Garmin Drivesmart 61 stuck in boot loop

**TomasL** · 30th July 2023, 05:21 PM

Suddenly my Drivesmart 61 is stuck in a boot loop when connected to USB power.
It boots, shows the logo, the reboots again. (when not connected to USB Power, it just shuts down)
When I remove the battery it will not loop, but gets stuck on the Logo screen with a broken battery symbol.

No changes in behaviour when the SD-card is removed.
Is it possible to fix it, or should I ge a new one?

**Butters** · 31st July 2023, 02:01 AM

@TomasL
Probably it's only soft-bricked due to a faulty file in its internal memory so you'll need to load cure firmware. That will re-enable Mass Storage Mode on a soft-bricked device so you can then remove the likely problem file which could be a map, poi, voice etc. file.

Read this thread first: [Only registered and activated users can see links. ]. If you still need help using [Only registered and activated users can see links. ], read this: [Only registered and activated users can see links. ].

Post again after carefully reading the linked threads if you don't understand what to do or need specific help on the procedure.

**TomasL** · 31st July 2023, 03:49 PM

I have managed to connect with G7ToWin, and retreived the HW-Id, See pic:

Spoiler: large image

Now is the matter of finding firmware.
THere is a number of, what I think is FW-folders in "C:\Programdata\Garmin\CoreService\...."
But I am unsure what to use.
Furthermore, I guess that I need to have the lower right corner pressed untill the firmware is transfered, or?
I guess that I start GarminCura (have to doewnload it first though, with the selected firmwar, then use updater to transfer the image.
Or, has I got all completely wrong?

Spoiler: many unnecessary, large pictures

**Garman_Nuvi** · 1st August 2023, 04:59 AM

Originally Posted by TomasL

Now is the matter of finding firmware.

You have it on your PC in
C:\ProgramData\Garmin\CoreService\Downloads\PrimaryFirmware\PrimaryFirmware_PrimaryFirmware.006-B2588-00.6.70\software
or here to download for other members.

Code:

Please Login or Register to see the links

**asprin624** · 1st August 2023, 06:38 AM

Here is a screen shot of the firmware you need.

Spoiler: See screen shot on firmware

You need to have Garmin Express installed and have been using it and updating your Garmin Drivesmart 61.
or
You will need what Garman_Nuvi has posted in the post above.

But you should be using Garmin Express for all your updates....

Spoiler: For windows Garmin Express:

Spoiler: For mac Garmin Expresss:

**TomasL** · 1st August 2023, 10:16 AM

Ok, Yes I have GarminExpress installed, thats whaI normaly use to update the device.

So I load "DriveSmart61_670.gcd", located in "C:\ProgramData\Garmin\CoreService\Downloads\PrimaryFirmware\PrimaryFirmware_PrimaryFirmware.006-B2588-00.6.70\software" into garmincure and select "Cure" then "make FirmWare",
after that i ty go get the device in Preboot mode and use updater.

Now do I need to have the display pressed all the time, since it seems to be a little flaky and reboots from time to me even if I press that right corner, or, does updater lock it into preboot mde, when its connected?

**Butters** · 1st August 2023, 11:49 AM

I don't think anyone addressed the earlier concerns which you've basically repeated above and it's likely you don't fully understand the entire process.

Originally Posted by TomasL

........
Furthermore, I guess that I need to have the lower right corner pressed untill the firmware is transfered, or?

Yes, although you can safely release the screen when you see "Software Loading" on it, it's best to just hold it until Update.exe gives the "Success" message.

I guess that I start GarminCura (have to doewnload it first though, with the selected firmwar, then use updater to transfer the image.
Or, has I got all completely wrong?
..........

....... does updater lock it into preboot mde, when its connected?

Once Updater.exe starts a flash, an otherwise healthy soft-bricked device will indeed stay in preboot on receiving an initial data package. The biggest problem is the very short time that modern Garmin devices stay in preboot prior to a flash commencing so you must be very fast to press "OK" button on Updater's GUI immediately you see the device details appear in the window next to "USB Device". Boot-looping devices add an extra layer of difficulty because you must also get the timing right before it re-starts or you'll need to start all over again by re-initiating preboot. However you did it with G7ToWin so you can work with Updater.exe too.
Read the initial posts in the threads i linked before, again, and several times if required, until you understand the cure process and why it's necessary. I'm assuming by 'transfer the image' you mean 'flash the RGN firmware file'. The following may help you somewhat:
In brief, Cure fw RGN is only loaded to re-enable Mass Storage Mode by stalling the boot process. The fw must be loaded in preboot mode which is reached by holding the screen as you already did to utilize G7ToWin and confirm its HWID. Once you have MSM again you can make a full backup of the current onboard folders and files (including the important folder [Only registered and activated users can see links. ]) and then either delete everything and copy over a recent 'known-good' backup if you have one, or progressively remove likely corrupt files, or as an absolute last resort reformat FAT32 with [Only registered and activated users can see links. ]. It's then necessary to load original fw, also as an RGN in preboot because the device needs to be able to get well into the boot process to use an onboard GCD fw file (which it can't do with cure fw loaded). That info may make it easier for you to get your head around what to do and why when you re-read the threads.

If you have to post again, say exactly and in detail what you've done and what were the results and any message content from Updater.exe etc..

**TomasL** · 6th August 2023, 05:52 PM

Now I have managed to load CureFW and can connect it to my computer.
Looking in the folder structure, I cannot find any "System"-folder, even when explorer is told to display system-files/folders etc.
So How much should I delete?
There is a "Garmin" folder with "garmindevice.xml" and a sub-folder caled "Diag"
There is a "GPX" folder with "current.gpx" and a subfolder called "Archive"
THere is a "Help" folder with a number of sub-folders for various languages.
THere is a "Keyboard"-folder with a number of files
There is a "Map" folder, obviously containing the maps.
There is a "POI" folder with a number of files
THere is a "Text" folder with a number of files
There is a "Themes" folder with a subfolder called "Map" where there is a number of files, the files is named after a number of EU-countries
THere is a "Vehicle" folder with a number of files
And finally there is a "Voice" folder with a number of files.

THe SD-card contains two folders
"Garmin" with a file called "gmapupdate.gsd"
and a folder called "Map" containing two files, one ".gma" and one ".unl"

But there is no folders containing system software.

Now I am trying to flash the original fw, but Updater cannot connect, despite having the USB drivers installed, it is not recognized by updater, I can however browse the unit in windows explorer.

**TomasL** · 7th August 2023, 05:26 PM

It seems that the device after flashing with modified firmware is added as an Portable Device, hence the probems to see all folders.

**Butters** · 8th August 2023, 02:05 AM

You used Updater.exe in preboot to load Cure firmware and yet you can no longer see it in Updater? That's unrelated to cure fw, it will not block preboot access or stop connection to Updater. Maybe there's more to this than a simple soft-bricking however perhaps you simply need to be more persistent and/or faster in the process. Modern Garmin devices are notoriously harder than previous models to access and hold preboot mode.

You should not leave the microSD card in the device because it could feasibly be a file on it that's causing the failure to boot. Remove it, reload ORIGINAL firmware and see if it boot normally without the card.

If it's still bricked then reload cure fw, remove all files from the GPX folder and repeat the process of loading original fw. If it still doesn't boot remove all the .IMG files from Map folder and try again.

As an absolute last resort reformat using only RMPrepUSB as i said in Post #7. Be sure you've exposed .System and made a full backup of all files and folders first before reformatting.

Thread: Garmin Drivesmart 61 stuck in boot loop

Thread Tools

Display

Garmin Drivesmart 61 stuck in boot loop

Advertissements

Tags for this Thread

Bookmarks

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions