Garmin Express software

That software works great and ended up removing a bunch of things that I do not use any longer that were still starting up in the background.

I like the simplicity of it and uses no resources and very little space.

didn't like it at first,but it is working good now

+1

Yeah, I did that a week ago. Had a real hard time uninstalling it from one of my computers. The best Garmin could do was refer me to a Microsoft uninstall utility that didn't work. Had to remove it manually ...

I am aware of Mike Lin's Startup Control Panel

For many years now, I have been running Mike Lin's Startup Monitor. As you probably know, it asks me if software wants to put itself in startup and gives me the opportunity to say "no". However, I have found that it does not always catch ways of getting into startup.

Because of Startup Monitor, I have used Startup Control Panel in the past, but after looking at Autoruns, I switched. The extra features - like a Services Tab, the ability to search the internet PLUS the ability to "Jump To" the entry or folder containing it (which is needed if trying to find malware on someone's machine) - were too good to pass up.

I consider SCP to be better than MSCONFIG but not as good as Autoruns.

Garmin Express just auto-updated to 2.10. It notified me that there was the 7.60 firmware update for my 2595, and began downloading it.

From what I seen there is no option to install map on computer as well. So it looks as it support only update on device and then using device as source map for BaseCamp. For me it's rather unpleasant news, as I prefer to have maps installed on computer too, so I don't have to wait every time for BaseCamp to get maps from device, as it takes a few minutes.

Have you attempted a map update using Express?

It occurs to me that until we actually do an update using this software we don't really know if there is an option screen available during the process like the "install options" page in the current Garmin MapUpdater software.

I agree that if this isn't an option, then it's a reason I wouldn't use Express for map updates.

What a piece of junk. Very hard to install and takes minutes to start. Tried to start this morning and it only wanted to do an update which failed. Ended up deleting which has taken me almost an hour to do.

Actually I did. Weird update, as I have NA map on SD card and Express haven't seen it and was proposing update to 2012.3. To see how it works I let him do it. It went as this:

1. Express detected that I have not enough space on GPS for full NAA maps and proposed option to put it all on SD card or select smaller region to install. My GPS is compatible with option of auto install on SD card. There was no option to install to computer (even "on computer only" like in old manual updater).
2. It downloaded map and prepared it to install. Download was fast (about 15-20 min) with much nicer progress bar showing actual speed and percentage downloaded than on manual updater.
3. As usual I get error, that installer doesn't know where to save map on SD card. I had it as well with manual updater.

I didn't get through full update procedure, but from manual updater I remember, that option "install on computer" had more data to download. There was even warning about it. So that's why I think that Garmin removed option for installing maps on computer, as BaseCamp should use maps from device. But I don't like to connect GPS and wait few minutes every time I want to look at map. And in addition maps installed on computer can be printed when those used from GPS cannot.

Thanks, this is good to know even though I expect I'd have used the old manual myGarmin method in February when the next map comes out even before reading your post.

What I do hope is that the old manual method will be kept along with Lifetime Updater and Garmin Express, mainly for the reason of installing to device and computer. I hope that Garmin won't remove the old options and force us to use one of the two newer methods at some future date.

And for b_chapman: you're not alone in seeing a very slow laborious GE installation and update procedure.

A member on gpspassion.com reports that Express DOES give you the option to install on your computer:

http://www.gpspassion.com/forumsen/topic.asp?whichpage=2&TOP...

Garmin Express is now v2.1.2

I'm not sure what's changed. I can't find a changelog to access.

No update for Mac that I can find - either via the app itself checking for update, or download via Garmin...

Whoops, the 2.1.2 is for Windows (but then you figured that out already)

It arrived as an auto-app update.

Okay, I'm confused now.

I previously used My Dashboard to update the maps and it worked, but when it finished, it told me to install the Garmin Lifetime Updater.

Today, I found out about Garmin Express when looking at the 2013 Release info - the link is here, but doesn't say what version it is:
http://software.garmin.com/en-US/express.html File is named GarminExpress.exe.

I wasn't sure what people meant by MyGarmin (found out it is the same as MyDashboard. Went there and was going to download maps just as a test, and it told me that I should install Garmin Express and it would handle the update, and it had me download a file called GarminMapUpdater_v3.1.20.exe.
http://downloadg.garmin.com/rmu/GarminMapUpdater_v3.1.20.exe...

Which appears to be different from the Garmin Lifetime Updater which is here:
http://www8.garmin.com/support/lifetime_updater.html

So there seem to be three different ways to update the maps (but I don't know which is best or what the differences are), and MyDashboard doesn't seem to work as a standalone option.

What do you advise?

Your mileage may vary but my preferences are the following:

-for software updates to my devices, I prefer the tried and true WebUpdater:
http://www8.garmin.com/products/webupdater/howtoinstall.jsp

-for map updates, I still prefer myDashboard. Realize that when using myDashboard, you actually update your maps with MapUpdater--and at the end of the update when you're ready to click "Finish," they recommend installing Lifetime Updater. My preference is to change the recommendation and not install Lifetime Updater. It is strongly advised here not to use myDashboard to install software updates since you won't know what's being installed and won't be given the option to choose which updates to accept.

I've never used Lifetime Updater. It works for many but some report issues that require a lot of effort to fix--and it does stay resident in memory at least for PCs.

I have installed Garmin Express but haven't decided how useful it is for me or for folks familiar and happy with WebUpdater and myDashboard. This is especially true for folks who monitor The Factory forums often and are likely to get the most timely notices of software and map updates. Like Lifetime Updater, Garmin Express stays resident in your computer memory.

As of today, it appears that installing Garmin Express will install version 2.1.2 for Windows PCs and 2.1 for Mac folks. You're right, there's no way to determine what version of Garmin Express you're getting until you download or install it. As I stated earlier, there's also no changelog indicating what's been changed with Garmin Express updates. Many here are happy with the quite-new Garmin Express software.

That has bin the debate since it came out. I like Garmin Express, closest thing to one stop shopping if you will. Does it all..and your units don't need to be plugged in. Ok version of express...how to tell. D/L it first. Right click the exe file, click Properties, then Details and in there you will see the version.

The difference between myGarmin and myDashboard is that myGarmin is the website that you login to in order to use myDashboard and all the other features you'll find there (myMaps, myProducts, etc.).

As mentioned, you should have answered NO when prompted to install Garmin's Lifetime Updater. The idea is good but to date there have been many reported problems with using this software. My advice is to uninstall it from your computer.

Garmin's MapUpdater software program is the software program used when you update your maps using the myDashboard or myMaps features in your myGarmin account/website. Until Garmin Express was released, this was the preferred program for updating the maps on your Nuvi.

Although Garmin Express is new, it is looking more and more like a very good alternative to using myDashboard and myMaps for map updates. In addition it makes updating all the other software that maybe available for your Nuvi easy. It provides details of what is available, that myDashboard doesn't, and it will report what these available updates are, without having your Nuvi attached to the PC, which the old Webupdater program can't do.

Personally, for now, I'd use Garmin MapUpdater for updating your maps and Garmin Express for all other updates. Once we go through the next map update, due in early February, and see if Garmin Express can handle the process well, then you could quit using MapUpdater and let Garmin Express handle all your updating needs.

The version of GE that I downloaded yesterday was 2.1.2. (Although the GarminMapUpdater_v3.1.20.exe file says it is version 3.0.0.0 under properties.) The WebUpdater, which was new to me was also 3.0.0.0.

For now, I think I'll just wait and see what comes up in February and probably re-download GE at that time.

I update the maps and software in March, June, September, and December. Nothing is ever more than 4 months old - and that good enough for me. I have older Garmins with 4-year old maps that still get the job done if needed.

Also - Technically, nothing "Stays" in memory, although it's rather annoying that you have to disable startups after using the program.

Not sure if it will help, but what I would like to see and will suggest to Garmin:

* Some sort of portable version of the software that I can install without admin rights or registry keys.
* Some type of web update that runs without an installation program (except maybe the plugin), that allows normal update through the browser.

Thanks again for all the help!!!

Semi-off topic: Is there any way to get E-mail notification when this topic is updated?

Good to be aware of!

No, but if you visit the site fairly often, click the "Mark all ... as read" after clicking "unread posts," then on your next visit, click the "unread posts." With this, you can follow up without too much extra effort wading through other threads.

Assuming you posted in the thread of interest:

Periodically, click on "Recent posts" in the upper right web-site pane. Then click on the tab called "My recent posts". This will show you all of the threads in which you have posted.

Look at the colors of the threads:
If the color is light blue, then you have not read that thread since the date of the last new post (and dark blue means you have)

The problem here is that clicking on a thread takes you to the top of the first page of that thread. To find the new post then you need to go to the last post (of the last page, often) and work backwards until you find your last post and then read forward (because posts are not tagged with the "new" annotation)

AND - it means you have to post in a thread of interest to get it to show up in "My recent posts".

Hi... So it appears the jury is still out on what is the best method to update your Garmin..

Some of it is based on personal preference and some on technical issues folks have experienced.

QUES: Does Garmin express notify you when a new version is available?

FYI: How do I install Garmin Express on the computer?

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

Well, sort of. What happens is that it auto-downloads the update to your computer, then the next time it's opened, the update installation begins.

I'm not sure if we're even given the chance to refuse the update.

Thanks CraigW

I installed Garmin Express and removed Lifetime Updater, but didn't really play with it any.

Right, from what was posted above:

Garmin Lifetime Updater is not recommended and should be avoided (although it worked fine for me the one time I used it).

MyGarmin or MyDesktop browser based update works well, although as of yesterday (and probably earlier), there is now a Garmin Express program (GarminMapUpdater_v3.1.20.exe - not the same as GE) that must be installed.

GarminWebUpdater used to be recommended for software/firmware updates, but I read elsewhere that MyDashboard now has the same functionality (including the ability to selectively install updates) and therefore it is now redundent.

Garmin Express looks promising, but I think the jury is still out until more users can use it to install map updates.

I saw the other reply, but ...

Not sure if you are asking about new versions of device firmware or maps or new versions of GE.

For GE, I'm not sure about auto-notification, but there is a "Check for Updates" button on the advanced tab.

For map updates - by default, it will start automatically whenever you plug in your Garmin (and will run in the systray otherwise) and it will background load maps to the computer for later installation. You can turn both of these options off if you want to, though.

Some mistakes there as well - at least for Windows:

4. Optional: to change the installation location on the computer, press the Options button

The program will show the default location - for most users C:\Program Files\ However, IIRC, it actually installs to C:\Program Files\Garmin\Garmin Express\ (Might be just \Express\). Not sure what it does if you specify something different, but I thought the default description should be more explicit.

By default, Garmin Express runs as a process each time the computer starts up.

"By default" is very misleading terminology and implies an option that can be changed through menus or config files or similar. As far as I can tell, that is NOT true. By default, it launches when the Garmin is connected to the computer. By design, it runs both as a service and a systray icon at startup and the only way to avoid that is by running AutoRuns or StartupCPL or msconfig manually after each use. (Although to be fair, the same was true for the systray for Garmin Lifetime Updater as well - although I don't know that it used a service also).

I will check out this software but will not hold my breath on it being simple for most in backing up and placing where i want it to go.

. please delete

Interesting side note.

I tried to load this 2 days ago. My antivirus software (Bitdefender) blocked it from loading due to it containing a virus.

I am still waiting to download the program so I guess I will wait a little longer.

I would suggest this is a false positive.

Of course, you can upload it to Virus Total as well, and have it scanned by multiple virus engines. https://www.virustotal.com/

Ok, I've just installed the software, and need to clarify a few misconceptions some here have.

First off, you can disable the Tray easily. I use CCleaner, and went to Tools/ Startup, and changed it to 'No'. Done.

Now, go to Run and type 'services.msc', no quotes. Find the Garmin Core Update Service. Right click on it and choose 'Properties'. Set it to Manual. Done.

The tray will never start again at boot. At this point, you'll have to manually start the service with the shortcut. Find the program, and use the 'Send to Desktop' option on a right click.

You can choose where the program installs. When you first run the setup, you'll see 'Options' on the screen. Click and put it where you want it. Press 'Back', and voila. I put mine in the C:/Programs/Garmin/ folder with the other progs. Done.

Other than that, it seems to be ok so far. Got both my devices checked, and all is well. Saved the profiles of course. Now, I'll wait to see how the map updates go.

Cheers.

Yes, but you got some of the misconceptions incorrect.

UNTIL you run the program again !!!

I just mentioned that above. (Actually, I haven't tested it with GE, but I assume it works like Lifetime Updater. Once you change the startup items it won't run until the next time you run it - then it will re-enter the registry key and start itself again at bootup (until you change it again).

Many programs have a "Run At Startup" checkbox that you could UNCHECK - but this one does not.

Somewhat, but it's poorly coded as well. It said it would install to C:\Program Files\. I left that, but it actually installed to C:\Program Files\Garmin\Garmin Express\ (if memory serves). Based on that, I'm not sure if I told it to install to C:\Programs\,if it would install there or to C:\Programs\Garmin\Garmin Express\.

Again - it's not a huge deal and I was fine with the default location, but inexact wording doesn't give me a warm feeling about the things that I can't see it doing ...

Interesting.

I still run XP Pro, and after disabling it, neither start at boot even after using the program. I exit the tray, and that's it. Next reboot, nothing runs. I'm not sure why yours would. Perhaps try just deleting the Tray from startup in msconfig, or CCleaner.

As for the install location, I didn't try it for the default location, I just picked where I wanted it.

Has anyone else had an issue with this running very slowly on Windows 8?

I stand corrected. If you disable the initial startup program it DOES NOT show up again at bootup unless manually restarted - at least under Win XP Pro also.

Runs fine on my Windows 8 laptop.

Runs fine on my Windows 8 Pro desktop.

What is your system configuration, hardware?

Old dual core Athlon X2 5200+, 6GB RAM, 500GB WD Blue WD5000AAKS SATA

The program crashes on my windows 8 pro laptop.

The problem occurs when I press download after selecting the desired options to download. Another words, after selecting the options to download, if I want to see the download progress, the software crashes.

Any information leading to a correction is greatly appreciated.

I have windows 7. Has anyone had a problem with it. I don't need to slow down my system.

I haven't had any problems with Win 8 on the desktop or Win 7 on the laptop. I connect 3 different nuvis and a zumo 665 to one or the other weekly. Only 1 GPS has actually had a small update so far but no problems with it.

Right click on the tray icon, and choose 'Exit'. It will end the current session.

Thank you for confirming my findings.

Thank YOU for keeping me from thinking I had to run Autoruns after each time I used the software!!!

Greetings,

This is just a housekeeping update.

The Windows version of GE is now 2.1.4 and folks with the software should receive an auto-update when you next open the program unless you've set your copy to never check for or install updates.

I let the update work and it "cleaned out" my device. I had to reconnect and rename.