Reformatting. Try a new OS?

Because of a number of problems with my computer I no longer wish to solve (such as losing my audio), I'm going to reformat and start brand new.  With that, should I try a new OS?  I'm currently on Windows XP, the standard version that comes with every Dell Dimension (yes, Dell sucks.. I learned the hard way).

A friend recommended Windows 2000.  He doesn't seem to be experiencing any random crashes anymore.  However, another says 2000 doesn't juice the most out of your PC.  Another recommended various flavors of Linux.  However, I don't think certain games will run on Linux, or even certain programs such as Photoshop and Premiere.  I was also recommended to run a dual-OS with XP and Linux, but wouldn't that create more problems?

I'm pretty new to the OS world.  What do you guys recommend?

I have been looking into reformatting as well (get major keyboard/mouse lags with the HL2 engine and a mystery program appears, then disapperas ~every half hour), and I've found a small revision of XP online called "TinyXP". I've torrented the premium build and the latest revision (search for TinyXP on piratebay if interested), I like the idea that it's been cleaned and redistributed as a smaller, lighter version of WinXP, but I'm having my doubts. I generally doubt anything I pirate (DOESN'T KEEP ME FROM TORRENTING IT HUR HURR *instantly retarded post*), however, the pages of positive comments and the promising (and lengthy) description are a little reassuring. (PLUS IT REPLACES ALL THE STANDARD XP TOOLS WITH PIRATED SOFTWARE WHICH IS LOL) On the plus side, it's free XP, and it's supposedly lighter. On the downside, I don't have a *real* XP disc of my own to fall back on if this reformat doesn't work, I'm generally a nervous faggot about reformatting in the first place, and I don't trust torrents. I've asked around and have heard mixed reviews about TinyXP, so I guess I should ask /comp/: Better? Worse? Opinions at all?? I might decide whether or not to use this build based on the (snide) remarks you all have towards it.