We all have some things that will no longer serve us in the future due to complications and latency defects. It may be hard to let go of them, but sometimes we need to, or it will only be a waste. Hence, some things can still function by reviving and giving them help in several ways. Like an old PC, if you feel like your PC is getting out of hand, you may need completely eradicate it. Personal computers are known for handling files and more critical data; when it is time to take them down, we do not want our files to go with them too. Instead, we could personally keep and manage it.
Before you want to do something else to your PC, if you want to organize your files and data or you want it to go as clean as possible with no other viruses and malware roaming and hiding in its system, you have to do some necessary steps first. Make sure not to skip it. With that, here are the beginner ways how to wipe a PC accurately and adequately. Make sure to list essential details, as you can do this to other PCs who also need a mere detox. Moreover, share this with your friends for future reference.
Beginner’s Guide: How To Take Care Of An Old PC
Choose A Backup Strategy
A few online backup strategies can teach you how to perform them accurately. Always choose the most comfortable, efficient, and cost-saving approach, as this will tremendously help you in the long run. Hence, if you are a beginner, we highly recommend you opt for the 3-2-1 backup Strategy. It is very comprehensive and appropriate for all.
The 3-2-1 Strategy is a strategy where you will need to have three copies of your data. As we all know, complications are possible in any data storage, and you need to be sure of it; a backup is critical. Preferably, your first copy should be on your personal computer, the second copy should be on your hard drives or any available and trusted external media, and the last one should be in off-site storage. After you have migrated it from one warehouse to another, you are now bound to clean your PC thoroughly.
Assess Your Computer
As a personal computer owner, you must be knowledgeable about your device. You must know whether it has HDD, a hard disk drive, a solid-state drive, or an SSD. The steps on how to know it is to:
- Settings of your computer
- On your search bar, type “defragment.”
- You will see “Defragment and Optimize Your Drives”; click it
- Lastly, check the media type of your drive.
Choose Options On How To Wipe Your PC
After you know what kind of media type your drive is, it is time for what process to do. You have two options available; it is either Resetting or Secure Erase Using Third Party Tools.
The Reset option is a familiar term to those who know how to reformat their phones or devices. Indeed, resetting is the same as reformatting your disk. When you give your PC away and reset it, your data recovery will be much more complicated. Also, when encrypted, it would be a factor in why you can hardly recover your data. In addition, this process is excellently appropriate to Windows versions 8, 8.1, 10, and 11, whether it is an HDD or SSD.
The Secure Erase Using Third Party Tools method is for people who do not feel secure with the reset option. This option is also best for PCs with older versions like Windows 7. Note that this method will vary depending on what media type you have on your drive, HDD or SSD.