How often do you reformat your hard drive? (1 Viewer)

[SoCal]

My hard drive is getting a bit messed up with unnecessary files and I think I have deleted some necessary registry files, so I think I might reformat my hard drive. So I am just wondering how often do you reformat your hard drive?

 

[SoCal]

Also, when I reformat my hard drive, is there any way I can put my Windows Updates on a CD so I don't have to re-download them?

 

[Winston]

I use to format every 2 months

the windows update files are stored locally in a folder in your c drive.

 

[SoCal]

Originally posted by Winston
the windows update files are stored locally in a folder in your c drive.

What folder would that be?

 

[tooheyz]

i format once a term.. so once every 3 months?

 

[Winston]

Originally posted by Merethrond
What folder would that be?

i don't have it in front of me right now sorry lol, i'll post it as soon as i get back on my own comp

 

[SoCal]

Originally posted by Winston
i don't have it in front of me right now sorry lol, i'll post it as soon as i get back on my own comp

OK, thanks Winston.

 

[Ragerunner]

I don't format unless I have to.

My old AMD550MHz has never been formatted before.

Runs perfectly still.

 

[LadyMoon]

3 months-6months.
all crap just accumalates, and you are supoosed to reformat atleast every 6 months!!

(yeah know ones knows that fact!)

 

[Ragerunner]

I am very aware that formatting should be done.

But I don't do it and nothing is wrong

Why format a perfectly fine computer?

 

[Huy]

I format every 6 months, maybe ever couple of months.
It depends on a few factors (software playing up, etc) but I'd say on average, every half year.

Originally posted by Merethrond
Also, when I reformat my hard drive, is there any way I can put my Windows Updates on a CD so I don't have to re-download them?

If you've used the WU update site for 'normal' users, then I don't think you'll be able to save the files to CD and have the updates on CD as easy as that.

I believe they are temporarily stored on \WUTemp

If you need to patch multiple systems, or have the install files ready for distribution over a LAN, or you'd rather visit the WU site once for all patches, then I suggest the WU corporate website.

http://v4.windowsupdate.microsoft.com/en/default.asp?corporate=true

You can then download all your patches, save them to CD and have them ready when you re-format/reinstall windows.

Other than that (maybe Winston knows where WU stores its files on downloading) - but I don't think they'll keep them, besides a couple of files for uninstallation.

 

[Jeo]

"How often do you reformat your hard drive?"

Every day

 

[Huy]

Originally posted by Jeo
Every day

I had a friend who had to format every 2 days or so, because I would keep giving him the (Codename:Millennium) Windows ME beta builds, ROFL!

Every few days he would have 2-5 builds higher than the previous days, formatting and using a beta OS as his main OS (C

Hehe.

But I don't think anyone would format daily, it takes a few hours to "get things personalised" and configured for the user's tastes, configuring applications and settings to his/her needs, tailor made OS for the individual

 

[Jeo]

Seriously, last week I formatted 7 times. I stopped this week, because HSC is coming close, and I dont want mystery mark

 

[fatmuscle]

yeah, dunno about formatting YOUR hdd everyday, but if you had a job... yeah it wouldn't be surprising if you formatted a hdd like 10 each hour

 

[SoCal]

Originally posted by Huy
If you need to patch multiple systems, or have the install files ready for distribution over a LAN, or you'd rather visit the WU site once for all patches, then I suggest the WU corporate website.

http://v4.windowsupdate.microsoft.com/en/default.asp?corporate=true

You can then download all your patches, save them to CD and have them ready when you re-format/reinstall windows.

Thanks Huy, I will do that from now on. It is probably going to take all day to download the updates initially though.

 

[chris42]

Yeah, it will save a heap of time having to download updates for 4 computers on a network. Otherwise it was 4 * 40mb = Long time to download on dialup

 

[karl]

I haven't formatted these harddrives (2x 40gb IBM's in raid 0) since I got them around 3 years ago now..