yeah in a way i like reformating, because if you're like me then you probably have a computer to yourself or at least a user name to yourself (WinXP) and if you're cool, like me, then you trick out your shit, have cursor XP, Windowblinds and DREMPELS!!!! or at least a tight ass custom background. and all the files and games and shit that we download and arrange on our computers are in our memories. but when you reformat you erase everything and start fresh so if you fucked up and got alot of virus/trojans, then its nice to have a fully working computer again. Also if you do catch it fast enough then system restore is an amazing way to restore bad setting changes and damage to the operating system.

well, good luck with your virus problem, go to http://www.mininova.org and get SOME kind of virus scan prog.