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has anyone ever found documentation on "Garmin USB Mode" ?

Writing this in the windows express forum because there really isn't any other place to ask it on garmin.com

I am wondering if there has ever been an attempt to write a driver to make the Garmin USB Mode that is available on virtually all Garmin watches and some GPS units, work as MTP

This has been done for some smartphones, bypassing the windows storage mode as a utility, etc.

Their published driver uses "grmngen.sys"  "grmnusb.sys" and installs as VID 091E PID 0003

It has a copyright of "walter oney software" which is a well known old windows driver author but it may not be him who wrote it, they just used his code in part.

I assume it is a direct serial interface to the watch.

If no-one shows up who has done it I am wondering to ask it on the xda forum where many phone developers exist and probably know how to investigate.

The idea is to keep the watch in regular operation and also allow it to have power but also move files back and forth from the watch.

A true MTP driver instead of the old "mass storage" for windows would allow this to happen but Garmin apparently is not interested in making such a driver themselves.

  • I don't know about using Garmin USB mode to communicate with a computer, phone etc. The function of these modes I've described below

    Garmin USB Mode allows the device to operated whilst being charged. So you can continue to record an activity whilst also charging the device. If you plug the device into a computer; in Garmin USB Mode the device can still be operated

    In MTP mode when plugging the device into a charger the device goes into a charging mode & cannot be used. That is how it is on the Fenix/Forerunner Series. This may work differently on other devices. When a device is plugged into a computer or tablet/phone with an OTA cable; in MTP mode the device will go into Mass Storage Mode and syncing & transfer of files between the computer & device 

  • As this isn't an Express issue I'm closing this thread. Please contact Product Support for help.