As time goes by, you will accumulate old tech. We all do it! You get a new laptop, and you think you should keep the old one… just in case. Maybe you can use the parts for something else. Or maybe you just do not know what to do with it! However, keeping it is just taking up valuable storage space. It also becomes 1 more potential data breach source if it gets lost or stolen! Yes… you may not be able to get it to work anymore, but there are plenty of people who are still willing to try to (and possibly can) extract something from the memory.

So, what do you do with your old business tech?

There is a right way and a wrong way to dispose of your old tech. Let us point you in the right way…

Back-Up

First step is… yes… it is our favourite 2 words… back-up! Make sure you have taken all the info and files you need off that device. Then, unpair it from any Bluetooth devices (headphones, mouse etc). Also, double-check every port is empty (CDs, DVDs, Flash cards etc), disconnect from cloud storage accounts and deactivate any software subscriptions you have on the machine.

Factory reset

If you are sure you have absolutely everything you need off the device, perform a factory reset. This is really important! No matter what you decide to do with the device (recycle, sell, donate), it is vital to remove all of your data first. Just deleting files will not cut it! A factory reset will wipe the hard drive and reinstall the OS, deleting all of your info.

If you are a Windows 10 user, go to the Start Menu. Click on Settings – Update & Security – Recovery. Then, under Reset this PC, click the Get Started button and follow the instructions. (Picking the erase data thoroughly option)

For Mac users, restart your computer and during the start-up, press Shift + Option + Command + R until you see the Apple logo. When the Utilities window appears, open the Disk Utility and erase the hard disk (selecting the disk and not the volume name underneath). Then select MacOS Extended (Journaled) format. When done, quit Disk Utility. Finally, go back to the Utilities window and choose Reinstall MacOS or OSX.

Disposal

What you do next depends on the state of the machine and what you want to do with it. You have 3 options:

1. Sell it - if still in good enough condition.

2. Donate it - again, if in good enough condition. There are several charities, schools and associations that would be very grateful for the donation.

3. Recycle it – the eco-friendly option is for anything that is tired to sell or donate, or just does not work anymore! Thankfully, we have a number of recycling programs across Canada. They keep 100,000 metric tonnes of old electronics out of landfills each year! (That is roughly the equivalent of 20,000 elephants!) There are several options available in the Fraser Valley and you can find the best one for you at the Recycle My Electronics website.

What not to do!

Please, do not just throw it away… no matter what state your tech is in!

Electronics are filled with toxic metals and carcinogenic chemicals. When sitting in a landfill or incinerated, they pose a long-term threat to the environment…adding toxins like mercury, arsenic and lead to our earth, air and waterways.

Do you have some old business tech and are worried about disposing of it properly? Our clients can always contact us for help upgrading your machines and disposing of old ones properly. Just give us a call at 604 210 9811.