When I erase the tracks on my Raymarine GPS, is the data really
destroyed? Or can it be recovered like the deleted files on a computer
hard drive?

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When I erase the tracks on my Raymarine GPS, is the data really
destroyed? Or can it be recovered like the deleted files on a computer
hard drive?

They are gone. Technically speaking, they probably get marked "deleted"
until the entire memory needs a bulk erase. When this is happening, you
cannot tell. Only Ray could. Further to the comparison with a computer: to
restore files on a computer, you can install a utility to do that. On a GPS
however, such a mechanism does not exist. You cold disassemble the units,
de-solder the flash chip and read it with a programmer, but that would
involve more cost than the price of the GPS.....

So in short, the answer is no.

Meindert

When I erase the tracks on my Raymarine GPS, is the data really
destroyed? Or can it be recovered like the deleted files on a computer
hard drive?

I'm sure someone in the gov't could well extract the chip and reconstruct
what had been written to it. But if you're just talking about "will my
wife/parents/insurance company/police be able to easily recover it" the
answer's probably no. Bear in mind, however, lying about only ends up
making it worse, doubly so if you file something fraudulently, triply so if
the wife figures it out.

The cost would be worth it to me. We need this data to determine what
happened to a friend. See the "Missing Boater" post on rec.boats. Can
you do this? Can you recommend someone to attempt it?

The cost would be worth it to me. We need this data to determine what
happened to a friend. See the "Missing Boater" post on rec.boats. Can
you do this? Can you recommend someone to attempt it?

Um, how about calling Raymarine? If it's an actual missing persons, filed
with the authorities, it would seem like the vendor would be able to provide
an authoritative answer.