Thread: 3597 LMT problems connecting to PC

NA & AU [also ZA i guess] versions of 3597 don't come with a microSD inserted in the unit as the EU version does. It seems from the above info that the card fitted in the EU has been 'locked' by having a GarminDevice.xml written to the card prior to packing. The NA & AU versions do not write an xml file when a card is inserted. I have an NA 3597LMTD purchased new direct from the States. I've run it with AU maps etc on an 'after-market' Lexar 4GiB since i've received it but no xml has been written to the card by the unit. Similarly with an AU 3597 to which i've had access.

These units differ to other modern nuvis in that the internal path to the card is not 1:/ it's 2:/ as it was with early 3x0/6x0 nuvis. In 3597, 1:/ is to the unit's RWFS which contains another .System folder with sub-folders Diag, GPS and SQLite folders. It is possible to write to the RWFS using commands, e.g. an NV backup using conventional path of 1:/ will write to it.

When my 3597 is connected to PC with a card inserted, in Win8 they appear normally under 'Safely Remove Hardware and Eject Media' as this:


and must be ejected from there together. Only under 'Computer' may they be ejected as separate devices. I expect that in your case isg, the unit and card will show as separate devices even in 'Safely Remove etc'.

Have you compared the .xml files which where originally on the sd and unit? I'm curious to know how much the two differ ....

Originally Posted by isg

3597 also did not write Garmindevice.xml on SD. I copyed the file from original SD card. I'll try what you suggested and will report. .....

I think that if you remove the .xml from the card that your unit will function normally in MSM with the card onboard. Do you get the same aberrant PC behaviour when you use the OEM card in the unit? Also could you please check if there is any difference in the card xml after the unit's been rebooted? That may show if the unit's rewriting it on the card.

Originally Posted by Neil

NA & AU [also ZA i guess] versions of 3597 don't come with a microSD inserted in the unit as the EU version does. It seems from the above info that the card fitted in the EU has been 'locked' by having a GarminDevice.xml written to the card prior to packing. The NA & AU versions do not write an xml file when a card is inserted. I have an NA 3597LMTD purchased new direct from the States. I've run it with AU maps etc on an 'after-market' Lexar 4GiB since i've received it but no xml has been written to the card by the unit. Similarly with an AU 3597 to which i've had access.

These units differ to other modern nuvis in that the internal path to the card is not 1:/ it's 2:/ as it was with early 3x0/6x0 nuvis. In 3597, 1:/ is to the unit's RWFS which contains another .System folder with sub-folders Diag, GPS and SQLite folders. It is possible to write to the RWFS using commands, e.g. an NV backup using conventional path of 1:/ will write to it.

When my 3597 is connected to PC with a card inserted, in Win8 they appear normally under 'Safely Remove Hardware and Eject Media' as this:


and must be ejected from there together. Only under 'Computer' may they be ejected as separate devices. I expect that in your case isg, the unit and card will show as separate devices even in 'Safely Remove etc'.

For me this also not working. Unit stays on. May be it is just charging from PC, but without knowing that eject was executed, the unit screen is the same.

Have you compared the .xml files which where originally on the sd and unit? I'm curious to know how much the two differ ....


I think that if you remove the .xml from the card that your unit will function normally in MSM with the card onboard. Do you get the same aberrant PC behaviour when you use the OEM card in the unit? Also could you please check if there is any difference in the card xml after the unit's been rebooted? That may show if the unit's rewriting it on the card.

I can send you both xml files by mail if you are interested to compare. The SD xml is much smaller that unit xml.
If I remove xml from the card GE did not detect the card, but use it for map installation.

Originally Posted by isg

For me this also not working. Unit stays on. May be it is just charging from PC, but without knowing that eject was executed, the unit screen is the same.

Not typical behavour for a 3597 with a mircoSD onboard connected in MSM [Mass Storage Mode]. The screen should go blank and not continue to display the PC Tower image in grey. Do you mean that the image is displayed in gold? That's an indication that you are connected in MTP [Media Transfer Protocol] in which case it and the card are displayed in Window Exploter/My Computer as a 'Portable Device' [no drive letter] and cannot be 'disconnected' like when in MSM.

If your unit does not disconnect in MSM either with or without a card inserted i would be contacting garmin support for their opinion. Maybe try on other PCs/OSs first and reload the firmware first.

I can send you both xml files by mail if you are interested to compare. The SD xml is much smaller that unit xml.
If I remove xml from the card GE did not detect the card, but use it for map installation.

Sure, upload them to zippy or somewhere private and send me the link by PM or remove your UID and codes then you can safely attach them by posting in this thread.

You may have misunderstood what I asked about the PC behavour, I wasn't meaning for GE but for the behavour in Windows Explorer generally. Also, did you see any differences in the card's xml before and after it's used in the unit is what i meant, not in differences between the unit & card xml files if you seemed to think. I was interested if the unit is writing to the Card's xml as it writes to the on-board xml.

Originally Posted by Neil

Not typical behavour for a 3597 with a mircoSD onboard connected in MSM [Mass Storage Mode]. The screen should go blank and not continue to display the PC Tower image in grey. Do you mean that the image is displayed in gold? That's an indication that you are connected in MTP [Media Transfer Protocol] in which case it and the card are displayed in Window Exploter/My Computer as a 'Portable Device' [no drive letter] and cannot be 'disconnected' like when in MSM.

If your unit does not disconnect in MSM either with or without a card inserted i would be contacting garmin support for their opinion. Maybe try on other PCs/OSs first and reload the firmware first.



Sure, upload them to zippy or somewhere private and send me the link by PM or remove your UID and codes then you can safely attach them by posting in this thread.

You may have misunderstood what I asked about the PC behavour, I wasn't meaning for GE but for the behavour in Windows Explorer generally. Also, did you see any differences in the card's xml before and after it's used in the unit is what i meant, not in differences between the unit & card xml files if you seemed to think. I was interested if the unit is writing to the Card's xml as it writes to the on-board xml.

I'll send you a PM with links to xml in few minutes.
Unit is in MSM mode for sure. I know the difference between them. And it is grey for sure. I do not like gold and even do not wear it. )

I'll check and on other PC did the unit will disconnect properly.

@dasilvarsa
I'll check with friends which has same units did they have xml on SD and will report.