Any faulty file is capable of soft-bricking a device. That might be a GPI, IMG or VPM file most commonly. The thing about IMG files is that they are more complex than most other files and therefore more prone to corruption. The map might load but not function properly or not even be detected. A really bad map likely cannot be loaded on boot-up, depending on what's wrong with it the device will either ignore it or stick on the logo screen when displaying 'Loading Maps' message. In the latter case if the faulty map is on a media card simply removing the card allows the device to function. If it's on the internal memory then cure firmware usually must be loaded to allow Mass Storage Mode to work so the file can be removed.

Yes, certainly Garmin Express offers that option of a smaller regional map to be loaded directly to the device. The function i was referring to is entirely different where you choose 'Map Options' on the device's first screen in GE and then load the mapping data to your PC so you can then use MapInstall (directly or invoked via BaseCamp's 'Install Maps' option) to compile a custom map to send directly to an SD card. The resultant IMG file is then unlocked and you must remove any other files such as GMA and/or UNL files also generated along with the IMG. The SD with the unlocked IMG can then be used in any device without protected firmware such as your 205.

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P.S.: Your reference to "350NA" is I'm guessing about "nuvi 350". Some legacy devices still have the old FAT16 2GiB file limit, nuvi 6xx and 3xx are included in that. This is a different problem to devices having a limited internal flash memory. The 2Gib file limit affects IMG file size because those devices only understand FAT16 so can't read from a card formatted in FAT32 using larger files. That's an imposed limitation of the File Allocation Table itself although it can be changed to the FAT32 limit of 4GiB by updating firmware. Garmin did that for some devices, your nuvi 205 for instance, but they haven't issued a corrective fw for nuvi 3xx and likely never will now. The reason your nuvi 205 can read larger than 2GiB map IMGs is because it's running newer FW:
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Garmin added and announced the ability to see a second map (named gmapsup1.img btw) on SD card in nuvi 2xx V5.10 in Nov 2012 but they also quietly allowed the the use of IMG files up to 4GiB size i think in V5.00 about a year earlier. Some information about both features in this old thread: [Only registered and activated users can see links. ].