Thread: Problem Updating DriveSmart50 using GarminExpress

@fchody
The device itself does need to be registered with Garmin to be updated by GE, that's done by supplying only an email address. While you don't need to have a Garmin Account for it to be registered via GE, if you do have one and gave the same email address that you supplied when adding the device to GE then the device is automatically added in your Garmin Account on Garmin's server. So as a prerequisite for updating it, it only needs to be added to GE as a device on the particular computer you're using, that's done using the "+" sign on GE's start-up GUI. So no need to create a Garmin Account if you don't want one, that's entirely optional for most devices. There are exceptions such as fitness devices which are additionally needed to be added to Garmin Connect.

As to your DS50 itself: If clearing non-volatile memory doesn't work to restore to fully updating function then i'd suspect some flash corruption or even possibly physical flash damage. Depending on what you find after clearing [Only registered and activated users can see links. ], it can be worked thru if this problem is only corruption of some kind. It may even be that it needs reformatting, Garmin's OS is quite sensitive to how the format is done. However don't try anything before clearing nonvol then let us know how it performs after that.

Thanks for your answers. I perfomed as Butters suggested. I cleared the nonvol but after the problem still remains. It meens whae i connect the device to the computer, open Garminexpress i seen there are several updates including maps. So to not spend to much time to update everyting i try just to update the software version from 4.10 to 5.90. After update, disconnect the device from the computer ande connect it back after 5 seconds, garminexpress shows the same update available again. The devise has not been updated. What more can i do? As just a test a added by means of the computer a map with a random textfile. After diconnect the device from teh computer an reconnect the device, i see this last added map including the text file has vanniched? exactly what happens to the maps. I still wonder what's wrong with the device.
Kind regards,
Francis.

Originally Posted by fchody

............... i try just to update the software version from 4.10 to 5.90. After update, disconnect the device from the computer ande connect it back after 5 seconds, garminexpress shows the same update available again. The devise has not been updated.

Did you let it reboot so that it can LOAD the new firmware? It seems not if your quote "connect it back after 5 seconds" is literally what you did. When GE 'updates' the firmware it simply writes a new GCD file to the device's .System folder, the components of that GCD are then flashed (loaded) by the device itself to the various regions as part of the next boot cycle. Additionally, during boot an updated GarminDevice.xml file is written by the device into its Garmin folder, overwriting the existing file. If that XML file isn't updated then GE on reading it will sense that the older fw is still loaded and offer the latest GCD file again. Your understanding of this process is key to fixing this device. Your earlier posts seem to indicate that you have allowed the device to reboot however, so if you still can't get the device to update from a GCD file there are other methods, i.e. using an RGN file in preboot mode or flashing individual BINs via media card. It might even be necessary to re-format the device correctly. Do you know the history? Did you or your BinL reformat it at some stage and if so, how? If the device is not updating fw and rewriting the XML on boot cycle then it may indicate physical flash damage or it may only be that there is minor corruption in one of the firmware regions, probably rgn14 where fw_all.bin is flashed. The former is fatal, the later is easily fixed by flashing a healthy BIN file.

Give as much info as you can so we can diagnose this problem. The smallest detail may be be important, even if it seems irrelevant to you.