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

Hi, i was not able to crate a cure FW however, garmin proposed me a new refurbised fenix 7 plus for a small service fee. so I send the Fenix te Garmin.

HELP REQUEST

1) Bricked device MODEL, Firmware version, HWID. Nuvi 1490LMT, firmware 6.3, HWID 972

2) Why and how the device got bricked.Using Garmin Express to update maps

3) Symptoms: what's wrong in your device?Looping Garmin Logo upon startup

4) Does your pc sees your device ? No

5) List all the procedures you already tried to unbrick it and their results and errors messages obtained. Using GarminCure3 software and procedures from here. I get to the Updater software where I get error "The Garmin device is unable to program the requested memory region"

6) Do you have Garmin USB Drivers installed ? Garmin: USB Drivers Updates & Downloads Yes - USB Drivers will appear in device manager - can successfully put into preboot mode

7) If you don't know HWID get it by Use program G7ToWin to retrieve your HWID - used G7toWin to get HW ID - it is 972

8) Write down if you already read and tried everything in these two threads: GarminCure3 tool - the new way to create cure firmwares for Garmin devices and How to unbrick a nüvi - step by step guide - Yes did this

9) Can you reach preboot mode? If no ,have you followed this? Garmin devices preboot mode - Yes can get into preboot

10) Probably no , but do you have NV backup? - No

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.

@askelly
Likely the corrupt file causing it to bootloop is a map IMG file or an associated ancillary file such as a JunctionView JCV file seeing you were updating maps at the time.

Try loading [Only registered and activated users can see links. ]. It's been tested as working to re-enable Mass Storage Mode in nuvi 1xxx devices. You can then locate and delete the likely offending files. After removing suspect files, load original fw and then reboot it before using GE to again update maps etc..

Best to rename QuickCure3.rgn to 097201000630.rgn before using it in your 1490.

In the unlikely event QC3 doesn't work, here's HWID 0972 V6.30 cure firmware RGN in a ZIP file: [Only registered and activated users can see links. ]

QuickCure3 works very differently from the function of 'normal' cure firmware. In fact QC doesn't involve the firmware at all which is why it's a comparatively small file. However the error message from Updater about not being able to program the request memory region is a little concerning, i have no idea what that means when you were simply using QC. It loads only to region 12 (0x0E) which is a virtual region, there is no other region involved like when using cure fw loaded to region 14 (0x0C). Speaking of which, did you also try using the Cure3 tailored 0972 firmware i posted? Are you meaning that the message resulted from using Cure3 fw?

The update file referred to by WU might be be the firmware file named gupdate.gcd which it cannot replace because the current copy on the device is badly corrupted. If that's the case even Windows may not be able to delete it/overwrite it when/if MSM can be re-enabled. However we can reformat as a last resort, but not even close to that possibility yet of course.

Ignore Garmin's "service" desk drone. It's not his job to help you fix that old device, it's ours .... After you reply about using Cure3 we'll see - because even if that didn't work i have other possible recovery suggestions before you junk it.

Originally Posted by askelly

........
1) loaded quickcure3 (disguised as 097201000630.rgn) and was able to 'see' the garmin in device manager identified as a Garmin device and 'working properly'. But could not find it within File Explorer to be able to actually look at the file structure. It did not show up anywhere and after 15s or so, device manager would disconnect it anyway...

Not good. QC3 hasn't done anything at all if it appears in Device Manager but not subsequently in Explorer or at least in Disk Management. The nuvi is still in preboot mode when it's showing in Device Manager, if cure fw was genuinely flashed it would show in Explorer/Disk Management. Did you check if it's shown in Disk Management but without a drive letter allocated?. Without a drive letter Explorer doesn't show it until you manually allocate one to it in Disk Management. But i doubt it's only a case of an unallocated drive letter, it seems the intended flashing is not working at all.

2) I also tried the file you attached (the cure3 tailored 0972 firmware). Started off promising - thought I had it but... after it appears to update successfully, then it says "Erasing.... (this may take a few minutes)" and I get the unable to program the requested memory region error...

That message is not good also. You didn't say whether the error also appeared when you used QuickCure but i'm assuming it didn't and only appears when using full Cure fw, right?

The device actually says on its screen 'software loading', then it flashes white, and I see the Updated error about unable to program memory region.

Again, not good and not the expected device behavior after 'loading software' goes off the device screen.

.... At that point the device is still recognized in device manager. It doesn't disconnect until after I get the error message about Erasing.

It certainly should show in Device Manager when it's in preboot mode and disappear after the flash is finished (whether that's successful or with error). At the same time its details will disappear from Updater's GUI too. However if the flash was successful, it should then have Mass Storage Mode enabled and show in Explorer/Disk Management as said above.

So is the Erasing message because of a failed write of the firmware and it backing out? It indicated that the write was successful, it's like it is the erasing (of what?) that fails..

Those messages in the order you state are conflicting and not typical or expected. It's erasing the main firmware region 14, or trying to do so but failing. We'll try to erase/re-write another way with SD text commands but that may not be possible either if there's indeed flash damage which involves sensitive regions.

Edit: I removed the SD card before I did any of this - does that make any difference?

Best not to have a card inserted while using Updater.exe unless it's for running text commands from an SD card which we'll try later.

Edit: In GarminCure3 - after I make the 'firmware' file (set on CURE), there is a temp folder made which houses the new rgn file made. My understanding is that the new rgn file must be located in the directory with the Updater software (so it can find the file). I copied the new rgn file to the folder that houses the Updater software but the Updater software gives me an error saying it can't run when i press the Updater button But it still creates the rgn file. So... I run Updater (as administrator) from the folder.

You can run Updater.exe by dragging and dropping the RGN onto it. That way there's no problem of Updater having to 'find' the RGN file. Using Cure3.exe as Admin may cause some issues however once you locate the created RGN in the temp folder it's best to simply drag it onto Updater.exe which eliminates any likely buggy behavior possible when using Updater within Cure3's GUI.

I know that the cure RGN in the kit i posted works properly as i successfully tested it. Also the copy of Updater.exe i included is the latest official version. If you're getting the same errors with both my RGN in the kit and the cure RGN you made we can safely rule any file error out of contention.

Before we try more fixes please answer the 2 queries in bold.

Hi,

My better half was taking the device to the 'strong metal container' saying I'd spent too much time on it... It's dead, Jim.... I have spent too much time on it.

To your questions:

Q1 - I had disk management running in the background. The device never showed. Even when device manager showed it, disk management did not.

Q2 - The error message about not being able to program the requested memory region only appeared when using the full cure fw. When updater runs, it tells me "your current version is the same as the update version. Do you want to replace the current software with the same software version?" And I click Yes. It gives a message about initializing, then 100% complete, then "erasing" (doesn't say what) then fail.

I tried another computer (still Win10), different USB ports, different cables.

TLDR: If you're curious as to what's likely happening read it all. Otherwise if you just want to try something else go down to the red asterisk.

Originally Posted by askelly

My better half was taking the device to the 'strong metal container' saying I'd spent too much time on it... It's dead, Jim.... I have spent too much time on it.

She's probably right. But i'm stubborn and we've got some last gasps before Jim hears the fatal words so bear with me. You best tell the missus you'll give her a back rub, take her shoe shopping or woteva floats her boat when this is finally all over.

Q1 - I had disk management running in the background. The device never showed. Even when device manager showed it, disk management did not.

QuickCure3 did nothing. The device always exits preboot on it's own (therefore drops from Device Manager) if a flash doesn't initiate properly within a set period (model dependent) and i think 1xxx series is about 20-30 seconds from memory. If a healthy device exits preboot due to timeout it'd then show the white calibration screen with the black dots. Clearly Updater.exe is initiating the flash but the device either isn't capable of processing the data stream or is ignoring it.

Q2 - The error message about not being able to program the requested memory region only appeared when using the full cure fw. When updater runs, it tells me "your current version is the same as the update version. Do you want to replace the current software with the same software version?" And I click Yes. It gives a message about initializing, then 100% complete, then "erasing" (doesn't say what) then fail.

So that means the device and Updater.exe have exchanged some data. I mean it's been queried by Updater about both its HWID and the current fw version and it has responded appropriately.... therefore there's still some feint hope. I guess almost certainly that the region unable to be processed is region 14, because it contains the "main system software" as Garmin calls it's primary firmware, i.e. the fw_all.bin component of a normal RGN or GCD file. There's no involvement at all of the firmware when using QuickCure. Therefore a problem with region 14 explains why Updater doesn't throw either of those messages when the QC flashing is attempted, but the error shows when using normal Cure which does involve the firmware.

I tried another computer (still Win10), different USB ports, different cables.

Thanks for that test result. It's always worthwhile to confirm that it acts the same using different ports, cables or PC although in this case it wasn't really suspected as a problem.

*So some last rescue breaths for him before he's pronounced dead. This really is the last chance, Should this not work then you can strip it for parts, if you can be bothered, and sh!tcan the rest. Screen, battery, bezel and USB port do have some value.

Behind the spoiler you'll find a kit which contains an RGN file made from a modified boot.bin capable of running text commands from an SD card along with a "how to":

Spoiler: Click

[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]

• Extract the above ZIP file to find Updater.exe, 097201000630.rgn and a folder named "Contents for Card" which contains Garmin folder, 14.bin and 127.bin.
• Find a CLEAN microSD formatted in FAT32 only. Reformat it if necessary.
• From the "Contents for Card" Folder, copy the Garmin folder and the 2 BIN files onto the card and insert it into the nuvi with it fully off.
• Drag 097201000630.rgn onto Updater.exe to open it's GUI.
• Connect the nuvi to PC with the nuvi in preboot and flash normally.

If Updater reports an error it's dead mate. Toss it and take the missus to the shops. If it flashes but the file 'Update.log' created in 0972 folder reports an error please post it's contents. Report either way and Happy New Year regardless.

Happy New Year!

So I did the process as described. Things went much better. Updater gave no errors - said the update was successful. Got to the point at which the green line was showing at the bottom of the screen... but the green line does not complete. It got as far as the letter N in the logo and stops. And that's it. Hangs there.

The device still shows in device manager as 'working properly' - never shows in disk management.

I have not attempted RMPrep because the device does not show in disk management - a requirement for RMPrep to work, yes?