IMPORTANT! If you want HELP in case of a bricked Garmin device, please follow this

**Butters** · 5th December 2018, 10:21 PM

@Vasconia
Firstly you need to eliminate any chance that the USB cable or PC USB port you've been using are the problem. Try with several different miniUSB cables, use only REAR desktop PC ports without a hub and even try a different PC or laptop. Ensure the computer has Garmin USB Drivers loaded as well, that's absolutely essential: [Only registered and activated users can see links. ]. Your device should still have preboot mode available and be visible in Device Manager as "Garmin Device" even though it may not appear in explorer in Mass Storage mode:

[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]

Try to put it into preboot by holding the top LH corner of the screen with it completely OFF (you may have to force it off by holding the power button down for up to 30 seconds) and then connecting it to PC, listen for the windows ding-dong connection sound and have Device Manager open to see if it appears there as shown above. This test is to confirm whether a software solution is available for the device. If you still cannot see it in Device Manager after doing all my suggestions then read on.

My suspicion is that the device has a damaged USB connection and if it indeed has then it's either a component on the PCB that has failed (very unlikely), or the socket itself has a bent pin or other damage (somewhat unlikely), or one or more of the socket's solder connections to the PCB have broken (far more likely). The last is very common on 14xx devices. The first is not economically viable to fix for an old device, the second and third might be easily fixed depending on your technical ability. A hardware fault is almost certainly what has occurred when neither Mass Storage mode nor preboot mode are available.

An explanation about the purpose of Cure firmware. It cannot boot a device and indeed when it's loaded the device is meant to stick on the logo screen. That's because the purpose of loading cure firmware is to re-enable Mass Storage Mode on a device which has lost it because of a faulty file which cannot be loaded on boot. When the device can't load the essential, but corrupt, file during the boot cycle it typically doesn't get far enough into the boot cycle for MSM to be enabled however pre-boot mode is typically still available so cure fw can be loaded, that then bypasses any faulty file being even called on to load but allows MSM to be regained so a corrupt file can be removed from the file system or a reformat of it done. These's good reason why we don't load cure fw as a GCD but only as an RGN in preboot. If a device doesn't have either of MSM or preboot modes available it's almost certainly got a hardware problem. You can't fix a hardware fault with a software solution anymore than you can fix a blown-out car tire by pumping air into it.

If my suspicion of a faulty USB socket is correct, all you've done is introduce another problem. So let's remove that first but would you please confirm beforehand that you don't have pre-boot mode available?

**originallvu** · 24th January 2019, 02:06 PM

Hi GPSPower community, I’m trying to revive a DriveSmart 60LM
1) Bricked device MODEL, Firmware version, HWID- DriveSmart 60LM, sw5.90, 2268
2) Why and how the device got bricked-I’m not sure, it was updated via GarminExpress,used only once and since then it got stuck on Garmin logo.
3) Symptoms: what's wrong in your device? – Continuos boot loop on Garmin logo, without any message related to maps.
4) Does your pc sees your device ? –Yes, but only in preeboot mode via updater.exe.
5) List all the procedures you already tried to unbrick it and their results and errors messages obtained.
-First, I have tried to update the software via “updater.exe”, version Drive,DriveSmart60_70,andDriveTrack70_590.gcd. The update was sent from PC succesfully but no response from device, it didn’t boot up.
-Then I’ve used “garmincure3” to make cure firmware but it ended just like my first atempt and mass storage cannot be triggered.
-Downgrade via garmincure3 (cure or official) to 580/570/etc but everytime the connection is lost after the update process starts, the device ID disapear from “updater” USB field and throws an error.
- Custom SD flash kit v 590 on a 2 GB card (formatted FAT32&FAT) then on a 32GB FAT32 but it refuses to read the data, "Loader" message does not show up.
6) Do you have Garmin USB Drivers installed ? – Yes.
7) If you don't know HWID get it by – G7ToWin shows HWID 2268
10) Probably no , but do you have NV backup? – No, I don’t have NV backup unless this can be found somewhere inside GarminExpress folder but I don’t think any backup (previous content) was made during GE official update.
Many thanks in advance!

**Butters** · 25th January 2019, 06:52 AM

Originally Posted by originallvu

..........
4) Does your pc sees your device ? –Yes, but only in preeboot mode via updater.exe.

It's normal for a bricked device to not have Mass Storage Mode available.

5) List all the procedures you already tried to unbrick it and their results and errors messages obtained.
-First, I have tried to update the software via “updater.exe”, version Drive,DriveSmart60_70,andDriveTrack70_590.gcd. The update was sent from PC succesfully but no response from device, it didn’t boot up.

You cannot flash a GCD file in preboot via Updater.exe. You can only flash an RGN file that way. Regardless, flashing original firmware will achieve nothing.

-Then I’ve used “garmincure3” to make cure firmware but it ended just like my first atempt and mass storage cannot be triggered.
-Downgrade via garmincure3 (cure or official) to 580/570/etc but everytime the connection is lost after the update process starts, the device ID disapear from “updater” USB field and throws an error.

Modern devices like the Drive series stay in preboot for a very short time, only a matter of seconds. However if a flash is successfully initiated the device will remain locked in preboot until the flash finishes.

- Custom SD flash kit v 590 on a 2 GB card (formatted FAT32&FAT) then on a 32GB FAT32 but it refuses to read the data, "Loader" message does not show up.

Forget using a microSD to flash anything while it's bricked like that. Regardless the 'Custom SD Flash kit" is probably to flash BIN files modified by Uiversal Patcher and it's NOT what you need. A boot-looping device is unlikely to have its firmware invoked sufficiently to execute Ldr.bin anyway.

This is what you need do:
1. Make Cure3 firmware RGN. Name it ONLY 226801000590.rgn because any other naming is potentially unsafe. You might like to try QuickCure first, it doesn't involve the firmware at all and might work to restore MSM. Scoll down to the base of the initial post here: [Only registered and activated users can see links. ] and look for it.
2. Whether you use full cure fw or quickcure you must flash it as an RGN named appropriately using Updater.exe in preboot.
3. Rather than putting your device in preboot first, get everything set up with 226801000590.rgn loaded into Updater.exe leaving the GUI visible on your desktop. Connect a "known-good" USB cable to a REAR USB2 port of the PC (avoid using USB3).
4. Position your left thumb in the proper position on the device screen to attain preboot, first ensuring the device is fully OFF (you may have to force it off by holding the power button down for anything from 10 to 30 seconds).
5. Watch Updater's GUI and plug the USB cable into the device. IMMEDIATELY you see the device's detail appear in the window next to 'USB Device' click 'OK' on the GUI or just hit the Enter key on your KB. Hold the screen until the flash completes.
6. If you fail then start again all over, steps 3, 4 & 5. Persistence pays with a bricked device.

The device will stop bootlooping when cure fw is loaded and you will have access to the file system in Mass Storage Mode to delete any corrupt file/s or if necessary re-format it correctly with RMPrepUSB.

**originallvu** · 30th January 2019, 08:42 PM

@Butters,thank you for your reply! The thing is that although I've tried so many times to proceed as above mentioned, the device still doesn't respond on any of the CURE firmware RGN. If I flash "QuickCure" or any other CURE.rgn made from previous SW than 590, the device is always disconnected 1-2 seconds after I hit the Enter key. The only RGN which keeps the device locked in preboot until the flash finishes is the one made from sw 590 but even so the device starts without Mass Storage Mode.Regardless the USB port used for this procedure, desktop PC or laptop, the result is the same.

**Butters** · 30th January 2019, 11:22 PM

I just notice a discrepency in your information about the state of this device:

2) ...... it was updated via GarminExpress,used only once and since then it got stuck on Garmin logo.
3) ....... Continuos boot loop on Garmin logo, without any message related to maps.

Those descriptions are not the same, "stuck" and "boot loop". When a device boots partially then sticks or freezes in the boot procedure it's usually much easier to get into preboot than when the boot cycles constantly. i.e it's constantly terminating and re-starting over and over. Boot-looping devices are particularly difficult to flash because there is only a very short window of opportunity to initiate a flash before the boot-cycle starts again. Persistence is key in regard to many stubborn bricked devices however your experience that V5.90 cure fw flash finishes (I guess you mean Updater.exe reported that the flash was successful) yet still there is no MSM access is concerning.

Please say which state it's in, stuck on logo or boot-looping.

**originallvu** · 31st January 2019, 10:17 PM

The device boot cycles constantly terminating and re-starting over and over when connected to a power supply (PC USB or a charger) and tries to boot only one time if stays on its battery, I have to press the power button to power it on. And yes, I meant Updater.exe reported that the flash was successful. The device message is first "Loader" followed by "Software Loading", I guess these are standard messages during updating procedure, either Garmin Express or Updater.exe is used.

Could that be a hardware failure, maybe the internal flash memory is damaged or something?

**Butters** · 31st January 2019, 11:42 PM

Yes a hardware fault is always possible with a malfunctioning device and it's looking very likely with this one. Of course when a device will at least turn on we usually go with the assumption that it's not. If it is physical flash damage and the device is out of warranty then it's best just stripped for parts to sell separately. However, the vast majority of devices which boot to the logo screen can be saved because they only have a software fault or a corrupt file or memory region. Seeing you were able to get V5.90 cure firmware to load as an RGN file in preboot but there is still no MSM available is very concerning however. All cure fw does is prevent the firmware from loading any of the usual files IMG, GPI, VPM etc so that a faulty file cannot 'brick' the device and importantly allow MSM again. However because those files aren't loaded the boot sequence freezes at the splash screen as intended. Although cure fw has apparently loaded, your device either turns off or boot-loops rather than proceeding as far into the boot process to stick on the logo splash screen. My feeling is that at least region 14 where fw_all.bin is flashed isn't actually being re-flashed, so it does strongly indicate a hardware problem.

About the screen messages: "Loader" indicates that preboot is engaged and locked in due to initialization with Updater.exe, "Software Loading" indicates that the device is receiving data to its memory regions from Updater.exe. However despite Updater indicating that the data transfer was successful the subsequent device behavior (no MSM and turning off/bootlooping) indicates either it wasn't actually loaded to the device (likely flash memory fault) or there is something else preventing it from booting. That 'something else' should not be a bad file because they aren't even loaded with cure fw onboard. Regardless i don't think it's even getting as far as trying to load files before the boot process ends which explains why cure fw makes no difference.

So, summing up from the info you've given:
This device cannot read from microSD card so we can't use Update.txt commands to flash BIN file to regions or erase regions; and
It seemingly accepts V5.90 cure fw however MSM is still not available because booting is interrupted by something very early in the process.

This really does seem like a physical flash failure. If it is 'something else' other than flash damage I have no idea as to what that might be. In some cases with a boot-looping device, leaving it on charge connected to a USB port on a running PC for an extended period of time, like for a day or more, might eventually "fluke" a complete enough boot to enable MSM giving access to the internal filing system. I don't know if that will happen with your device but if it does you would be able to take a backup of it's files and reformat using RMPrepUSB. If it's not a corrupt file causing the problem which I strong suspect it's not, then that won't achieve anything anyway.

Maybe someone else has some other thoughts or suggestions to contribute.

**bartolfax** · 7th March 2019, 03:49 PM

1) Bricked device MODEL, Firmware version, HWID.
Garmin Drive 40 LM, fw ver 5.60, HWID 2267, never cured or modified

2) Why and how the device got bricked.
I left the navigator turned off for 6 months, with the battery in low level.

3) Symptoms: what's wrong in your device?
When turned on, after that I charged the battery over a night, the message SYSTEM SOFTWARE MISSING appears on screen
[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]

and the navigator permanently remain in this state and isn’t recognized by Garmin software (GarminExpress, BaseCamp, WebUpdater)

4) Does your pc sees your device ?
Not in Mass Storage Mode, but appear in Device Manager as "Garmin Device"
[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]

In other words, navigator is in pre-boot mode.

5) List all the procedures you already tried to unbrick it and their results and errors messages obtained.
Many and many:
* changed PC, USB cable, OS

* GarminCure3 + Updater
with different (older, equal, latest) firmware, cured and original.
The strange thing is that Upload recognize the navigator with an ID 0
[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]

and:
a) if for uploaded file I leave proposed name (226701000590.rgn), Updater refuse to upload it
[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]

b) if I rename uploaded file as 000001000590.rgn, Updater seem upload the file but, after some seconds, a timeout message appears
[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]

c) if I use a modified rgn file (that contains only boot.bin section, obtained with RGN tool), Updater upload the file

but in both b) and c) case, navigator go (and remains) in SOFTWARE LOADING… state
[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]

The time between starting uploading process and the message SOFTWARE LOADING is short (1-2 secs). I guess, too short for an real upload… When in SOFTWARE LOADING state, navigator disappear from Device Manager (but non appear as Mass Storage Mode)

Note that Updater communicates with navigator, because, if I use an old or a equal version of fw, before to upload the file, Updater ask me a confirm and show me a different message. If the fw version is newer, Updaer don’t ask nothing.

* SD + Update.txt method
used with this files:
02/03/2017 21:25 22.720.256 0E.bin
02/03/2017 21:25 4.208.212 7F.bin
02/03/2017 21:25 1.135.808 9E.bin
02/03/2017 21:25 1.106.428 ldr.bin
01/03/2017 19:50 125 update.txt
and other similar packages, provided me from other users.

I also tried with ldr.bin obtained from official firmware and RGN tool (boot.bin renamed to ldr.bin).
And modifing ldr.bin as described in [Only registered and activated users can see links. ]

SD formatted with Windows and with RMPrepUSB_Portable_v2.1.727 tool.

Also in this case, the only way for some oucome is that I rename SD folder tha contains files from
<SD UNIT>\Garmin\Updater\2267
to
<SD UNIT>\Garmin\Updater\0000

The outcomes is that navigator enter (and remain) in LOADING SOFTWARE state and that in the SD appears a folder JOURNAL that contains a JEFF.BIN file (32.768 byte, that contains all zero)

Note about pre-boot mode

Surely I forgot to mention some other trial or test that I did, but I will add it if remenber it.

6) Do you have Garmin USB Drivers installed ?
Recent and less recent version

7) If you don't know HWID get it by*Use program G7ToWin to retrieve your HWID
I guess that the HWID is 2267 (I can’t access to GarminDevice.xml), reading on this and others forum (Drive 40 LM), and through GarminCure3 reading original fw.
G7ToWin can’t read the device.

8) Write down if you already read or tried*GarminCure3 tool - the new way to create cure firmwares for Garmin devices
How to unbrick a nüvi - step by step guide
See point 5

9) Can you reach preboot mode? If no ,have you followed this?*Garmin devices preboot mode
See point 5: the navigator remain permanently in pre.boot mode

10) Probably no , but do you have NV backup?
No, because Update.txt method not works (see point 5).
I have used this update.txt file:

rrgn,154,2:/BUP_154.bin
reboot

11) Once you get a reply and a procedure to follow from our experts, please give an accurate reply about what you did and obtained results.

Sure

**Butters** · 7th March 2019, 10:16 PM

A device showing 'System Software Missing' defaults to preboot mode (aka Garmin mode). Garmin calls their firmware 'system software' which it is of course. The message is usually indicative of region 14 (0x0E), which holds the main system software, either being empty or corrupt. That can result from an incomplete flash or incorrect data being flashed (a wrong firmware). It's then often easily fixed by flashing original firmware provided a wrong boot.bin/Ldr.bin hasn't also been used previously. The other reason that the message can display is because of physical damage to the flash and that's not correctable by software means. In your case it seems the device may not be recoverable. Your report implies that it was working when you stored it and accordingly it's assumable this is a spontaneous result of the initial boot after recharging. If you didn't update it or flash anything to it before storing it then the only reasonable assumption is that it's hard-bricked thru flash damage. That's supported by the fact that G7ToWin fails to recognize it and Updater reports it's UID as "0" indicating damage extending to other parts of the flash, i.e. other regions as well as 14. This is beyond my expertise to advise you further, sorry, you've already tried everything i would have suggested. Perhaps someone else has another suggestion or more ideas to try.

**bartolfax** · 7th March 2019, 11:41 PM

Many thanks for your reply, Butters.

Incorrect flash or wrong fw is not reasonable, because used up to a moment before putting it in the box (where it remained for 6 months).
And before, updated only with GarminExpress (is a lifetime map version).

Flash chip damaged is plausible, because even the backup of NV region 154 fail:
update.txt:

rrgn,154,2:/BUP_154.bin
reboot

Only a mysterious JEFF.BIN file, appears on SD... Is the soul of my died navigator? :D

A curiosity: in this or similar (Drive serie) navigator, when in pre-boot mode and in normal operation, using Updater.exe, how appears in USB Device field?

[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]