OldPCGuy

Backups, wiping, and recycling old PCs

Cartoon of Brandon in headphones kneeling with a giant floppy disk labeled DATA, surrounded by a swirl of binary next to an old computer

When a computer is on its way out, the order matters: save your files, move them to the new PC, wipe the old drive, and then decide whether to reuse, donate, or recycle the old one.

Start here

Moving to a New PC

Get everything off the old computer before you touch anything else.

Backup, wiping, and recycling guides

  • Moving to a New PC

    Back up the old one and move your photos, files, and passwords over, including the stuff people forget.

    Updated
  • Wipe a PC Before Selling

    The right way to erase a Windows PC before it leaves your house, for SSDs and old hard drives alike.

    Published
  • Electronics Recycling in NE Kansas

    Where to recycle computers, TVs, and electronics in Topeka, Lawrence, Manhattan, and Emporia, and what it costs.

    Published
  • What to Do With an Old Laptop

    Keep it, give it a new job, sell or donate it, save the parts, or recycle it for free.

    Published

In this order

  1. Back up and move your files, including the things people forget. Transfer files to a new computer.
  2. Wipe the old drive, the right way for an SSD or a hard drive. Wipe a computer before selling it.
  3. Decide what's next: reuse it, sell it, or donate it. What to do with an old laptop.
  4. Recycle it if it's done. Electronics recycling in Topeka, Lawrence, and Manhattan.