You may use a USB stick or an external hard drive to store your important information - both of these are available at electronics stores. Additionally, a storage method that’s become available in the last few years is the use of cloud drives, which can be free to casual users with the registration of an account.
Formatting a hard drive is irreversible and will essentially make your computer a “blank slate” - free of not just your personal data but of basically all data - so make absolutely sure you’re done with your computer before doing this.
You may also wish to physically remove certain parts of the computer, like the hard drive or video card, so that you can use them in the future, but only remove parts from the inside of your computer if you’re confident you can do so safely or you have access to experienced help.
Several free open-source programs exist that allow you to convert your old computer into a server. One example of such a program is FreeNAS. These programs are available for download from the internet. For extra storage space, you may want to install an extra hard drive or two. You may also want to install a basic, streamlined operating system (such as Ubuntu) on your file server.
If your computer is so old as to be rare or remarkable, you may actually be able to sell (or donate) it to a computer museum where it will be preserved for its role in history. Also be open to the possibility of selling your computer’s parts, rather than the entire machine. If some of your computer’s components are higher-quality than others (i. e: after-market video cards, memory, etc. ), it may be well worth the effort to remove and sell them separately.
As an added bonus, you will sometimes be eligible to receive a receipt of your donation for a tax deduction.
Be extra careful when giving your computer to a stranger, as you have no way of knowing whether they have malicious intentions or not. Be absolutely sure that any personal information has been removed from the computer before giving it away.
However, note that not all manufacturers behave equally ethically when disposing of old computers. Some ship computer waste to landfills in the developing world, where it becomes an environmental and health hazard for the local community. Before handing your computer over to your manufacturer, try to research it’s ethical record with regards to computer recycling and disposal.
However, note that, like computer manufacturers, some e-waste recycling and disposal companies have less-than-stellar business practices. Be a responsible consumer by researching the companies you choose for your disposal needs. Make sure your computer will not end up in a landfill in China before handing it over.
In order to wipe the data yourself, download software that permanently deletes and overrides your data. A good example of this is Darik’s Boot & Nuke, although there are others that will do the job just as well. This tool will erase your data with multiple passes via a bootable CD to make sure it cannot be recovered. Just make sure you’ve backed up your data before running this program, because there’s no going back from here! http://www. dban. org/ If you really want to be sure the data on the hard drive is safe, whack the platters with a hammer so they cannot be spun. It can be a fun way of releasing some excess aggression, too! Note: the screws are usually Torx screws, which require a special tool to remove. If you want to be really, really sure your data is safe, you can send your hard drive to a company that can either wipe it for you or shred it. And no, “shred it” isn’t some fancy hacker buzzword; they literally feed it into what amounts to a mega-wood-chipper.
