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Poll

How many times have you reinstalled any Windows version on your personal computer(s)?

Never
1 (4%)
once
4 (16%)
twice
1 (4%)
3 times
1 (4%)
4 times
3 (12%)
5 times
1 (4%)
6-9 times
3 (12%)
10 or more times
11 (44%)

Total Members Voted: 24

Author Topic: How many times have you reinstalled any Windows version on your computer(s)?  (Read 7136 times)

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Broni

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Windows 98 - twice; first time it was some total crash, and I didn't have any backup, so I lost everything; second time, on purpose - those pre-NT Windows were getting sluggish after some longer time of usage

Windows 2000 - once; when the computer in question became a secondary machine, I wanted a fresh start

Vista - once; 6 weeks young hard drive died; full backup was in place :)
« Last Edit: June 04, 2009, 08:08:05 PM by Broni »

Aegis



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Re: How many times have you reinstalled any Windows version?
« Reply #1 on: June 04, 2009, 04:29:23 PM »
I seem to remember having to reinstall Win2K about five times over the course of time I kept it on my system


"For you, a thousand times over." - "The Kite Runner"

BC_Programmer


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Re: How many times have you reinstalled any Windows version?
« Reply #2 on: June 04, 2009, 06:53:16 PM »
hmm, let's see. With my 286, I had ot reformat, so I had to reinstall DOS 6 (does that count?)
my 386, I think I reinstalled 3.1 one time, but I'm not sure.

This PC, so far, I've reinstalled XP I believe 6 times, when it refused to boot from the HD.

I've reinstalled Vista on my laptop once. More or less an upgrade to ultimate and removal of the crapware manufacturers like to include.
I was trying to dereference Null Pointers before it was cool.

squall_01



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    Re: How many times have you reinstalled any Windows version?
    « Reply #3 on: June 04, 2009, 07:22:44 PM »
    I have installed xp a good couple of times myself.  It took me for ever to get it working right on my gaming machine.
    Windows 7 RC Tester.  Working on it.  Your monitor says etchasketch on the side!

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    JJ 3000



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    Re: How many times have you reinstalled any Windows version?
    « Reply #4 on: June 04, 2009, 07:26:58 PM »
    I've done several reinstalls on my own and my friend's computers.
    I guess I've probably done between 50 and 75 clean installs. I've done four clean installs on my girlfriends computer. That is probably the most I've done on one machine.
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    hot dog

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    Re: How many times have you reinstalled any Windows version?
    « Reply #5 on: June 04, 2009, 07:53:19 PM »
    Several installs on my Vista computer (eMachines) that I bought a couple of years ago, and also installed Windows 7 Beta on it........ About 10 installs (while troubleshooting it) on my current XP computer, before I replaced the motherboard on it, but after I replaced the motherboard only two installs... ;)



    Broni

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    Re: How many times have you reinstalled any Windows version?
    « Reply #6 on: June 04, 2009, 08:01:37 PM »
    Quote
    I've done several reinstalls on my own and my friend's computers.

    My intention was to find out only about your personal computer(s) only.

    hot dog

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    Re: How many times have you reinstalled any Windows version?
    « Reply #7 on: June 04, 2009, 08:03:15 PM »
    oh, heh

    note, I deleted installs that were not my own computers :)

    Broni

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    I just edited the question, so it's more clear.

    quaxo



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    Desktop: XP Home, reinstalled once after major hardware change about a year ago.

    Laptop: Vista Home Premium, reinstalled once as soon as I got it home. OS had a faulty factory install, been fine since reinstall.

    Previously, on various systems: Windows 98, several times. Fedora, at least a few times. Windows 95, several times. DOS 6.22 and Windows 3.11... too long ago... more than a few times, much more.

    Girlfriend's laptop: Windows XP Professional, 3 times in 3 years. Speaking of which, it's getting time for her to break her computer again.

    patio

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    I re-install my OS's about every 4 months...
    " Anyone who goes to a psychiatrist should have his head examined. "

    Broni

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    patio

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    Nope.
    It's definitely OCD for sure...
    " Anyone who goes to a psychiatrist should have his head examined. "

    squall_01



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      I was going to say myself, I'm fairly as bad as he is but I like to run a clean machine when possible.  Like if a program ask to install acrobat 4 an I have seven why install a later version?
      Windows 7 RC Tester.  Working on it.  Your monitor says etchasketch on the side!

      If I fall who is there to pick me up now.  I stand alone but I stand as the gaurdian for whom I wish to protect.  The sound of my blade utters my name as you fall.  For I shall not move.  For those that forsake the very people are wosres

      quaxo



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      I was going to say myself, I'm fairly as bad as he is but I like to run a clean machine when possible.  Like if a program ask to install acrobat 4 an I have seven why install a later version?

      You mean install an earlier version?

      Even though I haven't reinstalled Windows on my home system in a year, it still runs great. It all depends on regular maintenance and how much unnecessary stuff you run on your computer. Even my laptop with Vista runs well after 4 months.

      I'm very picky about what goes on my computer, and anything I'm not using gets removed. I regularly defrag the hard drive, clear out the internet cache, and delete files I no longer want.

      squall_01



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        exatly but its hard for me to do that at times cause I dont have a good connection but at any rate if I could a while ago all my machines would have been just windows. 
        Windows 7 RC Tester.  Working on it.  Your monitor says etchasketch on the side!

        If I fall who is there to pick me up now.  I stand alone but I stand as the gaurdian for whom I wish to protect.  The sound of my blade utters my name as you fall.  For I shall not move.  For those that forsake the very people are wosres

        Calum

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        I voted for 10+.
        My installs have a habit of either staying for a good long time, because I'm careful, or getting hosed quickly because I'm testing something (this was before I started using virtual machines).
        I wouldn't like to guess how many times I've installed or reinstalled OSes from NT4 to Vista on all the machines I own or have owned, probably upwards of 100.

        squall_01



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          I have a xp pc that just for testing an not active so I suppose its more then what I was thinking.
          Windows 7 RC Tester.  Working on it.  Your monitor says etchasketch on the side!

          If I fall who is there to pick me up now.  I stand alone but I stand as the gaurdian for whom I wish to protect.  The sound of my blade utters my name as you fall.  For I shall not move.  For those that forsake the very people are wosres

          soybean



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          If I recall correctly:

          Win XP on my main desktop PC: initially installed 5/14/04 and never reinstalled since then.  I don't anticipate reinstalling until I upgrade the motherboard and CPU, which I would like to do soon.

          On my Vista Laptop, purchased in July 2007, reinstalled the OS once after having it a few months.

          Going back to an older computer with Win 98SE, reinstalled Win 98SE several times, not sure of exact number of times.

          Going back to Win 3.1 and Win 95, I can't recall exactly but I believe there were a few re-installations of each.  I once transferred a hard drive with Win 95 from a Pentium (the above PC that had been upgraded to Win 98SE) to a 486 and got Win 95 working on the 486 without installing from scratch.  I know that's not the normal way to install an OS but Win 95 came on an OEM disk and I was not sure whether it could be installed on the 486.  Both computers were Packard Bell.  When I did this, Win 95 repeatedly displayed the Found New Hardware wizard and I eventually got all device drivers properly updated and the 486 then ran fine with that "installation" of Win 95. 

          Igor_Munster



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            I used to do a fresh install every 6 months.  Now I use Acronis and I still reinstall every 6-9 months but it is A LOT quicker now.
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            computeruler



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            10 or more

            harry 48



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            never reinstalled no need to , OR HAVE I ??

            WyattSoft



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              I've had to reinstall XP 3 times:

              • First time some software didn't really like XP and overwrote critical system files (and somehow made the HDD read only)
              • Second time got infected with a dailer which McAfee couldn't detect (Piece of crap)
              • Third time the HDD was failing so I installed on a new drive.

              I'm planning on getting a new drive for my Vista machine, so it would be 4 in the near future.

              ImnoGuru



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                Wow if I thought you were talking in total on different machines that I've owned and used over the years, I would have clicked 10 or more.
                I clicked on 9 just for Win XP PRO.

                I have had Windows from version 3.11 onwards, so that would have been 4 installs, moved on to Win95 x2, 98 x2, 98SE x4, W2K x3, 2000 PRO, XP and then XP PRO x 9.
                That doesn't include drives dying and formatting to reinstall, mainly XP.
                Hmmm I wonder if that's a Windows fault .... maybe the user.

                Oh and for those that might ask... Yes they are all legal copies.. Hahaha  ::)
                It takes 15 years to become an overnight success & Windows 10 will add another 10 years to it.