I've been in just about the same cycle for almost 15 years now. Install Windows. Install the software I need on top of it. Wait about 6 months to a year until I can no longer take the gunk slowing down my system ("Windows Disease"). Backup my data. Format my drive. Rinse and repeat. Do this maybe 3 or 4 times, and then upgrade my hardware. Sound familiar? So I got smarter. I started making images using Ghost . This has worked fairly well. I get a new system, I set it up as pristine an