Recycle or Reuse Your Old Computer?
Are you having a problem disposing of your old computer or laptop? Here is a solution that has worked really well for me and it will give you pleasure as well as help to save our environment.
Most of my readers know that I am not only dedicated to the computer education of seniors but dedicated to the preservation of our delicate planet. With the importance of recycling foremost in my mind I thought of an idea that would prevent the pollution that is emitted when computers and CRT monitors are stripped and burned on so called recycling facilities. Your old computer or laptop can become a feature in your home that will display all your treasured photos in a constant slideshow and give you and your family hours of pleasure.
If your old computer is really slow and full of unwanted data you will not mind cleaning it out and bringing your old computer back to the state it was on the day it was purchased. This can be done by using the Recovery Discs that came with your computer when it was purchased.
Once you have decided to purchase a new computer or laptop and get rid of your “old faithful” you will need to transfer all your treasured photos onto an external medium i.e.CD, DVD, Flash Drive or External Drive. You may also wish to save some of the important files and folders that you have created and you can transfer these to the same external medium to be ready when it’s time to transfer them to your new computer or laptop. Of course you may have already made a backup of these files and if so you are ready to begin.
Find all the software that came with your old unit when it was purchased. If you saved the “Recovery Discs” place the first CD in the CD tray of your old computer and turn the computer off. When you turn it on again the CD will prompt you to reformat your hard drive and bring it back to the state it was when it was purchased using the software contained on the Recovery Disc. The procedure is easy. You just need to follow the instructions as they appear on your screen.
Once your computer looks the same as it did when it was purchased it is time to load all your treasured photos into your “born again” computer. Connect the external medium where the photos are stored to your old computer and save them in your “My Pictures” folder in Windows XP or your “Pictures” folder in Windows Vista. This can be done by “dragging” them into the “Pictures” folder one by one or as a group. If you need more information on this procedure please contact me.
When you have transferred all the pictures it’s time to turn on the slideshow; you can add more pictures at anytime to bring your photo album up to date. There is plenty of room on your old computer now that it has been cleaned out. Right click in a space on your desktop; there will be a great deal of space now that your computer is “lean and clean.”
For WINDOWS XP: Click on PROPERTIES and then on SCREENSAVER. Set the SCREENSAVER to MY PICTURES SLIDESHOW and set the WAIT TIME to one minute.
For WINDOWS VISTA: click on PERSONALIZE then SCREENSAVER. Set the SCREENSAVER to PHOTOS and set the WAIT TIME to one minute.
Place your old computer or laptop on a table where the slideshow can be enjoyed by all and turn it on. After one minute the slideshow will begin. No need for an internet connection so it doesn’t even need security software. It’s just a very special PHOTO ALBUM that can be enjoyed 24 hours a day. You will be surprised how many photos you can load in place of all those files and folders that you deleted. It will also be a treasured memory for your family especially if you can add some of the photos of your ancestors and name and date the photos before loading. It will be just like a FAMILY TREE.
When you change your old computer into a PHOTO ALBUM you can feel very satisfied knowing that you not only have added an interesting and enjoyable feature to your home but you have also helped to preserve the health of our delicate planet and all its inhabitants.
