Can’t find Info to Install Map to SD card.

https://support.garmin.com/support/manuals/manuals.faces?par...

Cheers

First, your nuvi 2455 has 4GB of internal storage (like my nuvi 855) so moving the City Navigator map to a SD card isn't really needed yet for most folks. The real benefit of SD-installed City Navigator comes to folks with 2GB nuvis (like my nuvi 750).

Second, some (all?) nuvis during the map update process, possibly when the map installer sees that the nuvi can't hold all of North America or when the Installer assumes from your nuvi model to have insufficient space, the Installer gives you the option to install 1) a portion of City Navigator internally or 2) install the entire map of North America to a SD card. If yours is a model whose update process includes this, you just select "Install to SD". A real benefit to this route is that special features like Junction View will also be installed to the SD card along with the map and the result with be a nuvi that functions identically to a nuvi with an internal map. Just remember that the SD card is now a part of the nuvi and removing the SD card removes City Navigator.

Third, if you want to manually install all or some of City Navigator map update to your SD card (where the SD card will only work with the specific nuvi that has lifetime maps or are using a single free map update), you need to choose the map update's "Install to device and computer" or "Install to computer," then use the Garmin MapInstall program and your computer to create a map with all or parts of City Navigator to the SD card. Note that using this process will NOT install Junction View or other special features that your 2455 offers resulting in a nuvi that's missing many of the features you paid for and expect to use. For this reason, I'd avoid at all costs installing the full North America to a SD card for use with your 2455 using this method.

@canuk
Thanks for the link...

@ CraigW
Thanks for the good advice!!

I just renamed the 3 filename extensions gmapprom.img, gmapprom.gma and gmapprom.unl with an "x" on the end and then proceeded with a regular update. Since there was not enough internal memory to continue the update process asked me if I wanted to install the Full map on the SD card. I accepted and when it was done I just deleted the original files.

Thanks!

Thanks for the tip.

When I started to update my 650 the updater program gave me 3 options: Device only, Device and computer, or computer only. There was no option to load it on the SD card.

I have a 2G sd card and it is almost empty. Am I right in thinking I have to choose putting it on my computer and continuing from there?

Yes, the three options you describe do (and have in the past) been offered during map updates. This option only arose if folks updating clicked the Install Options button (which is easily overlooked).

But for at least some nuvi models, there's another option offered at a different time: to install full map to SD or to install a smaller map internally. To my knowledge, this choice is new and wasn't offered in the past. If you don't see this (as I did with my nuvi 750), it may be that this option is not offered to folks updating a nuvi 650.

Anyone out there with extra info for us?

I was offered:
++ the dropdown to choose a different or smaller,
++ the 3 location options,
++ a check box to leave the install files on my computer.

I don't think prior screens had any options.

1. Get a 2GB or 4GB USB flash storage device (sometimes called 'disk-on-key'), and copy onto it the Nuvi file \Garmin\GarminDevice.xml from your unit. Remove the GPS unit from your computer and insert the disk on key. Note: from this moment, all Garmin's related programmes will treat the disk on key as an actual Nuvi unit.
2. Re-run the map download, saving both to the computer and to "GPS". The end result will be a gmapsupp.img file on the USB flash device, and a GMAP directory on your PC.
3. The gmapsupp.img will be the full NA map data, which can be copied to your actual unit, saved on HD, what have you. The GMAP directory can be used by mapping programs such as MapSource or BaseCamp.

Notice: On a Nuvi 2xxx, instead of the gmapsupp.img file there will be a \Map directory with 3 files in it: *.img, *.unl, and *.gma

Those are options for updating maps through MapUpdater and are used to give options to install map on computer too, not only on device. But when you choose options to install to device and don't have enough space on it, than you will get screen that informs you about insufficient space and giving you option to split automatically maps between device and SD card (card has to be inserted into device)*.

Other options is to choose options to install map only on computer. Then, when installation will finish, put card in device or card reader (much faster sometimes) and use MapInstall from Garmin to transfer map to card. It will give you options to install whole map or do selective install as well.

MapInstall is here:
http://www8.garmin.com/support/download_details.jsp?id=3291

*Note: I tried twice to use this options with my 770 and both times were a failure with message from installer that it can't find where to put maps on card. Strange, because it's card where I put one of my maps and it is working fine. But others said that this option worked fine for them. So just try.

This sounds like a good method, however, you said:

I have several flash drives, but none will plug into my 650. My Garmin cord has a small connector for the Nuvi and a usb. But it is a male usb, as are the flash drives. I guess I could run out and see if Micro Center has an appropriate connector. Is this what you did?

I think that Elig99 is saying to copy the "GarminDevice.xml" from the GPS drive to the flash drive directly. That is, the GPS will be in one USB port and the flash drive will be in another USB port, allowing a copy from one "drive" to another.

Alternatively, you could attach the GPS, copy GarminDevice.xml to a temp folder, safely disconnect the GPS, plug in the flash drive, then finally copy GarminDevice.xml from the temp folder to the flash drive.

Now run POI Loader and let it look for a Garmin Device. It should find the flash drive.

Ok, that helps. I'll try it later tonight.

Seems that many others here are learning new things and how do do things differnt. I am learing many thingsa and most of this is not in any other post or in a FAQ,

Keep them coming..

Remember, You can get the same results by doing it many ways..

Ok, I'm being challenged by the update to 2013.2
Here is the memory utilization of my Nuvi 650:

Nuvi
Used 1.32Gb
Free 0.63Mb
Audible files deleted except Intro
Help files deleted except English
1 POI of <400kb
SD
Used 1.18mb
Free 1.88gb
1 POI of <800kb

No MP3s, No pictures, no books

My first update attempt resulted in the updater program giving me 3 options: Device only, Device and computer, or computer only, with no option to load it on the SD card, so I quit at that point.

My next attempt involved copying GarminDevice.xml to a flash drive as per Elig99. I then unpluged the GPS, leaving the flash drive connected, and ran Garmin Map Update. It did not find the flash drive, nor did it allow me to browse for it, and I let it sit and think for a couple of minutes.

My 3rd attempt followed grzesja suggestion of running MapUpdater. This seems like a good way to miss something by not marking it as you can mark both cities and states. So I held off updating with this program.

For my 4th attempt I followed jgermann's post, which was the same as Elig99's, except he said to run POI Loader. I was able to browse to the flash drive with POI L, but there really wasn't anthing to load.

Anybody care to give me a step-by-step procedure? I'm usually better at this stuff, not sure why I can't get to first base this time.

This method should work. Are you sure you copied the GarminDevice.xml file into a folder on the flash drive named \Garmin? Note that the \Garmin folder must be at the root level of the flash drive and cannot be a subfolder within another folder.

I would suggest that you get a larger SD card for your nuvi. While the full NA map will fit on a 2 GB card, there is not much room to spare. 4 GB or 8 GB cards are cheap these days (under $10).

I believe that when I updated my nuvi 750 and was given the choice to update to a SD card for the full North America or to select a portion of North America to install to the nuvi storage, I was warned that I needed 2GB of free space on the SD.

As suggested before, you may need a bigger SD card. I see another issue with your SD card. Adding the free and used space, it totals 3.06 GB. If this is a 4GB SD card, is it possible the card is corrupt? There's a big difference between 3.06 and 4 and if I look at a formatted empty 4GB SD card, I see 3.75 GB free.

That being said, maybe the "map update to SD card" is not offered to all nuvi models by the MapUpdater software and maybe the nuvi 650 is one of the "not offereds." Someone else with a 650 will need to test this. What worries me most is that when I updated my 750 to the latest map, I had no SD card installed. Yet I was still offered the full map to SD (with a note that I'd need to have a SD card installed) or the smaller internal map. If you're never seeing a Install full map to a SD card with 2GB free space, then you're not seeing what I am.

Note that the options you're seeing (install to device/device&computer/computer) is not the location where the SD option appears, at least for my 750 update. My SD option vs. smaller internal map option occurred automagically and one or the other had to be selected. Your option appears only if you click the "Install Options" button.

Has anyone with a nuvi 6xx updated to City Navigator 2013.20 and seen the option offered to install to SD card? Maybe the 6xx series firmware and MapUpdater don't offer the auto-SD-installation.

If some models offer full map updates to SD and others don't, we made need to start a list. For me, the 7xx series does offer a map-to-SD.

CraigW, I am pretty sure he has a 2 GB SD card. note that his unused tally is MB, not GB.

Used 1.18mb

Whoops, skip the "corrupt SD" card thoughts of mine, above.

One other observation: When I was given my full map SD vs smaller map internal option, the default choice was "smaller map internal." If you miss seeing the choice, you'll be installing a smaller map to the internal nuvi storage. The option occurred in a window that was different than for earlier updates so I can see how I might have overlooked and missed the install to SD option.

See:

https://support.garmin.com/support/searchSupport/case.faces?...

Aha! From the above link (and note there's no nuvi 6xx support, nor nuvi 8x5 support for my 855--bummer):

◦nuvi 30
◦nuvi 40
◦nuvi 50
◦nuvi 205 series
◦nuvi 465
◦nuvi 700 series
◦nuvi 705 series
◦nuvi 1100
◦nuvi 1200 series
◦nuvi 1300 series
◦nuvi 1400 series
◦nuvi 1690
◦nuvi 2200 series
◦nuvi 2300 series
◦nuvi 2400 series
◦nuvi 2405 series
◦nuvi 2505 series
◦nuvi 3400 series
◦nuvi 3500 series
◦nuvi 3700 series
◦dezl series
◦zumo 220
◦LIVE 1695
◦LIVE 2300 series

So to put a nuvi 6xx map onto SD, it'll need to be done manually (MapInstall from a computer as sandpiper suggests or one of the other techniques).

First, you download the map on your computer only. It's faster.
Then you used MapInstall. When you see the name of the gps in the box, you click the arrow next to. In this menu, you will see the identification of the sd card is in the gps.

You choose it, and that is all.

But for nuvis that offer Junction View and other special features, this technique will not include the special files needed for them to work.

I'm making progress! After reading alandb's post about having the Garmin directory in the root, I changed it from being a subdirectory and Mapupdater ran.

Before I copy anything, I notice that the file on my system is: gmapprom.img, not gmapsupp.img. Is this a concern?

I guess I don't also have to copy: gmapprom.gma, gmapprom.sum, gmapprom.uni?

You can avoid the .sum file but you will need the .gma (I think) and the .unl (for sure) along with the large .img file.

The maps will install to the flash drive as gmapprom.img, gmapprom.gma and gmapprom.unl. To install them to a SD card, you will need to copy, move or rename them to the SD card as gmapsupp.img, gmapsupp.gma and gmapsupp.unl. And make sure you have the files on the SD card in the \Garmin folder at the root level.

You will also want to go into your nuvi settings and uncheck the map that is currently installed in internal memory.

One last concern here before I delete old files and copy new ones to my Nuvi. I may not have been clear, but the files on my Nuvi are gmapprom.xxx, just as they are in update directory on the flash drive. I have saved copies of the files on the Nuvi, just in case.

Do I really want to rename them gmapsupp.img, gma, unl?

If you say YES I'll proceed and delete, copy, rename.

By the way, what is the gmapbmap.img file for on the Nuvi? It is not in the update list and is 6M in size.

gmapbamp (except on my nuvis where it's something else) is the Basemap. The basemap gives minor detail to the USA in case you have no City Navigator installed and selected, and I think it also includes minor detail of many place in the world other than North America. The basemap is not routeable--no searches, no routes, etc. You do want to keep the basemap on the nuvi.

If you are going to copy the map files to the internal memory of your nuvi, do not rename them, keep the gmapprom name and replace the old files of the same name. If you are going to put them on the SD card, then you will need to rename them to the gmapsupp names.

Thanks CraigW, alandb, and others, for all the help. Unfortunately I do not have enough space on the Nuvi for the US & Canada map so I'm copying it to the SD card. Looks like it will take a while, still 71 minutes to go.

Thank you all, my Nuvi is now updated, and I have the procedure for the next time. Now to just pick up an 8G card so I don't have any more memory or space issues.

I've been a member here for 3 years 33 weeks and I'm still amazed at how helpful everyone is, how much knowledge there is in this group, and quickly they share it.

If I'm not mistaken, the 650 only supports up to a 2GB card so buying an 8GB card may not be the best way to go.

With the latest firmware, this link suggests that all nuvis can take up to a 16GB card:

https://support.garmin.com/support/searchSupport/case.faces?caseId={a43e2650-1794-11e0-7efa-000000000000}

I have a nuvi 50LM and currently have this on the unit:

City Navigator North America NT 2013.10, Lower 49 States - Map Only, Apr 12

I don't know what "Map Only" means, perhaps I do not have the City Navigator I have seen referenced on this site. I guess I have Alaska but not Canada on the unit.

Since I only have 185mb of space left, I'm presuming I will need a Micro SD card to install the now available 2013.20 update. I was going to buy the largest one I could find, but based on this thread, it looks like 16GB is the largest I can use. I was told the higher the 'class' of the card, the better.

I hope to install the update this week, and would like it to just go right to the SD card so I'll have Junction Views and I would like to not have to rename any files.

I don't have the expertise many here have, but I have been able to load camera files and other custom poi files and I always learn new things on this great site.

I wonder what Map Only means.

You do have City Navigator 2013.10, but for a smaller subset than all of North America. Could Map Only mean that you also are missing added features like Junction View? Do you see Junction Views (only seen when travelling a "route" along major highways with interchanges and exits); e.g., Interstates. If need be, you can test this in Simulator mode.

Since you only have the Lower 49 now, the map update to 2013.20 should kick in the "update to SD option" since your nuvi 50 is listed as a Garmin-supported SD map-capable unit:

https://support.garmin.com/support/searchSupport/case.faces?...

If you can find a 16GB card at a good price, go for it. But if they're a lot more than 8 GB cards, ask yourself what the extra storage will ever be used for. It's very unlikely that map updates will ever need the extra storage of a 16GB card during the life of your nuvi.

I know there's discussion of SD card speeds with no universal consensus. Just know that many folks have no problem using Class 4 cards, much cheaper than the faster cards. It may well be more important to buy a name brand card (SanDisk, for example) than a fast off-brand.

Note also if you're an eBay buyer that there are a lot of defective and counterfeit SD cards being offered, many from Sellers outside the USA. This is especially true for the high capacity, high speed cards.

I'll suggest you check out Wal-Mart, Radio Shack, or Amazon. (If Amazon, buy directly from Amazon, not some seller offering items on the Amazon site.)

I love the Junction View feature!

I called Garmin in re the 'Map Only' but it said there's a 30-40 minute wait so I'll try later or tomorrow.

I've bought a couple of the non-micro SD cards at Walmart (always SanDisk) so will likely by the micro there too. Good to know that the higher class really isn't needed.

Also, I have no reason to need the 16GB, I just thought better to have it and not need it .....

Sounds like 8GB is more than enough. I will post back when I talk to Garmin in re the 'Map Only' designation.

Since you're going to have a SD card installed before running the 2013.20 map update, you should be offered the full North America installed to SD.

Although it'd be nice to know what "Map Only" means (since Google wasn't any help to me), I doubt that I'd want to spend time On Hold to speak to Garmin--and being an odd issue, there's always the chance that Garmin won't have an answer--or that the Garmin rep you speak with gives you incorrect info.

If it were me, I'd just buy and install the SD card, then run the map update making sure to choose the Install North America to SD card option. This should give you full North America coverage with the latest map and features.

Could this offer any insight to Map Only?

https://support.garmin.com/support/searchSupport/case.faces?...

Do let us know how things work out.

I did the update and it only took up 30 MBs of the 185 I had left.

My map choices were the lower 49, or various regions of the lower 49 (NE, SE, NW, etc). I thnk I also had the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico.

The whole process took about 5 1/2 hours.

Everything seems okay with the nuvi 50!

With your nuvi and a SD card:

https://support.garmin.com/support/searchSupport/case.faces?...

you could install all of North America rather than just the Lower 49 states. Given the low price of a 4 or 8GB SD card these days, that's a small price to pay for Canada and Alaska. (It makes Seward's 2 cents an acre to buy Alaska positively expensive in comparison.)

that may not be necessarily true CraigW. It is true that the full NA map would fit on the SD card, but the nuvi 50 was sold in several versions, some of which did not have Full NA maps preinstalled. As I understand it, you cannot use a Lifetime map subscription to increase map coverage beyond what was originally pre-installed on the new nuvi. So I think ericruby would need to verify that his nuvi 50 came with CNNA full coverage in the first place.

I bought the lower 49 states version at the BJ Warehouse.

Curse me for not doing better research.

At least I got a lot of free food samples at the warehouse demo items that day.