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Problems transferring Garmin Express maps to SD Card

graemesmith1960

I'm having real issues transferring maps to microSD cards.  I've tried 2 different, brand new Sandisk Extreme 128gb cards and still have the same issues.  I really want to purchase the Garmin TOPO Great Britain Pro V3 1:25000 maps as a download but can't even consider it until I get this to work.  Transferring using Windows File Explorer for OSM maps is a breeze, works every time.  If I try to transfer a Garmin TOPO using Express it just gets to 50% and freezes, occasionally saying 24 hours remaining!  I'm practicing with the Antarctica map as it is fairly small.  I can transfer it to internal memory in about 4 minutes and it works great, I just can't get it to work with Removable Storage.  I've tried different PC's, with and without hubs and still the same.  The cards are formatted exFAT as the TOPO I want from Garmin is 13gb and won't load on a FAT32 formatted card.

Before I start a conversation with Garmin Support can anyone else successfully use Garmin Express to transfer Garmin TOPO maps to Removable Storage?

  • 0

    Have you solved your problem? I have the same problem -- (using Software Version: 6.04 in my GpsMap h1 with a SanDisk High Endurance microSD Card 256GB)

    I went through the procedure of trying to download the two TOPO US 24K map sets three times to my SD memory card. Each time the first 50% went quickly – just a few minutes. The download program would bog down downloading the last 50% (never did). Get the messages in the form “Copying files at 18.1 KB/s, 50.2% Complete, Time remaining 11 hours”. So, I let the download continue to run for a few hours, but the download message then says it made it to something like “50.6% Complete”. Note the 50.6% could have been “52%”, but was not greater than 60% -- did not write the value down because I was a bit upset!!

    So, I see that it is going to take infinite time to complete the download, so I punt. Something is happening, but what?

    Pondering on it overnight I believe what is going on is that the map set is being downloaded from Garmin into the “Internal Storage” memory, then the downloader is then moving the map set to my SD card at glacial speed. Now I cannot confirm that this is what is happening, Garmin would have to do this.

    I did have a long chat conversation with Chris (Garmin), and he believes my problem is my SD card.

    I suspect (without any proof) the 50% complete message is about downloading the TOPO US 24K from Garmin from their website to the internal memory of the GpsMap H1. The next 50% of the task is moving the maps to my SD card. Note that this is my conjecture.  

    Chris suggested that I just download the maps into Garmin’s Internal Storage memory simply by telling the download program not to use my SD card.

    I did this for both TOPO US 24K map sets that I bought. This process went very quickly.

    The Garmin now barks and seems to work. It is going to take a while to get use to it. I can now see detailed topo maps like on my extremely old Gpsmap 60CSx.

    So, the problem of placing the TOPO US 24K map sets onto my SD card remains.

  • 0 in reply to 8674125

    No.  Even with firmware updates it still does not work.  There seems to be an issue with different makes of SD Card.  I tried a few and then gave up.  I have a 32gb one that works and I load any Garmin maps that need Garmin Express onto that and then transfer the map to a 128gb one with Windows Explorer.  I got the UK Topo maps to work this way.  It's a real pain and I wasn't sure it would work but the security codes are loaded onto the SD card with the Map and seem to be transferable to other cards as they are coded to the Unit, not the card.

  • 0 in reply to graemesmith1960

    Thanks for the very quick reply. What has worked for you is what I was going to try next. Could just be a 32GB boundary issue. I will hop over to Amazon and order a card. 

  • 0

    This works best for me.

    1. Take note of .img files in internal storage.
    2. Download new maps to internal storage. Much faster.
    3. Restart device to make sure they work.
    4. Plug device back into PC. 
    5. Attach SD card to PC on separate reader (not installed on device)
    6. Move NEW maps .img files only to SD card’s empty \Garmin\ folder. Beware of any file date timestamps updated of previously existing .img files (don’t move those).
    7. Eject both when done, install SD card to device, start up and check.

    The built-in SD card reader/writer PC interface in the device is super slow so addressing file management to the SD directly after downloading to internal storage is the “faster” more reliable way to go. Additionally (and oddly) it runs maps not installed from the factory much better when installed on the SD card. Unfortunately you have to jump through the hoops above to get there but that’s always been the case with these things for years.

  • 0 in reply to 8674125

    Problem solved:

    The goal was to download and install two separate map sets of the Garmin TOPO US 24K family into my Garmin GPSmap H1 “Memory”. Note: not the Garmin “Internal Storage”, but onto a memory card that I plug into my Garmin which is running software version 6.04.

    The idea was to make a backup set of maps because I only have free access to make unlimited downloads from the Garmin website for a year.

    Now each map set – has a .IMG file, and two auxiliary files, a .GMA – Garmin Map Activation file and a .UNL – Garmin Unlock File that go with each set.

    I tried three different SanDisk microSD Cards -- Ultra 32GB, High Endurance 256GB and lastly Ultra 256GB

    The only microSD card that worked for me was the Ultra 32GB. I formatted my two Ultra 32GB cards using default parameters namely: FAT32, Allocation unit size 32KB, Restore Device defaults, no label, and Quick Format.

    For each formatted card, I first reset my Garmin to factory defaults and then installed both sets of maps. The installation was quick and seemed not to slow down when the maps were moved to my memory card – the last 50% of the install.  The result is that I now have two SD Cards that are interchangeable only with my GPSmap H1. Note:  I cannot use these SD cards with any other unit because the maps are “locked” to my unit.

  • 0 in reply to 8674125
    1. You are, unfortunately, not the only one that has found that the only card that works with the h1 is their 32GB card. GPSrchive has several mentions of it. 
  • 0 in reply to Cargotourercommuter

    The H1 / H1 Plus indeed seems very picky with microSD cards. I got mine working with a SanDisk High Endurance 128GB card, but not with a SanDisk Extreme Pro 128GB card...

    It kind of sucks, because Garmin literally states "The GPSMAP H1 & H1i Plus devices do not have the same requirements, they support up to a 1TB card with any attributes." (emphasis mine). Which is obviously not the case...

  • 0 in reply to JungleJim

    Garmin have seemingly always implemented the least common denominator as far as hardware interfaces go. Look at how long they have used the mini-USB interface (eTrex 32x still uses it and it's a current model) as well as microUSB for autonav units for the longest time. Now here when they finally move up to USB-C on the eTrex Touch and H1 series, they limit it to USB 2.0 speeds (480Mbs). Same with the memory card interface and format. Is this for stability? Sounds like this is far from being "stable" as what they now state as "any attributes" doesn't even work as intended. Whatever "stability" they've gained as far as the interface goes is lost to basic unit stability with all of it's other issues.