Problem to install new apps or updates

What is the exact error you are receiving?

the iOS app shows - after an untypically long while of "synching" - a red bar at the bottom of the screen. The error messages are in German, but translate to

"Synchronisation failed. Server unavailable" or "Synchronisation failed. Device unavaliable".

Garmin Express on Mac OS doesn't give details. It just fails and informs the user that a synchronisation is currently not possible.

However, in all of these cases the F3 is connected to either the iOS app or Garmin Express, and activity data gets beamed over automatically without any issues.

I tried to reboot the F3, the iPhone, and I deleted and re-installed Garmin mobile... no change. I can't install new apps, and I can't update apps (and widgets, watch faces...).


Possibly related to this, I observed that Garmin Express doesn't show the weather and calendar widget es being installed, but they ARE installed and work.

I just had a user/downloader of one of my watch faces contact me with this same issue.

Any chance you recently downloaded my Aviator watchface? If my app is causing it I need to know so I can fix it or pull it down.

I just had a user/downloader of one of my watch faces contact me with this same issue.

Any chance you recently downloaded my Aviator watchface? If my app is causing it I need to know so I can fix it or pull it down.

Thanks for caring, but I didn't. So it is not related to your App.

The suspicion I have is that the F3 has problems to keep record of what's installed and what isn't. Probably developers make it worse because they (at least that's the case for me) side-load their own apps.

In the unlikely case this information helps you, My user was able to plug into USB, get an update from 3.2 to 3.3 and it is working fine now.

Also, once I had to remove all the optional apps from the Garmin>>Apps directory to get things working again. I don't know why, but it worked.

In the unlikely case this information helps you, My user was able to plug into USB, get an update from 3.2 to 3.3 and it is working fine now.

I am still on 3.2 but because Garmin Express and the smartphone app both can't communicate, I'm apparently unable to update.

Also, once I had to remove all the optional apps from the Garmin>>Apps directory to get things working again. I don't know why, but it worked.

I just tried this. Deleted all PRG files in the Apps directory, then switched the F3 off and on again. Then opened GE, and tried to sync, and I get the same error as before. I'll reset to factory settings now... cumbersome... keep fingers crossed.

Frustrated

I am pretty frustrated by now.

(Meanwhile I am on FW 3.3, though - no clue how that worked).

I reset the F3 to factory setting. Sync errors in GE remain (and blame Garmin Connect for the problem).

I removed the F3 from my inventory on GC (archived it to keep uploaded activity data), and installed it as a new device. Sync errors remain.

GC seems to recognize the F3 as a known device and re-uses the settings, like the list of Apps and Widgets that could be installed or updated. However, the attempt to do this keeps failing. I don't see a method to modify the list of apps that it wants to install. I see my own Golf Scorecard THREE times in the list of Apps to be installed. Don't know why this is.

I detached the F3 from USB and coupled it to the iOS app. The Garmin Connect Mobile sees apps on the F3 with very strange names, and certainly not those that were activated. Everything looks pretty much messed up. Shortly after connecting via bluetooth, the F3 went into a reboot loop...

Reconnected via bluetooth, the F3 reboots as soon as the iOS app tries to access the list of installed apps.

On the F3, the installed Apps (GARMIN provided factory apps) have names like €, ∂fl œ ' and even empty filenames. Apps that I had de-activated like Triathlon, swim, indoor running, are still there (though often with wrong messed up names).

The present status is that I cannot install ANY new app, widget etc., and cannot update any of the installed apps.

Does anybody have an idea how to REALLY reset the F3, or to clean up the app inventory database either on the device or on Garmin Connect? If I don't get this fixed, I would want to return the F3 and get a replacement unit.

The 3.3 update probably came over the air via BLE or WiFi.

I've seen this happen when something is "stuck" in the Garmin Connect queue. Try logging into Garmin Connect at https://connect.garmin.com, then click the sync button in the toolbar on the left (it looks like two arrows), and see if anything is sitting in the queue to be synced. From what you describe, there probably is. Remove all of the items from the queue, then connect your watch and try syncing with Garmin Express (don't try installing any apps at this point). If the sync completes normally, then try installing an app and see how it goes.

If you continue to have trouble, send me the Unit ID of the device and your login name via private message so I can have IT look into possible issues with your Connect account. The Unit ID can be found under Settings > System > About.

Hi Brandon

clearing the sync queue on GC really helped a lot. A remaining problem is, however, that there are now Zombie apps (mostly Garmin's own factory apps) that are still on the F3. They have really weird file names, sometimes consisting of human-readable text like a fragment or a URL and Monkey C code fragments, sometimes just strange characters, sometimes the app name is empty. Some of these zombies have the same icon - for example, I see the Triathlon app several times, now.

I would upload a screenshot from the iOS app, or a photo taken of the F3 display, but for some reason the forum system declines my attempts to upload images.

Will send the Unit ID per PN now...