How to Prepare an Old Computer to be Donated or Sold

So you are selling or donating your computer. You will want to ensure your information is safe and cannot be read by other businesses or individuals. These quick tips can help you restore your old computer.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Things You’ll Need:

• Old computer
• Original restore and or recovery discs or preloaded restore or recovery software
• Time
• Backup media (CD/DVD, USB flash drive, external Hard drive)
• Screw driver
• Anti static wrist strap and mat

1. Make sure your backup media is in place. Put the disc or USB flash drive in the drive or slot in the new computer. This step ensures all of your documents, Internet favorites, email, pictures and music, etc. are stored properly and they can be read by other computers.
2. recovery screen example. From this step forward, we will only be dealing with your old computer.
   
   Once you have verified all the data from your old computer can be read by the new one, you can shut down the new computer. Now begin the process of cleaning off your old machine. First off, if your computer has a recovery or restore (not Windows Restore) built into it, use this. It can be found on the Start menu. Particularly, HP, Compaq and emachines have this function built right into most of their computers.
3. Go ahead and click on this and begin the recovery process. You will want to choose the option that wipes all information (data) off of the hard drive. You will receive at least two warnings about doing this. Select "continue" or "yes" as prompted by the computer recovery software CD. You do not have to reinstall drivers necessarily, but this may be built in to the recovery process.
4. Continue to follow the on-screen prompts. Realize this recovery or restore process may take in excess of 1 hour. When you are finished, you will have wiped off all information from your hard drive.
   
   The computer is restored to the state it was in when it left the manufacturer. If you want to double-check what is on there, click "My Computer" in the Start menu and go to "c:" which is your computer hard drive. You should see Windows software and original software and drivers that were shipped with this computer.
5. In the case where recovery software is not preloaded on the computer, you will need to run it from the CDs. If you do not have recovery CDs, contact your computer manufacturer to order them. They are usually available for a nominal fee and ship within 2 weeks. Call their 800 number for fastest service. If you do not have this number, you can do a Google search on the Internet.
6. If you do have the recovery and restore CDs, insert them and follow the on screen prompts (as explained above). (You may have to restart your computer with the software in the drive).
   
   Note: If the CD does not start automatically, go to start, run and type in "D:" or "E:" to get it to start. Then in the dialog box, click the "Install" (looks like an open blue box).
7. If you are donating the computer, you may want to remove the hard drive entirely and store it in an anti-static bag. Just be sure your recipient knows that the hard drive is not included.

Tips & Warnings

• You can use these steps for either a desktop or a laptop computer.
• A few common computer manufacturer websites are listed below.
• Use an anti-static wrist strap if you are removing the hard drive entirely.
• Call your computer manufacturer or a knowledgeable business associate or friend for help if you are still unsure of this process.

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