# How often do you format?



## Supreme0verlord (Feb 26, 2009)

I format about every 2 months or so.


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## RadeonX2 (Feb 26, 2009)

depends if my system is infected with virus I'd reformat it but on average more likely 3 months


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## <<Onafets>> (Feb 26, 2009)

Other: If I have a virus or OS is screwed over...otherwise never!


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## DanishDevil (Feb 26, 2009)

About once a month for each of my systems.  I'm either trying out a new build of a Windows beta, or I'm just speeding things up a little


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## 95Viper (Feb 26, 2009)

Only when new or if, something hosed my whole drive setup and backups.


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## FordGT90Concept (Feb 26, 2009)

Last time I formatted because of a virus.  This time I had to format primarily because Visual Studio is being a bitch and secondarily because the motherboard is being replaced.  Some times I go over a year without formatting; sometimes I go a few months.  On average, I say every 6-12 months.


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## exodusprime1337 (Feb 26, 2009)

about twice a month... i'm always changing hardware, and i prefer to reinstall when i upgrade drivers for some odd reason... i just like kill hdd's i guess... heheh


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## Dan2312 (Feb 26, 2009)

I never formatted my last pc, i kept it junk free, and i was using programs such as registry mechanic, norton internet security, windows clean up etc

my hd was never full, always had about 80gb free out of 200gb.


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## MRCL (Feb 26, 2009)

I usually do a clean reinstall of my OS like every two to three months, regardless of the condition. 
Its like a new car - I like the innocence and the "newness" of a freshly installed windows.


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## Darknova (Feb 26, 2009)

On my main machines, only when it's fucked or when I change a major piece of hardware (HDD or motherboard) or when I change a lot of my PC. CPU/GPU/RAM changes don't require OS reinstalls at all, however with many many changes it can be a good idea.

On my other rigs? Whenever I want to try another OS


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## burebista (Feb 26, 2009)

Never. I like to keep my OS in a good shape so no need to format.


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## Asylum (Feb 26, 2009)

I only reformat when need...When my programs start acting up or getting glitches!!


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## Tau (Feb 26, 2009)

Every 3 months, though since i have clones of all the install drives it takes literally minutes to restore them and have a fresh os again   complete with install applications!


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## mc-dexter (Feb 26, 2009)

about a month or two, usually more if i don't hammer my system with downloads. but i have an unstable OS due to using a downloaded copy of XP as i broke my Home CD


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## btarunr (Feb 26, 2009)

I try myself never to. I never intentionally reinstall software, only if the machine fluffs up so bad that it doesn't start.


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## red268 (Feb 26, 2009)

Sinse getting a Seagate hard drive? About 12 times in the last couple of months.

Otherwise, I generally like to do it about once a year or just under.


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## DrPepper (Feb 26, 2009)

Whenever I feel like the machine needs a reformat so every 2 weeks at best maybe 3.


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## TheMailMan78 (Feb 26, 2009)

Once a year I guess. Maybe a little less.


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## r9 (Feb 26, 2009)

About 5 times. At work that is . Home 5 times a decade .


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## johnnyfiive (Feb 26, 2009)

Only if it starts acting weird do I reformat. BSOD, virus, etc. Otherwise, I leave it be.


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## mc-dexter (Feb 26, 2009)

DrPepper said:


> Whenever I feel like the machine needs a reformat so every 2 weeks at best maybe 3.



Are you serious? Every few weeks??? surely thats not needed?


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## spearman914 (Feb 26, 2009)

I reformat when i install new hardware, or any bsod's. No specific times.


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## iStink (Feb 26, 2009)

dude I used to format like once every 6 months.  My system would lag, get problems, and piss me off.  Then I bought Diskeeper Professional and turned on auto defragmentation.  That was over 4 years ago and I haven't formatted since.  My system feels as snappy as it did right after a fresh install.  I suggest everyone check this program out.


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## frankie827 (Feb 26, 2009)

i really only format when i have to, such as when i'm really low on disk space and i cant figure out why or if i have a bad virus.


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## mc-dexter (Feb 26, 2009)

I'm sorry people but isnt this a thread about "how often do you format" not "why do you format" 

... Kinda thought it needed pointing out, nobody really formats unless they have to.


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## domy85 (Feb 26, 2009)

Way too much, but never again, unless a drive fails or new hardware upgrade in 3 or so years. Good for the experience, bad for the waste of time.


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## WhiteLotus (Feb 26, 2009)

Only when i need to


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## kiriakost (Feb 26, 2009)

Never ...   one healthy installation of windows 2k Pro  or  XP Pro Sp3 ,  never falls apart .


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## D007 (Feb 26, 2009)

Unfortunately it seems like it's every few months..
Generally I never want to and I try using things like Ccleaner and good anti virus as much as possible.
defrag on a regular basis and what not.

Just still end up with some garbage happening no matter what steps I seem to take..
so about once every 3-6 months.


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## spearman914 (Feb 26, 2009)

I'm telling u why i format because i can't give specific times.


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## Polarman (Feb 26, 2009)

Every 3 months or so.


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## xu^ (Feb 26, 2009)

maybe once a year or so ,if if i have a problem i cant fix ,but i usually just restore an image backup with acronis so it only takes a few mins.

i replace the image every month.


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## kyle2020 (Feb 26, 2009)

once a month here, but not religiously - I havent done a defrag in what must be 2 months, but thats just because I keep reinstalling vista / windows 7.  What I do is use ccleaner at the same time - do a defrag and cleanup whilst im watching a film or downloading torrents.


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## Chryonn (Feb 26, 2009)

only when windows starts acting up. otherwise i'd go on for years, although this current install needs to be replaced soon.


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## cdawall (Feb 26, 2009)

it depends sometimes its once a week other times its every month. oh and thats a reinstall on XP vista and 7


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## DrPepper (Feb 26, 2009)

kiriakost said:


> Never ...   one healthy installation of windows 2k Pro  or  XP Pro Sp3 ,  never falls apart .



what do you do to keep it running really nice ?


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## Solaris17 (Feb 26, 2009)

like every 2 weeks but i try to keep it clean.


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## Melvis (Feb 26, 2009)

Once a year for me, apart from last yr when i had HDD problems and a virus, etc, it was 4 times. But i try to make it last as long as i can, and im very particular in what i install etc, so i dont have a messy HDD and or a fragmented drive.
But thats just my PC, if i include all my freinds and others i do work for, OMG it be alot, 30-40 times a yr as a guess, might be more


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## Fleck (Feb 26, 2009)

'Other', it used to be twice a year or more, but I have had Vista Black for nearly a year now and I don't plan on getting rid of it for a while.  I've been tinkering with stuff and breaking stuff for like 14 years.  I think most of my constant formatting is behind me.


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## Silverel (Feb 26, 2009)

If a massive hardware change happens, and windows doesn't recognize it, I reformat.

Other than that, it'd be a new system build, or never.


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## farlex85 (Feb 26, 2009)

Once a year roughly, but it just depends.


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## PVTCaboose1337 (Feb 26, 2009)

I usually do it every 6 months.  Just to get a clean install in.


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## Wile E (Feb 27, 2009)

My average is around 3 months, before I cock Windows up too bad to try to fix. lol.


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## Supreme0verlord (Feb 27, 2009)

So far it looks like most people format every 2-6 months.


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## iStink (Feb 27, 2009)

What's the point of knowing how often without knowing why?  "I format once every six months" is meaningless without an explanation.  "I format once every 6 months because I have OCD" sounds better.  So does "I format every 6 months because it gets sluggish" or "I format every 6 months to wipe out files I don't use." People's reasoning could be different, which makes the data in the poll meaningless without explanations. There are too many variables to just look at a poll like this and determine any meaning from the data.

I guess my point is, when people see a poll like this, they naturally will vote and add why they voted as such. Let them discuss if they feel like it.  It's not like you have a limited number of pages available in each thread.


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## DanishDevil (Feb 27, 2009)

I format at least once a month because I'm OCD


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## erocker (Feb 27, 2009)

I have two HDD's that I use for my O/S.  One is in use and the other is a backup using Ghost.  If I ever encounter a problem that needs the O/S redone, it's always ready to go.  Usually I redo it every 3 to 6 months.


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## RevengE (Feb 27, 2009)

I only format if I have to. I usually do it once a year.


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## stevorob (Feb 27, 2009)

I format once a year just to have a clean install

Format anytime in between that period if something goes wrong


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## Easy Rhino (Feb 27, 2009)

about once every 6 weeks or so. i am HIGHLY suspicious of what i download.


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## Namslas90 (Feb 27, 2009)

Reformat only when necessary, currently about 2 years with current format.


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## Silverel (Feb 27, 2009)

Easy Rhino said:


> about once every 6 weeks or so. i am HIGHLY suspicious of what i download.



LOL

Well that kinda tells ya the quality of the sites you frequent, eh?


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## Triprift (Feb 27, 2009)

Like Nams only format when required been well over a year since my last one.


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## ShadowFold (Feb 27, 2009)

I used to do it monthly with XP but I find myself keeping Vista installs for months at a time. Vista doesn't seem to degrade as fast as XP!


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## Easy Rhino (Feb 28, 2009)

Silverel said:


> LOL
> 
> Well that kinda tells ya the quality of the sites you frequent, eh?


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## HossHuge (Feb 28, 2009)

red268 said:


> Sinse getting a Seagate hard drive? About 12 times in the last couple of months.
> 
> Otherwise, I generally like to do it about once a year or just under.



TEE HEE,  I was going to buy a Seagate recently until the dude at the shop said don't bother.


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## Supreme0verlord (Feb 28, 2009)

You can still get a Seagate Drive but just don't get the 7200.11's, get the 7200.10's.


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## BrooksyX (Feb 28, 2009)

I do it about every 2nd or 3rd month.


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## thebeephaha (Mar 2, 2009)

ShadowFold said:


> I used to do it monthly with XP but I find myself keeping Vista installs for months at a time. Vista doesn't seem to degrade as fast as XP!



I have noticed this as well. My Vista has been pretty decent. I have found too if I don't screw with it, it works fine.

XP you HAD to screw with it to keep it going, Vista not so much.


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