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Originally Posted by mikec
I haven't reformatted a couple of my xp machines in over 2 years.
They still run top notch. Diskkeeper automatic defrags, and an occassional disk cleanup are the only maintenance I need.
Don't install 50000 programs, and don't click YES on IE popups, and you'd be surprised at how well windows will run.
People blame windows for the problems....and though some of you may be offended, the truth is that 1/2 the time it's malicious programs, and the other 1/2 of the time it's user error.
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Not true.
I've had the same apps installed since the day I formatted this, minus a few games here and there to preserve HD space.
I'm a security freak, so it's very RARE that my computer gets spyware/adware or any virus on it. Actually, it's been about 3 years since I've had a virus and aside from tracking cookies, a bit more than a year since I've had spy/adware.
I have seriously only a few apps I have installed:
Visual Studio
SQL Server
Firefox
Thunderbird
Games (usually FFXI, Warcraft 3, Diablo II)
VMWare
Winamp
AdAware
Aside from that... nothing. Well, not counting the small "utility" apps like winzip, quicktime, etc.. I've kept the SAME apps on my computer since I've installed and it still craps out after 6 months or so.
One thing I do differently is ... the use of windows defragger. I'm gonna start using a 3rd party one that people say works better, because that might be the issue.
I know a lot of people are tempted to say user error, but trust me, my system is LOCKED down and clean. I keep the registry clean and all that as well, so it really is a mystery how a system just ends up crappin out.
Servers are a different story. My Win2k3 server hasn't been formatted in about 1.5 years. Even then, it wasn't askin for it. I just wanted win2k3 instead of win2k.
Friends of mine are the same way.. totally security & system conscious. Never install crappy misc. apps or anything, and always reformat!
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A good example is my work computer, the one that hasn't been reformatted in almost 2 years (XP Pro). There's NOTHING that starts up aside from IIS, Sql Server, Norton, and ... that's actually it. Those are the only 3 apps I have loading (and, of course, the misc windows services). It takes about 3 minutes after I LOG IN for me to be able to use it. I don't know what takes it so long to start up... nothing is running! Also, there aren't any network paths being reestablished or anything, so it's definitely not that. Trust me, I've checked every nook and cranny when it comes to system performance and what runs during start up... nothing is there!
There's seriously no reason for it. I guarantee you that when I reformat and install the SAME apps, the system will run 100% better. And trust me, of all things, my work computer is used STRICTLY for work, so that means less crap than I have on my home pc (no games, etc)