20 GB hard drive UPGRADE??

[mikecwest]

Anyone slip in a bigger drive into thier TomTom 910? I Would think that with Makayama and a 40-120 GB PCMCIA hard drive....it would be really cool!

 

[Internetpilot]

I don't know about the GO910, but at least with the older GO700 model (which I've seen the inside), the hard drive was not obvious or visible just by taking off the cover.

Other than that, as long as the power requirements were the same, it wasn't connected via some special interface rather than a standard cable, and everything was the same size, I dont' see why it couldn't be done. People are upgrading their iPod hard drives all the time. I'm sure it would be a similar task for the GO910.

Hmmm....something to think about once the warranty has expired on my GO700... I wonder what type of hard drive it has in it and if ti's something remotely standard.

 

[mikecwest]

hard drive type

Judging by the size of the device, It would appear that it is built nicely around a PCMCIA hard drive....

Also common sense should indicate that it is uinlikely that TomTom would use a propritary format or devlop a unique one for the purpose.

 

[Internetpilot]

I'm not worried so much about the drive itself as much as the interface/controller for it. That might very well be proprietary (or at least something less common than PCMCIA). It could be as easy as just removing a couple of screws and ribbon cables to move a rather proprietary controller/interface over to a replacement PCMCIA drive, but it could also be a situation where TomTom has made it very difficult to simply upgrade or replace the drive. Even older PCs (before "clones" became so popular) had some rather proprietary controller cards, drive and memory connectors/sockets, etc. These PC manufacturers did it for one reason: Money. You couldn't replace these components without going directly to the manufacturer, so they controlled the parts inventory and the price.

If I was TomTom, would I have put a proprietary hard drive in the GO models? You better believe it.

 

[mikecwest]

I guess that is possible....I just think that with profit making in mind, it seems to be the best way to go....aside from an adapter board that would plug to the PCMCIA drive, I would think that would be it....possibly a Hitachi Microdrive?...

Just tried to open....need a smaller torq....couldnt get it open...

 

[Internetpilot]

Well, I wouldn't know anything about...cough cough...opening my TomTom, but I....cough cough...have heard that a smaller flat screw driver can also work. Cough. Actually, since...cough cough...hearing about using the small flathead, I had to buy a micro torx bit set for doing some repairs on my PDA. Got it for $3 on eBay....worth getting if you like to open modern electronics.

 

[John]

Let me get your some Cough drops Chris

 

[Internetpilot]

Let me get your some Cough drops Chris

Cough...cough...why?

 

[Idioteque]

They use the Seagate ST1 drives. It's fairly simple to replace the drive, but you'll need a special screw driver.

Also, opening up that case will void your warranty.