No need for a drive wiper. Just use the tool in the installation program. You'll keep the drive so you're not worried about trying to mine the data.

Yep, that's how you do it. However I wouldn't install "on top of" the current OS. That's known as a "repair install" or "refresh install". It can help but is nowhere near as effective.

This is the advice I live by, and which I give to customers.

YES!

"There are only two types or hard drive: new and full."

You need a backup that is at least as large as your main HDD. Frankly a 3TB external drive is pretty cheap nowadays.

I've experienced basically the same policy with Seagate. Either a new or refurbished drive, but typically a new one.

I've had a three or four, but I'm not sure actually they failed completely. The NAS told me they had failed but I suspect it was being cautious. I also got plenty of warning in the form of increasing SMART errors over a few days.

Being constantly on and spinning is probably a good thing. The conventional wisdom is that drives kept spinning and at a relatively constant temperature experience much less wear than drives that start and stop.

Back in the days of Windows 95/98, I used to reinstall my entire system from scratch every 3-6 months. Otherwise things would just bog down. With Vista/7, that interval gone up to a couple of years. The OS is much better at staying healthy, and cleanup programs have come a long way.

External drives probably have it worse despite shorter usage times. They start and stop a lot, plus they get moved around more. Drives tend to do better if they are kept spinning and at a constant temperature.

Many new motorcycle suits incorporate airbags.

Agreed. However I bet the failure rate on this is lower than the percentage of helmets worn so incorrectly they don't have the desired protective effect.

Motorcycle helmets, many of which cost $500 and up, are one use only, or at least that is the way they are designed. Once you've crashed a motorcycle helmet, or even dropped it on the ground from any height, you should replace it as the foam liner has compressed and lost its protective qualities.

Sadly, I speak their native language. I advise you not to watch it with the sound on...

It is a genius idea, but they're hardly the first to come up with it. Probably the first to productise it though.

Heh. Ironically though, none of us Swedes understand how the Swedish Chef sounds remotely Swedish.

The entire tone of the video irked me. Classic passive aggressive arrogance. "We want to seem very low key and like normal people but actually we are so awesome." Yes, this is an awesome idea. Don't be afraid to say it in a dignified manner.

One point here is that lots of people don't wear a helmet while cycling at all.

Here in HK, anything that will make me less warm is ok by me. I wear a full face helmet on my motorcycle because it is the safe thing to do. It is also the very warm thing to do. I can't wait for a motorcycle version of this thing...