A personal computer represents an investment - whether you use it to plan your family's budget, as a word processor, to monitor your investments, or simply to enjoy video games. Naturally, you wish to safeguard it from damage at the time of a move.
A professional mover is best qualified to properly pack your home computer. If you choose to pack yourself, your computer should be packed in its original cartons and packing material when possible. If you have discarded them, choose a sturdy box large enough to permit you to surround the computer with packing material (crumpled blank newsprint and plastic bubble pack are best).
The floppy or hard disks which contain your programming and stored data should preferably be moved with you. These pieces are sensitive to heat and cold, and warping could occur with the extreme heat or cold that can build up in a moving van. As a precaution, you may wish to duplicate all of your stored material onto backup disks and send these to your destination via insured mail or other secure means.
The disk drive must be handled with care. This unit, which consists of several mechanized parts, is especially sensitive to jarring. Use a large enough box to accommodate the disk drive and plenty of packing material on all four sides.
The reminder of your computer (the keyboard and display screen) consists of solid state circuitry, much like that of a television set. Place crumpled newsprint in the bottom of the box and pack as you would the other components.