Ring in the new year with a new OS

Here’s something that may be more technical than usual, but it’s a way to start the New Year. There are no good statistics, but it’s safe to say that most people will never reinstall their computer’s operating system. If anything, they’ll use it as an excuse to buy a new PC over the effort or cost of paying someone to do it. But there are so many benefits of reinstalling your computer’s OS that it must be mentioned. So many people complain that their computer has gotten slow with age, but computers shouldn’t slow down; they should operate at the same “speed” they always do, which is often too slow at the rate of progress now. There’s always the case of viruses/malware impacting your PC’s performance, and reinstalling from scratch is the only 100 percent certain method to get rid of it. Reinstalling extends the usefulness of a PC and saves it from an early grave.            

The biggest concern is backing up your data. Know where you store your data! Storage is dirt cheap now, so buying an external hard drive to store backups of your data is easy. You will need original install media for your operating system and apps, so make sure you keep those discs and license keys. There are tools to copy OS install discs to USB flash drives, and that speeds up the process greatly.                

The process of installing Windows or OS X is actually very painless. The initial formatting section might require experience, but the rest is smooth sailing until you’re back in production. Once you’ve got a useable computer again, just reinstall your apps and restore your data, and you’re back in business. This is where digital distribution, like the Mac App Store and Steam for video games, comes in handy — no more discs! This task isn’t for everyone, but everyone can benefit from it. Just ask your local geek to do it as a favor. CV

Robert Anhalt is Director of Content at Geek Speak Forum and contributes to Cityview.