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

@ComradeLily
That symptom of Updater.exe failing with that message may indicate a partial-failed flash chip at worst. Seeing the device is still booting to the logo screen there's still some hope however. Some more information please: During the failed update were you using GarminExpress or did you copy an IMG file manually? If it was with GE, exactly at what point did you notice a problem? If you copied a map manually give details of the file itself, i.e. its source, file naming and where you placed it.

Thanks for the reply 😊 I was planning on using garminExpress to update maps, but the gps bricked itself as soon as I plugged it into my computer. I didn't even get the program to recognize the gps before it stopped booting.

Bricking when attempting to access Mass Storage Mode is somewhat troubling.

When it tries to boot is there any message appearing on the base of the nuvi's screen below the Garmin logo? Like "Loading Maps" or the Copyright details for instance.

Nope, its just the garmin logo for a while, then it flashes white, then the garmin logo again. That's how it was acting before I used garmincure the first time so I thought I was just going to have to redo the process when it started happening again. Then only time I get anything but the garmin logo on the screen is when I'm running the updater.

A boot-looping device makes it hard to initiate a flash because it'll always drop out of preboot very quickly. Timing is crucial as is speed in initiating the flash. Most boot-looping devices will hold preboot when Updater.exe communicates with it but if it's got a failing flash chip the flash will inevitably fail even after initiation.

Use this method for best chance to catch the moment:

• Load the cure RGN into Updater.exe;
• Enable the radio button for "USB Device", position mouse cursor over "OK" button and leave the GUI open and visible on the PC's desktop;
• Connect a 'Known Good' USB cable directly (no hub) to the PC's USB port (use only USB2 if available rather than USB3 and if using a desktop use rear rather than front port);
• Ensure the device is fully OFF. Hold the power button down to force it off if necessay.
• Hold the top LH corner of the nuvi's screen firmly (left thumb works best for me usually) and plug the USB cable into the device's socket with your right hand and quickly move it to the mouse while watching the window next to 'USB Device';

(This is where it gets interesting and you must move very quickly)

• The instant you see the device information appear in the window next to 'USB Device' Click 'OK' button on the GUI and keep the firm steady pressure on the device screen

If you miss it start allover again. Persistence is key if this is a software bricking. If it catches the flash initially but keeps failing repeatedly with Updater's message 'unable to program memory region' it might be hardware failure and there's no software cure for that.

No luck unfortunately. I get the same error not matter what I try. Strange that it died when it did but I guess there's not anything more I can do about it 😕

Don't know if you can help but:

1) Bricked device MODEL, Firmware version, HWID. Garmin Forerunner 920xt

2) Why and how the device got bricked. Nothing weird, just syncronizing with phone, then entered bootloop

3) Symptoms: what's wrong in your device?Constantly booting. Displays garmin logo for 7 seconds then boots again. Hard reset does not work. Garmin logo stays if I press the up arrow button

4) Does your pc sees your device ?Sees it if I connect it while pressing the up arrow button. However garmin applications do not see it.

5) List all the procedures you already tried to unbrick it and their results and errors messages obtained.Soft and hard reset. Connecting to PC but not recognised

6) Do you have Garmin USB Drivers installed ? Garmin: USB Drivers Updates & DownloadsI think so

7) If you don't know HWID get it by Use program G7ToWin to retrieve your HWIDdon't know

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 guideno

9) Can you reach preboot mode? If no ,have you followed this? Garmin devices preboot modeno

10) Probably no , but do you have NV backup?no

Thank you so much

@hiban
I'd guess that the watch is going into preboot mode when you press the up arrow. Please advice whether you mean it's seen in Windows Explorer (that's Mass Storage Mode) or if it only appears in Windows Device Manager (preboot) when you connect to PC with the up arrow held.

If it's seen in MSM then it may be very easy to recover. However it's only attaining preboot then we may be able to load cure fw to fix it so please then also post a link to the original firmware version currently loaded to it.