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

ok, tried that. 2 different cables, each in a different USB port on the rear of the PC. Same response of not seeing the Garmin show up as a storage device. I also got the same result when I tried connecting to a netbook running Windoze 10. The drivers loaded, I get the same dong-ding tune, but the Garmin doesn't show up in Windows Explorer as a storage unit. HOWEVER, based on Butters comment I checked the device manager and I have 'Garmin USB GPS' listed under 'Garmin Devices'. This goes away when the ding-dong sounds and the unit drops out. My old Nuvi 680 shows up as 'nuvi'' under 'Portable Devices'. A different Nuvi 260W and a Nuvi 200W both show up as 'Garmin' under 'Portable Devices'. None of these working units show up as 'Garmin USB GPS' like the problematic Nuvi 260W does.

Next?

It's normal that a Garmin device connected to a PC when it's in preboot will not show up as a drive in Windows Explorer. That's because it's not in Mass Storage Mode. It will also not be detected in Disk Management as a Garmin Device and in Device Manager it will only show up under 'GARMIN Devices' as 'Garmin USB GPS'. When it shows there it's certainly in preboot and will be recognized by Updater.exe and can be flashed.

[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]


When preboot period expires or you remove pressure from the top LH corner of the screen, a healthy device will disconnect and then re-connects in Mass Storage Mode provided the USB connection is maintained. Once in MSM, it's visible normally in Windows Explorer, Disk Management and again in Device Manager but this time under Disk Drives.

[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]


However, your device is not healthy. Because it's bricked it can't default to MSM. It's by loading Cure firmware that we enable MSM to allow a re-format with RMPrepUSB.

Summing up: You can get it to enter preboot, load Cure3 firmware to Updater.exe but it drops out of preboot or loses the USB connection before the flash completes.

Please post a picture of the error screen displayed by Updater.exe.

What are you naming the Cure3 [*.RGN] file?

I'm not renaming the file. Every file that has been created has been named 109101000780.rgn. I'm using nuvi2x5W_GCDFile-MTK__780.GCD as the input file. GarminCure3.exe, Updater.exe, and the input file are all in C:\Users\Jim\Desktop\GarminCure3. I see no new files after hitting the Make Firmware button, but after I click the Updater.exe button something creates a new directory in C:\Users\Jim\Desktop\GarminCure3\GarminCure3-TEMP and writes the 109101000780.rgn file to the new directory.

Should I be renaming the .rgn file, or trying to move it to somewhere other than where Cure3/Updater is putting it? Should I be seeing a new file when I hit the Make Firmware button but before I run Updater?

That's correct. No file is created until you click the 'Updater.exe' button in the GUI. It's indeed the correct firmware for nuvi 260W (2nd generation, 2009) HWID 1091 with MediaTek chip. It has the same hardware as 2x5W so uses it's firmware.

Try this. Open the RGN file from the temp folder with RGN_Tool and overwrite the SW Version with '781' and then save it as 109101000781.rgn. See if that will flash successfully.

Originally Posted by hancock

Tried 2 different ways to build and flash a 109101000781.rgn file:
......
In both cases everything behaved the same as it always has (ding dong and drop the connection as soon as the 100% message pops up) except that I did not get the usual pop-up message asking "Do you want to replace the current software version with the same software version?". That's understandable since the rgn file has been changed to 781, but does that mean that there was enough of a connection that Updater was able to read the unit and determine that 7.80 was already loaded? Is that something that Updater does?

Yes and yes.

Updater.exe checks the current fw version on the device. By 'fooling' it with a faked higher version fw it saves having to click thru' that message, the reasoning being that then you may gain a little more time get the flash well-enough established to stop the problem you've been having. Usually when the flash is already established however the device won't exit preboot nor will updater.exe time out. The problem is elsewhere I think.

What is the visual symptom of the bricking? Is it stuck on splash screen with or without text like 'loading maps' at the bottom of the screen, or is it boot-looping (as examples)?

Things seem to be getting worse. Right now it looks like either the unit isn't charging the battery, or the battery isn't holding a charge - unless it's connected to the computer or a charger it won't turn on. When I plug it in I get the Garmin screen and it just stays there. It's no longer showing the copyright screen or loading maps or anything. When I turn it off with the switch it turns itself right back on, and no matter how many times I try I can no longer get it to go to Charging Mode. When I unplug the cable it shuts off instantly. The only time I get anything other than just the Garmin screen is when I run Updater - this is when I get the really brief “Loader Loading” and“Software Loading” messages followed by “Loader” in the upper center of the screen above the Garmin. It will stay there displaying "Loader" until I either unplug the unit or hold the switch in the Off position for almost 10 seconds.