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Chromebooks and Garmin

chris_in_cal
over 9 years ago
After searching around and not seeing answers for my questions, I'm hoping to have this be available for all future Garmin customers who have wisely decided to use a chromebook.

Q: Does Garmin Connect work on Chromebook
A: No

Q: Why?
A: Doesn't matter. There is a manual workaround, use "import" to add the Garmin Data files from your new Garmin device to Garmin Connect.
  • 0 over 9 years ago
    Where are *.GCD files used, since this update is using an *.RGN file?


    Both RGN and GCD format files are used for firmware updates. I believe RGN is an older format and new models now use GCD.
  • 0 over 9 years ago
    - This file Forerunner15,AND_240.rgn gets renamed to GUPDATE.RGN and placed in the GARMIN folder.

    Where are *.GCD files used, since this update is using an *.RGN file?


    Wouldn't this all be much simpler if you just found a friend with a PC or Mac that you could use for 5 minutes every month or two to install a FW update? This keeps sounding like more and more like a "Rube Goldberg"... You're thinking about things that could both "brick" your device and void the warranty.....
  • 0 over 9 years ago
    Never try and you never learn. The way the devices are manufactured make the hard to permanently brick by just monkeying with the software.

    I actually don't think this would void Garmin's Warranty. And no it's not Rube Goldberg at all, this is just the very basic stuff that the slick and pretty programs do that Garmin wrote. IE. Garmin Express, Garmin WebUpdater, and others. It just that due to the low number of Chromebook users, they didn't spend the money to make an app for them to use. One of those cost vs return things.
  • 0 over 9 years ago
    And no it's not Rube Goldberg at all, this is just the very basic stuff.


    Agreed. I've been manually updating maps/firmware/data for years without an issue. As voicereponse said the manual procedure is what Garmin software does for you.

    I use Garmin software, with a clone device, to get the files I need and then copy them to my real unit. QED. Plus Garmin's software doesn't get to read files from my real devices and phone it home :D
  • 0 over 9 years ago
    Manually updating firmware on an FR15 using a chromebook

    Well, thanks everyone. Even you Mr. Goldberg....

    It worked.

    At it's most basic I copied and pasted a file, and then restarted the FR15.
    That's it.

    As for my Step #9) what happens after restart?

    Well it was almost instantaneous. I did not see anything other than the normal main window.

    Going into 'settings' 'about' it shows it is now version 2.40
  • 0 over 9 years ago
    It worked.


    Thanks for posting. That adds to my personal "knowledge-base". Hopefully this thread will survive Garmin's sometimes restriction of information (i.e. post/thread deletion/locking).
  • 0 over 9 years ago
    I take that back. It did not seem to work.

    Using USB mass storage and a file manager I can copy whatever file I want, anywhere in an FR15 that I want.

    The idea was to take the firmware file on http://www.gawisp.com/perry/forerunner/

    Which at the moment is called: Forerunner15_250.rgn

    place it either in the FR15's top level directory, or perhaps within the directory called "GARMIN"

    and rename it "gupdate.gcd"

    Then dismount the FR15, power it down, then power it back up. Upon rebooting it would go through an update sequence.

    That didn't happen. It just boots up, without updating, and whatever file I put in the FR15 is just mutely sitting there taking up space.


    Two questions: Precisely which directory is this firmware update file supposed to go?

    ./

    or
    ./GARMIN/


    Second question, the file extension on http://www.gawisp.com/perry/forerunner/ is an *.rgn. Why is this, and is it supposed to just be randomly renamed to a *.gcd file extension. Of should the file be renamed "gupdate.rgn" or does the *rgn need some sort of processing to convert it into an *gcd file?
  • 0 over 9 years ago
    You're supposed to keep the .rgn file extension, so it should be named gupdate.rgn It goes in the "GARMIN" folder.

    So you're saying that you followed the steps you outlined in #15 of this thread (naming it "gupdate.rgn") and it didn't work?
  • 0 over 9 years ago
    Here is something interesting.

    The new gupdate.rgn file disappears after reboot. (though there is no update)

    I place two files under ./GARMIN/ the originally named file: Forerunner15_250.rgn and this same file renamed gupdate.rgn

    so there was both.
    ./GARMIN/gupdate.rgn and
    ./GARMIN/Forerunner15_250.rgn

    I dismounted, powered down, and powered back up. Mounted the device and there was only one file
    ./GARMIN/Forerunner15_250.rgn

    the gupdate.rgn file was gone.

    Curious.
  • 0 over 9 years ago
    It did not work.

    ./GARMIN/gupdate.rgn

    and rebooting did not update the firmware.