How old is your Windows install?

[SNGX1275]

Was wondering how long ago you installed Windows on your main PC, I'm not talking about some comp you use on and off, or just have on all the time, I mean one that you use as your main comp. Obviously if you use an OS that isn't Windows this doesn't apply to you.

I'm not asking this just as another thread to get 48 responses and nothing else, I'm asking because I have a bit of free time now and Windows and/or my ISP doesn't seem to like my dial up modem so I was thinking I could reformat my C drive and start clean with windows again and even attempt SP1 and VPN again. Everything else seems to be working OK on my comp, but I'm sure a clean start couldn't hurt anything...

Anyway to answer the question the subject asks - I last installed XP on my main machine in Feb 2002, over 2 years isn't too bad I don't think.

 

[Vehementi]

Is there anywhere in Windows where you can view the Installed On date?

 

[SNGX1275]

Well it has to be stored somewhere, I know partially cause I remember, and mostly because the darkengine mIRC script tells me.

 

[Julio Franco]

It took me a while to remember but I believe I made a clean install only a few months ago (January probably) when I bought a couple of new hard drives.

 

[Rick]

Things have changed since Windows 2000.

I remember with 98 and Me, I was formatting and reinstall about every 2 weeks (quite literally)

 

[DigitAlex]

February

 

[DigitAlex]

You can get this free tool which can tell you some information on your machine as well as any other machine on your LAN (including install date). Works on NT4+

http://www.sysinternals.com/ntw2k/freeware/psinfo.shtml

 

[Didou]

March, but there have been so many Windows Updates since the initial install, I can't say for sure if it's the same OS anymore.

 

[RealBlackStuff]

In Explorer or similar, click on the drive-letter of your OS. The date of the "Windows" or "Winnt" directory is your install-date.

Mine is from 8 January 2003 (W2K/SP4)

 

[Phantasm66]

Originally posted by Rick

I remember with 98 and Me, I was formatting and reinstall about every 2 weeks (quite literally)

How I remember well those pre-drive image win9x days. OK, office was buggier and ran slower, windows DID need reinstalling every weekend and sometimes something totally innocent looking would destroy my whole installation.

But it was also during this time that I (and we) got:

Tomb Raider
The first Voodoo 3D Accelerators
over 32MB of RAM
3+ GB hard drives
Linux

So it was a good time, I guess. It wasn't perfect but then nothing ever is.

 

[Vehementi]

Originally posted by realblackstuff
In Explorer or similar, click on the drive-letter of your OS. The date of the "Windows" or "Winnt" directory is your install-date.

Mine is from 8 January 2003 (W2K/SP4)

I wouldn't say thats the best way. I know this installation (here at school) is at most a couple weeks old, but the windows folder displays being created in 2002. And I doubt my date was set that far off.

I usually reformat every 6 months or so anyway.

 

[Didou]

Do they reinstall or just restore a ghosted install ( that might've been done in 2002 ) ?

 

[erickdj]

The last time I did a fresh install was March 18th 2004. The previous installation was done sometime in october 2003 when I put together the PC. I've run winXP installations for roughly 2 years, until they become so buggy and slow that I prefer wasting a few hours doing a fresh install.

 

[Greeno]

im on my works machine at the mo and it was 19th December, 2003... (it was quiet before christmas, so i reinstalled).

 

[LNCPapa]

My install is new only because my main machine is pretty new. I'll have to check my previous main machine, but I'm sure that one is 1-2 years old.

 

[StormBringer]

February 2002

 

[agent47]

i regularly format every 3 (to 1) months, not that i want to but bcos of all the crap i put my PC thru, windows slows down and you can just feeeeel the rubbish piling up in your registry. A format is always refreshing. driver installations and customizing windows back to your liking is a real pain.

- Watch your language on these forums
Didou

 

[Vehementi]

Originally posted by Didou
Do they reinstall or just restore a ghosted install ( that might've been done in 2002 ) ?

It's not even "they" who do it, I'm the sole controller of my computer. I built it at the beginning of the year. I even take the hard drive (it's in a 5.25" removable bay) home with me every day.

Here at my home machine, it looks about right.
It's dated Tuesday, January 20, 2004, 11:16:39 AM. So a little more than 4 months.

 

[MYOB]

October 2003 - but its been booted only about ten times since then

On my laptop its March 2004, as thats when HP decided to replace my HDD when it went in for a *motherboard* repair....

 

[ziplock2222]

less then 1 month now, but thats because i just reformatted. I usually format every 3 to 4 months. I do alot of odd jobs for people (graphic stuff, video, programs), and i download alot of stuff. Its just easier than trying to clean through it.

 

[Goalie]

My main desktop unit is 6 months, give or take.

My main laptop is 1.5 years, but the linux partition on it is 1 month.

What happened to the "I don't use Windows" option, anyway?

 

[MrGaribaldi]

Voted 6 months to 1 year, but that seems to be wrong...

My Winnt folder was created on 27 november 2002.
And I know that's the correct date, since it's the date I set up a dual boot with W98SE...

Hey, maybe this install will set a new personal record and last two years?

 

[young&wild]

Mines around October 2003.

 

[smtkr]

I usually end up reformatting every 6 months (not on schedule, but that's usually how long it takes Windows to implode).