Which is the limitation to the SD/microSD card size for Garmin devices ?

**HaraldGPS** · 20th January 2012, 02:03 AM

Nuvi250 works fine with 16GB Class10SD, Fat32 (Adata)
Has current firmware.
Oregon200 works fine with 8GB microSD FAT32; Some nobrand 8gb are not seen when connected to PC; even though they are ok with maps seen from Oregon. Other branded 8gb are seen from the PC.
Has anyone tried a 32GB microSD or 16GB microSD on an Oregon?

**Yellow Duck** · 20th January 2012, 08:38 PM

Originally Posted by Yellow Duck

On my 62s I'm using a Kingston 16gb class 10 and it is working fine. However when I go over 2025 tiles I'm missing some Maps, lower than 2025 is no problem.

After further research with my 62s the maximum map segments is 3000 and not 2025 (confirmed by Garmin support). As well, as per Garmin web site the Nuvi Line of GPS has no limit of map segments, the only limit is 4gb for each IMG file.

**sebadigri** · 20th January 2012, 10:13 PM

Im currently using a 2GB SD with no problem on a 255W Nüvi gps.

**Dir** · 22nd January 2012, 02:47 PM

For my Dakota 20 I have two 16 GB SDHC cards (Extrememory). One for the the maps/countries Northern part of Europe; the other the South part. I named the SD-cards (masstorage) North and South. On each SD-card I made a Garmin directory and for each country (map) a single countrydirectory and place the map of that country in that directory so they are unused. When I make a trip/vacation to a country, I link my Dakota with USB to my computer (Macintosh). The SD-card mounts on the desktop. I open it and I place the map of that country from it's own directory in the Garmin directory. All my gmapsupp.img's on these cards are renamed with the extension .img at the end.
On my trips I always have a small USB-cable with me. So I can manage my maps everywhere. Works excellent.

**Neil** · 22nd January 2012, 10:51 PM

Originally Posted by Yellow Duck

....as per Garmin web site the Nuvi Line of GPS has no limit of map segments, the only limit is 4gb for each IMG file.

Yes, and Garmin say no limit on the size of the card (in theory?). The 4 GB minus 1 byte limit for individual files in FAT32 is a consequence of the file length entry limitation in the directory table and nothing to do with individual *.img file limitation in the Nuvi line. FAT32 has now been in mainstream use since the mid 90's, whereas we went from FAT8 to FAT32 in less than 20 years. File Allocation Table as a file system is deeply embedded now, and sure speeds have got much faster but has it reached some limits? I dunno, too big a picture for me. Enough of my layman's musings:
My Nuvi 1300 happily runs a RiDATA 16 GB Class 10 and i've heard of 32 GB being used with no problems. 64 GB micro SD is real now so who's gonna step up and fork out a couple of hundred bucks to try one and report?

**catymag** · 18th March 2012, 03:29 AM

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**Neil** · 18th March 2012, 06:43 AM

A very nice translation above from the Garmin German site, who maybe think 'ze var' is not over yet?

One of the Garmin sites (i can't recall, but i think it was US) once blithley stated in their FAQ's, 'There is no limitation to the size of SD/microSD card used but the device will only recognize 4GB (in some old devices 2GB) of detailed mapping ....', as quoted by Caty in Post #1. I recall seeing that and thinking 'Yeah, what a Crock... i bet they back away from that when cards get really big!'. Hence my '(in theory?)' quip in the post above Caty's. Post #1 was made only 18 months ago so the claim would have been current at least until Sept 2010, and probably somewhat later than that.

I looked up the present FAQ's on the AU site, which links to the UK site anyway (lazy sods), and also looked at the present FAQ's on the US site. Different format, but same info on both UK & US, which is a BIG back-off from 'There is no limitation etc"!. There are some glaring differences to the Germans who's info is also far more complete as to range. At first glance, you could think that maybe it is just the usual Teutonic precision, but if that is so then the US/UK figures would simply be sloppy and almost as careless as 'There is no limitation...':

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Look at the Nuvi claims for instance. 16GB for all Nuvis according to the Yanks & Poms. Nicht so! Nur die 3xxx und 7x5 Serie 16GB verarbeiten kann! according to the German site. Well Heinz, i'm running a 16GB Class 10 in my 1300 and it performs the same with any of 1, 2, 4, 8 or 16GB cards, just a bit slower to load all the maps with bigger cards which is understandable. My friend's 1350 runs 32GB without problems he says. Wotcha say to that? I might spring for a 64GB micro sd when the price comes down a tad, just to see if that bogs my nuvi.

What's the rest of the Garmin world claiming, is there any conflicting info on other sites?. Der Krieg goes on.....

**Giomen** · 19th March 2012, 02:40 AM

That is a pity!!!
I did not have the possibility to buy a card with memory size less 8Gb for a long times. But god hear me, I do not see Garmin comment above and do not have a problem with this huge card

**Neil** · 19th March 2012, 03:54 AM

Originally Posted by Giomen

That is a pity!!!
I did not have the possibility to buy a card with memory size less 8Gb for a long times.

Yeh...my 1, 2 & 4 GB cards are old ones, but i think you can still buy 4 GB here not that i would unless they were a buck apiece!

But god hear me, I do not see Garmin comment above and do not have a problem with this huge card

Do you mean you have successfully tried a 64GB in a Nuvi? If so, Giomen, please don't give me the bad news that it runs fine in your 3xxx and then joyfully tell me that my 1300 will fold like a deckchair in a typhoon, 'coz you'll just get my 'i-like-to-torture-myself' tirade again.

**Giomen** · 20th March 2012, 12:17 AM

8Gb is much cheaper for me than 1, 2 & 4 GB cards!!!
I put this cards in any device from Garmin proclamation above with a little exclusion (but in secret place I have a pair of not SDHC 4 GB card that work fine with device supported only 2Gb card). No problem!

As seemed it is mystics?