STEPS TO KEEP YOUR COMPUTER SAFE WHILE IN STORAGE

Keep Your Computer Securely Stored

If you're leaving the country for an extended period of time or need to store older but still functional computer systems, it's critical to prepare the equipment for protection. Follow these guidelines before deciding on a temporary location for your hardware:

Examine Your Computer's Cleanliness

Dust accumulation and corrosion are two of the most serious threats to computers in long-term storage. Although corrosion may appear to be the more serious issue due to metals breaking apart, dust is a more immediate concern.

Any desktop or laptop computer can generate a significant amount of heat. The most significant contributor is processor heat, and computers have fail-safes that shut down the system before a fire can start. Heat is trapped in the system when dust accumulates. A computer that has dust buildup (especially pre-existing dust) in storage can suffer later.

Clean the system (or, better yet, have a professional clean the interior) before storing it to reduce corrosion-causing humidity and dust. If you skip this step, you may have to deal with a more involved and costly cleaning later. Alternatively, brittle or burnt components may necessitate an expensive repair.

Keep Dust Away

If you don't want more dust to get into your computer after cleaning it, seal it in a plastic bag before carefully placing it in a box (or bin) in your storage unit.