Using USB stick (a.k.a. stunt-double) to download map updates

**crab987** · 1st July 2015, 03:34 PM

I thought I know how this would work, but for some reason I have nothing but troubles.

Since I travel to Europe a lot I finally decided to buy device there, instead of updating my NA based GPS with maps downloaded from this forum. I got 2589LMT, left it with my family there and took copy of GarminDevice.xml file with me, thinking I'll use USB stick trick to download map updates and install them on my 3590LMT (lifetime map updates for North America).

I formated USB stick with FAT32, created Garmin directory in root, and placed 2589LMT's GarminDevice.xml file into Garmin directory. Fired up Map Updater v3.3.4. It recognized "device", said it's going to update software and map, downloaded software (3 ZIP files into Garmin directory, created .System directory, and gupdate.gcd and gmaptz.img into .System directory), and then asked me to to reboot "device" to update software. Since you can't reboot USB stick, all I can do is pull stick out and reinsert it. So, I did that, and made it to the next step, where it tries to update maps. Surprisingly, it offered to install 2015.40 version, not 2016.10.
ilz3GI4

OK, fine. I'll try that. But, shortly after I get the following error message
xsjzONx

Searching here further, I find other people have this problem and solution is to try latest Garmin Express instead. So I do that. GE also wants to perform software update in addition to installing 2016.10 maps. In Step 1 it downloads software to stick and then in Step 2 it expect "device" to be restarted. Again, all I can do is pull stick out and reinsert it, but GE just sits there, and waits, not recognizing any change.
mqC8q48

Does anyone know what can I do to prevent GE or Map Updater to try and do software update before they attempt map update? Looking at GarminDevice.xml, gupdate.gcd is already marked with version 5.40, which is, I believe, latest. So what other update GE needs before it can download updated maps?

**catymag** · 1st July 2015, 04:27 PM

Hi,
As I know GE&MU now don't allow to download maps in USB stick or sd if garmindevice.xml hasn't been updated directly in nuvi, if you correct sw version by yourself with notepad, or it contains old sw version it will always try to update the firmware.
Which HWID is your nuvi?
You get it in garmindevice.xml
For example:006-B1758-00

Code:

Please Login or Register to see the links

Code:

Please Login or Register to see the links

**crab987** · 1st July 2015, 08:18 PM

HWID is 1947. I downloaded GCD from your second link and its content is same as what GE and MU downloaded during software update step as GUPDATE.GCD.
So, you are saying I can't do anything other than connecting actual nuvi first, and let it perform software update and create new XML file?

EDIT: Figured it out. I edited 2 places in XML file that contain old SW version 5.40, and replaced it with latest 7.50. GE is now able to proceed to update map step. Thanks for the hint.

**catymag** · 1st July 2015, 11:12 PM

Originally Posted by crab987

Figured it out. I edited 2 places in XML file that contain old SW version 5.40, and replaced it with latest 7.50. GE is now able to proceed to update map step. Thanks for the hint.

Nice

this is new for me lol, with GE old versions couldn't do it, It didn't accept edited garmindevice.xml
Thanks