Thread: Guide Unlocking Garmin MapSource maps for use on Mac - alternative approaches

Hi everyone.

First of all: Thanks a million for all the invaluable tricks and hints on Garmin stuff!
I found it's time to give back and share a little knowledge...

I'm working on a Mac and since nobody seems to have created a patched version of Garmin RoadTrip (the Mac equivalent of Mapsource) or BaseCamp for Mac there's no chance to use JetMouse's KeyGen any longer. And what's worse: Even if I resort to using Windows (which is running in a Parallels VM on my Mac) the newest firmware of my Oregon still keeps the maps locked although they are unlocked on the PC .

What to do?

[Note: Since Macs have a different file system, the Garmin programs for Mac consequently only use the NEW map format. You just put the .gmap "file" (on the Mac it just LOOKS LIKE a file, actually it's a folder, too...) into a certain folder and it will be recognized as being installed. No big deal with the new style maps, but if you want to use an old style one it gets ridiculous: Install the map on a Windows machine (how embarrassing ...) using the .exe or .msi installer. Then unlock it. Then use Garmin's MapConverter.exe to transform the map into a .gmap version (that can take ages !). Copy that map over on the Mac. Uninstall it from Windows. That process can be really time consuming at times...

Summary: On a Mac all maps have to be in .gmap format, and that's what I have on mine, too...]

Approach 1: Use a patched Mapsource or BaseCamp for Win, use JetMouse's KeyGen to make the maps usable on the PC, create a map image for the GPS unit, unlock that image for the GPS unit using gmaptool and copy it over.
Downside: Can be time consuming to postprocess the newly created .img each and every time again. You have to remember an additional step before copying the .img to the GPS. And it renders the Mac programs totally useless... Approach 2: In Windows convert ALL maps back to classic format (takes quite a while), run Unlocker (I'd love to give a link to the thread, but I'm not yet allowed to...) to remove the lock, use Garmin MapConverter.exe again(!) on every map to re-transform them into new style .gmap format (takes again quite a while) and uninstall them from Windows (and the while thing again...).
Downside: Kind of laborious. But you can continue to use the Mac software and newly created .img files are usable on the GPS as they are.

Approach 3: (my favourite, because it's the smoothest one) Leave the maps in the .gmap format, put the two .exe and the .bat file contained in "unlock gmap.rar" (again I'm not yet allowed to refer a thread) into the .gmap folder, run "un.bat", and when it is finished the map is unlocked. No converting and reconverting required , all maps directly usable, and the Oregon, too, is not complaining any more !
Downside: It works fine with most of the maps, but sometimes you have to manually adjust "un.bat" to make this work. In my case it was necessary for "Japan RoadNavi 25.000 v2.10" and "CN Korea v7 English".
So, guys, keep unlocking !
Nucleon