Advice need - Nuvi 300 with LT subscription but no longer supported

**awsymons** · 14th February 2022, 02:19 PM

History: purchased the Nuvi 300 with RDS around 2009 and once the maps started getting out of date paid Garmin for a European region update with free map updates for the lifetime of the device. The last update I did in 2015 needed the maps culling to fit so added an SD card. Having sold my car with TomTom integrated, I thought I'd refit the Nuvi plus external antenna to the spare and update the maps to 2022.
Issues:
1. Garmin has deleted my account (seems lifetime means you must update at least every 24 months)
2. The Garmin installer simply refuses to update the device due to a shortage of internal memory
3. Basecamp shows the 2022 map I downloaded as locked so cannot copy it to SD card

Reading the Garmin FAQ it seems lifetime means until the internal memory is too small and whilst they do mention using an SD card issue (1) means I cannot get to the LT subscription. I suspect GBPR has been behind my account being deleted.

The option seems to be replace with a newer mode (hopefully with an external antenna port) or stick with 2015 maps. Any recommendations on a suitable replacement?

Edit to change to LT and originally purchase
Ordered Product
============================================
Description = nüMaps Lifetime(TM) Europe: Download
010-D0130-00
Quantity = 1
Unit Price = £ 63.82 excl. VAT
Sale Price = --
Unit Total = £ 63.82 excl. VAT

**asprin624** · 14th February 2022, 03:57 PM

The nüvi 300/350 came out in the Q4 2005
It has been discontinued for some time now.
The chances that your life time maps is till valid with a discontinued Garmin Nuvi is wishfully thinking.
You need to look for a newer model that fits your needs that comes automatic LM maps.
There are many new Garmin's that are out there that should fit your needs.

The only maps that would work on that model are NT.
But you not find them here.

**Butters** · 14th February 2022, 11:56 PM

@awsymons
Garmin has been removing unused "Garmin Accounts" worldwide, that's actually nothing to do with the EU's GBPR legislation AFAIK. Also the device's LM entitlement is not so irrevocably attached to a Garmin account as many ppl assume. In fact, removal of a linked Garmin account entirely makes it easier for an LM device to be updated by someone else.

You may be able to 'fool' GarminExpress into letting you download the PC install version of the latest EU NT mapping data by this method of "cloning" your device:

Connect your device to a PC (ensure GarminExpress is not running)
Look in the main Garmin folder for "GarminDevice.xml" (ensure your computer is set to show common file extension names) and make a copy of it
Get a CLEAN media card of at least 8GB formatted in FAT32 (don't use a large exFAT card) and make a root folder named GARMIN
Copy the saved XML file into the Garmin folder of the card, remove the actual nuvi device safely from the PC and then start GarminExpress
GE should let you add the device (but don't register it)
After it's been added it should allow you to update it, click on "View Details" then "Installation Options" and you can install only to the device or only the computer or both.

Spoiler:

The above image on the left is of an old nuvi 3x0 with LM cloned to an 8GB microSD being updated for another region, and clearly on the right the image shows that device hasn't been updated since 2013, yet it still retains it's LM entitlement if GE determines it has enough space. However if the device was connected directly GE would likely not offer a map update due to its limited memory space being detected. Once you have the PC data on your computer, you can update the device directly with a small map of the UK using MapInstall either directly or via BaseCamp.

If the above procedure's too daunting for you, try to search the web for "gimgunlock-v0.04.exe" and look for a link to one of the other less scrupulous GPS forums .... hint: n a v i t o t a l or g p s u r l should be safe to download from and they also have unlocked versions of smaller regional EU maps available. Note that your nuvi 300 has a map IMG file size limit of under 2 GiB (maximum 2,147,483,647 bytes) i.e. the same size limit imposed by FAT16 file system of one byte less than 2 Gibibytes even though your device should be able to read a smallish card formatted in FAT32.

**awsymons** · 15th February 2022, 12:16 PM

@Butters - thanks I'll give the GE method ago. I was able to get the 2022 maps downloaded and the information about the account not being relevant might work although the device was not initially LTM as this was a subsequent purchase (buy cheap by twice).

My main issue is the external antenna capability as this seems to have been dropped.

In my car (Laguna Tourer) without a roof antenna, there is a very restricted view which results in frequent canyoning in built-up areas. I'm sure the newer devices are better but without line of sight no device will get a reliable lock.

The other advantage is much more flexibility in the location of the unit - if you look through MoT histories online the number of 'removed device from drivers line of sight' is high and one of these days it's possible it will become an automatic fail rather than advisory.

**Butters** · 16th February 2022, 02:35 AM

Whether an LM subscription is bundled with the device or purchased later is totally immaterial because the conditions are identical as to the definition by Garmin for the entitled device's "lifetime". However, what i can say for sure is that many of those life-expiring conditions are not actively enforced (such as the 24 months minimum update bogy and also transfer of ownership of the device itself - they just wont let you transfer the LM between devices, naturally). What is passively enforced by simple necessity is the memory capability requirement. Should internal space limitations become an issue for later devices, their firmware is capable of the option to load detail maps directly to an inserted media card when using GE but older ones like your 300 don't have that and there's no way Garmin will ever take the time writing a few bytes of simple code to modify your device's firmware and then issue an update.

So you either ditch the bulletproof reliable nuvi 300 with it's convenient external antenna socket and replace it with a newer but crappier quality automotive device (and hope for the best for decent satellite signal reception), or bat on using the kludgy workaround i've suggested. I know what i'd do. Likely your next car after you dump that Froggy PoS will have an in-dash GPS anyway .....

. Let us know if you need any more help with the PC map data download, making a UK only map IMG file etc.. Cheers Mate.