New Year, New Computer: How To Securely Get Rid Of Your Old Computer
If you are in the market for a new computer, you might just be wondering what to do with your old one. Do you just toss it, gift it as a hand-me-down, or just store it away to collect dust? Whatever disposal method that you choose, there are some things you need to do beforehand to ensure the security of any personal information that might be on the computer.
What is stored on the old hard drive?
What is stored on your hard drive is uniquely identifiable information for your computer. You might not store things like tax returns, medical information, or account numbers directly on your computer, but things like usernames, passwords, and internet browsing history are stored on the cloud and saved directly to the computer’s disk automatically - making your computer a target for identity thieves and computer hackers.
Deleting doesn’t solve the problem
When you press “delete” on a file on your computer, that file is never actually really gone. When you delete something on the computer, all you are doing is telling the operating system that it can now consider the space where the file lives as free space and it can now store something else there. The “deleted” file is still stored on your hard drive. This can make throwing out your old computer tricky if you don’t want to share those old files.
Ways to securely repurpose that old computer
- If you have an old computer that is running on Windows 8 or newer, there is a secure built-in way to wipe your hard drive. Follow these steps to factory reset, and choose the option to fully clean the drive.
- If you have pre-2012 computer, Microsoft recommends either taking the machine to a Microsoft-certified refurbisher, such as 2nd-Byte to securely delete the old hard drive.
We suggest not tossing your computer into the trash since there are acids and metals that are bad for the environment. Take your computer to a certified recycler who will dispose of the computer properly.
If this is overwhelming for you, lets the experts help or If you are in the market for high-quality, low-cost, off-lease refurbished computer equipment for your home or business, contact us at 2nd-Byte and we would love to help you out!
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