Protect The Environment & Your Personal Information
With the new year upon us, many of you may have upgraded your old PCs for shiny new ones. So what should you do about that old PC left over?
Whatever you do, don’t just throw it into a dumpster! Not only is it an environmental hazard you could be fined for, but you also don’t want complete strangers getting access to your old files, passwords, financial information, and e-mails.
First, keep your old PC around for a few months until you are absolutely certain that you transferred all of the files and programs you needed to your new PC.
Next, you need to make sure the hard drive is wiped clean of any data you had stored on it — and simply deleting the files is not enough. We recommend you seek professional help in clearing the hard drive from any old PCs you are disposing of.
Finally, you may consider donating your old PCs to a charity such as Youth for Technology (www.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!