POIs Save to Garmin or to SD card?

i own a Garmin 7200 Street Pilot which ia about out of memory. i think it only holds like 1.5 Gig. i have a 4 Gig Scandisk SDHC card in the Garmin. Question: will my Garmin read the sd card's custom POI Excel files as it does MP3 and Real Audio Files? Anyone know?

You have to push the SD card in far enough that it will "latch". I've found that I have to use a fingernail to get it in far enough. Press about the same distance and it will pop up so you can grab it to remove it. The card slot is spring loaded.

thanks,
i have the same problem with the SD card.

My new nuvi 200w came with a "Quick Start Manual". Is there a more detailed and complete manual online?

From Garmin... They only have the quick start listed for down load...

https://buy.garmin.com/shop/store/manual.jsp?product=010-006...

My 660 does not give me the dropdown menu you state should come up giving me the option to tranfer files from my SD Card. I've transferred POI's onto the card (know they are there because I can see them on the computer).

Any suggestions on how I can get me 660 to see the card????

And the poi loader "sees" your 660 but it doesn't "see" the SD card inserted into the unit, it would appear your unit isn't "seeing" the card either. How did you install the poi's to the card? did you put them in a garmin folder? Can you play mp3 that are loaded to the card? What brand of SD card is it?

Full of questions, aren't I?

edit and what computer/Operating System are you using?

Billy,
Sorry I wasn't more clear in my earlier response to you. The option to transfer POIs (the file POI.gpi) from the card to the unit is not a dropdown menu -- it is a popup screen when you first boot the unit.

Let's start at the beginning:
1.) Did you use POI Loader to load the POIs? You can't just copy gpx or csv files to the card or the unit.

2.) When you say you can see them on the card via the computer, what are you seeing? Unless you renamed POI.gpi files as you sequentially loaded multiple POI files, you should have a single POI.gpi file in the Garmin/POI folder.

3.) The usual method of loading multiple POI files is to load them simultaneously by pointing POI loader to the main POI folder on the computer in which you have placed multiple POI files or multiple POI subfolders (each containing files).

4.) The offer to transfer from card to unit is forever stopped if you check the checkbox asking not to ask again.

And it occurred to me, are you trying to save a poi you make with your gps, to your SD card? The ones that are listed in your favorites, or are you trying to copy poi files to your SD card using poi loader?

Are you asking about transferring the poi files to your gps after loading it to a SD card?

If that is the question, then once you have loaded the files to your SD card using poi loader, the first time you start your unit you should get a message asking if you want to transfer the files to your unit. If you select the option to not save the file to your unit, depending on the unit it will not ask you again unless you reload the pois again with poi loader...

your instructions seem pretty easy. But can you clarify what units this works on? I read that it can be done on expensive models (660), but can I do this with my 200W? This unit doesn't have so much extra room. Thanks

Works on the 2xx series just fine.

I have a Kinston 1 gig card... Can I leave the card in my NUVI 760 and when I get to the point in the POI loader where it asks me where do I down laod to, could I click sd card or do I have to purchase a all in one card reader? Yeah, I have an older comp.

You don't need a reader...

Thanks...........

I see you have a C330, which is a problem when it comes to using a sd card. Does not work!!!

To whom is this directed?

Can You please tell me how to save Pois and MP3
files to SD card such that my Garmin GPS can
read/play them.

thanks in advance.

For Custom POIs, you must use POI Loader to LOAD them to the card. Simply choose the SD card as the destination when you get to the screen asking you for the destination. Use the drop down list to be sure you are selecting the correct place. It will likely default to your GPS unit, so you need to change it.

As to MP3s, if you are asking about songs, you can simply copy them over to the card using your computer.

If you are asking about alert sounds, read this from the FAQs for instructions.

Loading MP3s as Custom Sounds
http://www.poi-factory.com/node/4360

I've already saved some custom POIs to the internal memory of my 255W but, on reflection, wish to move these to the SDHC card. I know I can use Garmin POI Loader to load my custom POIs to the card but does this mean that they will simply be duplicated? How can I remove the custom POIs stored in the internal memory?

The Custom POIs are stored in a file named POI.GPI.

If you simply want to move all of them to the card, you can move that file to the card.

Otherwise, if you have POIs already loaded to the unit and then load the same ones to the card, yes you will get duplicates.

If you want to delete all the Custom POIs loaded to the unit, you can delete the POI.GPI file and then start over from scratch.

I have never been asked by my nuvi to load poi frm memory card, nor does it find the memory card???

Do you have a memory card in your nuvi? You didn't say.

If you do, have you ever saved your Custom POIs on the card using POI loader?

If you haven't, then the statement page will not show. If you have, and the poi.gpi file on the card and the poi.gpi file in the nuvi are exactly the same then the statement page still will not show. Only when the two are different will the statement page show. Then you will have a choice to replace or leave one poi.gpi file on the SDHC card and another in the nuvi.

Gary Hayman

Yes I have a memory card in nivi, I am looking through windows explorer and the nuvi poi folder has nothing in it (I deleted it earlier) and the memory stick that is already inside the nuvi show a folder POI and within that folder poi.gpi
Yet the nuvi does not ask to load nor do I have custom poi menue

I always just save to the unit. the POI files don't take up much space.

I'm not sure that you are supposed to delete the poi.gpi folder without using the prescribed feature of POI Loader to do that. When POI loader does it, it still leaves a poi.gpi file in the nuvi -- but with 0 file size.

I would suggest that you use POI Loader and reload some Custom POI files to create a nuvi located poi.gpi file again.

Then ... go from there.

Gary

You are right that did restore the custom poi menu but it still does not ask for installation from the memory card nor does it show the different files loaded onto the memory card.

Did you direct POI Loader to load the POIs onto the card or the unit? If you loaded them onto the unit, there are no files on the card to transfer to the unit.

I've noticed this comment before. What's the process on that? I've not quite figured that one out.

Thanks.

When you bring up the POI loader and find the unit, the unit will always show. As it is a drop-down box, you can click and it will show the SD card. Make it the active device and the POI loader will remember your selection and load all new items there.

You can switch back and forth, but if you are using a large SD card, everything can be stored there including source files.

That did if for me. You have to say Yes so you can say No....that makes sense.

While trying to load POI's with the POI loader to my SD card (I have been fighting with this for a day)I do not see the option of loading them directly to the SD card. They go to the unit (750). What am I missing so I can put them on the SD card?

When you start up POI Loader, it will start looking for the device. It will probably say that it found your Garmin 750. In that box, you can choose a different drive. The SD card will show up as an additional drive.

When I add a card to my garmin, does it need to be formatted by the garmin? If so, how do I do it?

Almost all SD cards come pre-formatted with a FAT partition on them. This is all the Garmin needs, no special format function is required.

i have a 660 and i havn't come close to filling it up

Depends on what you use it for. I wouldn't encourage anyone to get a SD card for POIs, they are just not very large and it would be hard to have so many that you needed an external card. On the other hand, if you have a gps that plays mp3 and like to listen to them when on a trip, then a SD card is certainly a very inexpensive and justifiable add-on.

I have a Nuvi 200 - I am unable to load the entire 2009 maps to it. I am given regions and although it states lower 49 + PR NE or NW, it does NOT load all states.

If I add a 2 GB memory Card - Will that allow me to load the entire US?

Yes. You can use the MapInstall utility to load the rest to the SD card.

I always load everything onto the SD card because it seems to work equally well as the internal storage and the advantage for me is that I can play around and experiment with the loaded data and not worry about screwing up the nuvi. The SD cards are dirt cheap now and a 1 gig card can be ordered on line for less than 6 dollars. Surplus Computers has the Sandisk 2-Pack Sandisk 1GB SD Secure Digital Memory Cards on sale with free shipping.

Is the nuvi supposed to recognize the SD card? Mine doesn't. It only recognizes the card when the nuvi is connected to the computer via USB

What data is on the card that you are trying to get the nuvi to recognize?

there is no data. I just put a blank mico SD card in there for extra storage. but I was playing with the POI loader to see if I could put the POI on my card vs the internal memory. but the nuvi doesn't seem to recognize the card. Am I doing something wrong? the computer sees it when its hooked up via USB

The nuvi isn't going to recognize anything until there is data on it. And you can't save data to the card from the nuvi. All the interaction will be via the computer interface.

When you run POI Loader, one of the screens will ask you for the DESTINATION for the data. Use the drop down list to seen the options and choose the SD card if that's where you want the Custom POIs to be loaded.

bentbiker -

Click YES "as counter-intutive as that seems" is like one of the Indiana Jones movies where, while seeking the Holy Grail, he had to take a step onto a bridge he couldn't see ... on blind faith!

I did as you suggested and took the blind leap.

It worked.

Thank you.

The 1490T does not offer the option of "Don't ask me again" whether with a first prompt or second prompt. Every time you turn on your Nuvi, it will ask you to save the POIs to your Garmin. If you choose to let it copy the POIS to your Garmin, it immediately does so, without ever coming up with Don't ask me prompt. I complained to Garmin about it. They told me that they removed the option because the POI files are so small that it makes no sense to keep them on the card. They claim that searches will run more efficiently if the POIs are in the GPS's internal memory. While that makes some sense, you have to wonder why they still allowed you to run the POIs from the card, provided you put up with the annoying, every-time, turn-on prompt asking if you wish to copy the files to your Garmin. I wasn't and just copied them to my Garmin.

I have loaded all of my unique points of interest onto my SD card, but for some reason my Nuvi 255w will not recognize them. Any ideas?

The way I do it:
• Format the card to FAT 32
• Name the card, i.e. Garmin SD
• Add a folder named 'Garmin' to it
• Inside that folder, add a folder named 'Custom POI'

Then, set your POI Loader to add files to that.

I don't know if it matters, but POILoader puts my custom POIs in a folder named POI off the root. That holds true for either the GPS or a microSD card.

I haven't tested my 1690 to see if I can put the custom POIs in nested folders or under a different named folder and the custom POIs still be recognized by the nuvi.

Root
-POI (folder)
--poi.gpi (file)

I have a NUVI 1490. It does not give me the option to "Don't ask me again". So I followed you advice and selected to transfer. I then had no "Don't ask me again" option. So I thought maybe if I check that I want to download it it it will give me the option. So I tried that, and I did not get the option.

So I plugged the 1490 into the computer, and sure enough I had a copy on my SD card and one on the NUVI. So I deleted the NUVI copy and started it up again. I didn't get the question, and all the poi's are still installed. So maybe this is a hack around the problem. Let it copy the files and then remove them from the unit.

It worked this time, I'll see how my luck continues

That is an interesting discovery. I also have a 1490 and the startup question every time is a pain. Keep us up to date if this is still working - no message and the files only on the card...