Garmin Connect - Forerunner 305 stopped syncing

No solution yet.

Garmin Europe (I'm in the UK) replied today suggesting uploading files from the FIT_TYPE_4 folder, but I don't have that folder.

I've asked again.

On Mac: ~user/Library/ApplicationSupport/Garmin/GarminConnect/UnitID/Upload/FIT_TYPE_4
On Windows 7/8/10: C:\ProgramData\Garmin\GarminConnect\DeviceUnitID\Upload\FIT_TYPE_4

Also, older USB models may store files in a different place with a different extension such as TCX. The Forrerunner 305 does this.
You'll find these located in: C:\ProgramData\Garmin\Core Update Service\Sync\UnitID\Upload\FitnessHistory

If you don't find any of these folders listed above on your computer, it could be your system folders are hidden
On Mac, you may need to navigate to the full path listed manually by using the Go command in Finder (in Finder, press Shift-Command-G).
On Windows, you may need to select the "Show hidden and system folders" option.

None of those folders exist. They are not system or hidden folders.

The nearest folder with similar name I can find is
C:\ProgramData\Garmin\CoreService\Devices\_ID_\Sync\FitnessHistory
but that is empty - again no system or hidden files in there.

There is a file
C:\ProgramData\Garmin\CoreService\Devices\_ID_\Sync\CompletedUploadsV3_FIT_TYPE_4.xml
this xml file lists a load of TCX files from 2007 to 9-June-2018 (the last successful sync).

I've used
attrib *.* -s -h /S /D
to unhide all files

There are no tcx files.

Have you spoken to Garmin on the phone yet?

And I guess at this point, the only thing not done is doing a master reset on the device. Of course, you will lose all personal data, but this fixes most device-related issues.

To other posters - I was finally able to come up with a workaround. I hope garmin posts an older version of express for download until they get this resolved and I hope they stop forcing updates without an option to cancel.

It sure seems like a bug in their latest release of Garmin Express. I wish Garmin would retract this release until fixed or at least stop forcing updates.

I had a year old install file on my PC. Once older version was running, activities synched first try.
The express software made it difficult to do this because it always wants to update to latest (non-working version) no matter what.

Here's what I did:

• Uninstalled express, latest v 6.5
  
• Installed older version of express
  
• Disabled my network connection (to prevent update to express)
  
• Launched express
  
• Went in express settings and changed update to never (FYI even though I clicked never, it still wants to update everytime I launch express. That's why I had to disable network connection until the express was running).
  

6. Enabled network
7,. Connect garmin
8. Register device and sync

Hope this helps.

Solved!

I saw that I had GE v6.5.1.0 installed on 9-June - the same day it stopped syncing. It looks like v6.5.1.0 is the problem.

I updated to v6.6.0.0 - it still would not sync to Connect.

I uninstalled GE and installed GE v5.5.1.0, and it synced to Connect.

Now, I'll try again with 6.6.0.0 with new activities and see if it connects them.

Update...

I saw that Express had auto updated to v6.5.1.0 again. (It's strange that 6.6.0.0 is the latest available but 5.x updated only to 6.5.1.0).

I don't think it's actually possible to disable updates in Express. It still updates eventually. v2.x was the last version with an explicit checkbox to prevent Express updating. You just have to be quick with v5.x - sync before it tries to update. I had many frustrating attempts yesterday.

I cleared my device history and made a new short test activity. Forced Express to check for updates and it did - to v6.6.0.0.

It's now all working with v6.6.0.0. New activities sync to Connect.

Thanks everyone!!

My 305 brick is good enough for me - I didn't want to buy new watch if I could avoid it.

I tried v6.6 install and synch still didn't work while my old v5 Garmin Express version did.
Lee, I just tried your instruction of deleting device history, all.
Reinstalled v6.6 and it now seems to work.

Now I think maybe the problem all along was not v6.5 itself but rather Garmin changed something in formatting and the old files were preventing synch.
Required delete all history before synch would work. Just a hunch anyways.

The good news is I'm back synching with my 305.

Thanks for the info, Lee.

Hello,
I wanted to say thank you for posting all of this information. I had the same issue with my 305 starting late June. Device and Express said "transferred" and "synced" but nothing would show up in connect. I downloaded Garmin Express version 5.5 and installed while disconnected from the internet. Only when going through device registration did I turn internet on. The version stayed 5.5 and now my data is on Connect.

I did talk to Customer Service prior to this and they were not helpful. They said update, and then when it still didn't work, they said "wait until someone might fix it"

I just hit "delete all" in history and will be going for a bike ride tomorrow. We'll see if I can sync using 6.6 or whether I need to continue using this workaround.

Update:
After the procedure above, my forerunner now syncs with 6.6. The new version of express must not be able to handle the old data. So glad I can keep using it!