Used Devices For Sale (Data Included)

One of the things we go through each year in our house starting around October is to purge un-used and unnecessary items to make room for all the awesome new stuff that is sure to arrive over the holidays. We just recently sold a number of high-profile items on Craig's List. We made some good cash and freed up valuable space. Our buyers got great stuff at bargain prices. Total win-win.

With the holidays coming, many people will be getting new desktop and laptop computers, new USB thumb drives, new portable hard drives, new portable MP3 players, and new mobile phones. When they get the new one, they will probably sell or give away the old one. When you're selling an old dollhouse, you don't have to worry about much- but if you're selling an old laptop to make room for your new one, you need to take some precautions.

Make sure you completely and totally remove all data or you could end up compromising your confidential and personal information. The McCain-Palin campaign just learned this lesson the hard way. So, if you plan to dispose of any hard drives or computer equipment, be sure to check out my guidance for erasing it first. For other things like mobile phones or MP3 players, be sure to do your homework and find out how to completely erase and reset the device before handing it over to a new owner.