Thread: Nuvi 2x5 software versions summary

Originally Posted by jensmand

..........
What are the regionfiles for?
.........

I'm guessing you're actually asking what's the difference between the variously named *.gcd files, such as "nuvi2x5_regionfileonly__xxx.gcd" or "nuvi2x5_GCDFile__xxx.gcd" or indeed even "gupdate.gcd". In fact, if the firmware version [xxx] is the same then all those files are identical, but intended for different update methods.

Originally Posted by catymag

....................
Regarding regions:

Regions can be different in old Nuvis like 2xx or 3xx/6xx. Probably region 41 doesn't exist in these old devices, but I'm not sure.
...........

They actually do exist in 2/3/6xx, and can be erased, but effectively can't be copied because the backups always are empty [zero bytes]. This is unfortunate because in those units rgn41 contains the valuable info existing in latter units which can dump 41. In this case catymag is using the term 2xx in it's official Garmin description for the 2x0 series but that doesn't include 2x5 and your unit can in fact dump 41. Just confirm you have a file size of 4096 KiB in 41.bin.

The term 'region file' in the context of firmware update GCD files means it was to be used in conjunction with WebUpdater and now also Garmin Express probably which access that file directly from the Garmin server. Then WU/GE will transfer it to your nuvi 205's Garmin folder, renaming it gupdate.gcd in the process. Also, you could simply just download the *.gcd file from Garmin provided you have the correct link then drag it to WebUpdater to do the same thing manually. Placing gupdate.gcd into the nuvi's Garmin folder to replace an existing file is an even more manual way of doing it and has the same effect as putting it in sd:/Garmin folder, but importantly the latter method as recommended by Caty is much safer because if the file is corrupt you won't brick the nuvi because you can simply take the card out if the unit freezes on boot or boot loops, and without the card it'll then boot normally. GCD files from Garmin are unlikely to be corrupt, but a GUPDATE.GCD obtained elsewhere might be. Whichever method you use, the firmware is updated from the gupdate.gcd file on the next boot cycle.

Another way to update the fw is to use update.exe to load the appropriately named *.rgn file directly to the correct nv region on the unit. In simple terms, that file is the gcd file less a few bytes.