City Navigator NT 2010 Help

I've not tried it, but have a look at the registry, try changing the following key and move the files to a new destination.

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Garmin\Installed

That lists the paths to your installed map sets. Don't try this, if you are unfamiliar with editing the registry.

Good Luck.

It may be that your only option is to do something like the registry edit mentioned above, but I have no idea if it will work and you may run into a problem if C: locations are hard coded into other parts of Garmin programs. The main problem is that Garmin's install procedures are stuck somewhere in the 1980's and insist on installing to the C: drive with no option to change the install directory. Most install programs matured to allow user choice of install location a long time ago but for some reason Garmin didn't.

I've already mentioned this to tech support on one phone call, if they get more feedback from frustrated customers then they may change it. If downloaded freeware install programs can manage it then I'm sure Garmin can manage it on programs they sell commercially.

It's just lazy, or brain dead, programming really. I have Garmin installs shotgunned all over my C: drive from C:\Garmin, through \Program Files to obscure \Documents and Settings folders, none of which are where I would want to install them if I had a choice.

@bnoles:

There are ways to move Mapsource and maps to a different drive after the initial install. But, you first need to free up space on your C: drive to install the map update.

Installing the map update will place the Mapsource program in C:\Garmin and the 2010 maps reside in a folder in C:\ProgramData\GARMIN\Maps (Vista) or C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\GARMIN\Maps (XP). In the past you could manipulate registry keys related to the maps; ever since Garmin changed CNNT maps to .gmap format for nüMaps, the location is fixed as described above.
 
 
EDIT: Added example .bat file and explanation of fixed locations.

For example, assume both Mapsource and maps are in the Garmin folder on the D: drive. (Maps would be in a sub-folder named "City Navigator North America NT 2010.10.gmap")

You'll need to create a .bat file that sets the ALLUSERSPROFILE variable to the folder containing the maps sub-folder. This will fool Mapsource about where the maps are:

2010.bat
SET ALLUSERSPROFILE=D:\Garmin\
D:
cd \Garmin
start mapsource.exe

It looks like you can fool MapSource into thinking that the map files are in the default location when in fact they are located on another drive.

Note- all file locations listed below apply to Windows 7. I believe these would also apply to Vista. For XP use C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\GARMIN\Maps\

I also don't want the map folders residing on my C: drive. I have 2 different map versions since I have two nuvi 765's

My maps are located in the following folders:
E:\ProgramData\GARMIN\Maps\City Navigator North America NT 2011.10.gmap
and
E:\ProgramData\GARMIN\Maps\City Navigator North America NT 2010.40.gmap

In my C:\ProgramData\GARMIN\Maps\ folder I have only two shortcuts pointing to the FOLDERS on my E: drive where the maps actually reside:
C:\ProgramData\GARMIN\Maps\City Navigator North America NT 2011.10.gmap.lnk which has a target of E:\ProgramData\GARMIN\Maps\City Navigator North America NT 2011.10.gmap
and
C:\ProgramData\GARMIN\Maps\City Navigator North America NT 2010.40.gmap.lnk which has a target of E:\ProgramData\GARMIN\Maps\City Navigator North America NT 2010.40.gmap

The "targets" of the above shortcuts are the actual map locations on the E: drive

NOTE - my map folders are City Navigator North America NT 2011.10.gmap and City Navigator North America NT 2010.40.gmap Yours may be different depending on your map version.

So here is how to do it:

1. Open MapSource - Utilities - Manage Map Products
You will see the "Installed location" of your maps. You should see the C: drive location

2. Close MapSource

3. COPY (don't MOVE!!) you map folder to your new drive location

!!!!(This next step is done so you can easily undo this change in case it doesn't work for you)!!!!
4. RENAME the original C: drive map folder - i.e. RENAME C:\ProgramData\GARMIN\Maps\City Navigator North America NT 2011.10.gmap to C:\ProgramData\GARMIN\Maps\TO ERASE City Navigator North America NT 2011.10.gmap

5. Create a shortcut pointing to the new map folder location on your new drive location to the original map folder location - C:\ProgramData\GARMIN\Maps\ The simpliest way to do this is right click the new map folder location and drag and drop it on the original map location- then choose "create shortcut here"

6. Now repeat step 1 and you should see the new drive location listed as your "Installed location"

7. After you are comfortable that all is working well you can then delete the original map folder located in the RENAMED folder on your C: drive - C:\ProgramData\GARMIN\Maps\TO ERASE City Navigator North America NT 2011.10.gmap

8. So now only a shoutcut pointing to the new drive location should be in the C:\ProgramData\GARMIN\Maps folder

If this change doesn't work you should rename folder C:\ProgramData\GARMIN\Maps\TO ERASE City Navigator North America NT 2011.10.gmap back to C:\ProgramData\GARMIN\Maps\City Navigator North America NT 2011.10.gmap

Repeat step 1 and you should see the original map location folder - C:\ProgramData\GARMIN\Maps\City Navigator North America NT 2011.10.gmap