How often do you reinstall system?

[CaffeineAddict]

Hey guys I'm curious how often do you reinstall your system and what triggers you to do it?

While I was using Windows I used to reinstall it every 6-12 months or so primarily because it was the most effective method to:
1. Get rid of potential FUD malware
2. Because of registry which over time got bloated
3. System performance which got deteriorated over time due to install\uninstall of software

I know these reasons are not entirely applicable to Linux but I'm sure same or other additional reasons might exist that are unique to Linux.

One reason I can think of regarding Linux is point 1, which is FUD malware because I visit web site that are potentially malicious, ex. deep and dark web,
even though it's highly unlikely if not impossible for malware to gain root access on my system, there is a high chance of non-privileged malware to establish itself.
for instance spyware aiming at collecting personal data for which root access is not required.
And since there is no anti-virus for Linux to be sure, the only method to get rid of this suspicion is a new user account or system reinstall.

Just my thought, looking forward to hear from you.

 

[The Duck]

I use Easy OS on one of my daily drivers so every reboot or restart I get a clean fresh install so no need to ever have to reinstall.

On my other Linux computers if all is working and it ain't broke can't see no reason to reinstall.

 

[Terminal Velocity]

My current installation is 3 years old, I don't visit risky sites on the internet, I hope my computer is fine, it seems fine to me. I reinstall when it is broken, I haven't see broken Debian yet

 

[f33dm3bits]

Only when I buy a new system, but when I do upgrades I keep the same install.

 

[Condobloke]

I never go looking for a reason to reinstall.....it is largely a pain in the butt.....setting up every liyttle thing the way I like it....configuring browsers etc..... So, it is not necessarily something I look forward to.

But when necessity calls.....maybe because I have screwed something seriously....and recovery from such screwing is not going to be totally successful....or when a whole new series is bought out...

Reinstall.

Upgrades do not bring about a reinstall.....that is all they are, just an upgrade to what I already have......they are meant to complement the current system not replace it.

 

[KGIII]

Pretty much never. Even if I do, I keep /home backed up properly.

I do a fresh install on new computers (though I have been known to make a drive image and to restore said drive image onto the new computer) and just import /home. Outside of the DE, my devices are all quite similar because of this. I'll even copy over browser data so that I have largely the same base of tabs open on all the different computers.

So, I never reinstall unless something broke along the way.

I did recently do a clean install where I didn't want to deal with things and only restored parts of the /home directory. I wanted the experience more than anything else. Plus, I've been using the same /home directory for a long time. Man, was it bloated.

 

[dos2unix]

Only when I buy a new system, but when I do upgrades I keep the same install.

Pretty much same here, at least for main host.
I do play around with different distro's on VMs quite a bit.

 

[KGIII]

setting up every liyttle thing the way I like it....configuring browsers etc.....

This is why I preserve /home. You do need to install the software again, but all of your settings (even open tabs) are retained. I shared an rsync command with you a while back.

 

[CaffeineAddict]

All replies appreciated!
I'm surprised nobody reinstalls often, I must be a freak, too skeptic or just having unpopular habits.

But it does make sense, there is very little on Linux that could go wrong on it's own and install\reinstall of software doesn't affect performance thanks to purge option for uninstall.
I think I like this!

 

[MikeWalsh]

Mmm.....perhaps every 5 years or so, often never.

All the current Puppies in the "kennels" are a little over 4 years old, 'cos that's when I had to replace the 'puter.....along with the switch from MBR to UEFI.

I HAD to re-install Xenialpup64 the other day, 'cos it's essentially been my "daily driver" over the last 4 years.....and I've experimented so much with it that it had developed a few irritating 'quirks' (plus a couple of issues that were sucking the enjoyment out of using it).

So, I took the opportunity to upgrade kernel, glibc, dbus, certs, OpenSSL, etc, etc.....and I probably won't touch it again for several years.

As @The Duck says above, Pups are very similar to EasyOS (both developed by BarryK, so draw your own conclusions). Every boot is a pristine, squeaky-clean system from read-only SFS files into a virtual RAM file-system. It's only your 'save' folder that can get corrupted, so all ya do is delete that & start over again.....


Mike.

 

[APTI]

This is NOT WINDOZE. I work with all the major systems and I was shocked when reading microsoft documentation and it said that reinstalling windows is sometimes part of normal maintenance and is not unusual to be done every 2 to 4 years.

I have Fedora installs that started as F-30 and have upgraded thru the levels to F-39 and no issues. Not had to reinstall. Reinstall is a pain as mentioned before. I even have a Fedora 29 system running nearly continuously for 7 years with no reinstall. I even have one hard drive that started as F-29 and has been placed into 3 different computers as they died, run daily for 8 years and upgraded to F-39 a step at a time though the 3 computers it has been in. never a reinstall just swapped drive to new PC.

something I heard:
To mess up windows all you have to do is use it. To mess up linux you must try very hard.

 

[CaffeineAddict]

Maybe I should ask additional question which is, how can you be so sure your system is fine?
It runs without issues yes, but how do you know it's not compromised?

 

[Terminal Velocity]

Maybe I should ask additional question which is, how can you be so sure your system is fine?
It runs without issues yes, but how do you know it's not compromised?

Personally I don't have the necessary knowledge to be sure that my system is fine. When I see something unusual or suspicious I make a thread here or in the other forum and I trust the guys who replying as more knowledgeable. In your case (visiting risky sites) reinstalling after a while may make sense

 

[Brickwizard]

Only when I buy a new system, but when I do upgrades I keep the same install.

me too

 

[dos2unix]

Maybe I should ask additional question which is, how can you be so sure your system is fine?
It runs without issues yes, but how do you know it's not compromised?

There are tools. Most aren't free. Taneum, Defender, ClamAV, remote logging, that way that the logs can't be hacked an evidence can't be erased. Application profiling, penetration testing. Any new unknown processes running?
Is a tcpdump or network sniffing going to any unknown IP addresses?
Have the dates on your security logs been changed lately? It's all a pain to keep up with sometimes. But it can be done.

Most of the time the network will protect you. Things like SElinux and firewallld help.

 

[dos2unix]

I'm surprised nobody reinstalls often, I must be a freak, too skeptic or just having unpopular habits.

It's for different reasons sometimes, I had a slackware system running on a Pentium II for about eleven years without rebooting.
It had an uptime of over 4,000 days when it finally died. I had a motherboard die about 2 months ago, so that had to be a new install.

But usually, it's just updates and upgrades on existing stuff.

 

[CaffeineAddict]

I had a slackware system running on a Pentium II for about eleven years without rebooting.

4K days lol, amazing!
I've been reading a reddit thread some time ago about whether it's true Linux doesn't need reboot, and good portion of commentators from what I recall said it good to reboot from time to time mostly after minor or major upgrade.

 

[KGIII]

It had an uptime of over 4,000 days when it finally died.

I have a server at 250 days (yay for live patching). The longest I've gone (that I remember) was about three times as long. I've never had anything up for 4000 days.

 

[charlie.corder]

Hey guys I'm curious how often do you reinstall your system and what triggers you to do it?

While I was using Windows I used to reinstall it every 6-12 months or so primarily because it was the most effective method to:
1. Get rid of potential FUD malware
2. Because of registry which over time got bloated
3. System performance which got deteriorated over time due to install\uninstall of software

I know these reasons are not entirely applicable to Linux but I'm sure same or other additional reasons might exist that are unique to Linux.

One reason I can think of regarding Linux is point 1, which is FUD malware because I visit web site that are potentially malicious, ex. deep and dark web,
even though it's highly unlikely if not impossible for malware to gain root access on my system, there is a high chance of non-privileged malware to establish itself.
for instance spyware aiming at collecting personal data for which root access is not required.
And since there is no anti-virus for Linux to be sure, the only method to get rid of this suspicion is a new user account or system reinstall.

Just my thought, looking forward to hear from you.

My answer is - never have I had to do it in Linux.
Just one more difference between Linux and Windows.
I use LM 21.3 as my daily driver and just do the updates as they appear in the task bar.
Never had even a suspicion of anything bad since I have been a Linux user.
OG
TC

 

[Condobloke]

To mess up windows all you have to do is use it. To mess up linux you must try very hard

Amen to that ....I like that !!

All new people to Linux....take note.