Does Windows (Vista) really have to be reinstalled from time to time?

Vi Monks

Pretty much the title. I'm wondering if/how often you should reinstall Windows. I know common knowledge is to do it at least once a year or so and that's about what I do. But poking around online, I've seen a few places now say that this isn't really necessary so long as you take care of the registry and such. So what's the truth of it? And if reinstalling isn't necessary, what precautions (other than the normal anti-virus/spyware) should be taken to make sure everything stays running in tip-top shape?

exoplasm

I haven't run Vista long enough (since upgraded to 7) to find out if it needs it, but in general it seems that Vista gets slightly faster over time (to an extent) thanks to the prefetch stuff, whereas XP gets slower over time thus necessitating reinstalls. At the very least it keeps your drives defragmented.

Installing and uninstalling stuff is going to be the biggest offender for the registry, so if you keep that under control it shouldn't need to be reinstalled unless you really mess something up.

Sometimes it's fun just to reinstall anyway, though. Feel safer and all that.

taliosfalcon

if you do absolutely nothing with your computer no. But everything from installing programs (as you mentioned the registry, which will always slow down with time as new things are installed/uninstalled no matter how you try to keep it clean) to bits of old drivers being left behind to windows updates being installed over previous updates slow things down bit by bit.

wunderbar

Yea Vista is better than any windows before it, but it still does slow down over time. If you install windows, do all the updates, and all your software at once, then never install anything, at all, ever again you won't see much, if any slowdown. But Installing/uninstalling programs, drivers, updates, etc will slow it down, no matter how many registry cleaners, spyware scans and love you bring.

JohnDoe

If you run CCleaner, keep it free from viruses/spyware, limit installing crappy shareware which leave things behind, and defrag regularly, you won't need to reformat your system every year. It'd probably help performance, but its hardly necessary.

Shorn Scrotum Man

It all depends on how much you shit up your machine, really.

Vi Monks

JohnDoe wrote: »

If you run CCleaner, keep it free from viruses/spyware, limit installing crappy shareware which leave things behind, and defrag regularly, you won't need to reformat your system every year. It'd probably help performance, but its hardly necessary.

CCleaner is awesome. Never used it before. Thanks for that. And thanks for the input, everyone. I think I'll wait a little while to reinstall. I wasn't planning on doing it because I felt it was needed so much as it's just what I've always done. But I take pretty good care of my machine and I'm using Vista now, so I guess I can wait a bit longer.

Azio

Shorn Scrotum Man wrote: »

It all depends on how much you shit up your machine, really.

bigwah

I've had this XP install since 3/15/05. 'Nuff said.

JCRooks

Azio wrote: »

Shorn Scrotum Man wrote: »

It all depends on how much you shit up your machine, really.

+1

Seriously, if you're the type of user that tends to install lots of toolbars and other programs that are constantly running (sitting in the system tray), you'll probably need to reinstall whatever OS you happen to be running.

taliosfalcon

bigwah wrote: »

I've had this XP install since 3/15/05. 'Nuff said.

I can't decide what's more horrifying. Using an OS install that old or a machine that old

bigwah

taliosfalcon wrote: »

bigwah wrote: »

I've had this XP install since 3/15/05. 'Nuff said.

I can't decide what's more horrifying. Using an OS install that old or a machine that old

Hey now, it plays TF2 and L4D at 1680x1050.

FaceballMcDougal

A reinstall of any OS is usually the shortest distance between 2 points. You can spend your time in the event logger fixing everything (if you know what you're doing), uninstalling/disabling startup items, and cleaning up the drive.... or you can be done in a few hours with a reinstall.

So no... 'Vista' doesn't need to be reinstalled... but all the crap people do to their computers does need to be cleaned up from time to time... no matter the OS.

Lucky Cynic

One thing I always liked about Vista is if you put in the disk, somewhere it should give you the option to move your previous vista installation to a folder in the new vista installation called Windows.old.

Soo back up your pictures? Good idea, but I didn't have to since literally all 200gigs of my previous vista computer were put into that folder and just copying and pasting my pictures and videos and music took all of 3 min and gave me a brand new sleek OS. So awesome!


But yeah, I am like a huge minimalist and I get frustrated often when some programs get uninstalled, but still leave back so many files here and there. If you keep your computer nice and clean of spyware and viruses, you should be in the clear as far as vista goes. It doesn't have that bad of decay as XP does.