Rant: I used to think a full OS reinstall was the only fix for a slow PC

A client last month told me I was being lazy and wasting their time by always jumping to a wipe. They said, 'You didn't even check the startup programs or the drive health, you just went for the nuke.' It stung, but they were right. Now I have a 15-point checklist I run through first, and I've cut my reinstall rate by about 60% in the last 6 weeks. It takes a bit longer per machine sometimes, but it's better service. Anyone else get called out on a go-to fix that was actually a shortcut?

3 comments

3 Comments

tyler2371mo ago

Remember when I thought defragging a drive was basically magic? I spent a whole afternoon doing that to a new SSD once before I realized my mistake. Felt about as smart as a brick.

the_alice1mo ago

A full wipe is still the best fix for most people. It gives them a clean slate and solves a ton of hidden problems at once. That checklist sounds like extra time spent on a machine that's probably full of junk anyway. Sometimes the quick fix is the right fix because it works and the customer gets a fast computer back.

emma_flores1mo ago

Ngl @the_alice is right, a clean wipe just works. I wasted hours trying to fix my sister's laptop before just resetting it.