Business and personal computers hold a lot of sensitive data and have a lot of information about your finances, passwords, account information, addresses, phone numbers and more. Are you in the process of getting rid of an old computer? Here are some things that you’ll need to prepare before you send it off to get recycled.
Create a Backup
Creating a backup is an important first step regardless of how you dispose of your computer. You need to save any important data like digital tax returns, photos or any other critical documents or files that you will need at a later date. There are many ways to back your data by using cloud-based storage, backup to an external hard drive or transfer your data directly to a new computer. There are a variety of cloud-based services that can keep your important documents or photos like iCloud, Amazon, Dropbox, IDrive, Box and more. If you have an external hard drive, you can easily copy any select certain documents or files to go directly to the external drive. If you have a new computer, you can transfer data but the way you transfer it will depend on the computer type or brand that you are using. At Desert Computer Solutions we can securely transfer any data from one computer to any other device.
Factory Reset
After you have successfully backed up your data, you can perform a factory reset. A factory reset will erase everything on the computer and return it to the state it was in when you first turned it on. Factory resets can differ depending on the computer type but most computers have an easy option for you to perform a factory reset. At Desert Computer Solutions, we will destroy all of the data on the hard drive or memory device so you will not need to worry about a factory reset. We can provide a Certificate of Data Destruction for a small fee upon request.
Recycle Computer
If you’re not donating or trading in your computer, make sure you recycle it in a responsible way. When you recycle your computer, you are getting rid of it in a safe manner that allows the parts to be reused. One of the first steps to recycling your electronics through a reputable recycling company is that all of your data will be destroyed. There are many benefits to recycling your old computer or electronics. At Desert Computer Solutions, when recycling your electronics, all data is destroyed in accordance with Department of Defense standards.
At Desert Computer Solutions in Tempe, AZ, we will help dispose of your old computer in a safe way. We can create a backup through a data transfer and ensure you keep your important documents before recycling. Contact Desert Computer Solutions today at 602-295-5918 to properly dispose of your old electronics or learn more about our electronic recycling here.