OS install...Format the HD

Ever had an issue with your hard drive? Ever had to install or reinstall your operating system (i.e. Mac OS or windows)? I have done it a few times. At work I have installed windows Xp on my laptop twice (once after replacing the hard drive) and on the desktop pc I use twice. In helping with other IT issues I have installed windows Xp other times as well. I have also installed windows Xp in Parallels on my MacBook. It is not a quick experience to install an OS (a windows OS). There are son many questions and steps to go through and then the final step of registration (entering the serial number) before MS disables YOUR machine that YOU paid for. Sometimes this is the only solution to problems. I know this because when I worked for HP many times the solution from the Pavilion support team was to reinstall the OS. When I worked for the Boise State University computer lab that was a solution that we used often on the windows boxes if they had issues. There was no reason to troubleshoot when you could not guarantee that it would be resolved due to all the variables involved with windows. We had the ability to rebuild individual pcs from a server so instead of messing around with finding the issue, we just "blew them away" and started from scratch. Hopefully the person had saved their information on their own disc. After twenty minutes the pc would reboot and be in working order.
On the Macs that we supported that was not something that we did that often.If there were issues usually a restart could resolve it (this was Mac OS 9). With Mac OS X there is not even the need for that. In my personal life I have bought and owned three computers, all Macs. I have NEVER reinstalled the OS on any of them. I have NEVER had to format the hard drive on them. The first computer I bought, the 1999 Blueberry iMac, has never had the HD erased or the original OS reinstalled. I have updated the OS, but never had to start from scratch and erase the data. I guess I am saying that from a support standpoint a Mac IS much easier. Another reason why there is no need to mess with windows... Once you go Mac you'll never go back!