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

Today I managed to use an old PC with USB 2.0 ports.

I'll try to describe what I realised: when pressing the START / STOP button while the device is OFF keep pressing while plugging in the USB cable, UPDATER.exe instantly recognizes it as FENIX3 V4.50 (which is weird because if I do not press that button it is always V9.60) and I was able to re flash it successfully I filmed it with my phone.

However after releasing the START / STOP button it just restarts and nothing else happens, no Mass Storage Media or anything... I tried to fiddle around with hex editor with this .rgn to change .RGN to .XGN, or .IMG to .XMG .... the only thing that this resulted was that the Diagnostic startup screen where the watch gets stuck now says ROM (2mb) check ....FAIL and watch light flashes.... also trying to re flash with the quickcure3 file it gives me an error message that says something like this: The garmin device is unable to program the requested memory region.

I was able to re flash it a lot of times trying with different .rgn files, and I could also get back where the diagnostic screen ROM check returned to PASS.... so I guess I was doing something. But this procedure was done only with the START / STOP button press procedure. Without pressing that button I could not re flash. I have no idea what that button does while the watch is OFF and get's connected to the PC. And why does it show like it is V4.50 instead of V9.60... I never read anything like this behaviour. When releasing that button USB connection gets lost and the watch restarts. Do you know of anyone that had any success of repairing a Fenix 3?

Dear gpspower Community,

I request the help for bringing back to life the GPSMAP 276cx unit. Here is the history:

1) Bricked device MODEL, Firmware version, HWID.
GPSMAP 276cx, Firmware 3.70 (at the moment when problem occured), 2479

2) Why and how the device got bricked.
During normal shutdown the power logo which is usually briefly displayed stayed for long time. I noticed after several minutes, so took the battery off the device. When reinstalled battery, device was stuck on Garmin logo (checked for 5-10 min). The only way to switch off the display is to remove the battery. Not possible to switch off during very long power button hold.
The device was never updated by me. Several days before I uploaded new track before my trip on SD card. At the same time I enabled bluetooth and WiFi for the first time trying to connect to Garmin CONNECT. After that I booted the device maybe 3 times. Just before my ride I started device at home to check if I finally uploaded the truck several days ago, once I confirmed it is visible, I switched off the device and power logo stayed, then battery removed as mentioned. Since this moment never booted again.
I want to confirm that I haven't attempted any updates, files removal/adding to main storage just before the problem happened. Files were always updated using USB cable directly to MSM storage in GPX folder on SD card.
I had 3 years warranty and the unit is 3 years and 5 months old. Bad luck. Very rarely used during last 2 years (5 -10 times a year for 3 hours every ride).

3) Symptoms: what's wrong in your device?
It never booted again, no matter what I do (normally). Always stuck in Garmin logo.

4) Does your pc sees your device ?
Normally no, but after preboot mode (very long up arrow hold) will switch off the pre-boot mode and enter MSM mode. All files are accessible. It works every time.

5) List all the procedures you already tried to unbrick it and their results and errors messages obtained.
I first tried to update software using webupdater in MSM mode. It took a blink of the eye when reported that update is complete which was not true. Then I tried full cure with Cure3 using the only accessible firmware 5.80. Cure3 properly detected that 3.70 firmware is installed. Cure3 detected my HWID as 2479. The process always worked successfully, CURE firmware allowed to boot in MSM mode. It was identical to the forced one using up arrow key for long time. I did not notice any corrupted files, however I flashed the garmin main drive (SD card removed from the very beginning) using RMPrepUSB as in manual. With cleared drive I flashed the original firmware (5.80) and device behaved exactly like old one. Stuck at Garmin logo.

6) Do you have Garmin USB Drivers installed ? Garmin: USB Drivers Updates & Downloads
Yes, installed Garmin USB drivers just before dealing with Cure3. Never had any issue with connecting as USB.

7) If you don't know HWID get it by Use program G7ToWin to retrieve your HWID
HWID was taken from GarminDevice.xml which was accessible in MSM mode. It matched firmware I downloaded directly from Garmin website.

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
Yes, by the book, did it twice (Cure->Original, again Cure->Original), always successful, no errors during the whole procedure.

9) Can you reach preboot mode? If no ,have you followed this? Garmin devices preboot mode
Yes, it was required to flash with Cure3. Holding UP key during plugging USB cable, Windows sound, immediately detected by Cure3 then. No issues, works like charm.

10) Probably no , but do you have NV backup?
Sorry, I am not sure what is NV backup. If this is just the software from internal flash drive, then before using Cure3 I backed up everything, as MSM can be accessed by very long holding UP arrow.

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.
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