eTrex Venture HC won't boot up

CALNSICK is my hero

I thought I'd bricked my Etrex HC by using the webupdater (supplied by Garmin) grrrrr

Tried Colins solution and after a couple of goes managed to revert back to 3.10 then managed to manually update to 3.30 (safe in the knowledge that I had an escape policy.

I think it's disgraceful that Garmin would charge anything at all for units that THEIR software has managed to brick!!!:mad:

Garmin, please sort out your software so users don't have to go through this pain again.
And thanks once again to CALNSICK :)

I can't get the updater to even see my unit so it won't install v3.10. Whats going on here? I am also having the same problem with the flash of light then nothing after using the updater for mac

I wish I had googled this update before I merrily updated to 3.30 last night. I've tried all these suggestions, but my HC is dead. It will sometimes "flash" once, but mostly it just "pulses" about once a second. Very frustrating.

I emailed support and politely told them that if their solution was for me to send it in, with a check, then I would look elsewhere.

I have always used Garmin, and have 2 Nuvi units, plus I've made multiple map purchases. It's not like I'm a deadbeat asking for something for free. When a company puts out an update that has a 50% mortality rate (maybe I'm over exagerating) then I feel like they should do right by their customers.

I am able to reload 3.30 through the webupdater, but I can't get my computer to see the unit to revert back to 3.1. I'm running Windows 7 32 bit.

Rant is over.

Fixed

I realized that some time has passed since these post. I just today did the web update as suggested and it worked, no issues what so ever.
It is however assame that Garmin support's answer to everything is send in the unit for repair. Like most everything else in todays world one part of a company is unaware of what the other is doing.

David

This tells you how to do it though it took perseverance!

With the Venture HC you I found that I needed to hold the Power Button & rocker downup throughout.
I used the web updater for mac & upgraded 3.10 to 3.3

Good luck!

http://brilliantcorners.org/2007/04/fixing-a-dead-garmin-gpsmap-60csx

worked again

not sure what happened but my HC wouldnt turn on again. I remembered the post about the webupdater and followed the steps looks like I am back in business thanks again

Etrex Venture HC bricked!

well, happened here too; applying the web updater as suggested by Garmin. Waited, and waited and waited, only to find out that the unit is now completely inoperable. A random white flash when I turn it on, and that is it.
Now Garmin wants me to dish up $150!!!! I can by it new cheaper than that in almost every online store! Worst customer service ever!
Thinking of asking my lawyer to look into it.

Venture HC dead...forum info ugly

Most of this thread is bad news from a year ago. Then the latest one from April indicates nothing has changed. The updater is still a problem.
My unit just flashes white on batteries or usb power. I'll try the website for unit updates. Shouldn't there be FAQ covering this?
Beginning with the lousy instructions , this unit has been a pita all the way. I will never pay Garmin any fee for service/repair .

Another ''lost'' garmin customer,
fred

successfully downgraded from 3.30 to 3.10

I also experienced a bricked garmin etrex venture hc. I tried each of the methods found in this list and others. I have learned to never use the garmin webupdater, it is unreliable. Here's what worked for me: download the previous version 3.10 firmware from http://www.tramsoft.ch/gps/garmin_etrex-venture-hc-firmware-upgrades_en.html, extract to c:\garmin, plug in your gps via usb, hold the front 4-way rocker button in the down (or up, both seem to enable the usb connection to the pc) position throughout the entire update process, execute the updater.exe program and let it complete. You will see an error message at the end of the update process, ignore and let the garmin reboot and hopefully it should work again after that. I have been very dissapointed in this device since day one years ago and likely will never purchase any other garmin products in the future especially considering this latest fiasco. I was surprised to say the least, to find this problem is still plaguing customers after 3 years. Spending money to have support fix a problem they caused is complete BS.