How To Safely Dispose Of Old Computers

With the New Year upon us, many of you may have upgraded your old computers for shiny new Macs or PCs.  You are proably wondering:  what should you do about that old computer left over?

Whatever you do, do not throw it into a dumpster! Not only is it an environmental hazard you could be fined for, but you also do not want strangers potentially getting access to your old files, passwords, financial information, and e-mails.

First, keep your old PC around for a couple months until you are certain that you transferred all of the files and programs you needed to your new computer.

Next, you need to make sure the hard drive is wiped clean of any data you had stored on it — simply deleting the files is not enough.  I recommend you seek professional help in clearing the hard drive from any old computers you are disposing.

Finally, you consider donating your old computer(s) to a charity such as Youth for Technology (youthfortechnology.org) or Computers With Causes (www.computerswithcauses.org). Many of these organizations will clean your hard drive to prevent identity theft, and you can write off the donation on your taxes!

By following these steps, you can rest assured that you have everything you need from your old computer, that no one can access data or your other files putting you at risk of identity theft and others can benefit from your donation.