Thread: Frequency of your OS installation.

What is the frequency of your OS installation ?
How many times do you format your hard drive and install a fresh OS ?

Windows or LNUX ?

i prefer Windows because it is easy to use and to use linux you have to know something about the OS as compared to Windows , any rookie can understand and use Windows.........
i use Windows XP sp2 it is the most stable OS which i have seen till date its now more than one and a half a year since i have formatted my OS....earlier i used Windows 98 -for gaming and i have to format my system after every 3 or 4
days..........

I have found out a nice way to get rid of installing new Wimdows.
I have 80 GB + 250 GB SATA HDDs.
My C drive is of 30 GB.
What I did is I backed up a fully installed windows (with all the softwares installed )from 80 GB to my 250 GB through Nortn ghost.
So when ever I need a new system ,I just need to format my 80 GB and restore the 30 GB partition from 250 GB HDD.15 minutes ,ghost copies the OS and creates 30 GB NTFS partition and also makes the partition active for OS boot.
Everything installed and ready to go after some minimal changes.Within 30 min windows becomes ready everything already installed.

Prior I had to install windows as many times I am not satisfied,a single small problem and then format and install untill it is perfect.So it took me around 4 hrs to install more than 20 GBs of software on my system.But now 30 min.....................

hey thats no new way...............its an old fashioned technique

Originally Posted by player

hey thats no new way...............its an old fashioned technique

Tell me a new one .

..................lol i have a new one but...............i wont tell anybody...its secret only wise people know......!!!!!!!!!!

Originally Posted by bharatgourabdas

I have found out a nice way to get rid of installing new Wimdows.
I have 80 GB + 250 GB SATA HDDs.
My C drive is of 30 GB.
What I did is I backed up a fully installed windows (with all the softwares installed )from 80 GB to my 250 GB through Nortn ghost.
So when ever I need a new system ,I just need to format my 80 GB and restore the 30 GB partition from 250 GB HDD.15 minutes ,ghost copies the OS and creates 30 GB NTFS partition and also makes the partition active for OS boot.
Everything installed and ready to go after some minimal changes.Within 30 min windows becomes ready everything already installed.

Prior I had to install windows as many times I am not satisfied,a single small problem and then format and install untill it is perfect.So it took me around 4 hrs to install more than 20 GBs of software on my system.But now 30 min.....................

My HDD is 80 GBs; the C:\ drive is 10 GBs; what I want to ask is, suppose I make a partition of 4.5 GBs, install XP SP2 in it, and then immediately burn it (the entire C:\ drive) on a DVD, and then after six months, format C:\ and copy the contents of the DVD, then will it work? I mean, isn't there supposed to be something called boot information and all?

simply writing a C drive to a dvd won't work.you have to use some disc imaging software like ACRONIS(in my view the best imaging software & the only one i ever tried) or NORTON GHOST to make a image of your C drive.

i installed windows 2 years ago & running it for last 6 months without any antivirus & its running perfect with no viruses but i will format & reinstall windows just to test the imaging software(ACRONIS) as i only tested it on my virtual machine till now & if this helps in increasing my broadband speed a little bit.

PS---i used my computer connected to net without any antivirus/firewall just to see if i get any viruses.i get none using only very small tools which don't even need to install & minor setting changes.

How it can be possible? Some time ago i read in some Mag. or TV show that if you leave your PC on internet without any firewall and internet security then a maximum of 12-14 seconds {after connecting to internet} are taken by a threat to compromise/attack the PC. Now by seeing above comment i am a bit confused. Can you please tell what is the little utility you use while playing with internet inspite of using traditional internet security and antivirus softwares.

there is a very little chance that some genius hacker wants to hack your computer.just don't open email attachments without scanning them using service provider AV(like yahoo uses norton) & then using some online malware scanner site like virustotal which uses 30-35 different AV engines.never click on links in a email unless they are from known sources like some job portal & even then always look the address shown when you move your mouse pointer over the link.they must be similar & not different(URL spoofing/phishing).never browse those sites which are very script based(java for ex.)without checking them by blocking all scripts first & then selectively allowing scripts to run(using noscript firefox addon).you can also check suspicious sites by opening them through proxy sites with all scripts disabled.always use firefox/opera & use IE(7 not 6) only for MSN sites.to stop viruses from launching automatically through pen drives/floppys disable floppy drive(who needs it anyway now-a-days) & using XP group policy editor create rules to disallow launching of exe files from pen drives/mobile hard discs drives.unhide windows protected system files options in folder options(by default it is set to hide those files & also check "show hidden files").never click on any exe file/autorun file(.inf extension almost always hidden sytem file property) before confirming it(use notepad to open autorun.inf file to see what commands it contains).in the end use sysinternal's process explorer to get detailed info about all the processes running on your computer(no virus can infect your computer unless it is running through some exe/dll files).i have seen some viruses who can not be deleted once they are running on your computer.use unlocker to delete them & in worst cases use linux live CD(knoppix or Slax) to boot into the infected system to delete files.learn to use windows registry editor to know how to remove entries made by viruses/malware & some very common problems like disappearance of RUN/FOLDER OPTIONS etc from the start menu & windows explorer.use spybot S&D if you want even more security along with win patrol.

i am running my computer for last 4 months connected to net & not once i got a virus.i am not using any antivirus & firewall for the last 10 months.

I totally agree with whitestar_999. I don't use any AV or firewall. But sometimes I visit some sites to crack softwares that installs malwares. I install 2 same windows in two different drives, put data in the third one. I reinstall my system almost in a month. As my system gets slower by some viruses.....but it matches with my frequency of reinstalling OS !!!

Originally Posted by whitestar_999

there is a very little chance that some genius hacker wants to hack your computer.just don't open email attachments without scanning them using service provider AV(like yahoo uses norton) & then using some online malware scanner site like virustotal which uses 30-35 different AV engines.never click on links in a email unless they are from known sources like some job portal & even then always look the address shown when you move your mouse pointer over the link.they must be similar & not different(URL spoofing/phishing).never browse those sites which are very script based(java for ex.)without checking them by blocking all scripts first & then selectively allowing scripts to run(using noscript firefox addon).you can also check suspicious sites by opening them through proxy sites with all scripts disabled.always use firefox/opera & use IE(7 not 6) only for MSN sites.to stop viruses from launching automatically through pen drives/floppys disable floppy drive(who needs it anyway now-a-days) & using XP group policy editor create rules to disallow launching of exe files from pen drives/mobile hard discs drives.unhide windows protected system files options in folder options(by default it is set to hide those files & also check "show hidden files").never click on any exe file/autorun file(.inf extension almost always hidden sytem file property) before confirming it(use notepad to open autorun.inf file to see what commands it contains).in the end use sysinternal's process explorer to get detailed info about all the processes running on your computer(no virus can infect your computer unless it is running through some exe/dll files).i have seen some viruses who can not be deleted once they are running on your computer.use unlocker to delete them & in worst cases use linux live CD(knoppix or Slax) to boot into the infected system to delete files.learn to use windows registry editor to know how to remove entries made by viruses/malware & some very common problems like disappearance of RUN/FOLDER OPTIONS etc from the start menu & windows explorer.use spybot S&D if you want even more security along with win patrol.

i am running my computer for last 4 months connected to net & not once i got a virus.i am not using any antivirus & firewall for the last 10 months.

Cracks and Keygen software are the main sources for hijacker worms. Once the PC is hijacked the following things happen (one, more or all of them):

a) Browser home page defaults to some things else. Even if you try to restore it, it reverts back.
b) Pop-up blockers of any kind do not work.
c) Your 'admin' rights are lost.
d) You cannot do a system restore.
e) Sometimes 'task manager' is also suppressed.
f) Your 'Temporary Internet Files' folder is complete hicjacked - all cookies, passwords, ids, etc. are stolen.
g) You cannot go to system utils such as 'msconfig', 'services.msc', 'control panel', etc.

So my very sincere advice - stay away from keygens, cracks, serial hacks, etc. This is coming from experience.

To reply to the original post, I have installed my OS 3 or 4 times in the last 4 years. I had to install it 3 times in the first 2 years. After that I purchased genuine Windows/XP Pro and I have never had problems so far (touch wood) in the last 2 years.

But sometimes I visit some sites to crack softwares that installs malwares.

if you know where to look you can find all the keygens/cracks from safe sites with reviews too on whether crack works/safe.if still in doubt use online scanner sites to scan the crack.always use cracks from reputed & known groups if you want to use.till now i have never faced any problem with cracks i downloaded so far.i only use cracks just to see the full functions of a program & whether it is worth the price in most cases.

Originally Posted by player

..................lol i have a new one but...............i wont tell anybody...its secret only wise people know......!!!!!!!!!!

Ok wise man,PM me only a hint,because I have tried almost all back up utilities and tricks (none worked 100% problem free except ghost)to keep my "all installed 25GB windows",so I should know the way you do it,else I'd think I am not wise enough to ask.

the hint is ........................simply DON'T FORMAT THE SYSTEM ..........................................lol lol ..................
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The mystery still remains.....................

Originally Posted by player

the hint is ........................simply DON'T FORMAT THE SYSTEM ..........................................lol lol ..................
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The mystery still remains.....................

Yaa sure,don't format the system,nice clue..............................

I install and format my pc everytime there was a undetectable or crashing virus or spyware found but not removable. I last installed win xp when i updated my memory and increased the disc space, since i was on win 2000 before that. Now i am planning to further upgrade to vista soon.

I use windows xp/vista, and ubuntu. I download latest updates and ubuntu releases and install them. Due to this, sometimes my bootloader got corrupted, and i used to reinstall all oses in order xp -> vista -> ubuntu. I have done this 4-5 times. But thans to google, now i just use small commandlets to just rectify the boot order. Sometimes,my friend brings some new distro, then i try and install that as well like opensuse and fedora, but i mainly use these 3 OS.

Originally Posted by whitestar_999

there is a very little chance that some genius hacker wants to hack your computer.just don't open email attachments without scanning them using service provider AV(like yahoo uses norton) & then using some online malware scanner site like virustotal which uses 30-35 different AV engines.never click on links in a email unless they are from known sources like some job portal & even then always look the address shown when you move your mouse pointer over the link.they must be similar & not different(URL spoofing/phishing).never browse those sites which are very script based(java for ex.)without checking them by blocking all scripts first & then selectively allowing scripts to run(using noscript firefox addon).you can also check suspicious sites by opening them through proxy sites with all scripts disabled.always use firefox/opera & use IE(7 not 6) only for MSN sites.to stop viruses from launching automatically through pen drives/floppys disable floppy drive(who needs it anyway now-a-days) & using XP group policy editor create rules to disallow launching of exe files from pen drives/mobile hard discs drives.unhide windows protected system files options in folder options(by default it is set to hide those files & also check "show hidden files").never click on any exe file/autorun file(.inf extension almost always hidden sytem file property) before confirming it(use notepad to open autorun.inf file to see what commands it contains).in the end use sysinternal's process explorer to get detailed info about all the processes running on your computer(no virus can infect your computer unless it is running through some exe/dll files).i have seen some viruses who can not be deleted once they are running on your computer.use unlocker to delete them & in worst cases use linux live CD(knoppix or Slax) to boot into the infected system to delete files.learn to use windows registry editor to know how to remove entries made by viruses/malware & some very common problems like disappearance of RUN/FOLDER OPTIONS etc from the start menu & windows explorer.use spybot S&D if you want even more security along with win patrol.

i am running my computer for last 4 months connected to net & not once i got a virus.i am not using any antivirus & firewall for the last 10 months.

I agree with you:17:

Hi,

This is a very interesting poll, at least for me.

I least expected this kind of poll in a BSNL broadband section.

Any way good to know how often others format their hard-drive or re-install an OS.

Let me say my story. To begin with, I've voted that I'm a mad (Until now only one mad is here in this forum ). Because I don't remember how many times I've (re)installed OSs. Since I started using computers in the year in 1999, I think I've installed/tried every OS (and its variations) on the earth except Mac. Due to the increasing work load, I've brought down the rate to a little extend. I have to admit that, nowadays, the rate has come down heavily (once in a month or like that) mainly due to the commercialization of many OSs that I couldn't afford to buy. Otherwise I'm still curious to install OSs and device drivers.

Cheers!

Pothi.

Lol... wot a co-incidence... even I voted for mad... Though my experience is limited to formatting & re-installing windows only since 2000... but I used to do it a lot back in the days... but now I'm bored of doing that... thanx to u n smoothvibes, I'm trying ubuntu now... I already did 2 installations last night...

i really don't need any reason to reinstall OS, i already got 5 different OS with me

1. Windows 2000
2. WIndows XP
3. Windows Vista Ultimate
4. Ubuntu
5. Sun Solaris

Just few days back i installed 3 different OS on my system and that is too in a single nite (Reason: Internet was not working and there was nothing to do )

I used to install Windows on my old IBM at least once in 6 months. I guess the problem is because I've installed pirated XP. Recently I purchased a Mac and never had any problem. I've installed Vista HP on my Mac (purchased it and got a valid key), never had a problem with it. So my advice is to buy Original software: at least "Windows".

Previously (1.5 yr back) it was a weekly or at most monthly chore. After i discovered my gr8 antivirus its now a rare occasion... formatted c: 2 month back after an year.

Loving it now...

Btw why is this gr8 thread in the BSNL broadband section??