For reasons that I know really don't matter even a tiny bit to you, I spent More than a week performing basic and not so basic IT maintenance for businesses, friends, family and even myself.
The Rituals of Workstation Maintenance
It was time to rebuild my workstation. I really needed to do a Microsoft Office bump and a spring housecleaning was definately in order. Windows 8 and the 2013 Autodesk apps are on the horizon. Oh No! Hey but I want to test my 30" touch pad someday soon too.
Rebuild the CAD Toaster
I ritually do a complete workstation rebuild about once a year. I never go 18 months.
If your computer is more than 24 months from a complete rebuild do it NOW.
Betcha your personal Windows Profile is as full of pork and useless stuff as the Federal budget too. Do we or they even have a budget?
Windows 7 64-bit is better and better about keeping things cleaner and more stable with every release and service pack, but a complete ritual rebuild still makes you working life much easier.
Given the amount of beta stuff, development work and testing I do, ritual workstation rebuilds are mandatory.
You are not absolved because my world is different from yours.
Does Anyone have Time to Do This Sort "Unproductive" Work?
No way, but the alternative is ALWAYS much worse.
There are all kinds of reasons for the Ritual of Rebuild.
When I asked I can come up with a whole huge list, but NONE OF THE LIST REALLY MATTERS.
The key issue is that drives my not-so-mad methodology is "Systemic Failure".
We're NOT talking about hardware failures, bad software, or even Internet based nasties either.
What is Systemic Failure?
Complex systems all suffer from the problem of Systemic Failure.
Simply put - the more complicated, easy to use, and easy to maintain the system the more likely something will tear apart the entire structure in some unintented and unexpected fashion when it reacts with people in the real world.
For good reasons these days you can even get a Phd in Systems Failure from MIT and other places.
The simple ritual of the rebuild reconstructs the entire System from the ground up. It always exposes the hidden issues that often drive you crazy and chew away at everyone's productive day.