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

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.

Ok, let's see if it can read from/write to an SD card. If this works you'll get a backup of it's region 41, the nonvol region. It's possibly corrupt anyway which may be at least partly the problem. EXTRACT this zip file directly to a clean SD card, insert it in the nuvi then plug it into a power source:

Spoiler:

[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]

Nothing. No change in screen behavior, and nothing written to the SD card. What should have happened?

In a healthy device (or even a 'bricked' one that can far enough into the boot process) you'd see 'Loader' or similar message on the screen like what you see when it's flashing firmware in preboot or from a gupdate.gcd file.

There's one other thing to try seeing it can access preboot and that's by using a modified boot.bin as an RGN to force it to read the SD. I've got other priorities presently so i'll make it for you later today or you can do it yourself if you don't wish to wait, Post 33 here: [Only registered and activated users can see links. ]

Did you remove the Ldr.bin file from the Garmin\Updater\1091 folder before you tried to flash the TXT command with boot.rgn? BTW, you should have used the fail-safe conventional naming as anything else forces the flash, you've not read/understood kunix's post fully i think. Regardless, the progressive worsening of symptoms as you've described is quite indicative of a failing flash chip. It may now have finally died.

1. No, I didn't remove LDR.bin.
   
   That bit of information might be in same the post as the stuff I didn't see about renaming files?
2. I have read so many posts, both here and in other forums, over the past month or so while trying to get this unit running.... I have gotten to the point that I recall reading about things, but not where I found them.
   
   That got really frustrating since I didn't know where to go to re-read something that might have helped once I learned something else that could have made the earlier material somewhat understandable.
   groan.....
3. I've spend so much time on this that it's almost become a quest - is there any way to replace the flash chip?
4. I appreciate all the help you've provided. I've learned a few things, found some new tools, and maybe the next time one of the family's Garmin units acts up I'll do better.

Originally Posted by hancock

...... is there any way to replace the flash chip?

Replacing the chip requires specialist kit and skills. Reballing is required soldering in the new chip and then it needs reprogramming as well. not something that you can simply be talked thru, you need both the skills and equipment 'hands on'.

Leave it for an extended period without the battery sometimes seemingly dead devices do come back to life if unpowered for long enough but be prepared to accept it's now only good for scrap.