How often should you reinstall your operating system?

[hjlbx]

With Windows 10, I reinstalled the OS once due to OS corruption probably made by RollBack Rx Pro. I wasn't educated enough that time about using RollBack Rx.

@hjlbx
On my laptop, uninstallation of RollBack Rx isn't "quick... procedure". I have to wait for around 30 minutes before it prompts me that it is uninstalled. I wish it could uninstall faster, just like how fast it is when doing a rollback, which is almost as quick as a system restart.

30 mins ? I would report on HDS support forum. That isn't correct behavior...

Ask @Umbra - he uses RB Rx on HDD. I use SSD.

 

[shmu26]

I think it's worth a try to just run the major update or whatever it is.
It's a lot of work to reinstall all apps and all tweaks.
the update might work, how do you know it won't?

 

[DJ Panda]

The only time I had to reset my OS was when Toshiba took full control over my PC when I took it in for repairs. They ended up doing a lot of shady things on it..

 

[SecretKeeper]

Waay too many times, all because of the Start Menu or the "Shell" no longer functioned properly.

 

[tonibalas]

I don't do it very often.
Last reinstall was before 18 months.
If i do a reinstall is mostly because system is very slow or if it becomes unbootable.

 

[Deleted member 178]

I do a clean install every 2 months. it is why my system is healthy and never have issues or infections. On top of that i have Rollback RX and update the baseline 15 days.

 

[bunchuu]

I reinstall my OS from scratch every couple of months.....I enjoy it
I like to Clean my Laptop Keyboard & Screen,and Reinstall the OS at the same time..It makes me feel like I have a new Laptop each time .........
I will do so again once the Anniversary Update has been out for 2 or 3 weeks...(which I will delay installation of)
I am maybe one of the few people that is dreading the update.My guess is that in the days that follow there will be a larger than normal number of people on forums complaining that it borked on their system/ Didn't play well with certain 3rd party software/ & created more issues than it fixed..
Once the smoke clears I will reinstall the OS and find out whether M$ has embedded Edge / Cortana /Remote support /Bing / & other avenues of Telemetry even deeper into the system.......And then I will Remove/Kill /Block those changes.

I did your method when I'm still in college. I reinstall my OS everyweek because
1. I want to try not using any security/AV
2. I didn't trust any backup/lockdown program
3. I have a lot spare/free time (ultimate reason)

But now, I only do it when there is major OS upgrade or post malware cleaning.

 

[Logethica]

I did your method when I'm still in college. I reinstall my OS everyweek because
1. I want to try not using any security/AV
2. I didn't trust any backup/lockdown program
3. I have a lot spare/free time (ultimate reason)

But now, I only do it when there is major OS upgrade or post malware cleaning.

Yes, Free time is a big factor...when I go back to working longer hours I will probably do it less often as well

 

[Aura]

There's no real reason to reinstall your OS, unless you are experiencing either major issues and tried everything to solve them, or the issue you're facing requires a reinstall (like a corrupt COMPONENTS Hive). And even there, most of these issues can be solved via a Repair Install, which isn't a "clean" wipe and reinstall.

 

[NekoHr]

If everything is working ok there is no need to reinstall.

But if there is need I prefer full clean install, delete partitions, format and than install. I just have a warm feeling when it is brand new

 

[Deleted member 178]

But if there is need I prefer full clean install, delete partitions, format and than install. I just have a warm feeling when it is brand new

I get the same feeling when i do that

 

[Overkill]

In the past I reinstalled every few months (XP days) but recently I like to do it no more than twice a year if I can help it.

 

[ForgottenSeer 55474]

I do it when i has begun to get error messages and so on.
This time it was malwarebytes(it failed to load a keylogger driver).

kind regards

 

[Windows_Security]

I keep a clean Image (Windows 10 + Office 2007 only) and update and backup it only after major updates, so I dont have to re-install and configure my settings when something goes wrong. I stopped making frequent image backups with Windows 7

 

[JHomes]

Ideally only once (maybe twice) and then back up that fresh state. I use RollBack Rx but everyone and their senile grandma has a backup solution so it doesn't matter which you go with.

 

[Vasudev]

One or twice in a year after major OS updates for W10.

 

[Soulbound]

Windows systems? once every 6 to 12 months.
Linux systems? every 6 months until I settle down again in a few Distros.

 

[aragornnnn]

Twice a year or whenever i get errors wich i can't fix.

 

[Wave]

A few times a year for sure, even if it isn't necessary. It just feels nice to have a system wiped clean...

 

[askmark]

When it breaks and no matter what i try to fix it nothing works. Even then I'd try an in place reinstall first.
Only other time is when a new OS comes out. There's no way I'm doing an upgrade - clean install every time.