In my rush to return my ipod... I didn't format it, does Wal-Mart do that?
Asked by
patg7590 (
4608
)
September 11th, 2009
or do they send it in to be “refurbished”? I really hope they dont just reseal the box and sell it… I mean, i had all my email going to it, for all my email accounts, banking information etc. I returned it so I could get the new 32GB for the same price that I received the gifted 16GB for. I was in such a hurry and it was the last day I could do so (15 day return policy) and it was like 11:00 at night.
Thanks!
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8 Answers
Call the people you brought your ipod back to and find out. It is likely still not processed.
You’ll definitely want to try and get it formatted explicitly.
If for some reason you cannot, and the retailer does not send it in for refurbishment – that is, just boxes it back up and puts it on the rack – you might take some small measure of comfort to know that iTunes on the new owner’s computer will default to prompting them to erase your contents before any of theirs can be put on.
Furthermore, if the new owner does elect to try and hack out your data from the thing, they’ll have to do so carefully. While they might be able to get any non-DRM media (MP3s or movies you’ve uploaded), I doubt they’ll be able to make use of your personal credentials (for web sites, email, etc.) That information is typically encrypted for just this situation.
Small consolation I know. A committed hacker with the right tools, time, and physical access to a computer can ultimately uncrack anything. So, to be absolutely safe, it is best is to try and get it back so you can format it yourself.
ok- walmart says they send ipods back to apple for refurbishment. I sure hope they do.
**bites nails nervously**
Honestly, I would change passwords and account information for everything that you had stored in the ipod. I know this seems paranoid but you have no idea who has had there hands on the ipod. Once something like this is out of your control, if you care about its contents you should assume the worst.
Once a product has been sold, used and returned, it cannot be legally sold as new again. This means it has to be refurbished. When it is refurbished, it is sent to a test/repair facility, reformatted, tested, repackaged and made available as a refurbished unit.
Your ipod will be reformatted. It is still possible some geeky tech will look at the contents, but this is unlikely. But, you should still take precautions.
One or two examples out of millions of Ipods does not a trend make.
More likely, the refurb center is cutting corners.
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