Thread: How to get bricked 3597 into preboot to cure it?

Modern Garmin devices are tricky to preboot but even more so when bricked. Being organised in advance is essential. Have the cure fw loaded to Updater.exe with the radio button next to 'USB Device' selected. Have Updater's GUI visible on your desktop with your mouse cursor positioned over 'OK' on the GUI.

Use your left thumb rather than your fingertip as described in [Only registered and activated users can see links. ]. A bricked device will have to be forced off by holding the power button for 8-10 seconds. You must be well-prepared as it will then likely power itself back on after a few seconds so in that short time you must quickly plug the microUSB into it, having previously plugged the other end of the cable directly onto one of the PC's REAR ports (not thru a hub). The very instant you see the Garmin logo appear (not before or after!) press your thumb-pad firmly in place watching the GUI. When the device details appear in the window next to 'USB Device' IMMEDIATELY click OK (or alternatively hit the enter key on your KB) and keep the firm steady pressure on the screen until the flash finishes or at least until 'Software Loading' shows instead of 'System' dancing on the screen. Below is a pic of my 3597 in preboot, it took me only 2 attempts this time so I could take a photo but when I first tried to do it a couple of years back it must have taken a dozen attempts. Timing is everything. Good luck.

[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]

Thanks very much Butters. I've tried many times and I think it may have a dent in the screen from pushing it but still no luck.

I think I'll have a break now before I throw the frigging thing through the window!!

Maybe there's a screen calibration problem with it. Try moving the holding position very slightly. Up, down, right, left progressively because even a fraction of an inch matters. Or it may be that the screen is not responding to touch at all. I can say categorically that starting with that series and ongoing attaining preboot became a far more difficult task and perseverance does often payoff eventually. Final tip: Open the window first.

Hi Butters

Thanks very much for the advice and your patience. I eventually found the G spot just above the G and got it to boot. I found two files for the 3597 and ran them through the Garmin Cure 3. A 540 and a 550 file. I ran them through the Garmin Cure 3 and then the updater once I got it to boot the GPS. Now only the logo appears on the GPS and then it switches off. I tried both files with no luck. Any suggestions please?

Have you still got the cure firmware loaded, or have you reformatted and loaded the original fw?

Certainly remove the file GUPDATE.GCD, whether you remove more files or re-format depends on the circumstances however I don't think you're understanding the basic process. Cure firmware cannot boot. It's designed that way so the device doesn't load any files like maps, POIs etc which might be stopping it from operating. It's put into a "stalled boot" state quite intentionally that it can be seen by a PC allowing the corrupt file/s to be removed or the internal file system formatted (formatting is only done should you not know which files to remove).

So essentially you need to understand some basics:

• It's 'bricked' because it can't load a file
• The corrupt files/s must be removed
• If it can't be seen by PC to remove the corrupt files/s directly then cure fw must be used so that it is seen by PC
• If cure is used but you load back a backup which contains the corrupt file/s then nothing will change, when original fw is loaded it will still be bricked
• If you have no idea what caused the 'bricking' or there are seriously corrupt files which have weird file names that can't be deleted then a re-format is necessary
• Once the files have been removed or a format done then original fw can be loaded.

It would be very helpful to know what you were doing just before it bricked. Had you just before updated firmware or maps, loaded new POIs or a voice or vehicle files for instance?

Hi Butters.

It seems my reply last night went missing. Regarding what I did previously, I had updated my lifetime maps on my 3597 which had previously been patched. I bought it second hand. I had a second map installed on a micro sd card. After updating I couldn't see the map on the sd card. That's when I tried to patch the GPS to accept the map. I flashed a GCD file from the Garmin Cure3. After that it doesn't boot now. Only goes to the blue Garmin logo then switches off after a few seconds. I can see the files on the GPS and SD card in Windows Explorer. Any suggestions please?

I removed the file GUPDATE.GCD as suggested but no difference.

Originally Posted by alanuae

It seems my reply last night went missing.

Probably you tried to post at the same time the previous posts were being moved here from the other thread.

Regarding what I did previously, I had updated my lifetime maps on my 3597 which had previously been patched.

How was it 'patched' any why? 3597's firmware doesn't have MSV presently so there's no need to patch with the [Only registered and activated users can see links. ]. It can simply use maps unlocked with latest gimgunlock.

I bought it second hand. I had a second map installed on a micro sd card. After updating I couldn't see the map on the sd card. That's when I tried to patch the GPS to accept the map. I flashed a GCD file from the Garmin Cure3. After that it doesn't boot now. Only goes to the blue Garmin logo then switches off after a few seconds. I can see the files on the GPS and SD card in Windows Explorer. Any suggestions please?

I removed the file GUPDATE.GCD as suggested but no difference.

Don't put the GCD file back, it's not needed anyway. Maybe the map on the card is faulty. Remove the microSD card if it's still in the device, then flash the device with ORIGINAL (not patched and not cured) V5.50 firmware as an RGN in preboot and see if it boots. If it boots properly, turn it off and put the card back in to test.

Report back and don't worry as we have plenty more to try in steps if that doesn't work. Don't forget to tell us in full detail what you did first before this happened.