Does Windows rot over time?

[wingman99]

Folks,

I'm getting sick and tired of having to reinstall Crapdows every 4 months or so. I'm quite sure many of you have faced this problem as well. The object of this poll is to identify causes which contribute to Winblows rotting over time.

Please post a brief note explaining your choice.

In my case, I believe Winblows, being connected to the net, is the cause of my problems. I cannot think of anything else. My system is rock solid stable as I survived a complete stage #1 Gentoo 2.6.12-r10 install !
On my benching HDD, there is no networking option and that has stayed relatively stable compared with my primary XP install.

One of the key assumptions I am making is that, we are quite intelligent, so, spyware/virii do not contribute to the issue at hand

I have been doing extensive testing in the last 3 years about this vary subject
with different PCs

I have come up with testing were i can stress the hardware to make a mistake in a short time so i can cache it.

Xp has a reporting system back to MS for up dates and repairs.
I have taken programing in college you cant fudge a programing tree,
it will always lead you down the same path, the harddrive and memory CPU motherboard does fudge. That is why without testing you cant find out what is going on with the data corruption

The new hardware is so complex the conceivable problems is beyond the Designers, that is why there are revisions

This has been my lonely crusade for 3 years.

The system i use for my xp stability testing is a system that came with windows ME and 2 years ago it was upgraded to xp. It's used in share group apartment rest stop, with internet access. it sees extremely heave usage. 0 problems, Internet Explore dose not crash when using the net. It does have EEC memory


like the rest, i use to think my system was totally rock solid.

I only found through deep extensive testing that different PCs do make mistakes, by carefully planing and testing month of usage in a 4 hour span i can get consistent results.

Then i changed my rocksolid hardware to see if i can improve it. I have been successful, HT off big improvement.

This testing is vary hard to do i wish more people could do it, so there would be hardware revisions.

My last thought i wish i could get my newer and faster systems as solid as that old pc with xp on it.

 

[-N()VA-]

broadband internet and third party software is what hurts windows the most in my experience, Because windows is so compatable with everything it is also very succeptable, and microsoft has a monopoly so they just take the stance that its not their fault

 

[perithimus]

I usually format every 6 months because it seems like my performance starts to sink about then.

 

[sup3rcarrx8]

Definitely "Failure due to other third party software."

 

[BigDan3131]

Im not going to bash anyone but after reading thru several pages of this post it seems XP doesnt really like AMD anything. I have one copy of XP on two machines and have never had any major issues in three years. I think all those third party apps that give you warnings about possible problems are more likely to be any Windows downfall. I defrag and run adaware plus spybot once every two weeks.

XP Forever,Vista can bite my ***

 

[Celada]

In my opinion third party softwear has most to do why Xp "rot" over time imo, butt still even if you clean the registery, remove malichious softwear and defragment the hard drive after 6-8 months I still have to do a reinstall because of the major slow down.

 

[DAGO]

I voted for choice #7, as it seemed logical, appropriate and slightly geeky...
My XP install has actually been running 24/7 for 18 months now, no problems...

Lucky Me...

 

[cozmo_d]

I voted for the free food.

One word.......

"PORN"

Porn kills everything especialy computers

Ive had this install for close to a year and 1/2 before that my other rig was on 24 months, only reason I formated was to build this one. Now that I said something itll all go south LOL.

does seem a bit flacky at times.

 

[PCHacker489]

This represents Windows!
(not saying Linux is better, but it gets the point across )​

 

[Ducker]

I'd have to say in my experience that it does rot over time. I am no big ms fan, but if you want to run most popular software & play good games, it's the only choice. I've had this install of xp since October 2003, with having lots of 3rd party software installed & uninstalled over that time. Reinstalling xp is something that I need to do, but who has the time to deal with it if you don't just have to! Sure just installing windows itself doesn't take that long. But with all the other software I have on it, and reentering tons of data & config settings it takes me a day & a half or so. But when I install xp I'll defrag with perfect disk after every few new programs that I install to try and keep my hdd as orderly as possible. But after reinstalling xp it's like having a new computer, lots faster. I keep swearing that I'll take time & learn Linux someday but I don't know when I'll ever have time. About the only time I use Linux is to utilize the live Linux cd by Arkaine23, Overclockix, to run my folding farm. All in all imho I think that 3rd party software is the biggest reason that windows rots over time. But the os itself is a big part of the problem as well. But until I take the time to learn Linux (which I would love to do….if I ever get any “free” time) I’ll just have to live with it. Just my $.02 worth.

 

[Audioaficionado]

XPproSP2-->24/7/105-->

 

[Super Nade]

I sign under. Agree 100%

Yes, but his and your posts do not answer the question posed by this thread.

"Does Windows rot over time? "

In another vein,the XP install on my mom's laptop was still alive and kicking when I went home. She did not install any software, nor perform any maintainence tasks. I had advised her to log in as guest, eschewing logging on as admin. It bootsup and shuts down incredibly fast. This leads me to believe that windows is happy if one does not tinker with it. Note taht this is in no means a positive qualification for a robust OS!

S-N

 

[khiloa]

The registry and filesystem along with the spyware/viruses causes windows to rot.

 

[Audioaficionado]

I have been downloading porn for 4 years with no trouble

You should have no PC trouble with this site XXX [edited link out]

Hope this helps

Porn links are forbidden here at OCForums. Better re-read the forum rules on this.

 

[QuietIce]

I've been using Windows since 95 beta and, yes, they all rot mostly from usage and by "usage" I mean installing and uninstalling programs (including non-Windows updates & patches). In my experience that's the fastest way to speed up the rot - it's like adding saltwater and mud to your cars' undercarriage. Saving copies of your main system files (now mostly *.reg or using "restore") does work well for short-term installations that you want to kill (like demo's) so XP has made things a little easier but the problems are still there and require some simple maintenance.

For those of you that think the system should completely restore itself after an uninstall I'm sure you're the same ones that complain when the system takes off on it's own to do something - like an automatic update (I hate those things too). If MS designed a system like that without the options that can sometimes rot the system you'd all scream to high heavens - I know I would. As an example try running under a non-admin name and turn on all automatic updates.

The bottom line is Windows is a multi-purpose tool and has to remain flexible or it's no good. Like every tool the more you use it the more maintenance it requires - plain and simple. I lightly oil my wrenches after working on the car - don't you ...?

 

[wingman99]

I've been using Windows since 95 beta and, yes, they all rot mostly from usage and by "usage" I mean installing and uninstalling programs (including non-Windows updates & patches). In my experience that's the fastest way to speed up the rot - it's like adding saltwater and mud to your cars' undercarriage. Saving copies of your main system files (now mostly *.reg or using "restore") does work well for short-term installations that you want to kill (like demo's) so XP has made things a little easier but the problems are still there and require some simple maintenance.

For those of you that think the system should completely restore itself after an uninstall I'm sure you're the same ones that complain when the system takes off on it's own to do something - like an automatic update (I hate those things too). If MS designed a system like that without the options that can sometimes rot the system you'd all scream to high heavens - I know I would. As an example try running under a non-admin name and turn on all automatic updates.

The bottom line is Windows is a multi-purpose tool and has to remain flexible or it's no good. Like every tool the more you use it the more maintenance it requires - plain and simple. I lightly oil my wrenches after working on the car - don't you ...?

No the Snap-on are guarantee not to break or wear out for life.

It's not windows it's the hardware thats causing trouble xp is easy to fix, hardware is not.

Just look at this random form and say to your self when you install widows it's ok for a while.

Programs don't miscalculate randomly, end of story

 

[r3w4]

I haven't been following the conversation, but Windows does not "rot." That's a poor excuse for a user who doesn't know or understand enough to keep Windows working well.

 

[zexmarquies01]

I voted 2-3&4.
I think everything effects Windows. The temp goes up outside and windows sneezes, the temp goes down it gets a cold, install a new driver and it gets pneumonia! I think that Windows is basically suicidal and over time does itself in. That said, it is rock stable next to it's earlier incarnations.

and i think i found a new quote to add to my sig!

 

[maddog39]

I assert that any operating system is susceptible to corrupton and problems over time. Windows, however, seems to be more susceptible.

Between dependency/DLL hell, shoddy filesystem management, the intrinsically poor method of storing configuration in the Registry, and susceptibility to outside intrusion aka spyware, Windows just gets beaten over the head and tends to, well, rot.

Edited to add: Voted for options 1-4 and 6.

He-hem... umm... Mac OSX install (lol, us mac users ), solid, 3 years straight. Absolutely nothing wrong. So, not ALL, OS's, some, and even my Linux hasnt had any problems either, runnin' that for about 1.5 Years.

 

[QuietIce]

He-hem... umm... Mac OSX install (lol, us mac users ), solid, 3 years straight. Absolutely nothing wrong. So, not ALL, OS's, some, and even my Linux hasnt had any problems either, runnin' that for about 1.5 Years.

Now if everything RAN on those sytems it'd be an easy choice.

Of course, if they did that they would immediately become the new hackers playground - then we'd really see how good they are ...