Thread: nuvi 2589 acting strangely after GarminExpress Update

Hello, I am new to the forum and would appreciate some help on my Nuvi2589lmt, Software version 8.50, HWID 1947

At first, device has been difficult to turn on. At the end, it can’t be turned on when disconnected by long-pressing the power button. I found it sometime can be intermittently turned on when connecting to PC or car/wall charger after disconnecting for a period of time. Feels like it can more likely be turned on when the battery level is lower.

I used Garmin Express to update the device. However, when instructed to disconnect the device for 5 sec and reconnect to PC, the device doesn’t seem to start updating with the loaded software. The screen just shows connecting to computer logo. The Garmin Express will say the update is successful, but still showing the new software 8.80 to be updated for the device. It feels like the new firmware was loaded to the device but failed to install. The device’s current About info also shows Software Version 8.50. I have also tried the Garmin Webupdater and got similar result – it shows update is completed, but when reconnect back to PC, still showing new software 8.80 to be updated.

After connecting the device to a wall charger and restarting the device, it would have the license screen, alter screen and load map. To make things worse, the map also was corrupted during the Garmin Express update, and the device shows “Cannot unlock maps” and “Maps are corrupt and cannot be used.” Then I got a prompt: “Updates – There are additional updates that require the device to restart. This may take several minutes. Restart now?” After clicking Yes, it will show a quick screen of installing update files with full green status bar, then shuts off. I normally can’t press the power button to power it on again from that point. A few occasions I can power it on right after, it will get into a screen showing Garmin Logo and a short stretch of green status bar, with message “Installing update files. This may take several minutes”. It then stuck there for 4-5 hrs, and the status bar won’t change at all. At the end it just shuts off, and no change is made.

Currently, I can still connect the device to PC occasionally. My PC and Garmin Express can see my device, including the .System folder as I have changed it to Mass Storage Mode. I haven’t tried the Preboot mode yet as the device doesn’t seem to boot on its own when pressing the power button. I have read the post on GarminCure3 and How to unbrick step by step.
I have called Garmin support, and they think it might be a mixed issue of power module and software. The key point seems to be the device won’t start to run the loaded software on its own, and there is not much they can do. I would like to try the unbrick steps but would appreciate some suggestions first.

1. If I can’t get to the Preboot mode, but my device is still accessible from the PC, can I skip step 1 (connect USB) and 2 (format), and go straight to step 3 to flash with the original firmware that I found from the forum - nuvi25x9_880.gcd.
2. Is there any point to use GarminCure3 to flash while the device seems having problem to initiate the loaded firmware file? Is there any corrupted file I can remove using PC connection to allow the software to run? How can I tell which files are corrupted and can be deleted?
3. Would formatting the device (step 2) something worth trying for my situation?
4. Does it really sound like also having a power module issue? Does that mean the motherboard has to be replaced? Would disconnecting or replacing battery help?
5. I found the HWID from the GarminDevice.xml, what’s the use of it? Is it to verify the firmware file to be flashed at GarminCure3 during step 1?
6. I also found for nuvi 2589lmt there is another software called nuvi 25x9 C4 software version 8.80, what is C4 means? Or should I just use the one called nuvi 25x9 software version 8.80.
7. The firmware file talked here are software version file, right? My device "About" info has "GPS Firmware: 5.08.11" is it relevant at all?

Thanks a lot!

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