Loading Maps Lockup - Possible Fix

kmichalec · Occasional Visitor Joined: Jul 19, 2006 Posts: 14

Hey all,

Sorry this is so long, but if you are having the same problem, and this can possibly fix it for you, then it may be worth it!

I recently experienced the same problem that a lot of Nuvi owners have experienced (see here http://www.pocketgpsworld.com/modules.php?name=Forums&file=viewtopic&t=51616&postdays=0&postorder=asc&highlight=loading+maps+nuvi&start=0), when loading Custom POI's onto thier unit. I was getting ready to leave for a trip from the UK, through France to Belgium the night before (and I planned to use the Nuvi since I don't speak French or Dutch, and street signs and directions would be very hard), and I thought I would be smart and also load a bunch of POI's for the UK, France and Belgium for my trip. I loaded everything (about 40,000 POI's), with no issues (According to the POI loader), but when I rebooted, my unit locked up with the famed Loading Maps message, and then nothing after that (frozen solid). I started freaking out, as I would be lost without the unit for my trip. I called Garmin Tech support in the US, and got in contact with a very helpful support person named Brandon. With his help and a hour or so of time (and a little bit of luck), we were able to get around the problem. Here's what we did. Hopefully, it helps someone else too:

1. First thing I tried was to keep my finger on the left hand bottom of the screen, while I turned it on. This take you into a maintenance mode. In there, you can view system information, view diagnostics (you can see the boot up error info in here), and there's an option to clear user data and another to clear waypoints. I went through every option, and cleared out everything, and tried rebooting, but no luck. (but this is nice to know it's there)

2. They tried having me attach the unit to the computer, but as most of you know, that yields nothing, as it never gets to the point where the unit can be recognized by the computer.

3. They had me try the reset button on the back a number of times, to no avail.

4. I then tried something I read another post, where I held down the power button (when the unit is off), and it boots into a Preboot Load (not the exact words, but something like that). When that comes up, if you plug the unit into the computer, you can get it to see the Nuvi for about 15 seconds or so, but not long enough to update the software before it shuts off.

5. Then, I tried the following, and this was the KEY for me! I had the unit off. I then held the power button down, and it started booting up into the Preboot menu again, but this time, I continued to hold my finger on the power button (don't let go!!). In doing so it appears to go into a System Software Restore function by default (keep holding the power button the whole time). Now I'm not sure if it does anything different from what was mentioned in step 4, but here's what I did differently. When it got to the message about Restoring System Software, while it was in the middle of this, I also hit the RESET button on the back. The unit then promptly shut off. Upon turning it back on, it automatically came up with the System Software Missing message (basically, I think I corrupted the system software, but remember, that this was the system software that may have already been corrupted). Once I saw this, based on other posts I read, I knew there was a way to get the System Software back (and my hope returned)!

Once I was here, Brandon, and I were able to connect the unit to the computer. Upon doing so, the computer and the Nuvi were able to see each other for the first time, but the computer said it couldn't find the drivers (I know they were loaded before, but for some reason they didn't work now). Brandon got a copy of the drivers called (USBDrivers_221.exe) from the Garmin website. He loaded these on my PC, and the unit was able to be recognized. He then went an got a copy of the Updater Application (called Updater.exe), and then got a copy of the latest Sotware Version 3.60. He tried loading it, but it didn't work. Just when I lost hope, he thought he'd try one more thing. He went and got an old software version (version 2.40), called (056601000240.rgn), which he said they use alot of times for system restores. He then used the Update program with this version, and it worked!!! My unit booted up, and went past the Loading Maps screen for the first time since the POI loading.

When the unit booting up, all my favorites and POI's were gone (obviously), but it booted up (but into system software 2.40). Upon boot up, it says there was a later version available on the unit (I think 3.10, which was the last version I had loaded, but I also think this was the corrupted version too), and it asked it I wanted to updated. For fear of losing the unit again, and not being able to get it back, I said no, and I was in fact able to use the unit with no issues for my trip.

I have now just got back, and since I don't need the unit immediately in the near future for any trips, I decided to see if I could in fact update the software to the latest version 3.60. I download the 3.60 manual software update (not the Webupdate), and it worked without issues.

I now have a working Nuvi 360, with version 3.60 on it (but no POI's).

Anyways, sorry this is so longwinded, but hopefully it helps everyone. Please feel free to ask any questions. Keep in mind, that I managed to do this only once (a few days ago), and I wasn't taking notes while doing it, so I'm writing this from memory. But this is what I remember doing, and in the order that I remember doing it.

Let me know if this works for you or not. Also, if anyone is interested, I have all the files that Brandon used to reload it, if anyone needs them. Just let me know.

Thanks!

kmichalec :D [/b]

kmichalec · Occasional Visitor Joined: Jul 19, 2006 Posts: 14

For those that don't like reading the full note, here's the Cliff Notes version:

With the unit off, hold down the Power button, and don't let go. It will go into a Preboot Loading message. Keep holding and eventually, it say Restoring System Software. While it is saying this, and you are still holding the power button, hit the RESET button on the back. The unit will turn off. Turn it back on normally, and it will say Missing System Software (I guess resetting it while it's in the middle of the restore corrupts the software). But now, the unit will be recognized by a computer when hooked up.

Get the latest USB driver files, and reload them on the computer (as the previous ones weren't recognized now, in my case)

Get the 2.40 version of the system software, and a copy of the Updater program (not webupdater) and restore the system software this way.

That should work, as it worked for me. The only thing I don't know is I got lucky and hit the reset button at just the right time during the System Software restore, so this may require a little trial and error, in trying it after various stages of time during the reload. But, as I said, I know it works, cause it worked for me.

Good luck to all! Please post back here if you try it, and if it works/doesn't work for you.

Thanks!

kmichalec

kmichalec · Occasional Visitor Joined: Jul 19, 2006 Posts: 14

Before doing what I described in the Cliff Notes version, make sure you follow point 1 from the original note to clear out the POIs that were just loaded. Otherwise, you might restore the system software, but if the POI's themselves cause the issue, it might corrupt the newly loaded system software upon first bootup. Just a thought.

ukshug1 · Occasional Visitor Joined: Jul 31, 2006 Posts: 3

I have the same problem with a Nuvi, does anyone know where to get the .rgn file from

kmichalec · Occasional Visitor Joined: Jul 19, 2006 Posts: 14

You can download it from here:

http://www.kcmhome.com/Updater.zip

These are the files that I used (the Updater and the RGN file, zipped into one 3 MB zip file). Let me know if you have any issues.

kmichale

swing · Posted: Wed Apr 11, 2007 8:38 am Post subject:

Please note: I believe the RGN files are unit specific, so if you use the wrong RGN file, you will make things worse. If unsure, contact Garmin directly, who can provide the correct RGN file.
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kmichalec · Occasional Visitor Joined: Jul 19, 2006 Posts: 14

Swing,

Thanks for the heads up. I wasn't aware of that. My unit is a Garmin 360 (bear in mind, not a 360T or anything like that, just plain old 360).

ukshug1,

If yours is not a 360, then then you might want to contact Garmin and ask them for the file.

Thanks!

kmichalec

ukshug1 · Occasional Visitor Joined: Jul 31, 2006 Posts: 3

The firmware work a treat I now have a working Nuvi. The unit is a 310 but the 360 firmware did not cause a problem.

Thanks for all the help it is really appreciated.

kmichalec · Occasional Visitor Joined: Jul 19, 2006 Posts: 14

Glad I could be of help.

Anyone else had any success with it?

swing · Posted: Thu Apr 12, 2007 10:52 am Post subject:

kmichalec · Occasional Visitor Joined: Jul 19, 2006 Posts: 14

Swing,

That would make sense, since the unit's are almost identical, save a few features (I remember, as I originally looked at that one first, before the 360). Thanks!

ukshug1,

Can you confirm for me that you did in fact have the Loading Maps lockup and that by hitting the reset button while holding down the power button during the Restoring System Software message, did in fact cause the unit to return with the Missing System Software message? As I said, I did it one time (and I wasn't taking notes while doing it), and I just want to make sure that I documented it from memory correctly, and that it also worked for you (so we know that it is repeatable).

Thanks!

kmichale

ukshug1 · Occasional Visitor Joined: Jul 31, 2006 Posts: 3

I did have the error whet the unit would shutdown just after loading maps was displayed on the screen.

I did not need to press the reset button during the restoring the system software part. As long as I could get the unit recognised by the PC when in maintenance mode as a Garmin GPS then it was possible to upload the older version of the firmware.

I did get the prompt that it was an older version of the software I was loading but as long as you accept this then the software load when through OK.

XabiX · Occasional Visitor Joined: Apr 20, 2007 Posts: 5

Hello,

this post is really goo. I hope it will help me too ;)

When I follow your advices, i go through Loading then Loading Software but after it displays i think Restore .... really quickly and reboots itself.

I always keep the power button press during this all scenario.

Did I miss something?

Thanks
Xav

kmichalec · Occasional Visitor Joined: Jul 19, 2006 Posts: 14

After holding down the power button for a while when turning it on, it should say something like Restoring System Software. At that point, did you hit the RESET button on the back?

XabiX · Occasional Visitor Joined: Apr 20, 2007 Posts: 5

Mine reboots just after "Pre mode" "Loader" "Loading Software" "blank page" screens.

I tried to press the reset button just when it displays the blank screen but no way it is already part of the reboot system.

Yesterday I spend more than 45" with Garmin support. We were able to re-install the 3.6 soft plugin the gps into the PC at the beginning of the pre mode stage.
I wanted to do the same with 2.4 (056601000240.rgn) but I ve got "No updates are available for your product"

Let me know if there something else to do

Thanks

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