac]

Only when my system is slowing down (and its nothing an upgrade could fix), when there's a new OS or Service pack out, or when I upgrade something major - or else never.

[Tech-nerd]

why do a reinstall when there's new service pack?

just upgrade?

[primexx]

back in the XP days i would do it once or twice a year, but since I installed Vista RTM two months after its release I have yet to reinstall this computer. It does show its age (and winsxs is 10gbs :s) but I've not been compelled to reinstall by any significant malfunction like I had with XP. I'll probably be reinstalling this soon with Win7.

[Dezent]

Every 2-3 months.

Same here :)

[Lee G. Veteran]

I used to do it quite regularly with Windows XP, but there was no real need.

I've seen no need to do it periodically since XP SP2 came out. Vista and Windows 7 also appear to be reliable and self-maintaining.

I agree.

[Colin-uk Veteran]

win 7 seems to be running smoothly enough to not need a re-install for a while.

I used to re-install xp every couple of years or whenever i thought it felt sluggish.

[phot0nic]

I do when a new version of Windows is released. I don't see the need to do it any more often. Don't install poor-quality junk software and there's no need to do it regularly.