Garmin GPS, Grrrrrr.....

Got a pop-up on my computer screen this morning that updates were available for my Garmin nuvi 1300LM GPS unit.

So, I brought it in from the car and went through the update proceedure. Believe it or not, the update process erased all the maps off of the unit!

I went through an upgrade process that took six hours, and stopped at 99%. Still no maps on the unit.

Has anyone else had this happen?

Has anyone else had this happen?[/quote]

I have a NuvI 1290 that I keep all the maps for Canada and the USA on. At first the thing would only hold the central states and provences, but with one of those tiny Micro SD cards (8 gig I think), I could load all Canada and all USA. I use Garmin Express now rather than Garmin Agent. Express is a bit more friendly, but you are right it takes a long time. Likely 'cause the Garmin has a slow processor.

I look forward to hearing what other Garmin users are doing

Sw

When I had trouble updating mine this is what they told me to do. It worked. Your are right about it taking forever. It took 12 to 18 hours for mine to download and update. See Below.

Thank you for contacting Garmin International.


Download speeds for large files like the Garmin updates can vary quite a bit. A quick high speed internet connection can typically download these files in 10-20 minutes. A slower internet connection could take much longer.


From your description it would appear this is not working.


This typically indicates the mapping is not currently loaded correctly.



This unit uses a newer transfer mode called MTP. Any newer computer will be able to use MTP mode without issue.


If your computer is a little older, the following may work better.


Although map and software updates can be done while in the default MTP mode, due to your issue we would recommend reloading the unit using the older Mass Storage mode.


To put an MTP device into mass storage mode:

1. Touch Volume on the main menu

2. Touch and hold the upper right corner of the screen

3. Touch MTP Settings (you may need to scroll down)

4. Touch Mass Storage Single Session

5. Touch Save


Try the mapping update again.

Let it stay at 99% next time till it finishes.

It's not worth updating. It takes years to build new roads anyway, and there aint that many being built. I have a 10 yr old Navigon that got me out west and back with no ill effects. Unless you have to be in a new subdivision somewere, and in that case, I'm not going.

It seems the GPS industry needs to mature some more.

I think they all rushed to get the newest greatest features out in order to remain competitive, and in doing so ignored quality.

I've got three tomtoms in the family - and not one of the works reliably. Try to upgrade them and they just get worse.

Sometimes they just can't find a signal - for days. Sometimes they won't turn on unless you hold the button in for a minute. Sometimes they won't turn off. Just problem after problem ... but they always work SOMETIMES so you don't want to just toss them out the window...

very unhappy with them - and have heard similar stories from owners of other brands.

Rand McNally [sp] road atlas hasn't failed me yet.

I have used good ole Rand McNalley for years.
Some people don't know east from west and north from south.
In this day seems like one has to lead a lot of people by the hand.

Some people just HAVE to be ignorant buttheads, don't they?

They're not worth updating, especially with Garmin because you often have to pay to update. I don't trust them anyways. I only use them in town to get to an address. Even then, I compare it against Google maps. The easiest and most reliable way to travel is still a road atlas.

Good point and along with my built in GPS i have managed for fifty years . Plus there is I KNOW A SHORT CUT. If you hear me say that that falls under the category of HEY YA'LL HOLD MY BEER AND WATCH THIS.!!!!

In spite of the pro road atlas posts I love my Garmin and rarely reference that antique atlas anymore. I run to all three coasts and border to border. It is way better than any atlas.

To successfully update you need a really fast, reliable internet connection or you will have problems. I suspect hat you didn't leave it plugged in long enough or your connection failed.

My newest Garmin has free updates for life.

the lm on the model number on a gramin means it has lifetime free maps. I have a 50LM and have updated the maps once once since the original update.

frank

There are two roads here that should never have a over the road truck on them, the Google maps and the GPS send truck drivers down them all of the time. One road saves two miles and is narrower than a trailer and the other will save you 15 miles and you can maybe run 40 MPH on it(last week a driver spun out on a hill and totaled the truck trying to back down the hill in a snow storm. Buy a map

LOL Buy a map....now that's funny. Do you understand just how many people can't read a map. Heck the average Joe couldn't read a map before GPS. Back in the 80s and early 90s the 1st week of the basic NCO school (Primary Leadership Development Course) was land nav. It was the single subject that saw people flunk out the most. And these were not new soldiers attending, they were E4s with 18 months or more of service. And after a couple of days in both the classroom and in the field couldn't pass a test. Go figure.

On the other hand people want to trust the GPS too much. I can look at a map on Google or Yahoo, figure a route I want to travel including short cuts or the senic roads, enter it in my GPS and just drive. My Garmin has free updates for life.

Rick

Goose, I just added a snowmobile trail State map to my NUVI 1200.. It's a big map, but I put it on a micro SD chip. You can down load it from your computer into the chip. I think that way you don't have to work with the slow processor, and over load it.