nuvi 255W freeze on Loading maps

**isg** · 12th January 2015, 01:36 PM

F[Only registered and activated users can see links. ] I'm giving you brief history about unit:
The unit freezed in 2012 (as per it's owner statement) during navigation and after restart it freeze on Loading map screen.
Unit HWID is 0827, onboard FW 6.40 - checked with G7toWin.
The unit could not be seen by computer after connecting through USB 2. I tried also the old trick - during initial startup (Garmin screen) switched off the unit and it goes to charging mode. Some old units can be seen from PC in this mode.
Hard reset is impossible as pressing lower right corner did not working (unit loading normally, in my case to Loading maps).
Preboot mode is possible through [Only registered and activated users can see links. ]. It is also possible to enter preboot mode by pressing spot over G of Garmin screen.
If I continue to press preboot spot for more than 30 seconds it goes to calibration mode, but it freezes on calibration screen.
On unit should be CNEU 2011.20 (as much as owner can recall).

What I did up to the moment:
Tried to load original FW 6.10, 7.40, 7.60 and 4.60. The updater.exe sees unit, process starts, them Software Missing appears, the firmware loading goes too fast and then info window appears: The Garmin device is not able to program ...If you continue to receive this message contact ....
Unit behaviour did not change.
Created Cure FW with [Only registered and activated users can see links. ]. Same procedure as above - no change in units behaviour.
With FW 6.40 (thanks again Neil) original and cure the procedure goes more smoothly, unit + updater.exe thinks more, but in the end of the day the result is the same.
As per Loly's advice tried to erase region 48 though SD card command. The unit did not see the SD.
I think that is all as info I can give.
[Only registered and activated users can see links. ] as I do not know how to modify boot.bin as *.rgn.
Neil - please explain what to do.

Guys, all we are aware that our units will not live forever, so soon or later we will lost them.
The unit is not mine, I know the owner barely, never seen him. I declared to the owner the unit is 99,99999999% dead.
But continue trying to heal the unit, is a matter of principle, gives me more good experience and valuable knowledge.
So if some of you have some idea, even crazy one - it is more than welcome.

**Neil** · 13th January 2015, 08:21 AM

Quick reply, sorry for missing your post above. Look at [Only registered and activated users can see links. ] and familiarise yourself with the procedure. If you're comfortable using a hex editor, post again and i'll make the modded boot.rgn for you to try. I'll fully read your post and respond further later when i have time as advised in PM.

**Neil** · 13th January 2015, 11:18 AM

Right, wrote the above too quickly. Should have been: 'If you're uncomfortable using a hex editor ...'. Anyway I'm going to assume you can do the hex edit from '0C 80 A0 E1' to '0C 80 A0 E3' in the V6.4 ldr.bin [boot.bin] i supplied earlier in the fw thread. Then follow the other steps in kunix's post using this as the text command to test if it will work:

rrgn,41,1:/41_backup.bin
reboot

But if it won't dump 41 then the flash is probably damaged and no point going any further. I'm sure Loly tried everything else for you via PM.

So the steps in detail: Open Notepad and copy/paste the above into a file named update.txt in Garmin/Updater/0827 on an SD card. Don't put ldr.bin in the folder with update.exe for this exercise like you usually would. With the unit fully OFF, insert the SD card.

Do the flash, open the patched v6.40 ldr.bin [boot.bin] in RGN_Tool and save it as an RGN file:

[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]

Name the file 082701000640.rgn and save it somewhere convenient, you desktop is easy. Place [Only registered and activated users can see links. ] in the same directory/folder as the rgn file and then drag it onto Updater.exe to open it. Leave it visible on your desktop with the 'USB Device' radio button selected:

[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]

Attach the 255W in preboot and when the unit's details appear in the window next to 'USB Device' as above, immediately hit 'OK'. Keep your finger on the screen at least until 'Loader' appears on it. If this is successful and you have 41_backup.bin on the SD with size of 5,120KB then we can go further.

**isg** · 13th January 2015, 11:51 AM

OK - what I did:
From FW6.40 I extracted boot.bin and saved it on desktop.
With HEX editor I found bytes 0C 80 A0 E1 and change to bytes 0C 80 A0 E3. I have changed just E1 to E3 as the other part of string not changing.
Is that correct? Sorry for stupid questions, but never work with HEX Editor and have no idea what is right and what is wrong.
Saved new file as **modified.bin.
The point 2. of [Only registered and activated users can see links. ] - I can manage with that, but it concerns SD card, which I can not use. So I skipped it for the time being.
So I went to point 3: make RGN from the boot.bin and here I stacked.
I know just RGN Tool as program for transformation of GCD to RGN files or vice versa. As far as my file is **modified.bin the program did not accept the file.
When you have time - give me some directions.
It is easy to have ready made by you file, but my main idea is to learn and not to ask for help again next time.

**Neil** · 13th January 2015, 12:40 PM

Yes as long as you've found the correct string its ok to just change E1 to E3.

"A picture paints a 1000 words":

[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]

As you can see above i've already made it. But it's good you want to do it yourself, so 'practice Grasshopper'. It's late here, i'm old and tired and had a bad day so i'm having a big Scotch [single malt, don't scoff] and going to bed.
Post again if you need help and i'll attached the kit for you to put on the card and flash with [but tomorrow

].

**isg** · 14th January 2015, 10:59 AM

Last night was dedicated to screen changing, and now I found some time to test the procedure.
The problem with modified boot.bin and rgn_tool was that I'm using ver.078 and you are using 084.
So, as per instructions copied rrgn41.... to update.txt. No ldr.bin on SD. Puted SD card in the unit.
From modified 0827064boot.bin created rgn file. Using updater.exe entered preboot mode, load 08271000640.rgn, and updater said success.
The unit's screen stayed at Loader Loading (Garmin).
Turned off the unit and checked did I have file 41_backup.bin. The file was not generated so I have to assume that chip is dead.
@ Neil
Just as a last resort - would you be so kind to prepare for me 08271000640.rgn in case I did not changed correct string or something else I did wrong?

**Neil** · 14th January 2015, 12:22 PM

That's sad. Just to be sure: here's the complete kit with the Garmin file to copy to clean SD, also patched boot-only 08271000640.rgn with Updater.exe too. I think you'll get the same result but worth a try anyway.

Spoiler: Click

**kunix** · 14th January 2015, 12:26 PM

Guys, don't forget to check update.log. It would tell you if boot.bin from RGN has really been executed in "run update.txt" mode.

**Neil** · 14th January 2015, 12:33 PM

Yes, good point kunix. I did intend getting him to do that if he reported that the test was unsuccessfull with my boot-only rgn which i know has been properly patched.

**isg** · 14th January 2015, 01:12 PM

OK - it seem that I have to learn many more about HEX Editor and how PROPERLY to change things

!
With Neil package all process passed normally and unit rebooted.
On SD card Garmin/Updater/0827/ I have update.log containing:

nьvi 2 Series Software Version 6.40, UID: 353*******, HWID: 353********------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Parsing "rrgn,41,1:/41_backup.bin"
Success
Parsing "reboot"
Success

and last_ID.bin in same directory.

I have also 41_backup.bin on root of SD. File size is 4096 KB.
It seems that was needed to continue trying, isn't it?

What is next Neil?

PS Please somebody to give me a clue where to read how to work properly with HEX Editor.