A question or the GPS techies.

[Paniolo]

My Zumo 550 is dead, again. I'm not going to repair it. I will replace it at some time, but for now my iPhone is doing everything I need it to do that the Zumo did.

My question is, do I need to destroy the Zumo before tossing it? I wonder, as it has a lot of information in it, addresses, names, phone numbers.

Thanks

Mark

[FSG]

I would   

[rigidthumper]

Can you use the mini USB connection and your PC/laptop to remove/delete all info?
If not, BFH should be sufficient.

[FSG]

Can you use the mini USB connection and your PC/laptop to remove/delete all info?

there are people/business that turn a profit from recovering deleted data from devices, Peter Norton started it all 20 plus years ago, then there are the Law Enforcement and Intel Agencies that have Forensic Specialists to deal with these devices

[poboy]

 
   All my old cellphones  & computer hard drives get the BFH treatment 1st then a 24 hour salt water bath!!!

  Poboy

[Hossamania]

I would smash it into little pieces.
When it comes time, my laptop will be smashed and dumped to the bottom of the lake.

[chaos901]

Interesting question.  I do take the hard drive out of computers and destroy before tossing, but I must admit my Zumo will most likely just get placed in a bag inside the Kitchen bag and sent to the landfill with the rest of the garbage. 

I don't believe anybody is going thru my garbage, least not yet.

But I do remember an episode of 60 minutes years ago where companies would buy used copiers (especially from banks) because the hard drives retain an image of most of the documents copied, which is scary.

[Paniolo]

I'm going to do it all.

1. Soak it in a ziplock bag of salt water.
2. Break it with a hammer.
3. Drop off the remains at an e-waste facility.

The joys if living in a world of high tech with short lifespans.

[PoorUB]

Smash it with a 6 pounder will cause enough damage that nobody will mess with it. If it is a good enough method for the IT guys at my bank, it is good enough for me.

At my bank years ago they had a pile of computer by the back door. a couple IT guys were pulling hard drives and boards out, another was smashing them and tossing the bits into a trash can for recycling. I find it hard to believe someone would bother to try pull data off of a broken hard drive platter.

[UltraManPaul]

I wouldn't worry to much about the Zumo. Names and addresses are pretty easy for individuals to get anyway. Besides, If someone has enough technology to retrieve that info out of a broken Zumo, they will undoubtedly, have other methods to get them as well. It's not like you've got SS numbers on it. As far as hard drives on the computers, a big earth magnet run clockwise, counter-clockwise and back and forth a few times will scramble all the 1's and 0"s on it enough that no one will ever be able to retrieve anything useful from it. And if you want to take a BFH to it afterwards (just because we're guys and like to beat on things occasionally without worrying about being caught or jail time  ) go right ahead!

UMP

[CndUltra88]

Can you use the mini USB connection and your PC/laptop to remove/delete all info?
If not, BFH should be sufficient.

Or a BFG before the BFH.
Good advice to clear the datta for sure.
What about a strong magnet to mess with the storage device??
Rob

[Breeze]

I use the "hot wrench" on my old drives,cards,discs and such.

[Stuffa]

My Zumo 550 is dead, again. I'm not going to repair it. I will replace it at some time, but for now my iPhone is doing everything I need it to do that the Zumo did.

My question is, do I need to destroy the Zumo before tossing it? I wonder, as it has a lot of information in it, addresses, names, phone numbers.

Thanks

Mark

I had heaps of problems with my Zumo and after sales service from Zumo here in Australia was horrific so I just tossed mine. Now use iPhone with Scenic app Bluetooth to helmet works perfect.

[TXChop]

Just curious of the issue, just a dead unit?
I have recently been replacing mounts for some of my customers as the pins fall out and get damaged and dont make proper contact.

[Stuffa]

Just curious of the issue, just a dead unit?
I have recently been replacing mounts for some of my customers as the pins fall out and get damaged and dont make proper contact.

My Zumo 660 kept freezing up all the time, wouldn't connect to Bluetooth a lot of the time and kept coming up with different faults and would keep Shutting off. After about twenty phone calls to Garmin and sending the unit into them three times they kept saying they could find nothing wrong with it. Finally I rode to Sydney And took the frozen unit into them and the bloke at the counter said "this is a faulty unit we will get it replaced". About a week later Garmin said they were returning the unit as there was nothing wrong with the unit. They just gave me the run around time after time. In frustration I tossed the unit. ( I had replaced the wiring harness and mount with no difference)

[chaos901]

Had my 550 "rebuilt" or swapped by Garmin once years ago but I believe I remember hearing that they do not offer that for the 550 any longer.