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Any workaround to disable automatic firmware updates?

m4dx
over 1 year ago

Hi,

I'm sure there's a lot of clever people on this forum so I hope someone knows a workaround how to disable automatic (forced) firmware updates of the Venu2 (or any other Garmin model without the possibility to disable it in the watch settings)

It's possible to disable automatic firmware updates on Fenix7 for example:

fēnix®‎ 7 Series Owner's Manual - Garmin International, page 95

Gear > System > Software Update: Allows you to install software updates downloaded using Garmin Express. Use the Auto
Update option to enable your watch to download the latest software update from the Garmin Connect app on
your paired phone.

But not on Venu2 (and many other devices)

Venu®‎ 2 Series Owner's Manual - Garmin International, page 47

Gear > System > Software Update: Allows you to check for software updates.

From my point of view forced automatic updates are a serious problem for the customers.
I read many posts on the forum with complaints that the new firmware broke some functionality, in the worst case the watch became useless (for example unable to pair to the phone).

What's even worse - often is the only provided "solution" the watch replacement.

But the question is: What if the watch is out of warranty? Will Garmin provide replacement unit in this case too? ...I don't think so.

So, that's the main reason why I'm looking for the possibility to disable firmware updates.
The other reason is that I need the watch to be functional (I bought it to use it, right?) so I don't want to face the issues brought by unwanted updates (unfortunately it happens too often for my taste) till there are fixes/workarounds for them.

I read somewhere it can be achieved by filling all available internal storage of the watch so there is no space available for new firmware file to be downloaded..
Can someone please confirm it works...?

Or any other workaround?

Thanks in advance.

edit 13/Oct/2022: See my response here, I'm still running old firmware 3 weeks after new one has been released :)

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  • 0 over 1 year ago in reply to _psx_
    _psx_ said:
    Maybe for venu GC sends update. For f6p it doesn't (I know it because a few days ago I could see in web connect info about update and only after connecting watch to express it was updated).

    I suppose it's because automatic updates are disabled on your watch. Try to enable it (if you are "brave enough" :)) - once the new firmware will be available for your device, it will be pushed to the watch from GCM.

    _psx_ said:
    maybe try  from command line (attrib)

    It's not possible to use attrib for a filesystem connected as MTP.

  • 0 over 1 year ago in reply to m4dx

    I tested it multiple times with auto-update turned on and it didn't work (and it annoyed me). I use express very rarely, usually only BT/GC. But maybe that was changed after some update - I'll test it on some occasion.

    I know it's possible when choose option synchronise by wifi.

  • 0 over 1 year ago in reply to _psx_
    _psx_ said:
    But maybe that was changed after some update

    ... Or maybe the implementation is different on Fenix devices. You will see. 

    I don't have WiFi configured on my Venu2.

    I connected the watch to PC just once to see the functionality of Garmin Express. The firmware has been updated two times since then - so it's pushed to the watch from the GCM app.

  • 0 over 1 year ago in reply to Al P

    It's possible that this is a new policy - it's very suspicious that they send out an update that bricks the device the same week that they remove the Venu from their website. This is bumping "planned obsolescence" up to "forced obsolescence"

  • 0 over 1 year ago
    CindiL said:
    Filling the available internal storage does work.

    Well.... Good news - it seems to be working after all...... Ok hand tone1

    The last firmware update has been released 22 days ago:

    Next day after release I got notification on the watch there's new firmware available (because the internal storage was not full -I did factory reset few days before and forgot to fill the storage) - with possibility to "Install later".

    I plugged the watch to PC and saw there's GUPDATE.GCD (pushed to the watch from GCM app via bluetooth - there's no wifi enabled on my watch) file already on the watch's internal storage.

    Few second later Garmin Express started on the PC and the file disappeared (there was a message displayed in the Express that update is available for my watch - the file already on the watch has been deleted by GE. I closed Garmin Express and filled internal storage - I left just 4MB free space available.

    Since then (21 days) there was not a single notification on the watch nor in the GCM app about new firmware available - it's running firmware 10.18 till now Slight smile

    I can't explain why my last attempt (when I left 10MB free space) was unsuccessful (firmware has been updated then)....