Garmin firmware change

[NinjaBob]

On the first day of a 2000 mile bike trip my Zumo 390 LM fell off the Conours after hitting some rough joints in a construction zone on the Natchez Trace. I somehow did not notice it fall maybe I was too busy scanning the rough road surface. We went probably 1/2 mile before I noticed it missing. We retraced are path and arrived at the poor Zumo just in time to see a car run over it. So I ordered a replacement since I had really gotten used to it and it's features paid about 475 compared to the 375 I paid two years ago.


Well this 390 LM is is different. The old one was recognized by Mapsource which is still myty preferred route making tool.
The new one is not recognized byMapsource at all. When connected to PC as a drive you can see the .system folder with Windows Explorer and can see and work with the map files (*.img) Looking at the file system on the ne 390 there is no .system file visible nor or the img files visible. The new Zumo IS recognized by Basecamp and Garmin Express.


The new Zumo is also not recognized by JaVaWA device manager that allows you to unlock mapsets and do many other useful things.


By the way we were able to continue our trip using my backup GPS, my old Nuvi 500. This was only the second time I have packed a back up and boy am I glad I did.

[DirtFlier]

After years of refusing to use BaseCamp, I finally gave in before STAR and made my routes using that format.  Bob - I guess you're one of the longtime MapSource holdouts!   :-)
 

[RIDEMYST]

I reluctantly gave up Mapsource several years back as it was constantly crashing. Once I got it through my thick head that BaseCamp was NOT the same as Mapsource I was able to adjust and like the new software "almost" as much. -JEP-

[Patmo]

I find Basecamp much more difficult than several other routing sources, but I also find that the more I use it, the easier it gets.

My favorite mapping software has remained my old Microsoft Street and Trips...but I’ve not yet found an easy way to get it to work with my Garmin GPS.  It is, however, a great way to make up a paper map and route sheet.

[DirtFlier]

[...Once I got it through my thick head that BaseCamp was NOT the same as Mapsource I was able to adjust...]


Yeah, getting into BaseCamp requires that you leave your Mapsource hat outside before starting!  Forgetting all your Mapsource habits is tough to do - at least it was for me - but it's a requirement to learn BaseCamp.

[NinjaBob]

Thanks for the comments, guys. I am going to try to learn Basecamp. However it is possible to create a route in Mapsource and import it into Basecamp.

[PYG RYDR]

Thanks for the comments, guys. I am going to try to learn Basecamp. However it is possible to create a route in Mapsource and import it into Basecamp.

Yes!

You can open gps files in either Garmin Mapping Program.

Although there is a learning curve with Basecamp, I find it much easier to use than Mapsource.

[normkern]

It takes a lot more effort to learn Basecamp, but once you learn it, it's a much more powerful tool. I love it.

If you already can get by in basecamp, I could sit down with you for half an hour and show you how to make it fly.

You can pick up some basics by reading the GPS Files User Guide for FlyBy Week at
http://flybyweek.com/downloads/2018%20FBW%20GPS%20file%20notes.pdf

Norm

[Kevin]

Bob, if Windows Explorer shows the folder structure of the zumo390, which it should, then you can still get by just using Mapsource.  But you should still learn BaseCamp.  This is how I send my routes to my Navigator 6.  Create the route(s) in Mapsourse.  Save the Mapsource file as a gpx file, just know the folder/location the gpx file is saved.  Connect the zumo390 to your computer, navigate to  zumo 390 > Internal Storage > GPX.  Then copy and paste the saved gpx file to the zumo390’s GPX folder.  Then disconnect the zumo from the computer and power it up.  It may take a couple of minutes after the gps is powered up, you should get a pop-up screen indicating new data found. Then just select and import the routes.

[NinjaBob]

Thanks guys!

[normkern]

Bob, if Windows Explorer shows the folder structure of the zumo390, which it should, then you can still get by just using Mapsource.  But you should still learn BaseCamp.  This is how I send my routes to my Navigator 6.  Create the route(s) in Mapsourse.  Save the Mapsource file as a gpx file, just know the folder/location the gpx file is saved.  Connect the zumo390 to your computer, navigate to  zumo 390 > Internal Storage > GPX.  Then copy and paste the saved gpx file to the zumo390’s GPX folder.  Then disconnect the zumo from the computer and power it up.  It may take a couple of minutes after the gps is powered up, you should get a pop-up screen indicating new data found. Then just select and import the routes.

One thing to add:
The Garmin GPS is a USB device. Do not forget to EJECT it and get the computer to release it before physically disconnecting it. Otherwise the file might not be written completely to the device.

Another thing I have found with the Navigator V and VI is that it can take the computer a LONG TIME to recognize them, sometimes upward of 5 minutes. Seems to get better after you have successfully done it the first time.

Norm Kern

[stevegrab]

Couple things to add

First I guess I'm glad I never got into Map Source and was then forced to change to BaseCamp, still just doing a little bit in BaseCamp, mostly bringing in the routes from events and getting them into my Zumo.

Second regarding connecting your Zumo to PC and having it recognized, not sure if it is something odd with my unit but sometimes it will go into powered mode, like I just plugged into a USB charger, then I need to disconnect and try again. (I have the same but opposite problem when trying to charge sometimes it thinks it is connected to a computer, my Garmin Nuvi2450 used to do this sometimes too.) Had this happen again yesterday when I connected to get my maps updated and load GPS routes for Mail Pouch.

PS  Bob sorry to hear had your GPS come off, then had to watch as it was crushed by a car. I lost a GoPro off my helmet a couple years ago and was very bummed, I replaced it and have been extra careful since then, but also made sure to include name/address info on the memory cards.

[NinjaBob]

Well, I accidentally found a UTube video that shows how to make the Zumo recognizable by Mapsource. A secret menu!
By default my new Zumo connects to a PC in MTP instead of Mass Storage. You can change this in the secret menu. To access the secret menu tap the volume button. Once in the volume setting screen press on the upper right corner until the menu appears. There are a bunch of things on the secret menu but I have not fooled with them yet.


Anyway, now that I have put my Zumo in Mass Storage mode I can send routes to it with Mapsource

[stevegrab]

Got to love secret features like that. I might have to check out that menu.

But I can tell you as a software developer that those things have inherent risks, since they are not generally known or documented there's always a chance they go away or get altered or broken without warning.

[NinjaBob]

I have learned a lot from this episode, I have been busy! A friend here sent me instructions to let you download updates directly to a sd card. I managed to install cn 2019.20 to th e card and my surface and desktop in less than a hour. It was a bit involved and I probably made an error or two. I thought all was good but when I transferred som routes from pc to zumo I ended up with 10 copies of each route. 6 or 7 times 10. THis was not good! for one thing, starting the trips app was taking almost a minute and everything waqs very slow. Eventually the Zumo froze. The firmware update is gone, new zumo behaves like the old Zumo. the .system folder is gone. But the unit is working the way I want it to.


I suspect the multiple route issue was caused by me accessing the Zumo with Base Camp while in Mass Storage mode. I was told that is a no no but I failed to heed. Just guessing, I'm in way over my head. Any and all comments invited.