Typically once my computer gets filled with a lot of data and is almost out of space, it is a sign for me to get a new computer. That typically happens after the 4-5 year mark. Guess what? I’m at year 4.5 and want a new computer but am trying to get the most out of my over four year old laptop. It still works fine for my needs, I just need more space on my computer.
HOW TO MAKE YOUR OLD COMPUTER LAST LONGER
The way I’m making my laptop last longer is by removing as much old data and transferring the old files onto a backup drive. This time around, I purchased a Seagate 4TB slim hard drive so that it’s easy to carry around with my laptop. Costco has a good deal by offering a $15 manufacturing coupon.
I still have to go through my laptop and move all my movies which take up a lot of space. For now, I’ve moved all the easy files which are the documents on my backup drive.
IDEAL WAY TO BACKUP YOUR COMPUTER
Personally I’d prefer to just backup the data and erase my computer clean. I find that over the years, your computer tends to get very sluggish. I find that starting with a fresh install of your computer makes me feel better. Especially knowing that all the data in my computer is currently what I need. I am not bogged down with old data lurking in my laptop—which is refreshing for me. The only problem with that method is that it is time consuming and I don’t have the time to do that to my computer at the moment.
The easiest thing for me right now is moving my data to an external storage. So far the Seagate 4 TB has been working well for me and I’ve had it for over 5 months. I’m unable to test the 3.0 USB since my old laptop only has a 2.0 USB. Overall, I’m happy with my backup drive and it’s easy to bring around due to its slim design. Although I’m disappointed with the reviews on the Costco site since people have complained about loosing data or that the hard drive gets really hot. Personally for me, I haven’t experienced those issues with the Seagate hard drive and have been happy with my purchase.
MAKE SURE TO NOT PUT A LOT OF JUNK FILES ON YOUR COMPUTER
Just like your home, you have to be careful about storing junk everywhere. You shouldn’t be putting a lot of unnecessary files or software on your computer. All those junk files and software can make your computer run slower and can take up a lot of space on your hard drive. Make sure to always clean up your files and delete files and software you no longer need, especially photographs. Backup your old photos and only keep your current photos on your system.
Look into an external hard drive to help make your old computer last longer.
