Computers can be very expensive machines, especially if you have bought quite an advanced one for use in your business. As they can be quite costly, there is no wonder that most business owners try to get their machines to last for as long as possible. However, there is going to be one day when the computer may fail or become unusable for various reasons. As it’s no good to you, it is necessary to get rid of it. Don’t just throw it away with the trash, though, as that could be very bad for the environment and you could be putting some data at risk. Instead, you need to do the following.
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Get Them Decommissioned
No matter what you are going to do with your old computers, you first need to wipe them of all the data that you had stored on them. That is especially important if the machines were quite large and acted as your data center. These days, there are a few different firms that offer data center decommissioning services so you should have no trouble trying to find someone who can do this. Once you have successfully wiped all of the data and information, you can then start to think about your next step.
Sell Them
If you need a bit of extra cash in your company’s pockets, you might want to think about selling the old computers. If they are still in good working order, then you should be able to find a buyer without too much trouble. You’ll get more for the machine if it is a top make and model. You should also get a nice profit if it is a fairly good age as well.
Donate Them
Did you know that many charities and other organizations that work on social causes are regularly on the lookout for old computers? That’s because these computers may be too expensive for them to buy brand new, so they will be looking for something a little cheaper that isn’t such a strain on their budget. There are even some charities that work to provide underfunded schools with enough computers for their students.
See About Recycling Them
It’s also possible to recycle old computers. Most brands will offer this as an option to their customers so it’s always worth checking with them to see if you can do this. It’s important to bear in mind that most brands will only take back their own machines, though.
Reclaim Some Spare Parts
If parts of the computer are still in good working order, you might want to try to reclaim them so that they can be kept and used for spare parts. Then if any of your newer machines are faulty or break, you then have some spares that the IT team can use to try to fix things. In fact, some spare parts could be quite valuable so you might want to sell them instead.
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Don’t just throw out your old computers with the trash – do one of the above steps instead!