Lifetime nu maps:

The Lifetime map updates are only available via download currently.

The file that you download is slightly over 2GB in size and you will need approximately 7 - 10 GB of hard drive space on your computer to extract and install the file.

The memory size is not an issue - free disk space is. As long as you have enough disk space, you'll be fine.

My old laptop only has 512MB of memory and I can download large files, no problem.

Can anyone tell me if there's a way to override the installation taking place on the C drive? I don't have the room there, but I've got gigabytes galore on my D drive. Right now the subscription program has turned into a complete waste of money for me because I can't install it.

I have the space; I just don't have it where Garmin insists I have it. I can't believe that Garmin is still programming like it's 1989.

Try using WinRAR http://www.rarsoft.com. Decompress the downloaded map file using WinRAR to a different folder on your D: hard drive. Browse to that folder and run the install from that folder on the D: drive.

That could be just what I'm looking for, thanks! I'll give it a try over the weekend and report my results back here.

@ Felix Krull,
You can do step 2 below to eliminate some of the required space on C:

I have the same issue. My C: is partitioned small (10 GB) as I back it up frequently with imaging software (Drive Image). This is done to keep the compressed backup images small enough to fit onto one DVD-R for archival purposes. Nearly all program data (except for some key apps like web browsers, Photoshop, DVD burning software , etc) is put onto other large drives in the system.

I have NEVER had a problem with this method until Garmin's downloadable map updates which require everything extracted/dumped/installed onto C: which is ridiculous. I have tons of space on other drives yet I have to go though hoops to get a simple map update installed on the GPS.

Here's what I need to do whenever a map update is released.

1. Image/backup my C: (to have an immediately recent backup)
2. Pre-decompress (using WinRAR or 7zip) the download map update onto one of my large drives (anything but C:)
3. From the decompressed archive, run the setup app to see how much space it's wanting on my C:
4. Delete without regard to installation, everything necessary on C: (except for Windows system files) to get the space required by the install app
5. Repeat 3 & 4 until the space requirement is met
6. Install the map update and build/send the map to the GPS
7. Restore my C: from my backup image
8. Delete the decompressed archive after I burn it to DVD-R in case I need it in the future.
9. Fume at Garmin for this inexcusable issue and wait for the next map update to be released so I can do it all over again.

Note that there is an option in the install package to install data onto other drives in the system but this does not work...I have tried every time a new map update is released but selecting a different drive other than C: still dumps everything onto C:. This is apparently a bug in Garmin's installation package which was recently reproduced by them according to what I've read in another forum. Hopefully, this will be corrected in future map update releases.

Normally, I set up my PC with a small C: drive and a space galore D: drive. I change a Windows registry:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\WINDOWS\CURRENTVERSION\ProgramFilesDir which by default is C:\Program Files to D:\Program Files. After this change, all programs will install on D:\Program Files by default.

I looked at Mapsource on my hard drive. It has about 1.6 or so gig for each map update I have done. 2008, 2009, 2010 etc. It keeps adding up. Nice to look at the 2008 map, but I don't want to keep the data on my hard drive forever. Can you delete the old maps and not hurt the data on the new maps? If so, how? Scared to start deleting things and not know the result.

Yes, you can delete older map versions without affecting Mapsource or its other maps you want to keep. Delete them as you would a program; i.e., if using a Windows PC, go to Control Panel and select the option to add/remove programs. Each Garmin map should be listed and can be uninstalled from there.

Have you verifed that this in fact installs the map data onto D: with the Garmin map install?

The reason I ask is because the map data is by default installed into C:\Documents and Settings\*username*\Application Data\Garmin (or similar location) and not to C:\Program Files

It may in fact work for apps installing into the C:\Program Files folder but would not seem likely to work with the Garmin map installer since it does not install to that location.

Upon investigating here's what I found:
For my Europe 2010.10 update: I have the .img files in D:\Program Files\Garmin\CNEURO10.
However, for North America 2010.10 & 2010.20 updates, I don't see the .img files.
I have about 5 gigs of .gmp files in C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\GARMIN\Maps,
for the 3 maps that I have installed.
Here's a link for the .gmp files:
http://www.gpspassion.com/forumsen/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=118955

I guess, Garmin changed the map files.

Does anyone know if the lifetime upades is worth the cost? Do they really change the maps 4 times a year?

So far, if Garmin stays with their past update schedule, yes it will be four releases per year. But you have to remember that they state it is "up to" four updates per year.

To me lifetime updates are worth it. Once you've downloaded two updates, it has already paid for itself. If you plan to keep your current unit for a while (1-2 years), it is definitely worth it.

However, if you're going to buy a new Garmin every six months, it will not be worth it since you'll get a free update with the new unit anyways. The nuMaps lifetime subscription is tied to the unit that you purchase it for and is non-transferable to another (new or old) unit except in an extreme situation (Garmin replaces your unit under warranty or it gets stolen and you provide a police report to Garmin so the subscription can be transferred to another replacement unit).

This is the first yr for NU Maps the only thing you can say about it is THEY say UP TO 4 times a yr. So till the first yr is up dont know for sure.

Worth it.?? Depends. How long you going to keep your current unit, How often you want to have your unit updated, Once a yr or up to 4 times a yr. Kind of a personal pref.

YOU beat me to it. LOL

The more opinions the better!

it's not a bad deal

I purchased nuMaps Lifetime shortly after it went on sale and have received 3 updates so far ... Jan, April and July. I think it is worth it because I like knowing I have the latest maps available.

I just got a 755T and am also wondering if I will go for nuMaps Lifetime. I notice the new unit is quite more accurate than a nuvi 600 I had used prior, even with me being a bit lead-footed on some slower speed limit roads. So does this mean Garmin includes new Average Speed Data for routing in their map updates?

TIA,
Jason