On Thursday, June 29, 2017 at 3:56:48 PM UTC-10, Bruce wrote:
> On Thu, 29 Jun 2017 18:41:06 -0700 (PDT), dsi1 <dsi1yahoo.com>
> wrote:
>
> >On Thursday, June 29, 2017 at 3:19:30 PM UTC-10, Bruce wrote:
> >> On Thu, 29 Jun 2017 21:00:37 -0400, jmcquown >
> >> wrote:
> >>
> >> >On 6/29/2017 6:44 AM, Cindy Hamilton wrote:
> >> >> On Wednesday, June 28, 2017 at 8:33:09 PM UTC-4, dsi1 wrote:
> >>
> >> >>> I know how to handle Windows and hardware problems. These days I'm a casual Windows user so I don't have much of anything to do with the OS. I am a believer that you have to reload Windows every 30 months or so to keep it running snappy.
> >> >>
> >> >> You can believe what you like. My work PCs are running Windows 7 (more
> >> >> than 30 months) and XP (about 14 years) without an OS reload. My
> >> >> home PC is running Windows 7 since 2009 without an OS reload. All of
> >> >> them "run snappy".
> >> >>
> >> >> Cindy Hamilton
> >> >>
> >> >Isn't it amazing how much dsi1 thinks he knows? My Windows 7 laptop
> >> >runs fine. I back it up regularly, because any sensible person would..
> >> >Never had to reload the OS. Or anything else, either.
> >>
> >> It depends what you do with it. If you only use it to browse and
> >> email, you'll probably be ok. But if you often install and remove
> >> stuff, and use all kinds of different software, a clean install every
> >> now and then is a good idea.
> >>
> >> It's also possible that you don't notice your computer is slowing
> >> down, because it happens gradually. And maybe you're slowing down at
> >> the same speed.
> >
> >I do alright by my computers but as soon as someone else other than myself starts using the computer, all bets are off. I had my friend watch the office for me while I was working part time at another job - that's when shit began to happen. That's OK, I can accept that - the guy was working dirt cheap so I was quite prepared to grin and bear it - like a man.
>
> Maybe you could make an image and restore that when you come back.

I kept the stuff I needed to be easily moved and I'd rather start with a completely fresh computer that only a reinstall can give you. What I recommend is that you keep your important docs in a single area, keep your drivers and OS on in a place where you can find it and just wipe all that stuff you don't need forever from your life! Most people won't do that because they feel an overpowering need to hold on to the past. That's the breaks.