bricked Garmin while charging on computer

**Cub C** · 10th February 2023, 01:08 AM

Good Day,

Glad to be a new member of the group.
I have bricked two Garmin Nuvi that were charging in a USB Hub on my windows 98 computer.
One is a Nuvi 255W, it just keeps trying to reboot, I can get to behind the scenes and can create some ear piercing noises.
The other is a Nuvi 40LM - that freezes at the Garmin logo screen - No shortcuts to press buttons to get to the behind the scenes works.
Garmin tech support said the devices are too old and had no thoughts other than I might have fried something.
Tried looking for the original software to no avail.
Did find something on archives.org - 2 hits one had more files than the other.
Anybody think I can salvage either of these even if it means running it off the sd card if I can't get it back into the device?
I was reading about the other posts about un-brick, Cure3, rmprepusb on this nice webpage.
Thanks in advance for any help.

**Boki** · 10th February 2023, 07:49 AM

Unfortunately, most likely, the devices are not bricked. You should 've been more careful.
During charging, current can damage chips/electronics and that has nothing to do with bricking.

You should replace that cable and use classic chargers.

Good luck.

**asprin624** · 10th February 2023, 02:47 PM

Look here for Garmin system updates.

Both Nuvi 225W and Nuvi 40 all versions are there.

I just check and both are there and able to download.

Use webupdater with these files.

[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]

Examples:

Spoiler: Nuvi 40 and 50

and

Spoiler: Nuvi 255W

Check what version you have on the each nuvi you have already.

Always plug the Garmin into a std USB port with a Garmim cable.
Forget using Hubs.
Make sure you have maps on the unit.

Why would you screw up 2 nuvis???

**Cub C** · 11th February 2023, 12:10 AM

Thank you both for your responses.

Was not intentional to mess them both up, and did not know you could not charge them with the usb cables supplied plugged into a hub.
On the one that keeps rebooting (the older one-255W) while play with an sd card I was able briefly to get it to show the home screen with a few icons missing and not acquiring location. Most items when I went behind the scenes still seem to be in there so I was hoping to maybe get that up and running
I do not like the newer ones - Garmin Drive 52 - that holds a charge for 1/2 hour and oyu can not charge it on a computer as many people have complained.
On the one that reboots I was able to get into the behind the scenes and most things had words and were not blanked out. I recall awhile ago putting something on an SD card--that did allow me to see the main screen but some icons were missing and it could not connect to show my position.

Was looking through Perry site that is now uploaded to archives.org, and aside from the GCD I was not sure if I needed the EXE file for my two units or if that EXE would have encompassed all I needed?

**Butters** · 17th February 2023, 11:49 PM

@Cub C
Too much Voltage to the charging port will certainly damage devices however that's unlikely/impossible to happen using a standard direct USB connection to a PC. Additionally, a Garmin device like most well-designed portable devices, has internal circuitry that protects against too high a current when charging. It seems possible the devices have indeed been 'soft-bricked' due to the hub you used - when connected directly to PC using a standard USB data cable, Garmin Automotive devices will default to trying to connect either in MSM/MTP or in "Garmin Mode" (aka preboot mode) as well as safely taking charge for the internal battery if required. Provided the power source is supplying Voltage in the correct range (computer USB Sockets as you'd know, are ~5V DC), then the device will only draw the Current it needs (e.g. A USB3 socket does supply a far higher current than needed but the device won't take anywhere near that amperage). Due to both your devices having problems following use of the hub it's likely that was the common cause. Possibly its use, which as previously stated isn't recommended, has caused some temporary problem preventing a normal boot process i.e. a soft-bricking. If they are 'hard-bricked' due to physical damage to the internal circuitry then it's not possible to recover them using any software methods.

Working on the basis that the problem is indeed a correctable soft-bricking, you should do the following in order with each device:

Confirm that they can both enter preboot mode. Read here: [Only registered and activated users can see links. ]
Confirm that you are about to use the correct firmware by checking the device's HWID. Read here: [Only registered and activated users can see links. ]. Then first try re-loading the original (not cured) firmware in preboot mode after making appropriate RGN files from GCDs using Cure3 application: [Only registered and activated users can see links. ]
If reloading original in preboot doesn't change anything (that method directly flashes the required firmware regions) then use Cure3 to make cure fw and load it to allow removal of corrupt files, or to re-format if absolutely necessary. (Re-format only using [Only registered and activated users can see links. ]). Read carefully here too: [Only registered and activated users can see links. ].

If you need further help, post again saying exactly what you've tried and if anything changed. See here too: [Only registered and activated users can see links. ]

Thread: bricked Garmin while charging on computer

Thread Tools

Display

bricked Garmin while charging on computer

Advertissements

Tags for this Thread

Bookmarks

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions