# Disconnecting Garmin 305 from computer - safely???



## AZkick-n40 (May 1, 2007)

Quick question about disconnecting the Garmin from my computer. Typically when I remove any USB's from my computer I'll go the the "safely remove hardware" icon in the task bar of my computer. My GPS does not show up on that, so in the past I have just unplugged it with no problems, until yesterday... My computer wacked out on me so had to shut it down (after unsuccessful restart) for a few minutes.

How can I safely remove my Garmin?

Thanks,
Brian


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## KevinB (Oct 5, 2004)

AZkick-n40 said:


> Quick question about disconnecting the Garmin from my computer. Typically when I remove any USB's from my computer I'll go the the "safely remove hardware" icon in the task bar of my computer. My GPS does not show up on that, so in the past I have just unplugged it with no problems, until yesterday... My computer wacked out on me so had to shut it down (after unsuccessful restart) for a few minutes.
> 
> How can I safely remove my Garmin?


Disclaimer: I don't own a Garmin Edge.

The point of the "safely remove hardware" button is to allow the OS to flush buffers to mass storage devices. Otherwise, the state of your mass storage device might not be coherent. I.e. some data will be on the drive and some data could be in the volatile, OS-controlled buffers. The OS needs to make sure the data resides entirely on the USB device before it can be disconnected.

I do not know for certain, but I suspect that the Garmin Edge is not a mass storage device. I think it probable that data is transferred to and from the device exclusively through a dedicated application. If that's the case, the OS won't have any buffered data that needs to be sync'd to the device prior to disconnecting.

All of the above is moot, however, because the machine has been rebooted. Even if the Edge is a mass storage device, any data in the computer's (volatile memory) buffers has been lost. Any application (and associated volatile state) that was connected to the device is gone as well.

Thus, given the fact that the machine has been rebooted, it's safe to disconnect your Edge at any time. I'd suggest plugging it back in and using the Garmin supplied application to make sure all is well. (Download as much as you can from the device and look it over to make sure it all looks okay.)


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## slocaus (Jul 21, 2005)

AZkick-n40 said:


> Quick question about disconnecting the Garmin from my computer. Typically when I remove any USB's from my computer I'll go the the "safely remove hardware" icon in the task bar of my computer. My GPS does not show up on that, so in the past I have just unplugged it with no problems, until yesterday... My computer wacked out on me so had to shut it down (after unsuccessful restart) for a few minutes.
> 
> How can I safely remove my Garmin?
> 
> ...


Something is wrong with your Edge install. You should have the "Safely Remove Hardware" icon in the tray, and it should be listed in there as a drive!


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## AZkick-n40 (May 1, 2007)

slocaus said:


> Something is wrong with your Edge install. You should have the "Safely Remove Hardware" icon in the tray, and it should be listed in there as a drive!


That is weird - I didn't get any errors when I installed the software. I do have the Garmin gStart in the icon tray, but it doesn't show up in the other "safely remove hardware". I'd hate to uninstall the program for fear of losing my data that I have been putting in there for the past month or so since I bought it.


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## pahearn (Feb 17, 2006)

Hmmm, FWIW my Garmin Edge 205 is never listed as a drive and never do I get a "Safely Remove Hardware" icon in the tray when I plug it in. I always just plug it in, I get an audible indication (from Windows) it was plugged in, and then I run my software. When I'm done I just unplug it and never had any problems. This has been the same with both Windows 2000 and XP machines.


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## slocaus (Jul 21, 2005)

Hummmm!? My 305 is detected as a drive. First time the "Install New Hardware" wizard came up and it installed the Garmin USB drivers in WinXP. If I use a different USB port the wizard runs again. My 60CSx does if I place it in USB Mass Storage mode. :???:

My different MP3 players, and portable USB drive do the same.

Have you tried turning off the Edge before removing it?


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## AZkick-n40 (May 1, 2007)

slocaus said:


> Hummmm!? My 305 is detected as a drive. First time the "Install New Hardware" wizard came up and it installed the Garmin USB drivers in WinXP. If I use a different USB port the wizard runs again. My 60CSx does if I place it in USB Mass Storage mode. :???:
> 
> My different MP3 players, and portable USB drive do the same.
> 
> Have you tried turning off the Edge before removing it?


I don't think (but not 100% sure) that I turned it off on the day it messed w/ my computer. BTW, I am running XP Pro now.

However yesterday, after I posted this thread, I completed charging my Edge and then turned it off and disconnected the Garmin first and then removed the USB from my computer with no negative issues.

Who knows.....


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## scottyperkins (Oct 29, 2006)

I'm looking at my laptop right now with Edge connected and there's no drive assigned. I've never had a problem disconnecting my Edge at any time, and never had any connectivity issues with it. It's been very solid.


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## quaffimodo (May 25, 2004)

My Mac doesn't recognize the Edge as a drive. No problems just disconnecting it.


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## mud'n'sweat (Feb 16, 2006)

My PC also does not recognize it as a drive and no option to "safely remove".


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