Thread: Nuvi 2699 system software missing

Good morning everyone,
I have a problem with a Nuvi 2699 stuck on the initial screen showing “system software missing”.
I put it into preboot mode; when I try to flash the software **orinuvi26x9C4_880.rgn** with **update.exe**, it loads the first boot window and then shuts down.
Do you have any suggestions?

I’d like to try flashing it via microSD. Does anyone know the procedure?

These are modern devices, aman. Use Garmin Express™
[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]

It seems to me that you are playing with a lot of devices without the necessary knowledge

Originally Posted by toninolapo

If I had already had all the knowledge I needed, I wouldn’t have had to ask for help on a foru...

I mean - basic knowledge, general. You engage in delicate operations and you don't know the basics

@toninolapo
An otherwise healthy device which is stuck on "System Software Message" should have defaulted to preboot mode which can be verified by connecting it to a computer without having to hold the screen. To check that, have Windows Control Panel's Device Manager open then plug it in and it should show up as "GARMIN Device" in the left pane, but only for a few seconds probably, during which time it will accept a flash from Updater.exe and complete successfully.

There are limited reasons why the message shows:

• The most innocuous reason is always as described above and is due to a missing, incomplete or corrupt fw region - usually that's region 14 where the main firmware is stored (Garmin quite correctly calls its fw,"System Software"). That's easily corrected by re-flashing the complete appropriate fw properly.
• A more problematic one is following a failed attempt to 'cross-flash' another device's fw - that may not be so easily corrected if the incorrect bootloader (u-boot) has been flashed to rgn5. In such a case it may or may not show in device manager as above because it may not have default to preboot spontaineously and may refuse to accept a complete re-flash of the correct fw.
• A very serious and eventually fatal reason is a physically damaged failing flash chip.

Can you say what the device's history is, just prior to the problem occurring please? (The 26x9 series devices may have either HWID 1772 or 1948 [C4 chip] and use different firmware).

PS: You can't flash fw from a media card normally when a device displays that message. That's because the device doesn't even look for a media card until well into the boot-cycle and yours cannot boot at all. It's possible for a stubbornly bricked device in preboot to have BIN files sometimes flashed from a card using a modified ramloader RGN however.

Which HWID was it originally before attempted conversion?

Also, did you (a) use the full Camper fw and changed HWID?; or (b) Use a 'hybrid' fw with original HWID and nuvi 26x9 boot.bin?

Unless it dies there's always hope but its fully detailed history information is vitally important before trying any further recovery methods.

I used the complete firmware, and I don't remember what the HWID was.


Neil, I solved it. The firmware was nuvi26x9_880 and not nuvi26x9C4_880. Its HWID is 1772. Thanks for your usual support.

1772 cannot be converted to a Camper 660, right?

Originally Posted by toninolapo

......
1772 cannot be converted to a Camper 660, right?

That's correct, it cannot.

The 26x9 "C4" version hardware isn't is compatible with the 660 firmware. Thread marked "SOLVED".

Sorry, i'm an inattentive goose. You were actually quite clear, it was my mistake typing "isn't compatible'' when i meant the opposite. I've now corrected that in Post #8.

So, in fact nuvi 2699 C4 chip version with HWID 1948 can be converted to Camper 660 and it's HWID 1772 that can't.