How To Load An SD-Card?

 

I have a blank SD-Card (no info loaded onto it, yet) to go with my Nuvi-660. I see the slot in the Nuvi to receive the SD-Card, but my computer has no such slot that I've seen. What am I supposed to do here???

1) How do I load stuff (POI's, Updates, or what-ever I need) onto an SD-Card, for use in the Nuvi?

2) Does the info in the SD-Card then transfer into the Nuvi and stay there after I remove the SD-Card, or does it remain only on the card... meaning that it's gone from the Nuvi as soon as I pull the card out?

3) Can I re-use the SD-Card again & again, or is putting info onto the card a one-shot, permanent deal? Can I load new info alongside old info I had previously loaded onto the card? Can (or should) I erase old info first, then load the new?

4) Lastly, once I put the loaded SD-Card into the Nuvi... what do I do to either transfer or use the card's info into the Nuvi? Does a screen automatically appear, or what should I expect to see happen, or what will I need to do then? And are there any do's or dont's?

--
~Jim~ Nuvi-660, & Nuvi-680

1) You can put the SD card

1) You can put the SD card directly in the nuvi and then when you connect your nuvi to your computer, the nuvi and the card will show up as separate drives on your computer. For POIs, you can select the card as the destination for them when you run POI Loader. (Alternately, you can put the SD card in a card reader.) Updates to the firmware and the maps must be done directly to the unit not to the card. All voices and vehicles must be loaded directly to the unit and not to the card. You can load additional map regions beyond those that came preloaded to your unit onto the card.

2) When you load POIs to the card, you will get a prompt the next time you start the unit asking if you want to import them. For most unit, if you respond "Yes" and then select "Ignore this file", the prompt will go away and the POIs will remain on the card and the unit can read them directly from there.

Each time you run POI Loader it overwrites the Custom POIs you have previously loaded. The most common advice is to keep all of your POI files in the same folder on your computer and load all of them each time. Alternately, many users have had success in renaming the resulting POI.GPI file on their units so that those won't be overwritten the next time. If you search for that subject, you should find some discussions.

3) The SD card is reusable. In theory, there is a limit to how many times you can write and rewrite data to the card but that number is in the many tens of thousands, so it's not something to really be worried about.

4) See my answer in #2.

The don'ts are DON'T defrag the card. It's not necessary.

How To Load An SD-Card?

Motorcycle Mama wrote:

1)... Updates to the firmware and the maps must be done directly to the unit not to the card.

Thank you Motorcycle Mama, your answer is as handy as it is well-done!

I believe I know hardware (the unit) from software (the programing)... but what is "firmware"?

--
~Jim~ Nuvi-660, & Nuvi-680

Firmware

I see it as what the operating system is to a computer, firmware is to the GPSr. But the true definition is coded instructions that are stored permanently in read-only memory. Hope this helps.

--
<><><><><>Trackin'- Garmin nuvi 660, Lowrance globalnav 212 and way too much Pro Audio equipment to list :-)<><><><><>

How To Load An SD-Card?

tetyson wrote:

I see it as what the operating system is to a computer, firmware is to the GPSr. But the true definition is coded instructions that are stored permanently in read-only memory. Hope this helps.

I feel this is aiming my understanding of it in the right way, but I had thought the OS (operating system) is software... is this not so?

--As for "read-only memory" (ROM), I have heard of this many times... but don't really know what it is, exactly. So then... --what is "read-only memory"?

--
~Jim~ Nuvi-660, & Nuvi-680

Close - but no cigar

The operating system in a GPS is considered "firmware", not software, because you can't do anything to change it (the company can change it when you update it via webupdater).

ROM is like the firmware in your GPS. It can be read by the device, but cannot be changed (and usually cannot even be accessed).

Joel

--
"Sometimes, when I look at my children, I wish I had remained a virgin". Lillian Carter (Mother of Jimmy Carter)

Thank you tetyson &

Thank you tetyson & PaintballCFO, I think I've got it, now. Better understanding = better prepared!

~Jim~

--
~Jim~ Nuvi-660, & Nuvi-680

Using your computer as an

Using your computer as an example, I believe the firmware is in the ROM chip which enables a computer to operate prior to an operating system being installed - it allows you to get into the bios etc to change various settings - it prepares your computer so that it can run the operating system (software)

This information "can be changed" - that's why there is such a thing as "firmware updates" that flash the internal ROM chip of a device in order to correct or improve the system.

I believe the GPS is the same. I should have both the firmware to run the device and tell it how to use the other files on the system, and then the map files etc (software)to do the things that it does i.e mp3 player etc.

CLOSE

The firmware is the BIOS and is located in the CPROM chip. It is a protected, read only chip that requires special handling to make changes. If you mess it up, you got nothing til you get a new one.

--
Glenn - Southern MD; SP C330 / Nuvi 750 / Nuvi 265WT

SD card "Blue" Screen

I have a brand new 2Gb SD card for which I want to download Custom POIs. Problem is as soon as I put the SD into the Desktop or Netbook, the screen goes that terrific Windows "Blue" and the computers start rebooting. WHY???????

--
73 VE1NPS Nigel

Bad SD card

My 1st guess would be a bad card because you stated that you tried it in a desktop and a netbook.

--
Nuvi 2460LMT.

Yes,

Yes, I had the same thing happen and it was caused by using a cheap SD card I'd purchased off of E-Bay.

--
Nuvi 350, 760, 1695LM, 3790LMT, 2460LMT, 3597LMTHD, DriveLuxe 50LMTHD, DriveSmart 61, Garmin Drive 52, Garmin Backup Camera 40 and TomTom XXL540s.

Guess not all SD cards are

Guess not all SD cards are created equal-

--
~Jim~ Nuvi-660, & Nuvi-680

Nope!

Nope!

--
nightrider --Nuvi's 660 & 680--

Not even close to equal....

jimcaulfield wrote:

Guess not all SD cards are created equal-

--
Striving to make the NYC Metro area project the best.

Subdirectrory Setup

Motorcycle Mama wrote:

1) You can put the SD card directly in the nuvi and then when you connect your nuvi to your computer, the nuvi and the card will show up as separate drives on your computer. For POIs, you can select the card as the destination for them when you run POI Loader. (Alternately, you can put the SD card in a card reader.) Updates to the firmware and the maps must be done directly to the unit not to the card. All voices and vehicles must be loaded directly to the unit and not to the card. You can load additional map regions beyond those that came preloaded to your unit onto the card.

The SD Card must be setup like your GPS subdirectory format. The SD card will show up as the E, F or G drive etc. You will then create subdirectories as follows. I'll assume it shows as the F drive.

F:/Garmin/POI

Optionally you can separate these further with subdirectories for specific file types, such as business, travel, personal, rest areas etc. and then I save my files on my computer in separate subdirectories.

F:/Garmin/POI/business
F:/Garmin/POI/personal
F:/Garmin/POI/rest areas

This reduces the number of POIs I load whenever I update, because I only load those in those specific categories.

Hope this helps.

--
DriveSmart 65, NUVI2555LMT, (NUVI350 is Now Retired)

Kingston and sanDisk

My opinion is that Kingston and SanDisk SD cards are best.

dobs108

SanDisk

dobs108 wrote:

My opinion is that Kingston and SanDisk SD cards are best.

dobs108

I've never used a Kingston so I can't comment, but I have never had a problem with a SanDisk SD card or flash drive. For my money, they make good stuff!

--
Tampa, FL - Garmin nüvi 660 (Software Ver 4.90), 2021.20 CN NA NT maps | Magellan Meridian Gold

Steer clear of...

The cheap stuff you can get online for a song. The vendors will be singing once you pay 'em!

--
Striving to make the NYC Metro area project the best.

-ahuh-

camerabob wrote:

The cheap stuff you can get online for a song. The vendors will be singing once you pay 'em!

Guess that's about it, huh-

--
nightrider --Nuvi's 660 & 680--

Stick with SanDisk

Stick with SanDisk

Wow.. Feedback is very

Wow.. Feedback is very powerful here and very productive. I learn quite a few things here. Glad I for those who took the time to answer.

I Agree

rsb1445 wrote:

Stick with SanDisk

Buy

only high quality, name branded SD cards. Not just a problem with GPS, but also with digital picture frames & cameras as well.

--
"For those who fought for it, freedom has a flavor the protected will never know."

What's That Old Saying?

You buy cheap, you get cheap.

or

You get what you pay for.

Sometimes it just doesn't pay to scrimp. You end up with more trouble in the long run.

--
Tampa, FL - Garmin nüvi 660 (Software Ver 4.90), 2021.20 CN NA NT maps | Magellan Meridian Gold

cheap is good

camerabob wrote:

The cheap stuff you can get online for a song. The vendors will be singing once you pay 'em!

I've gotten "cheap stuff" for a song on-line with no problems. I've even bought Sandisk SDHC cards on-line for a song (3 of the 8 gig very high speed (extreme III) cards for $12 for all 3 after a sizable rebate). And I've seen absolute crap sold for high prices in stores. Paying more is certainly not an assurance of quality, and getting a deal isn't always bad, no matter what those who have overpaid would like you to think.

The real issue is to be knowledgeable about the products (not all SD cards preform the same or run at the same speed) and to shop wisely, shopping foolishly will not produce better results. I pity anyone who believe if he pays a lot the product must be better than one that is less expensive.

I think you can copy to the

I think you can copy to the card if the Nuvi's attached to the computer.

SD cards

i love SD cards, too bad they keep changing media types to something else.

don't ya . . .

Gary A wrote:

You buy cheap, you get cheap.

or

You get what you pay for.

Sometimes it just doesn't pay to scrimp. You end up with more trouble in the long run.

---Yea, and don't ya hate getting what ya paid for... when you been a real cheep-skate?

--
nightrider --Nuvi's 660 & 680--

Copy to SD Card

mem10123 wrote:

I think you can copy to the card if the Nuvi's attached to the computer.

I have a 1450 which uses a mini-SD card. Mine is an 8GB. I have copied POI files to it both while it was mounted in the Garmin and also with it in it's regular sized SD adapter mounted in an SD slot on either my laptop or Desktop and things always go without a hitch.

Yup

nightrider wrote:
Gary A wrote:

You buy cheap, you get cheap.

or

You get what you pay for.

Sometimes it just doesn't pay to scrimp. You end up with more trouble in the long run.

---Yea, and don't ya hate getting what ya paid for... when you been a real cheep-skate?

I recently bought a $9.95 USB external HDD enclosure and it was junk. Caused me all kind of problems. Bought a better one (more $$$), installed the same HDD in it and it works fine.

You would think I would have followed my own advice, but NOOOOO, I tried to save a few bucks. redface crying

--
Tampa, FL - Garmin nüvi 660 (Software Ver 4.90), 2021.20 CN NA NT maps | Magellan Meridian Gold

don't buy junk but don't over pay

Gary A wrote:
nightrider wrote:

...
I recently bought a $9.95 USB external HDD enclosure and it was junk. ...

You can get junk at any price. And you can get good stuff cheap if you know what you are doing when you shop. It is far more a matter of buying intelligently than just overpay and believing that will cause high quality.

That's true!

That's true!

--
~Jim~ Nuvi-660, & Nuvi-680