Problem Updating DriveSmart50 using GarminExpress

**Butters** · 2nd April 2020, 12:52 AM

I've downloaded the XLM file from the link you PMed to me, thanks. After amending it to show the software version as 5.90 and placing the file in a Garmin folder on a USB stick, GE offered me download of the current EU map. There are two possibilities as to why your DS50 isn't updating: (i) The flash memory is damaged - that's fatal but less likely that this: (ii) There is some corruption that is preventing the device from being updated. Let's proceed on the basis that it's the latter and look for a solution:

I suggest that you first make a complete backup of the current contents of the file system and also a copy of it's non-volatile memory. The on-board folders and files you can easily copy and paste to a suitable location but the non-vol backup needs to be done using a specially setup microSD card. For safety i've used the boot.bin from V4.10 firmware to make the ldr.bin. Extract the ZIP file behind the spoiler directly onto a CLEAN EMPTY card formatted in FAT32 only. It will create a folder Garmin with some subfolders. Follow this:

Make sure the DS is fully OFF, not just in standby and has a full charge then insert the card and power it on
It should show 'Loader' or similar on the screen rather than boot normally straight away. Don't turn it off during the flashing or you might brick it
When it's finished flashing it will then boot normally and you can safely turn it off and remove the card
There should be a new file named 154.bin in the card's root, it's a copy of your device's non-vol region (rgn154) so save a copy of it before we proceed further with this

Once you have a copy of the files and folders and 154.bin please post again to report and i'll let you know what to do next which is to re-format the device in a certain way. If the device doesn't read from the card to dump rgn154 that may indicate flash damage so cross your fingers and hope it works. If you have any questions or are unclear on anything please ask before proceeding.

Spoiler:

**fchody** · 2nd April 2020, 11:20 AM

Ok. I proceded just as you told me to do. In the first place a copyed the content of the DS to a safe place onto my computer. I checked if everything was copyed in the wright way. Next i formated a SD-card in FAT-32. I downloaded the zip file from spoiler and extraced it to that SD-card. I became a Garmin folder with some subfolders as you told. Than i turned completely off the DS. I put the card into the DS an started the device. During flashing i got the message "Loader" on the DS screen. Just as you told. After flashing, the device started up in the normal way, after i put it off again. I removed the card and explored it. I saw the file 154.bin has been created. I saved this file on a safe place onto my computer. So everything went very wel this far. Now i wait for further instructions on how to proceed.
Francis

**Butters** · 2nd April 2020, 11:41 PM

So far so good then. Format it with RMPrepUSB using only the settings shown in initial post here: [Only registered and activated users can see links. ].

Download the program from here:

Code:

Please Login or Register to see the links

After formatting, let it re-boot and set it to Mass Storage then connect to PC and load a basemap manually into .System folder because GE won't offer you a replacement. Either use the one from backup (gmapbmap.img) or for absolute safety download a fresh and updated file from here: [Only registered and activated users can see links. ]. Then start GE and see if it'll update normally.
Note: If it won't boot empty after re-formatting, return all your files and folder from the backup, delete the contents of the restored .System folder and try again to update with GE.

**fchody** · 3rd April 2020, 10:15 AM

Hallo good morning. I did like you said. I downloaded the RMPrep_usb. and installed it on my computer. After i connected the DS to my computer and ran the RMPrep with the settings a shown in spoiler:

Spoiler:

Then i downloaded the new fresh bmap V6 and copy and pasted it into the .system map to replace the old one. I disconnected the device from te PC an start it up. Nothing seemes to be changed. The old bmap (V5) was back in place. I reconnected the device to the PC and proceeded to update. After GE updated the device i disconnected it from the PC and started up. Unfortunatly nothing has changed. The old softwareversion was still there ( V 4.10) and no maps where updated. Strange is that the gmapprom.img is present on the system but cannot bee seen on the decice nor selectable in the devices settings. All i add to the device ( folders or files) are removed during ne next startup. What more can i do?

**Butters** · 3rd April 2020, 11:44 AM

This is not good, needless to say. There is some serious corruption in the file system and it may be due to physical flash damage which isn't repairable. Would you like to try a low level format? It might work or it might tip the flash drive past the point of recovery, it's a risk i've taken in the past which has sometimes paid off. If you want to try, download this proggy and follow the GUI prompts:

Code:

Please Login or Register to see the links

Just use the free version, it works the same as the paid license - only slower. Good luck.

**asprin624** · 3rd April 2020, 11:58 AM

@Butters,

Been watching all the help you have been giving.
What I find strange is how is replacing bmap V5 with bmap V6 and then it removes bmap V6 and puts back bmap V5.
Even if the physical flash damage it still does not explain this strange thing that happens.
It seems no mater what is put on the SmartDrive 50 it removes it and puts back the old info.

I have never seen anything like that before.
It sounds like some automatic restore is going on or there is one big virus on his PC.

Things like this should not happen.........

As for the gmapprom.img file there is not unlock file to let the map be read by the SmartDrive 50 if it is going to keep replacing the new gmapprom.img with old info over and over again.

To replace a 4GB file on any Garmin it takes a little bit of time but this seems to do it very fast.
I would remove the gmapprom.img all together and then do a map update with no maps on the Garmin except for the bmap V6 file and see what happens.
IF the old gmapprom.img show up again then there is something going on with his PC.

Plus if you tell Garmin Express to also install to the PC you will get the unlock file too.
You can test with MapSource to see if the maps are unloacked.

Then those files can be copied over manually to the SmartDrive 50.

Along with the:
ASR files
SRX files
sid files
db files
to the correct folders.

**fchody** · 3rd April 2020, 12:28 PM

Ok i give a try. At this stage the device is unusable. So i think it's worth a try. What do i have to do after the low level format of the garmin device?

**Butters** · 3rd April 2020, 12:53 PM

@fchody
If the low level format finishes successfully, reboot it and then try again to copy the V6 basemap over to .System folder. Reboot again and if it's still there connect again to GE to see what happens. If it still won't update fw and maps etc., we know it reads from sd card, we can also try to update fw BINs from sd and use txt command to attempt writing files to rgn83 where the visible file system is stored. We're not finished yet.

@asprin264
I've seen this previously with a few Garmin devices, it's not an everyday occurrence though. This type of problem is quite common with cheap USB sticks, some can be recovered and some can't. I have an entry-level price 8GB Lexar on my desk which won't accept new files or allow deletion of existing one which i need to try but it's only worth ~$3 so no big loss.

**fchody** · 3rd April 2020, 01:12 PM

Indeed. Verry strange. Everytime a add a random map or folder to the device, it is removed during the next startup. So i removed the gmapprom.img like you suggested to do. I sam it was removed from tree. After restart of the device, the gmpapprom.img was back in place. I do not understand. This should not happen. What can be the cause of this. I begin to realise that this is cause of the issue updating is impossible

**Butters** · 3rd April 2020, 01:17 PM

It's often caused by some physical damage. Flash drives and chips fail, not as often or as easily as HDDs for sure but fail they do. Some remain partially operational like your DS's which at least gives some hope of repair. Do the LLF using that tool, if it fails it's all over probably but still got some tricks to try.

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