Do you Reinstall Windows when It's Slow?

The main reason for a performance bottleneck on your system is...

1) You need to upgrade to a Quad Core CPU, a Core 2 Quad would speed your experience up a lot!~

2) The hard drive is the biggest bottleneck in a computer.**

3) If you are using an Integrated Graphics Media Accelerator (GMA) video will appear sluggish.^

~ A quad core CPU (4 Core) is 2 X faster than a Dual Core!

**Using a 7200 RPM Hard Disc Drive is a must, and if you can afford it, buy a solid state drive (SSD), these will improve your performance tremendously!

^ Integrated graphics on Windows 7 should be avoided at all cost, therefore it is recommended that you get and install at least a 512 MB Graphics Card (like a GS 210 or better) because Windows Aero will slow your computer down if you are relying on the Video Adapter which is integrated into your motherboard..

Furthermore, one can increase speed a little by:

1) Ensuring no Viruses / Malware / Spyware exist on the computer. (Use multiple scanners!)

2) Reduce the number of startup items at startup. (Type msconfig in the run box~)

~The run box can be accessed by holding down the windows key and pressing the "R" key. (the windows key has the windows logo on it and is next to the left CTRL key)

You can also use the Advanced mode in Spybot Search & Destroy to disable startup items, which can also detect spyware as well in startup, download Spybot Search & Destroy and change the mode to advanced after you install it and update it..

It appears to me that the problem you are having is more related to a lack of quality performance hardware than anything else, upgrading your computer to better components or adding an Aftermarket CPU Cooler to the CPU/Motherboard and overclocking the Core 2 Duo (which is an amazing processor) could also speed up your performance a lot without spending a boat load of cash, though this is time consuming and dangerous.. You can get more information on overclocking at: overclocking.net

I hope this has helped you see where you may be having problems...

What are your specs? RAM? Installing Windows every 2 months should not be necessary. You made need new hardware if your computer can't handle your software.

No I do not reinstall, I usually just try these apps:

1. AVG Anti-Virus
2. Avast Anti-Virus
3. Malwarebytes Anti-Malware
4. Avira AntiVir Personal - Free Antivirus
5. Ad-Aware Free Internet Security
6. CCleaner
7. PC Tools AntiVirus Free
8. Norton AntiVirus 2011
9. ESET NOD32 Antivirus
10. Microsoft Security Essentials
11. SpywareBlaster
12. Trend Micro HijackThis
13. McAfee AntiVirus Plus 2010
14. SuperAntiSpyware Free Edition
15. ThreatFire AntiVirus Free Edition
16. ZoneAlarm Free Firewall
17. Agnitum Outpost Security Suite Free
18. Kaspersky Anti-Virus
19. Panda Cloud Antivirus Free Edition
20. Spyware Doctor

Try using Advanced System Care, I have sometimes found it to help when my computer goes slow.

Reinstalling your OS is something you would generally do maybe once a year- and even then only if you notice a slowdown. Be sure to backup your data & settings/drivers first!

Your hardware should easily run 7 like a champ- so I'm going to venture that you need to do a bit of "tweaking" & to check what's running for background services and such- and then selectively begin disabling or otherwise stopping the services not needed.

A great place to go would be blackvipers site. Here, you can read what services are & what they do, and which can be set to manual/disabled (depending on your system & usage). As you will learn through reading here, using "msconfig" to disable a service is not the proper way...

FYI & good luck!

do a scan with avg free 2011 or download Malwarebytes Anti-Malware because it maybe a virus

Like what everyone has suggested, doing a clean install of Windows 7 is something that's done when you're out of options in terms of fixing your machine's issues. I have found that Microsoft Security Essentials works well as an anti-virus program: http://www.microsoft.com/security_essentials/

Very simple. You may not have as many programs installed as your previous install had, but receiving AND installing many Windows updates will do this too. Despite what some may tell you, there are "some" updates that aren't exactly the "greatest" updates to install. These are things like updates to parts of the OS that you have never, and will never, ever use...but for some reason, now they're bogging the OS down just a touch, or slowing down boot times, etc.

Not saying this is "all" of the reason your machine may be slow, but it's a great place to start. The average user does not need every single update they download. There are many that I have downloaded, and rejected, because I knew I "didn't need it".

To save yourself some time, I might recommend down the road doing a fresh install of Windows 7, most of your "important" programs, tweak the OS/programs to how you want them, and use a ghosting program to ghost at least the drive(s) with the OS and programs. This way, if you ever have troubles with the OS not booting, or say a virus gets in there that does some severe, irreparable damage, plop a boot disc for the ghosting program in, and in anywhere from 5-10 minutes, you could have that ghost image restored and it's EXACTLY what you had when you first installed Windows, your programs, and saves COUNTLESS hours of time reinstalling everything from scratch.

My Windows 7 install date is 10/11/09 - with proper maintenance, it has not slowed one bit. Knowing how to properly maintain your system, manage your own registry, and not rely on bloated programs that work on predetermined paths to "Improve system performance" will go a long way toward keeping your system running strong.

I normally fill it with crap I don't need, then trick myself into think that I do need it so I won't delete it. So by reinstalling, I don't have much choice!