How often do you reinstall your computer's OS?

[Sirius]

I used to be really bad about that, would do it once every 3-4 days because I felt like I had made the system files "tainted" and the experience of setting things up all over again was very relaxing. Nowadays it's down to about once a month, still probably way too much. I did invest in a good USB drive to serve as a lifeboat for my important stuff recently, so that makes it a lot easier. I use Windows 10 LTSC.

Most people I know only ever do it if they're running into problems, and even then they'll get an IT person to handle the process.

 

[rando[Numbers]]

I used to reinstall and get a fresh and clean OS once a year, but now I am at a point where I am too dependent on my currenct config, mainly pirated software (mald figtree reference!!?), that I can't be bothered to either transfer or risk installing again onto another system. Thus I actually have to clean the system regularly, by removing bloated software and the like, thanks to wonders like Revo Uninstaller. But at a certain point I might just get a 4TB SSD and let everything accumulate lol.

lmao, Revo Uninstaller is malware. I like how everyone in this thread is stuck in 2003.

 

[crackers breakfast]

twice in a hour

 

[KiwiSoldat]

lmao, Revo Uninstaller is malware. I like how everyone in this thread is stuck in 2003.

Right... so you were retarded and downloaded it from a not reputable source and got malware, got it.

Or you could make the case that sometimes it identifies false positives, and deletes things that it should not.

 

[rando[Numbers]]

Right... so you were retarded and downloaded it from a not reputable source and got malware, got it.

Or you could make the case that sometimes it identifies false positives, and deletes things that it should not.

I don't know what the fuck you're talking about. But this all sounds real specific.

 

[KiwiSoldat]

I don't know what the fuck you're talking about. But this all sounds real specific.

You made a claim the software was malware, I gave you two possible explanations, and your comeback is ‘I don’t know what you’re talking about.’ You really are a odd one

 

[Ibanez RG 350EX]

Thus I actually have to clean the system regularly, by removing bloated software and the like, thanks to wonders like Revo Uninstaller

Revo is a life saver. There's a specialty professional software suite I won't mention for power-leveling reason, but it shits up the Windows registry SO badly that if anything goes wrong with it, you might as well just plan on reformatting your entire computer. It won't uninstall cleanly and it also won't let you re-install because it still detects ten thousand pieces of the old installation.

With Revo, it blows away all those registry entries like magic and becomes as manageable as any normal piece of software.

 

[rando[Numbers]]

Revo is a life saver. There's a specialty professional software suite I won't mention for power-leveling reason, but it shits up the Windows registry SO badly that if anything goes wrong with it, you might as well just plan on reformatting your entire computer. It won't uninstall cleanly and it also won't let you re-install because it still detects ten thousand pieces of the old installation.

With Revo, it blows away all those registry entries like magic and becomes as manageable as any normal piece of software.

Everyone on this thread is complaining about bricking their own computer every couple of months and having to factory reset. Meaning... they should probably stop fucking around with random apps that lifehacker used to advertise back when it was a single feed site. I was a teenager pretending to be smart too, I know the patterns. Instead of using an old app that no normal human being has a need for these days, try this:

Don’t obsessively run every tool on the internet that claims to have some "magic" benefit as you put it. You may as well be downloading RAM.

Don’t depend on something that makes actual guesses and deletes registry entries and directories based entirely on heuristics and snapshots. It’s not a bad thing to leave dead registry entries. It’s far better than being an actual retard that needs to factory reset every couple of months. Nobody should need to do this ever. If you’re this retarded, stop fucking with shit. If your entire understanding is based on trying to look smart on the internet... stop touching shit. Just LARP.

If you need space for a porn game, delete one of your 1,000 porn games.

Your own files are going to be in very limited spaces. I’m no stranger to a hundred (.) dot folders with random caches.

But if this is wrecking your system... it’s because you don’t know how to use a computer. Stop installing random bullshit. There are like two places where old files and empty folders can be left. Your registry is fine. You’re the one breaking shit by overruning tools. Registry cleanup on Win 10-11 is just about as fucking stupid and pointless as defragging an SSD.

 

[Ibanez RG 350EX]

Fuck off, newfag.

 

[rando[Numbers]]

Fuck off, newfag.

"I can’t reinstall because I fucked up my own registry." I have never heard of this in my life. Congratulations, you’ve reached a new level of fucking moron.

 

[Sirius]

But if this is wrecking your system... it’s because you don’t know how to use a computer. Stop installing random bullshit. There are like two places where old files and empty folders can be left. Your registry is fine. You’re the one breaking shit by overruning tools. Registry cleanup on Win 10-11 is just about as fucking stupid and pointless as defragging an SSD.

Maybe it's different for other people, but I don't run any tools not built into the OS itself if I don't have to. For an antivirus I rely on Windows Defender and common sense, seems to work well. The only exceptions to this rule for me is the KMS_VL_ALL activator I use so that I don't have to pay Microsoft thousands in order to activate IoT Enterprise LTSC. And when I'm done with that, I take it off my system entirely.
Its source code is available on GitHub, here.

For system cleanup I typically just go for Windows' own "remove temporary files" option. That's all I do. I think in my case I might actually have mild literal OCD which is unfortunate. I don't reinstall because my system is actually slow, I do it because I think it's "dirty" or "messy". Going back to the first paragraph, I literally avoid third-party software unless I absolutely have to use it. Windows Media Player works fine, so I'm not gonna install VLC. Same with the Windows 7 calculator.

I think in the future I'll opt to run a lightweight Linux distro and just keep Windows in a VM. My hardware specs are pretty anemic at the moment so that currently isn't an option.

 

[rando[Numbers]]

Maybe it's different for other people, but I don't run any tools not built into the OS itself if I don't have to. For an antivirus I rely on Windows Defender and common sense, seems to work well. The only exceptions to this rule for me is the KMS_VL_ALL activator I use so that I don't have to pay Microsoft thousands in order to activate IoT Enterprise LTSC. And when I'm done with that, I take it off my system entirely.
Its source code is available on GitHub, here.

For system cleanup I typically just go for Windows' own "remove temporary files" option. That's all I do. I think in my case I might actually have mild literal OCD which is unfortunate. I don't reinstall because my system is actually slow, I do it because I think it's "dirty" or "messy". Going back to the first paragraph, I literally avoid third-party software unless I absolutely have to use it. Windows Media Player works fine, so I'm not gonna install VLC. Same with the Windows 7 calculator.

I think in the future I'll opt to run a lightweight Linux distro and just keep Windows in a VM. My hardware specs are pretty anemic at the moment so that currently isn't an option.

I distinctly remember this mindset. When I was actually 13 years old. On like XP and Vista. All the third party tools like CCleaner, Revo, Defragger. I had PortableApps.com on a flash drive with all this shit. I thought I was a "super geek repair man." All I was doing was breaking my own computers. lmao

Nobody installs this stuff anymore for good reason. They will break your machine eventually.

Windows has gotten good. Not cuz' WSL. While that was technically impressive, even it’s not really necessary except for very niche use cases. But the native package manager, stable registry, Windows Defender like you say is great, automatic cleanups. There's a reason windows doesn’t clean up its own registry, it’s a no-brainer cost/risk ratio. It affects actually nothing to have unreferenced entries. But can break future updates to remove them.

The idea that it needs 1,000 third party apps that I haven’t heard anyone mention in at least a decade... lmao. I can’t believe I found the one thread on the internet where people still defend this bullshit.

On Linux, it’s your choice, but Windows from every technical perspective is just better. If you’re comfortable with PowerShell, scripting, and you know the OS, it is far better than any Linux distros. Linux UI’s are so ugly and outdated, harder to customize than windows, and the drivers.... yeah, fuck all that.

 

[Sirius]

PortableApps.com

This one is justifiable though to me, since it has a valid use (only needing to use a program once & not wanting to install it as an admin). I guess it is getting useless nowadays since a lot of software now offers itself in a portable format without some middleman having to make a conversion.

 

[rando[Numbers]]

This one is justifiable though to me, since it has a valid use (only needing to use a program once & not wanting to install it as an admin). I guess it is getting useless nowadays since a lot of software now offers itself in a portable format without some middleman having to make a conversion.

Everything Search is on it. Everything Search is amazing. Instant/live file search across your entire system. I’ve used this to find things like game save data or log files.

I mentioned WinDirStat before to get a visual on space. Good to know you’re low on storage when... oh yeah, RDR2 is installed and I haven’t played it in 2 months.

Other than that, Windows PowerToys: https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/powertoys/

Included: UI for environment variables, file locksmith is powerful as fuck for figuring out what’s locking up a process, and lots of other nice utilities.

PowerToys was originally kind of a like a preview for future Windows features, I think they scrapped that and just turned it into a general "power user" suite.

 

[Soggy Floppa]

Powershell, powertoys, winget, is what Linux wished it was.

Back in the early 2000s there was this goofy dream of a open source OS. All we got now is a bunch of outdated garbage. Linux is for lightweight throwaway virtual servers. Not a good option for personal use.

This guy couldn't figure out how to exit vim and has carried that trauma with him for years

 

[rando[Numbers]]

This guy couldn't figure out how to exit vim and has carried that trauma with him for years

I want to laugh at basic joke, but I'm wondering if you actually believe vim has anything to do with OS?

Can't tell if you're joking or need help finding your way to your car.

 

[Chadikus Maximus]

About once a year

 

[Karbonkel]

@rando[Numbers] No one here is "complaining" or saying that they "bricked" their system, you fucking baboon. If you need to know, the reason I reinstalled my Windows so much, is because it regularly crashed my explorer.exe with their shitty updates. This was because of a bug with my old setup. And I had to disable all the auto updates, tasks and telemetry to avoid making my system unstable. But after a while, It gained back control, and ruined it again.... Such a superior OS.... And don't get me started with all the telemetry they added in Windows 11. I rather want an OS that is quiet on my network.

And I do not know where you get your knowledge from. But orphaned registry keys/entries are actually able to cause problems with your system. Since Windows still reads and loads those keys... Chance is very small, but it can happen.

And great to hear that Powershell works best for you. But I prefer the terminal on Arch based systems. Much easier for me to work with. And that is what it boils down to in the end, preference.

Furthermore, what do you mean with Windows having more customization options than any other desktop environment in Linux? Have you ever seen KDE plasma in the last 10 years? Or Hyprland? Those have waaaay more customization options than Windows will ever have in its entire lifespan. And when it comes to KDE, it is also super easy to configure. Windows only has the option to give your taskbar a color, or move it to another part of your screen... So basically fucking nothing.

Now stop sperging, retard.

 

[rando[Numbers]]

I'm

@rando[Numbers] No one here is "complaining" or saying that they "bricked" their system, you fucking baboon. If you need to know, the reason I reinstalled my Windows so much, is because it regularly crashed my explorer.exe with their shitty updates. This was because of a bug with my old setup. And I had to disable all the auto updates, tasks and telemetry to avoid making my system unstable. But after a while, It gained back control, and ruined it again.... Such a superior OS.... And don't get me started with all the telemetry they added in Windows 11. I rather want an OS that is quiet on my network.

And I do not know where you get your knowledge from. But orphaned registry keys/entries are actually able to cause problems with your system. Since Windows still reads and loads those keys... Chance is very small, but it can happen.

And great to hear that Powershell works best for you. But I prefer the terminal on Arch based systems. Much easier for me to work with. And that is what it boils down to in the end, preference.

Furthermore, what do you mean with Windows having more customization options than any other desktop environment in Linux? Have you ever seen KDE plasma in the last 10 years? Or Hyprland? Those have waaaay more customization options than Windows will ever have in its entire lifespan. And when it comes to KDE, it is also super easy to configure. Windows only has the option to give your taskbar a color, or move it to another part of your screen... So basically fucking nothing.

Now stop sperging, retard

I'm not reading a single word of this. But it's cute how you spammed every single message with reactions.

 

[Karbonkel]

 

[Blue Flying Leaf]

If cleanups don't fix it it's reinstall time