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

Originally Posted by derlangehans

.......... So I guess I have to open up the device.

Yes although it's a pain to open it up to get to the battery's PCB connection if you haven't done it before that's the most practical way to power it off now. The only alternative to battery disconnection would be to wait for it to go flat each time before attempting either enter preboot or trying to flash from the card.

To get into Pre Boot I had to hold down the top left corner.

That's much easier than finding the right spot around the middle of the screen when no logo shows of cause. A bonus seeing it won't power off normally.

If I edit the GarminDevice.xml manually it is after a restart again as in the "original state", so it is definitely overwritten.

I'd say 'probably' rather than 'definitely' unless you can be bothered to prove that by making a further test by try writing something else to it that's harmless, e.g. an empty *.txt file. If that TXT test file doesn't remain after the device is disconnected and reconnected to PC then for sure the XML isn't being overwritten permanently. Maybe nor is it really updated on the next boot either. Some devices as messed up as your DS can act like a damaged media card or USB drive which appear to be properly written to while still connected, but don't actually save the changes at all. Like i said before, it may even be the act of trying to update the XML causing the bootloop.

Anyway, i'd try again with the card flash after you get the device powered off then move to preboot if that's unsuccessful.