Thread: How to make a service (cure) firmware for your Garmin unit

Thanks for your suggestions. All that steps were yesterday.. No devices under USB branch, no unknown devices, no disks in Disk management. MAC OS Snow Leopard 10.6.7 don't sees Nuvi too. No ideas

If after flashing the cure firmware, as you wote the nuvi can display the PC icon when connected with USB cable, most probably it can turn on if you turn it on. It won't freeze. Most probably you can choose only one language (american english) and no voice and no maps also. If that is true try this:

1. If you start the unit and hold your finger in the lower right corner of the screen it will ask you do you want to delete all user data. Tap Yes. This will clear useless information. Be careful it will delete all your favorites.

2. After performing that go to the speedometer page and hold the speedo for 10sec. You would enter in a diagnostic mode. Then touch Developer Info -> Non-volatile -> Clear Non-volatile memory. The nuvi will reboot.

Try this two and then connect nuvi. Also when you connect nuvi with USB cable don't disconnect it immediately. Wait for example 15 minutes. Maybe your computer have show initialization of the memory.

Originally Posted by catymag

Try another cable, not a Garmin one

I tried other cable - high speed Hama - no results.

Originally Posted by ddabcd277

If after flashing the cure firmware, as you wote the nuvi can display the PC icon when connected with USB cable, most probably it can turn on if you turn it on. It won't freeze. Most probably you can choose only one language (american english) and no voice and no maps also. If that is true try this:

1. If you start the unit and hold your finger in the lower right corner of the screen it will ask you do you want to delete all user data. Tap Yes. This will clear useless information. Be careful it will delete all your favorites.
...

After flashing with your cure firmware Nuvi stops on "Loading maps", if not connected to PC and switched on. Now i leave it for some time - may be something happens. Btw, my work computer don't recognize it in mass storage mode too.

Lower right corner doesn't work - i have tried that workaround already.

@ VMatas

Now I understand. Well I think this is not good. If after flashing with cure it should not freeze on Loading maps if the problem is coming from problematic files in the memory. But if the problem is in the flash memory this "cure" won't help. This simple trick only helps if the problem is coming from problematic files. Strange if it is still freezing on Loading Maps it shouldn't connect to PC and display PC icon.

Sometimes older firmwares help. For example you can try 2.50. I have posted such in gpspassion. Just google "Service firmware for 37xx" and you will find it. But I doubt it will help. The problem seems of other type.

I know there is much more advance ways of repairing memory problems but I know only one person that could do it. But I don't think it's worth contacting with him. Better stop tormenting your unit and contact Garmin Product support.

2.50 service firmware gives GIR version mismatch error - that was first service firmware which i have tried. I fully agree - such behavior looks very bad :D Garmin already contacted, i'm waiting for response. Damn, what a sensitive unit - with 205 i don't have such problems..

P.S. With service firmware it freezes on loading maps only when not connected to PC. If i plug it into USB, it normally shows connection icon, but can't be recognized by PC.

Problem solved without Garmin costly help

Steps:

1. Load cure firmware as usual
2. switch on Nuvi, and tap left top corner, but after 0.5 - 1 secs later, than for pre-boot mode
3. wait for "Loading maps", then wait 5-7 secs and press power button
4. wait for copyright sign (C) and release power button
5. wait for language selector and release top left corner
6. IMMEDIATELY and very fast tap few times Ok button
7. Enjoy Nuvi
8. connect to PC, erase bad files and restart.

Many thanks to RTuERkaM from gps-forum Russia for its support and persistence.

P.S. You must experimentally select time in step 3. If selected time will be to short you don't see (C) - Nuvi will be switched Off.

New thing, related to my finding:
even with cure firmware my unit do not recognized by PC. More, when i found this workaround, unit not connected to PC, behavior was exactly same as after unsuccessful maps upgrade. So, if anyone has Nuvi, which needs to be cured, lets try my method WITHOUT cure firmware. And please report results here

@ esfranky

Downloaded for example Notepad++ (also download Hex Editor Plugin) and open the file 82701000720.rgn. Change Notepad to Hex and after that use "CTRL + F" to activate the search function. Then find and replace everywhere the strings I wrote in post 2. This one "30 00 3A 00 2F" to this one "00 00 3A 00 2F" etc....Then save and that is all.