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

Although 'System Software Missing' is a type of 'bricking', it's quite different from a device which cannot start because of a corrupt file unable to load during the boot-cycle. As i explained in Post #320 (if we discount a hardware problem) the message usually means the data is region 14 is lacking.

So to summarize the problem: You were able to flash cure fw and can then access MSM but are unable to read or format the internal memory. My conclusion: Region 14 is able to be written with new data - usually the 'System Software Missing' message would then not appear and the device would operate normally once original firmware was flashed, or it'd simply stall on the Garmin logo screen with no message at all if cure fw was flashed. Perhaps this device has had its memory corrupted, maybe even by a virus. Because you don't know its history we just need to make some assumptions ongoing.

My suggestion is to try a low-level format with cure firmware loaded. I doubt you can damage the device more but hereon it's all at your own risk. Download the tool from the link behind the spoiler below and see if it can re-format the internal memory to FAT32. If it ends up showing in Disk Management as 'RAW' after a LLF then use [Only registered and activated users can see links. ] to properly format it to FAT32.

Spoiler:

http://hddguru.com/software/HDD-LLF-Low-Level-Format-Tool/

If LLF Tool cannot wipe the drive and at least revert it to RAW then the only other possibility is that physical damage has been suffered which cannot be fixed using software solutions.

@alphastigma
It's important to understand some basics: Cure firmware intentionally cannot boot the device, it's sole intended purpose when loaded to an otherwise-healthy device is to stall the boot process before loading essential files thereby re-enabling Mass Storage Mode. That's to allow any potentially corrupt files to be removed or as a last resort for a re-format to be done. However, a heathy device shouldn't show 'software missing' message when stalled on the logo screen with cure fw loaded. That's because the only way a device with bad firmware shows that message is if it's gone far enough into the boot process to find that the main system software (as Garmin correctly calls the firmware in region 14, i.e. the data flashed from fw_all.bin) is either incomplete, unsuitable/foreign, corrupted or missing completely. Perhaps if you used a faulty cure fw file, it might show that message which is an indication of a region 14 problem. BTW, there is only one dezlcam afaik, HWID 2141 and it indeed has latest fw version of 3.80. You've used the correct firmware if your device matches the fw's HWID: [Only registered and activated users can see links. ].

As you've mused, i too suspect there's a hardware fault in this case. The only other reason a device shows 'system software missing' is if there is physical flash damage involving region 14 and that of course is not repairable using software methods such as cure fw. The Updater.exe pop-up message in your pic also supports the flash fault theory as it's indicating it cannot properly write data to some region.

To be certain you should download the GCD again and carefully remake the cure firmware then reflash it. When 'system software missing' is showing the device should be automatically defaulted to preboot mode thus making flashing with updater more leisurely than before when you only had a few moments to initiate the flash after manually starting preboot. Because it's in preboot (showing in Device Manager) it cannot also show in Windows File Explorer which requires Mass Storage Mode or Media Transfer Protocol enable. Preboot/Garmin Mode and MSM/MTP are mutually exclusive as you probably realize.

Thank you for such a detailed anwer. I wonder why the device shows "software missing" of "system software missing" but it's probably not that important. The device indeed stays in preboot mode during this text but when i click OK in updater.exe i get:

Spoiler: Click for Image

[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]

after clicking OK the unit turns off. I can turn it on again but i see no change.

Anyway, thanks again. It really looks like the hardware fault. I think i'll just look for motherboard or something if I want to revive it

Updater.exe shows that message about same version only because the same Version number is written into the cure fw as that currently loaded on the device. Updater queries the device in much the same way G7ToWin queries it to verify HWID and SWV. If you advance the Version in the cure fw to 3.81 or higher that message wouldn't show up. In other words that particular message isn't concerning at all, unlike the other error about data packets not being received which is concerning. It seems irrecoverable by usual software methods for sure. You could try to flash it using a modified boot.bin as an RGN. That's detailed in this post [Only registered and activated users can see links. ] but read the first part of the thread as well to help understand flashing from media card. Post again in here if you want specific help with the card method.