Thread: Nuvi 50LM Europe not connecting to GE or seen by computer

You already have the latest firmware (SW V4.00) and even if it was an older version loaded you actually don't have a firmware problem. So, re-loading it via sd card won't help either because corrupt fw really doesn't manifest in any of the symptoms you're seeing. Most likely it's the first possibility you mentioned, i.e. a hardware issue. If you want to confirm that, here's a flash kit to re-load V4.00 via card: (NOTE: Bad file removed - See Post #4)
There's unlikely to be any change after, but at least it will eliminate fw as the cause from your thoughts and you can concentrate on maybe fixing a hardware fault. Read Butter's post #9 [Only registered and activated users can see links. ] for troubleshooting and possible repairs for a flaky USB socket.

I will try the flash kit you gave me and report back. I have already looked at the physical connection and it looked ok. As a precaution though I have already done as Butters suggested, and re-flowed all the connections and supporting legs and cleaned everything with IPA solvent. All looks good from that part anyway.

Update. The fw flash did not work. The nuvi turned on, said loading maps, and went on to the operating screen. No mention of updating or loading message on the screen. I know the sd slot works as it reads my personal poi file ok from there.
The ldr bin in the flash kit did not contain any information, is this this correct ?

No, it should be exactly 436,184 Bytes (~426KB). I guess something must have gone wrong with the ZIP compression. I've re-made the file and removed the faulty one from Mega. Try this kit, I've double-checked it: [Only registered and activated users can see links. ]
As you've re-flowed the USB connections etc., it seems very likely you have a failed component on the PCB. Maybe you're into tracing such a fault and micro-soldering, it's certainly not worth paying someone to do any electronic repair on it. There's also the chance a damaged USB port can seem ok visually but that's rare, if you want to be bothered you could try replacing it.

PS: I forgot to mention that the SD flash should make a copy of the device's non-vol region (rgn41) into the card's root as "41.bin". Keep a copy of it. It will also remove a gupdate.gcd fw file from the device's .System folder if it exists there. That way you can do any future fw updates via a GCD in a Garmin folder on card, although it's unlikely Garmin will issue any more for nuvi 40_50 series now.

You can use text commands via card to delete, overwrite or add any files to the device's internal memory. Also you can make a copy of individual files, folders or the entire contents of that internal memory back to a media card. Read this thread: [Only registered and activated users can see links. ]. You can put the XML in a Garmin folder on a FAT32 formatted USB drive to make a 'nuvi clone' and download any file your device is entitled to receive - that works for most older devices with GarminExpress.

As you're aware, some files such as detail maps and POIs work fine from a card. General rule of thumb is that files and folders which work from the device's internal .System folder will also work from a Garmin folder on a card but naming convention may vary. Other files however such as voice VPMs found in an internal root folder likely won't work from the card, but they can be added and removed by text commands as said above. Same applies to Text, Keyboard and Vehicle. Interestingly, in most devices GPI files don't even need to be in a POI folder on the card, they can be individually scattered around in the root and still found by the device. JCV files must be in a subfolder named JCV in the SD's Garmin folder for sure. Map IMG files can also be in a MAP folder and can be <any_name>.img, same as on the device's internal memory.

@rustybin
The kit by Garman_Nuvi using cmd "copy,0:/Garmin/garmindevice.xml,1:/Garmin/Updater/1350/garmindevice.xml" will dump a copy of the XML in the 1350 folder. A briefer cmd such as "copy,0:/Garmin/garmindevice.xml,1:/garmindevice.xml" will dump it into the card's root. Keeping the path short minimises any chance of typographical error in compilation as well as a read/write error of execution.

"copydir,0:/,1:/BackUp/" is indeed the correct txt cmd to dump the entire visible file system into a Backup root folder on the card.

Provided you have the correct folder layout on your card (Garmin\Updater\1350) with the appropriate update.txt file and Ldr.bin file in the 1350 folder, your cmd of "copydir,0:/,1:/Backup/" should have worked.

If you reused the card without cleaning it first, i.e. you simply changed the text in updater.txt, you must remove an existing BIN file named "last_id.bin" or the device will ignore the command/s. The is no problem in leaving "update.log" in place however and some devices (but not nuvi 50) even require the file to be present for the flash to work.