A participant poses with his laptop during the 33rd Chaos Communication Congress on its opening day on December 27, 2016 in Hamburg, Germany. (Photo : Getty Images/Morris MacMatzen)
PC users can relate that purchasing a new unit to replace the old one can be a great thing to celebrate, and it can also become a chore to do so. While some would just upgrade their current unit with new parts, others need to purchase a new one so that everything will be brand new and usually laptops get this kind of treatment. To make a backup of the important files, here are some tips for users to follow before disposing their old devices.
One of the methods to make a backup of the important data from the old computer is by using Microsoft's Backup and Restore feature. On the official website of the operating systems manufacturer, users can create a backup file and store it in external hard disks, DVDs, or CDs, and it will depend on the size of the backup file. They can also just choose the important files to their backup device manually.
Another method of backing up important files is to upload it with a third-party syncing tool like the Dropbox app. It will store the files in the user's account in the cloud from their old machine. It is also advisable to make double copies of those files and documents if ever the first backup device or app failed.
Another thing to look out for is to make sure all of the programs and apps installed in the device have been uninstalled properly. The save data from some of these applications can be saved through Windows and macOS features, which are the OneDrive and iCloud. For users who are switching between platforms, they might find the third-party alternative suits better to use
The internet browsers like Chrome and Firefox can sync the important passwords and bookmarks the users would need. To make sure, always check the passwords and bookmarks first or check if the features on these browsers are turned on before disposing the old device.
One of the necessary steps to follow before disposing the old computer is to unregister or deauthorize the software from it. On the official website of Apple, iTunes keep track of how many computers they are installed on. Deactivating old copies is needed before it can be installed in a new device.
After all of those steps are done, the user can now wipe everything off from the hard drive to make it clean. Erase all important and personal files, clear the recycle bin or Trash, and make sure everything is all clean. Now it is okay to dispose of the device whenever they want to.
Check out the Proper Way to Protect Data When Disposing an Old Computer video below:
