Computers are getting better, faster and more advanced at an alarming rate. In fact you can pretty much guarantee your brand new computer will be cheaper and out of date in a month. Getting a brand new computer is a great feeling; it always feels so much darn quicker than the last! The problem is knowing what to do with the old PC, do you scrap it or sell it? Most people will try and flog their old computer away or pass it on to a friend or family member, however most people forget to use erase hard drive software before doing so.
By doing this you're leaving yourself exposed and at great risk of being hacked. Your old PC may contain anything from your credit card PIN numbers, social security number, online passwords and banking numbers. Even if you've deleted files from your desktop and personal folders, it will still contain history files in your cache files. Any experienced user with enough knowledge will be able to forget your sensitive data and do as they please.
There have been one to many horror stories in the press about unsuspecting sellers having their identities stolen or having their hard drive reveal their darkest secrets, often unsavory secrets that they'd rather not let the whole world know about. The problem, more often than not is complacency. So often we absorb that hitting the delete button is enough to eradicate personal and private data. Not using erase hard drive software is a big mistake.
Hackers have the knowledge to retrieve hidden personal data from your hard drive, sometimes using software. There are several ways to effectively erase hard drive. Software dedicated to doing this job is the best answer. Alternately, you can destroy the hard drive completely or expose it to a highly powerful magnet. The first choice is by far the easiest and reliable. By deleting the data's digital key, data becomes irretrievable to hackers.
Through an effective and secure hard drive erase you can keep your disk drive clean at all times with regular use. What's more it will not destroy your hard drive like the other methods mentioned meaning you can sell or pass on your PC with confidence. And if you're a second hand buyer you can ensure that you do not accidently stumble across information from the previous owner by using erase hard drive software.
If you're not planning to sell your PC, then keeping your hard drive free from sensitive data will keep hackers online at bay. If you're a bit forgetful or lazy, then remembering to clean your drive might be a bit of a pain. Thankfully you can delete files after 1 month automatically, by configuring your erase hard drive software.
There's really no excuse to not erase hard drive – software or physical destruction, it's your choice when getting rid of old PC's. But why not make some cash and do the environment a favor by not sending your PC to a land fill and sell it.