How often do you re-format your hard drive?

[dreaded_beast]

I'm having some proglems with my computer, so I'm thinking about re-formating the hard drive and re-installing everything.

So, how often do you re-format?

 

[RuminDange]

A lot of it depends on the OS you are using.

In the past with older less stable OS's I've done clean reinstalls every 6 months minimum. Now with XP I've had to do it after major upgrades to the hardware or due to hardware failure. I ran XP for almost 2 years before I was forced due to a corrupted file structure (motherboard went bad in the IDE channels caused all kinds of problems.) Upgraded hardware and been going strong for 8 months now.
My wifes system is going to a clean reinstall in about a week due to the motherboard burning. Waiting on the replacement board from the manufacturer. XP handled the swap to an older motherboard I had wtihout a hitch and she is running after I repaired the installation, but I will do a clean install when the replacement comes in just to make sure there is no problems instead of 2 over the top installation repairs. Her system up to few weeks ago when the board fired had been going for 16 months.

So it just depends.
What are you running?
What kind of problems are you gettings?
How many drivers/programs/demos have you installed/uninstalled?
How long have you been running on this install?

RD

 

[MarauderX]

On one machine, been using Win98SE since '99, and haven't reformatted once. Livin' on the edge!

 

[dreaded_beast]

Thanks for the advice everyone, just got done with my re-format and everything seems ok...

 

[evildm]

As above, I used to do it once every 6 months until I got XP, and I only ever format when I have a major upgrade, or some kind of severe system failure. Same thing with rebooting, I never reboot this computer anymore unless I have to.

 

[John Crichton]

Once a year. It's like Spring Cleaning.

 

[Dark Jezter]

I used to reformat every 6-12 months, usually after a major upgrade or because of a major problem with my computer. However, it's been nearly 2 years since my last reformat, and my PC is still working fine.

Although, I am thinking of doing a major system overhaul in the next few months (3 GHz processor, a gig of RAM, new video card, Sound Blaster Audigy), in which case I'll likely reformat my hard drive.

 

[RuminDange]

On one machine, been using Win98SE since '99, and haven't reformatted once. Livin' on the edge!

You are either very very lucky, don't make a lot changes or installs/uninstalls, or just really love living on the edge. At least it isn't WinME.....
Hope you have backups of all the important stuff.

RD

 

[Zulithe]

Since I started using Windows XP I format less than once a year. I haven't formated in about two years, actually. However I will soon be doing a reformat, install Win XP w/ SP2 slipstreamed ^_^ After I backup all of my documents/music/etc onto my spare drive, of course

 

[drothgery]

Really, I've never reformatted my hard drive (and I've had only three PCs since 1995). If I give away my old P3 at some point, then I'll wipe the hard drive first, but otherwise... well, I think some people are way too quick to reformat & reinstall, myself.