It’s not unusual for people to replace old computers before they actually become obsolete. As technology continues to advance, people will be forced to upgrade or replace existing equipment to take advantage of the latest offerings. That doesn’t mean old hardware has no use. In fact, it’s not a bad idea to save your old hardware for emergencies and backup. Here are a few ideas for getting the most out of old equipment.

Old hard drives can be great storage or backup drives. If you’re an audiophile, or you have different categories of files that you like to keep in separate places, a perfectly good old hard drive can be recycled for storage and backup purposes. Even if operating systems or software are not compatible with the new computer, there are businesses that can retrieve the stored information for you.

Keyboards and monitors are not a bad idea to keep around for possible equipment failures. An extra mouse of two doesn’t hurt either. The average computer user may not think these things are necessary, but it can be a real cost savings if you’re forced to unexpectedly replace a monitor or other hardware. In that case, hang onto old CD or DVD drives, too. Even if you think you’re hanging on to obsolete equipment, keep in mind that there are developers who work to integrate the old and new so that old information can be transferred to new computers. For instance, there is even software and hardware that converts old mediums, like vinyl records and VCR tapes to newer digital formats. Ask anyone who held onto his old records if he’s glad he did. The answer will be a resounding “yes” as he transfers all of that great old music to his computer.

Hang onto that old hardware, and count on technology to make it valuable one more time.