You will eventually outgrow all gadgets, so instead of throwing away the nicest laptop you’ve ever owned in the trash, consider recycling it or giving it to charity.
You may remove the plastic and priceless metals from your laptop and use them differently. Or there’s a good probability that someone else will be able to utilize your laptop if it still has life in it.
Whatever the condition of your laptop right now, recycling or donating it is an excellent way to reduce e-waste, address the ongoing chip scarcity, and assist those in need.
Here’s how to get your laptop ready for donation or recycling.
Save Your Files Safely
You might need to remember what you had saved on your old laptop if it has been gathering dust in your closet. The files that may or may not have made it into your Google Drive at some point include old pictures, music, and games.
Double-check anything you think you might need, even if you are certain you don’t.
There are various methods to save any files you encounter that you want to save. If you don’t want to fiddle with a physical storage device, you can utilize a cloud storage option like Google Drive, OneDrive, or Dropbox.
Any modifications you make to the files will also synchronize on your device. Each includes a desktop and mobile interface so you can access your files from any platform.
You might have to pay a monthly subscription fee to each site if you require a lot of storage space. OneDrive and Dropbox only offer 5GB of free space, whereas Google offers 15GB right away.
If you think something other than that sounds tempting, consider getting an external HDD or SSD.
Additionally, moving your files to a new machine is less complicated. Simply plug in the external drive, select all the files, and then drag them to the drive.
Reset the Factory Settings
Now that you’ve backed up every file you want to keep, it’s time to wipe your computer completely. Fortunately, this is simpler and safer than manually erasing browser cookies that preserve log-in and credit card information or emptying the trash bin of everything.
There is a hard reset button for each operating system. You must locate it and click on it; your computer will handle the rest.
Wipe the Hard Drive to Prevent Any Data Recovery
In addition to resetting your laptop, you’ll need to wipe the hard disk to erase all remnants of your data. This can be done with a special disk-wiping tool or by using a command prompt.
Conclusion
If you no longer need an old laptop, think about giving it to a good cause. However, it is important to ensure your donation is ready before you give it away.
You’ll want to ensure your laptop is physically clean before donating it. This means dusting it off, cleaning the keyboard, and making sure there are no stickers or other markings on the device.
By taking these simple steps, you can be confident that your donation will be ready to help someone in need.
Beyond Surplus can help you with laptop recycling! We offer data destruction, electronics recycling, and IT equipment disposal to businesses, schools, medical facilities, and residential customers.
Our services are convenient, secure, and cost-effective. Call today to learn more!
To get started recycling your old electronics, give us a call at (404) 999-4758 or complete the schedule a pickup form for businesses.
