I have to reinstall my OS once a year

So for the past few years I used Windows 2000 Pro. Reinstalled twice a year because it became increasingly less stable after three months.

So I go and install Ubuntu Linux for a week (beginning of 2007) but I just didn't like it. I spent a week and couldn't even find a nice graphical FTP app, and a bunch of other little things I'm used to having in Windows.

Naturally, having conceded defeat, I purchase an OEM copy on Windows XP Pro. Here I am, 11 months later, BSODs and my background won't recover. Am I stuck reinstalling and starting from scratch? Is there a virus scanner that *doesn't* suck, and may save the day? I never use them since I find my system runs worse with a gigantic background app than it does without.

I'm open to all options short of spending a grand on a Mac. Help me not have my PC go to shit every year.

(And for the record, I use Opera/Fx, blah blah, there aren't a whole lot of open holes on my PC compared to my Win2k days. Well, short of me running as an admin all the time. But who doesn't?)

became increasingly less stable after three months.
You're doing it wrong.

graphical FTP app
Hi, apparently you can't find what's considered an essential tool in any Linux distribution. As such, you presumably can't use either Linux OR Windows. Get out.

I've found them, just none that I really liked.

i.e. nothing I used was necessarily better than the Windows counterpart.

Filezilla, you fuck face.  Now go die.

you cant use 2 versions of windows or linux, so what makes you think you wont break a mac too?  sounds like you should just stop using computers before you hurt yourself.