Is Windows Reinstall Safe?

[alberteinstein]

For most of the windows problems a clean install after formatting the hard disk make the comp like new.

Some people seem to reinstall windows every few months and I did too!

But,My friend says frequently formatting the hard disk causes
the hard disk to "wear out "faster / rather ,meaning that - it isnt good for the hard disk.

Is that true?

Is frequently formatting the HDD and performing fresh installs of windows bad for comp?

 

[edfair]

No evidence that it has ever caused any problems on modern drives.

Ed Fair
Give the wrong symptoms, get the wrong solutions.

 

[pmonett]

Given the fact that the swap file in Windows is entirely rewritten daily, I fail to see how a total reformat can "wear out" the disk any faster.
I agree with edfair - reformatting is not the issue.
Now if we talk about component stress induced by shutting down and cold-booting a PC, we have an entirely different issue.
But I fail to see how reformatting can be a problem.

Pascal.

 

[alberteinstein]

Now,whats that<i> "component stress"</i> & cold boot that you talk about? what are they?

 

[edfair]

When you power up a computer from power off condition there are inrush currents that negatively affect components and age them. There are also some heating and cooling issues that affect them. In effect, powering down and up excessively shortens component life.

Leaving the computer off doesn't age the components.
On and off regularly ages them.
On all the time ages them.
So you make choices on how you use the computer fox maximum life.
My choice is to leave the comuter on if I'm planning on using it again within 4 hours, otherwise it is powered down.

Ed Fair
Give the wrong symptoms, get the wrong solutions.