Formatted a Garmin Nuvi 750 :(

Just copy your backup files to it and you are good to go.

I sincerely hope that alejandra810 had made a backup of the GPS before the format.

To everyone else reading this post: if you do not have a backup, PLEASE make one today. If you are unsure how, then look at
http://www.poi-factory.com/node/30394

She has warts.

Just kidding.

Just starting up your Garmin will cause it to do a inital setup.

Then, if you ever did a map update, and you chose to install the map on your computer, you should be able to send the map to your Garmin again via Mapsource, or via Mapinstall.

http://www.poi-factory.com/node/33271

I have a 750.

But, I am not sure a back of my unit will work on your unit.

Certainly the maps should not work.

Read another thread a few days ago that Garmin wanted $150 to fix a program goof. Cheaper to buy new GPS, lol

I'm sure someone else out here knows how this really works, but I believe there is a hidden partition or something similar where the nuvi's operating system resides. We know that the file we can touch where the Favorites resides is only a copy of the working file that is not accessible to the user when they connect the nuvi as an external drive to a PC. For that reason, I have a hunch that the OS and other internal files are untouched and copying back someone else's complete backup may work except for the maps which are likely coded to work only with SN of the device they were registered to. If it was mine, I'd try to find someone who has backed up their 750 to restore those folders and files and then reinstall the maps from the Garmin site. There may be no way around it except to talk to Garmin, and I suspect they will probably offer to swap you a refurbished 750 for a fee. Let us know how this works out.

Over a period of time I have messed around quite a bit with my 255W.

My 255W shows only one partition (as seen by MBRWizard).

In the past I re-formatted my 255W and when I disconnected the 255W from the computer it automatically created these files at the root of the drive:
GarminDevice.xml
mt.nvm

Plus two folders named GPX and and Diag

The GPX folder has a file named current.gpx
The Diag folder had two files: FT.bin and sys_log.bin

When I reinstalled my map everything worked ok.

So for my 255W formatting does not affect the firmware and at least I can see the Garmin as a drive after the format.

However I was messing around more and accidently wrote an empty MBR to the 255W and it would not fully boot up. It would come up as a device (not a drive) for about 30 seconds and then shut itself off. Apparently the BIOS was not affected since the "preboot mode" was still there.

I had to re-flash my firmware to get it to work again. So the firmware apparently resides somewhere in the MBR and the BIOS probably resides on a separate chip.

We've restored formatted Nuvi's all of the time. Alejandro, contact me if you like.

-Jim

I recommend you call Garmin Product Support. There is a way for them to help with this issue and they should be able to restore your unit software. After that has been done, you can reinstall your maps. Their number is 1-800-800-1020.

Hi,

I am based in Australia. I contacted Garmin there and they said there was no way to recover a formatted device. I also email Garmin in the US with no response.

Would you have any other suggestions?

Thanks,

Stan

Did the same to a Nuvi 260. Did you ever get any help?

Hi, I formatted my nuvi 350 and did every re-install there is but I was told I must have a corrupted file so I am looking to restore my garmin with the original files, then I could just put the map file back on it to finally get it to work.
Thanks if you can help.

You can contact Garmin tech support - maybe they can talk you through something to fix it.

An earlier post listed Garmin's 800 number.

Why would you re-format a garmin?

... an "OOPS."

Is that when connecting a drive to your computer, people will automatically click "OK" when the window pops up stating your disk may not perform correctly until formatted, would you like to do so now?

One thing you could try, it wouldn't cost anything. Download Recuva and try running that, but do it before you try writing anything to the GPS. I have recovered files with it several times, I haven't tried it myself but have been told it will recover files on a formatted device especially if you only did a fast format.

Any special utility needed to backup my Garmin units to a Mac? Thanks in advance!

My garmin was messed up lots of wierd issues I don't recall. I found a thread to copy all off the garmin, then delete the corrupted stuff (which for me wasn't critical to operation), formatted the garmin, then copied everything back. Fixed the corrupted disk issue. Then I did webupdate and mapupdates. I was however, very desperate to fix it and considered it drastic.

I need some help restoring my garmin 255W can you help me?

I use the bugger to find my way about! I had a SSG, E6 in the army that always said " there are two kinds of people that fool with watches, watchmakers and fools" that one quote has kept me from screwing with many things I don't know the slightest thing about! Even I was quite impressed with myself for being able to replace the batteries in some of my Nuvis, I believe I'm going to leave it at that for now!

See:

http://www.poi-factory.com/node/27569

There's one thing you can do to solve any problem these day and age. Guess?

did you ever get your 750 going?? if so do you have a back up of it you could send to me? thanks