IMPORTANT! If you want HELP in case of a bricked Garmin device, please follow this

Okay, this is what I did:

- I used my Windows PC to re-format the storage of my etrex 10 (FAT-Filesystem)
- I opened GarminCure3
- I opened the file eTrex10_Webupdater__360.gcd in GarminCure3
- I made shure "cure" radiobutton was ticked and I pressed the "make firmware" button
- Output was "Patchable HWIDs: 1304, Processing HWID 1304"
- I clicked on "Udater.exe"
- I chose my garmin device in the USB-Device Dropdown Menu
- I clicked OK
- Then I waited for a few progress-bars to complete
- After a while a saw a success-message on the Screen of my PC

MSM is not available. When I connect the device, it's not detected anymore. On the device just the Garmin-Text shows on the screen.
I did not confirm the HWID. I was not aware of the fact I needed to do that. Maybe that's the cause of my device now being bricked. Maybe the HWID of the FW I used did not match the HWID of my device. In case I used the wrong firmware, is there anything I can still try to save the device?

Thanks & kind regards

Without preboot mode there's no way to recover your eTrex 10. One cause of most of the symptoms you've described might indeed be the wrong fw flashed to the device. However, as far as i know, apart from the US/EU HWID 1304 there are only JPN & SEA versions with HWIDs of 1472 and 1504 respectively and even in the unlikely event that your eTrex was one of those i believe that the basic hardware is the same as the 1304 device anyway. Therefore flashing either of those with US/EU Cure fw should not brick the device and the device should still boot sufficiently to stick on the Garmin logo splash screen but, importantly, with preboot still available.

A cause of all your symptoms can be a hardware failure, i.e. some physical damage to the flash chip which unfortunately can't be repaired by any software means. Usually when a chip fails enough both MSM and preboot mode are unattainable. Although it seems a little too coincidental that a hardware problem might surface around the same time you're trying to flash the device in fact it's often flashing it that's just "the straw that breaks the camel's back". The original problems of disappearing GPI files and the phone not properly accessing the device then asking you to re-format it might well have been due to the chip becoming unstable and therefore was never caused by bad or unreadable files. Subsequent flashing attempts (which stress the chip of course) may have exacerbated the problem to the point where the chip has failed further and so the device isn't capable of even getting far enough into the boot process to allow preboot. The reason i'm concerned about the chip is that a common software-bricking where bad files were loaded but the device shows the logo is always accompanied by preboot access.

Unless you can find preboot it's not recoverable and you may as well strip the screen, case etc to sell on eBay. So before you strip it for parts you should be absolutely certain it cannot access preboot.

Hello, with the help of this forum I unbricked my Garmin Nuvi 50LM, thank you!
However not all files were restored to the internal memory through Garmin Express or the WebUpdater.
I'm still missing some folders.
Can anyone share a quick zip of all the files and folders that would be on the Nuvi 50LM internal memory (besides the actual map itself)?
Thank you!

@Sinfamy
Extract this ZIP file directly to the internal memory: [Only registered and activated users can see links. Click Here To Register...]. You can download additional voices and vehicles from GarminExpress, there's only a few in there to get you started..

You'll also need a basemap which GE won't supply, Version 6.0 is available in the attached compressed files, download all three into the same directory on your computer. Double click gmapbmap.part1.rar to start extraction. Install the basemap in the device's hidden .System folder, do not rename it from gmapbmap.img. To make the .System folder visible in Mass Storage Mode read [Only registered and activated users can see links. Click Here To Register...].

1) Bricked device MODEL, Firmware version, HWID.
Garmin Nüvi 52 LM
Software Version 4.00
HWID: 1613

2) Why and how the device got bricked.
I have been updated and have other Maps on SD Card. Everything works fine. I missed the German Voices and copy and paste the folder Voice from my Nüvi 55LM into Nüvi52 LM. In additional I deleted some language files from the folder Help (it includs german and english ). After that I am in bootloop

3) Symptoms: what's wrong in your device?
It is stopping and starting again without booting. It appears Garmin and then Garmin with Device Model after that it shut down and boot again

4) Does your pc sees your device ?
Unfortunetaly No

5) List all the procedures you already tried to unbrick it and their results and errors messages obtained.
I try to go into preboot mode. without success.
I turned on and pressed and hold above left - No success
I turned on and pressed and hold above left and additional pluged USB Cable to the PC
I turned on and pressed and hold above left 45 sec and it appeared "Touch screen calibration" only for few seconds

6) Do you have Garmin USB Drivers installed ? Garmin: USB Drivers Updates & Downloads
Yes, installed. Garmin Express is installed and I did an update of the Unit

7) If you don't know HWID get it by Use program G7ToWin to retrieve your HWID
I am in the preboot

8) Write down if you already read or tried GarminCure3 tool - the new way to create cure firmwares for Garmin devices
How to unbrick a nüvi - step by step guide


9) Can you reach preboot mode? If no ,have you followed this? Garmin devices preboot mode
I mean I had it done in Point 5

10) Probably no , but do you have NV backup?
Yes I have an Backup

11) Once you get a reply and a procedure to follow from our experts, please give an accurate reply about what you did and obtained results.
Yes, I will do it. Thank you for your support

Edit: added Software Version and ID

@emmysammy
You've not answered Point 8, loading Cure3 firmware is what you need to do. Your nuvi 52 is most likely only in a bootloop because it cannot load the voice files copied from the nuvi 55. Go to the [Only registered and activated users can see links. Click Here To Register...] to make the cure fw and also read thoroughly the following thread to understand the procedure: [Only registered and activated users can see links. Click Here To Register...]. Loading cure fw will re-enable Mass Storage Mode and then you can remove the problem voice files, then load original fw and GarminExpress will offer you the required voice files. Provided that's the problem, there should be no need to re-format the internal memory, only removal of the incompatible VPM files.

@ Butters

Thank you for your support. Until next week I read it and I try the Step 8.
I will give you feedback. But I understand my mistake.

Edit:

Thank you very much. I am highly appreciated for your support. It works aigain.

I have some problem too with my garmin nuvi 50LM bootloop, and right now i can't access internal storage from my nuvi. right now in preboot mode, 2.30, how to connect computer and detect for internal storage? thanks

@bram1980,

There is enough info here that you need to read: :book:

Start with reading the first post and answer all the question.

[Only registered and activated users can see links. Click Here To Register...]

And read what "Butters" posted

[Only registered and activated users can see links. Click Here To Register...]

Then try and fix your Nuvi 50LM........

thank you , finally my gps can detect from my computer, but the original firmware said 2.10, after reset just 10 seconds the gps shut down,??