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

Originally Posted by Butters

As i said, bricked devices can be tricky with connection but the fact that it's seen in device manager when in preboot but not in MSM with cure fw loaded is a little troubling. Flash damage is indicated especially if you get the same behavior using a desktop with rear USB2 which is why i'd like you to try that if possible. Keep in mind that 'bricked' devices are sometimes VERY flaky.

I remembered i had my oooolld laptop. X86 based, win7 32Bits , USB 2.0 (Powered by a massive intel centurion M 1.86GHZ ). Joke aside, before following your new directions, I've tried to flash cureFW via the laptop, and the same symptoms appear : Successfull flash, but no detection after it except in pre-boot

Holding the power button for between 10 and 30 seconds should force it off with the battery in it anyway. It should also work without the battery in provided there's enough power from the USB source, because in most Garmin devices the battery isn't an essential part of the power circuitry. Anyway, it doesn't seem that your problem is it's not fully off for your attempts (it can't enter preboot unless it's fully off and you've got preboot).

Thanks for the clarification

Please follow this:
REMOVE the file named "Ldr.bin" from the 1541 folder on your microSD card. There should only be one file named "update.txt" remaining in 1541 folder.
Place the card into the device and ensure it's fully OFF.
Open this extracted RGN file Attachment 123548 in Updater.exe and leave it's GUI open and visible for quick initiation.
Have the PC with USB cable connected, hold Nav screen, plug in USB cable to it then quickly start Updater.exe to flash.

In explanation, the only content in this RGN file is boot.bin (Ldr.bin) which has been modified to bypass the requirement of the firmware initiation's for using the TXT commands in update.txt. This is definitive, if this doesn't work to dump region 41 and the internal folders and files then it's flash damage and irrecoverable using software means. If it works, then we'll keep going. Good luck this time.

Done, the NAV hangs on the logo screen with "loader" on top but nothing happens after. No dump produced on the sdcard... (It's still..empty in the backup folder)

EDIT: IMPORTANT! I've just realized i've made a typo in the HWID folder name on the SD card kit. It's "1451" when it should be "1541" so please change that before proceeding.

Done

Thanks for your help... I think i've to deal with it .Amazing help though !

I'll try (again) in a day or two, out of "boredom" to see if it suprisingly works.

General question Though, I've another (another other) NAV V that i bought for spares a while ago. But it has a power off issue while charging -apart from that it's okay.... Whatever, not my point :D
So, theorically, if i ask a skilled tech to swap the eMMC (memory module) between the two units, would it work? I mean, do you know what actually gives the Serial number etc to the NAV V?

Would a "simple" memory swap could solve the issue, according to your knowledge of garmin devices?

I can ask garmin for a replacement, but I think they're gonna charge stealer price aka BMW price aka 450 euros ... Almost twice tue value of a used one . I'd rather make a working device out of two non usable one...

Originally Posted by Nerox

Done, the NAV hangs on the logo screen with "loader" on top but nothing happens after. No dump produced on the sdcard... (It's still..empty in the backup folder)

Did it eventually stop showing 'Loader' and try to boot itself to the logo screen, or, how long did you leave it with 'Loader' showing before giving up? Also check in the card's 1541 folder to see if there's any new files named last_id.bin and/or update.log because if those files have been created we're maybe not totally done yet.

General question Though, I've another (another other) NAV V that i bought for spares a while ago. But it has a power off issue while charging -apart from that it's okay.... Whatever, not my point :D
So, theorically, if i ask a skilled tech to swap the eMMC (memory module) between the two units, would it work? I mean, do you know what actually gives the Serial number etc to the NAV V?

No it won't work without also reprogramming the replacement chip. It's quite above my 'pay-grade' but that because i'm not a programmer or coder. The ID codes are stored on the chip somehow and it would recognize that the hardware has changed without reprogramming, i guess that'd need to be done by a true expert with special JTAG equipment - certainly the factory can do it as that's often what's done with replacement 'refurb' units which were returned with failed chips. *See below for the other unit's charging issue.

Would a "simple" memory swap could solve the issue, according to your knowledge of garmin devices?

No, even if you flashed all the information in the dedicated regions from the old chip to the new one with conventional means, i.e. simple memory swap, (flashing BINs as an RGN file with Updater.exe in preboot, or BIN files via SD card TXT commands) it wouldn't be enough (see previous answer about JTAG). Regardless, in your case you don't have a previous dump of all individual relevant regions anyway and seemingly read/write of/to the card fails so there's no way to get them now.

I can ask garmin for a replacement, but I think they're gonna charge stealer price aka BMW price aka 450 euros ... Almost twice tue value of a used one . I'd rather make a working device out of two non usable one...

*Personally, i'd be looking at trying to repair the other device. It maybe as simple as one or two cracked solder connections on the USB socket causing it not to charge properly and power off. Re-flowing the solder connections to the board is fairly simple and a common Garmin failure point (see post #157 in this thread). Of course it may be due to a component failure on the board itself, not so easy to find and fix however i'd be re-flowing the usb socket connections or you can even swap sockets between the units if you suspect the socket's internal pins are damaged.