Fenix 6x Pro does not show as a USB device on a computer

When connecting the watch to either a Windows or Linux PC the watch does not present the filesystem, it switches to the green charging screen and sits there, if you disconnect the cable it takes a while to show the clock face again.

I have done multiple resets, including from the menu, pushing the top and bottom buttons, and tried 2 cables, a PC, and a laptop.

This is where things start to get stranger.

When plugged into a Linux PC it is detected, also you can hear the windows sounds when on Windows.

[ 1783.653739] usb 3-1: New USB device found, idVendor=091e, idProduct=0003, bcdDevice= 0.01

[ 1783.653743] usb 3-1: New USB device strings: Mfr=0, Product=0, SerialNumber=0

After fiddling with the watch for a long time, and fiddling with many button combinations, I powered it off then when on I held the bottom left button for about 15 seconds, then released it the watch went into a test / diagnostic mode. I went through many screens to see if there were any errors but I could not find any. I then decided to connect it to the PC, wondering what would happen and to my surprise the was detected and I could navigate the /fenix 6X Pro/Primary/Garmin directory and read / write files there and Garmin Express worked and could sync.

Thinking that it was maybe fixed after running tests I reset the watch, but it is the same, it will not show the filesystem unless it is in the diags mode.

Has anyone come across this?

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0 darnich over 1 year ago

Had the same problem and I used the same workaround until my watch was finally replaced under warranty. Also the wifi was fried and showed ver 65535 in the about screen. It all started after an update, can't remember which one.

0 lxtwin over 1 year ago

Thanks for that, I just use it as a watch and do not often update it. This happened a couple of weeks back after updating to 26.00.

0 mcbit over 1 year ago

This is very often related to a problem with the cable or connection to the watch.

0 darnich over 1 year ago in reply to mcbit

I have a few Garmin watches and a couple of computers. The cables work fine with the other watches in any pc. This problem is specific to the fenix. As I mentioned previously my watch was exchanged under warranty after inspection by Garmin's official service for this specific issue.

In any case the same cable works when the watch is in service mode.

0 mcbit over 1 year ago in reply to darnich

It was a suggestion to the OP,, I've had cables that worked on only 2 of F5, F6 & F7 but another cable worked on all three. Better to exhaust all possibilities before going off half cocked.

There is a Garmin troubleshooting page for this issue and TBH I had never seen the last option

Forcing a Garmin to Mount as a Drive

Outdoor Watch is Not Recognized by Computer or Garmin Applications | Garmin Customer Support

0 darnich over 1 year ago in reply to mcbit

I understand what you are saying but this is a malfunction of the watch itself. Believe me I've tried every possible solution before sending the watch back to Garmin's service

0 lxtwin over 1 year ago in reply to mcbit

I understand what you are saying, but I have two cables and 5 computers in the house, wherever I try it it is the same.

It will not mount when plugged in normally, but will I go into diagnostics, so if it was the cable I don't think that it would mount in only diagnostic mode.

0 mcbit over 1 year ago in reply to lxtwin

I have seen cables that work intermittently and it would always be my starting point, however i didn't see on first reading that you had used more than one cable, Did you by any chance try the last option on the troubleshooting guide?

0 lxtwin over 1 year ago in reply to mcbit

I did try the forcing step and nothing happened, it is seen in the O/S, but the watch does not present the mountable device.

[ 4574.085663] usb 5-3: new high-speed USB device number 8 using xhci_hcd
[ 4574.235069] usb 5-3: New USB device found, idVendor=091e, idProduct=0003, bcdDevice= 0.01
[ 4574.235074] usb 5-3: New USB device strings: Mfr=0, Product=0, SerialNumber=0

0 lxtwin over 1 year ago in reply to mcbit

As you can see the pins are clean and when it is disconnected from the PC it shows as if it is connected and only goes back to normal if I reset it by holding in the top left button for 15 seconds.