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Garmin Express won't start on Windows 10

It took me a few days and several attempts to solve it, and since there is no solution around, or at least that I have found, I thought it would be nice to post it here in the hope that it might be of help to someone.

Symptoms: Garmin Express won't start and only appears as a service in Task Manager but with no possibility of opening the application, no use uninstalling and reinstalling, using old versions, or even trying to fix Windows .NET Framework. In the Express.log file located in the C:\ProgramData\Garmin\Logs\Express folder it reports "Could not load file or assembly 'CefSharp.Core.dll' or one of its dependencies. is not a valid Win32 application."

Solution: Install the latest Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable X86 version (Garmin Express seems to be a 32-bit application)

Here the link where I found the solution if anyone wants to investigate further: stackoverflow.com/.../cefsharp-could-not-load-file-or-assembly-cefsharp-core-dll-or-one-of-its-dep

0 JohnfromPA over 1 year ago

Great that you shared this information!

0 DriveSmoothly 27 days ago

I'm on Windows 10 Home 64-bit. For almost a year now, I've been unable to launch Garmin Express after what seems to be a successful install, therefore, unable to update firmware and maps.

This post solved the problem (why it's locked, no idea, that's why I've created another post regarding the issue):
https://forums.garmin.com/apps-software/mac-windows-software/f/garmin-express-windows/329514/garmin-express-won-t-start-on-windows-10

After I saw this post, I hit Control Panel > Programs and Features and noticed that my Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable (x86) was updated only to 2019.

So I went here:
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/cpp/windows/latest-supported-vc-redist?view=msvc-170

And downloaded:
https://aka.ms/vs/17/release/vc_redist.x86.exe

After updating the 32-bit (x86) C++ and re-installing Garmin Express, it now opens and I was able to update firmware and maps.

Still had some issues with my PC recognizing my device, but with the USB cable to my Garmin inserted to PC and restarting, my device was recognized by my PC and Garmin Express.

Key point: Even if you're on a 64-bit PC makes sure you update the 32-bit C++ because Garmin Express relies on it.

Garmin Express requiring updated 32-bit C++ should be should be explicitly mentioned here:
https://support.garmin.com/en-US/?faq=9G1aJHKuFmAr5AcXDyFS87

Thanks @6480153