How to unbrick a nüvi - step by step guide

**MarsArtis** · 27th May 2019, 04:27 PM

Hi everybody,

really thanks for this tutorial. It helped me restoring my ETREX10 after it went in system missing error caused by an update via webupdater.

I just want to make other Etrex 10 users know that for me the devide had to be in forced mass storage mode (not pre-boot).

How to? Move the joystick up and keep it up while connecting the usb cable to your PC, as soon as you ear the sound of attached device on windows be quick and let the updater start.

**Butters** · 28th May 2019, 01:46 AM

Originally Posted by MarsArtis

........ had to be in forced mass storage mode (not pre-boot).

"A Rose by any other name will smell as sweet" It is preboot whether you call it that or not. Some older devices have what's officially referred to as "Garmin mode" which simply is what we call preboot mode in modern device. That mode is available so older softs like Updater.exe can access the device. Some earlier devices are in a permanent state without any Mass Storage Mode available. I've heard it referred to as a 'pseudo-preboot mode' and such devices called 'Region-only devices' as they don't have any visible files, just programmable (flashable) regions. Modern devices also have separate flashable regions, however only the one with the file system (either region 48 or 83) is visible and can be edited easily.

For the device (whether old or modern) to operate in Preboot Mode (or Garmin Mode) the computer to which the device is connected must have Garmin USB Drivers loaded.

PS: "System Software Missing" message indicates that the main system firmware (Garmin calls it software which it is) is either corrupt or missing entirely in region 14. In such a case it's often sufficient to flash the original firmware as an RGN file in preboot using Updater without any need to flash cure fw first unless there is also corruption in the device's files system as well. Additionally, when that message is displayed a modern device usually defaults to preboot mode anyway.

**sledjunk** · 29th May 2019, 01:33 AM

I am having a problem trying to unbrick a Nuvi 1450. I have generated a cure firmware with GarminCure3, and when updating get the following screen

[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]

Followed by:

[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]

Which appears for about 20 seconds or so, and then finally

[Only registered and activated users can see links. ]

When I tried flashing the quickcure .rgn file, the update was successful, however, the GPS did not show up as drive(s) on the computer. Under Eject Media,m there was an entry for Eject USB Storage, but no drive letters and nothing appeared in diskmgmt.msc either.

I called Garmin support and they said that there was nothing they could do

Hopefully someone here can help.
TIA

**Butters** · 29th May 2019, 02:39 AM

@sledjunk
14xx has two HWIDs. Be certain that you're using the correct firmware and it's properly named "XXXX01000xxx.RGN" where XXXX is the 4 numeral HWID (either 0972 or 1104 for 14xx devices) and xxx is the software version (it seems you're using V5.90, the latest is V6.30). Find your HWID using G7ToWin or look at GarminDevice.xml in a backup if you have one: [Only registered and activated users can see links. ]

The difference between the two types of curing is that Quickcure doesn't involve the firmware in any way whereas the traditional method used by Cure3 does. The last message screen by Updater.exe means that region 14 where the main firmware is stored has not been able to be flashed which is concerning when combined with the fact that when flashed using Quickcure the device isn't seen in Disk Management. No drive letter allocated is not so unusual however not even being recognized in Disk Management is a worry. My advice would be to keep trying to flash cure3 derived fw, sometimes the flash will finally be accepted.

At worst this device may have physical damage to its flash memory. At best it's just stubbornly bricked. If persevering with the flashing of Cure3 doesn't pay off then please advice the background, how it became bricked (like after software or map update) and what symptoms it shows.... For instance: Is it stuck on the Garmin splash screen with copyright details or 'Loading Maps' at the bottom, or is it boot-looping.

**sledjunk** · 29th May 2019, 03:47 AM

Thanks for the reply, Butters. I just acquired this nuvi form an eBay purchase, however, I have a number of these in the 1350, 1450, and 1490 configurations. I wanted to update some of the files through Express, but inadvertently upgraded the firmware to 6.30 at the same time. I don't like 6.30 as it loses the map detail at 200m zoom rate. So, I put the 5.90 GCD on a uSD, named as gupdate.gcd. Part way through the processs, the gps stopped responding, then I noticed that the uSD had popped out (not well latched, I guess). Since then, it is stuck at System Software Missing.

I have tried the cure process with both HWID versions of the firmware. The MTK version gives the message that there are no updates for your device, so I believe the 972 version is correct.

I do not have a backup of garmindevice.xml, but will try g7towin.

**sledjunk** · 29th May 2019, 05:21 AM

G7toWin confirms 972 as the HWID. An interesting thing, and maybe illuminating?, is that when I run updater, the GPS shows up under USB, even if I do not power it up in preboot mode. However, I get the same message sequence as above, regardless of whether I am flashing a cure or original firmware. I have also tried versions 5.90, 6.10, and 6.20 with identical results.
Talk about the definition of insanity

**Butters** · 29th May 2019, 08:09 AM

Yes you're correct. The message "No updates for your device" means that Updater has determined that the device's HWID doesn't match that of the firmware so it's 0972 not 1104.

The device would have defaulted to preboot mode as a result of the system software missing in region 14. The device is not being bricked by a faulty or corrupt file (IMG, GPI, or VPM etc) so there should be no need to load Cure fw at all. It's sole purpose is to bypass loading of necessary operating files so that MSM can be restored to remove the bad file or reformat the visible file system.

So, let's try something different seeing it won't accept an RGN file via Updater. Let's see if it's getting far enough into the boot process to read from/write to a microSD. Extract this file directly to a small CLEAN card: [Only registered and activated users can see links. ]. If this device has flash damage it's likely to die at any time. I can't guarantee that it won't die trying this but if it does it was going to die anyway. So all at your risk for that reason. In a healthy device using an SD card correctly to dump and flash regions causes no problems. Ensure the device is fully OFF by holding the power button down if necessary until the screen blanks then insert the card. Power it back on, preferably by connecting to a power source (don't hold the screen). If it works properly you'll see 'Loader' or similar on the screen and when it finishes hopefully it'll reboot normally and in the card you'll find 2 new files in the 0972 folder named last_id.bin and update.log. In the Garmin folder there should be 3 files named 41_BUP.bin, 14_BUP.bin and 127_BUP.bin.

**sledjunk** · 29th May 2019, 05:05 PM

OK, I think it may be finally dead.
I extracted the files to a card and inserted it into the powered off unit and turned it on. It showed "LOADING" and flashed the screen, then after a few moments went to "Software Missing". It stayed there for a number of minutes, so I turned it off. It will not power on again. I have not tried with a clean external power source yet.

I pulled the card and zipped the contents ([Only registered and activated users can see links. ]). The log file seems to be truncated and 127.bup was not created.

Any further steps? Or am I dead in the water?

Thanks for the assist.