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Garmin Express not offering CN Europe 2022.20 FULL map regardless of SD card inside

7674890
over 2 years ago

Hello all,

I hope someone can help. I even have a case with Garmin Support opened but unfortunately there is no solution yet.

I seem to have two problems in parallel, and I will try to keep the explanation short.

1). In my latest attempt to update the map on my Drive 61 is detected that CN Europe NTU 2022.20 is avalable. But if continuing to start the installation it asks me to select specific region only. And on another note, the install map to PC option seems gone too. In one of the attempts I installed the Western Europe region hoping that later it will allow me to change to FULL using the Change Map option. But it does not.

I have tried with both Toshiba 32GB SD card (formatted as FAT32 of course), and with Samsung 16GB card. Still the same.

I always had Europe full map since buying the device in 2017. And I want that back.

In one of my desperate attempts I even installed Basecamp (that I do not use) hoping it can at least confirm the SD card is OK or allow me "sort of manual" installation of maps of my choice (by downloading to PC first). In Basecamp it lists the device as Garmin Drive 61 + SD card. So it looks recognized and usable.

2). What is also strange is that right now it is also offering me to install America maps. Something I have never asked for, and have no need of. So even if my Garmin product is entitled, I never asked (or bought) America maps, and I never had them offered in Express previously.

In desperation and after agreed with Garmin Support I even deleted the gmapprom three files from the .System in internal memory, reinstalled Express from scratch and tried again. No difference, CN Europe is detected, but the full map is not offered for installation.

I read on other forums that Sandisk cards are most compatible but before spending money on new SD card that I do not need, I would like to clarify for sure if it is card issue, and not Express/Garmin issue. Because the America thing confuses the hell out of me... At one point it was offering only America to me, without having Europe installed at all. Like it "detects" me from another region in some Garmin/Express DB.

At times like this I miss the "old times" where you could simply download and copy the map files yourself. I don't need this automated Express "no control" process. Just give me the IMG and I will copy it myself. Slight smile

Express seems to have gone mad on me offering me the America instead of Europe. And when I get it to say Europe, I can never get the full map that I need.

At one point I did factory reset too, I have tried Express 7.4 and also 7.10 (I think those were the versions). I tried removing gmapprom manually and can try it again if it helps.

Anyone that thinks can help? It would be appreciated a lot. Thanks in advance.

  • 0 over 2 years ago in reply to Scillonian

    Thanks a lot for this clarification. Some things still puzzle me though:

    1). Why there were no maps for America offered for more than 4 years and now suddenly it does? Not that it matters to me, I am just trying to link it whether it has something to do with the fact the Express is not installing me the full Europe map now.

    2). Why earlier there was option to install maps to Computer and now there isn't? Again, I never had used it so is of no importance to me, just trying to understand my current problem and find a solution.

    3). Does this mean actually both SD cards are worthless for this device and because of that it is not offering me the full Europe map? How can I really confirm a certain SD card is working good with the device? I already tried my Samsung 16GB and Toshiba 32GB I had, and I actually got a new PNY 16GB today and have a Sandisk Ultra 16GB in the mail (I haven't done any tests with the PNY yet, I just got it today). The curious thing is that when I deleted the gmapprom from the internal memory and saved it on the SD card, upon starting the device it greeted me with the message "you have new maps installed". Also, in another of my tests, I put the card unformatted in the device and on starting it, it offered to format it for use. So these two tests should prove the card(s) are recognized and can be used

    Then how do we explain Express stubbornly not offering to install me the full map???

  • 0 over 2 years ago in reply to 7674890

    When you copied the GMAPPROM.* files to the SD card was one of the named GMAPPROM.IMG?

    What other files on the internal storage have .IMG extension?

    With SD cards in general it is best practice to formal the card in the device it is going to be used with if it has that capability. Your tests would seem to indicate the device knows the cards are present.

    It may be the full map has become too big to fit on the device in one piece and now has to be loaded in sections. Regardless of the size of the internal storage or SD card the FAT32 file system limits the size of files to a maximum size of just under 4GiB.

  • 0 over 2 years ago in reply to Scillonian

    Correct, the big one is the gmapprom.img. There is also very small gmapbmap.img (or something like that) which I read is sort of base map and you should never delete it. Not sure if there was another smaller .IMG but I am sure there wasn't a bigger one (another map).

    The weird thing is that both the Samsung and Toshiba cards seem to be recognized inside the Garmin when plugged into the PC (both in MSTP mode and in mass storage mode). So I can see them and browse them (all this trought the Garmin, I am not talking about plugging the card inside a reader). The cards work in a reader too, of course.

    And you are also right that the latest 2022.20 full Europe map has become too big for the FAT32 4GB limit. This is why Garmin now has it split in two IMG files, North and South. This is not directly related to the region names, as my screenshots show Europe is divided in many more local regions/maps. But they simply had to divide it now in two files.

    However regardless whether I format the card in a reader or in the Garmin and regardless that I can see and copy to the card, the Express is simply never giving me the option to install the full map.

    On the internet there seem to be consensus that Sandisk cards are best compatible, and I didn't have one with decent size so I ordered one and I am still waiting for it. Also on one list I saw PNY mentioned for Garmin so I decided to give it a shot too (didn't cost much).

    My plan now that I have the PNY is:

    1). Delete the gmapprom.* from internal storage again.

    2). Do factory reset (clear all user data) of the device.

    3). Put the PNY unformatted and let the device format it.

    4). Uninstall Express, remove all related data and try to cleanup Windows registry if needed.

    5). Install Express again and see how it acts adding the Drive 61 as new device.

    If no progress is made, repeast the same exercise after I receive the Sandisk Ultra card too. Slight smile

    Apart from this I don't know what else to do really...

  • 0 over 2 years ago in reply to 7674890

    Have a look at this post on the POI Factory forum:

    http://www.poi-factory.com/node/50578

    The topic is about a Garmin Drive 50 LMT but the problem seem similar. The solution the original poster found is on Page 2. (The name of one of the contributors may be familiar too!)

  • 0 over 2 years ago in reply to Scillonian

    I actually stumbled on that thread during my research before even contacting Garmin Spain or this forum. From the solution post the only thing I can notice is deleting gmapprom.img which I also already did. And I think I also tried long (not quick) format of the card too. No luck in my case...

    During this weekend I will "play" some more, probably along the lines of the steps I posted in my previous post. I am interested to see how far that gets me.