Garmin Express & CN2013.4 Update & Basecamp

Lifetime Map Updater and its Install to Computer preference worked like a charm.

The Garmin maps get installed in different locations... don't ask why.

I had to go to one of these locations, copy the map and paste it into the "usual" location to resolve a similar problem. Maps were installed, but not in the correct final location expected by BaseCamp.

To demonstrate, open BaseCamp, then go to Maps in the menu bar, the select "Installed Maps Info..." where you will see the maps and that they are installed in different locations.

There is yet another location that doesn't show up there, a temporary cache folder, where your maps probably were all the time, and probably still are. There was a period where the Garmin map installer/updater/whatever did not move the maps out of the TMP cache folder and into the final folder that is expected by BaseCamp, and I had to move the maps from the TMP cache folder to the expected folder manually for a few map updates.

Lifetime Updater is gone from the Garmin website. It looks like Garmin Express is the software to use now. I have searched through all the options and there is nothing I can find to update the maps on the PC. The software IMHO is pure garbage. It is a CPU hog when just sitting around displaying its window. One whole CPU tied up? Give me a break. Does anyone at Garmin test their software?

Thankfully user t923347 posted a link to the classic GarminMapUpdater software and I am running that now. I hope Garmin keeps it around so I can avoid Garmin Express if/until they make it is reliable as the older software.

Look here for Map Updater:

http://download.garmin.com/lmu/GarminMapUpdater.exe

As I've posted in one or two of the other threads dealing with the 2013.40 map update , the links to the GarminMapUpdater software are:

PC Version

http://download.garmin.com/lmu/GarminMapUpdater.exe

MAC Version

http://download.garmin.com/lmu/GarminMapUpdater.dmg

Same issue with my install, GE didnt make it available to BC but the old Lifetime Map Updater program worked like a champ.

I just tried to run LU. It said "a new version of Lifetime Updater is available...." If you press to download, it tries to install Express.

Pretty disheartening that they would mislead you if you don't catch what is going on.

It will NOT (LU) continue without the"upgrade."

Don'tknow why but the update failed and now neither the old version nor the new version of maps is installed on my nuvi 265.

When I try the update again Garmin Express tells me everything to current. The old WebUpdater only seems to want to check firmware.

Any thouths on how to a least get my old version of maps back?

WebUpdater does not update maps and never has.

When Garmin Express fails (or if you prefer not to use Garmin Express), use MapUpdater as described earlier in this thread:

PC Version

http://download.garmin.com/lmu/GarminMapUpdater.exe

MAC Version

http://download.garmin.com/lmu/GarminMapUpdater.dmg

Although I've not heard of anyone trying this yet, Garmin Express offers a "reinstall" under the "device" tab if for some reason, you want to try that rather than use the tried and true MapUpdater.

Finally, to answer your question: If you have a computer backup of your nuvi with the older maps, let us know and we'll let you know which files simply need to be copied from the computer backup to the nuvi to restore your previous map. If you don't have a computer backup, it's strongly suggested that after you get a map back on the unit that you make a computer backup of your nuvi:

http://www.poi-factory.com/node/30394

Getting ready to use MapUpdater this morning. After connecting the GPS to the computer Garmin express launched and now the update is available again.

I'm in the process of updating now. I'll let you know how it goes.

Thanks for your comments.

US & Canada loaded to GPS properly but not to BaseCamp. I'll look for the temp files mentioned earlier in this thread.

GE gave me the same message, no new maps...sounded like George Bush...No New Taxes...lol

i used Garmin Express to load 2013.4 to my laptop only. There is a dropdown labelled Device on one of the initial pages. Clicking on this button gives you the options of device only, computer only, or both computer and device. The default is device only.

Last time I did not get the computer update so this time I will have to remember to flip that switch.

There is no option I can find on the Mac version of Express to select to load to computer. IF anyone can find it - show me a screen shot...

The Lifetime Map Updater does have an option in preferences|installation tab...

True. I was using Windows 7. No idea what happens on a Mac.

I cannot find that option on the Windows version of Garmin Express either.

It has been reported that if you run Garmin Express and select reinstall for the map AND IF your Garmin device has insufficient storage to install the map, Garmin Express will load and install the old Garmin Map Updater program, which does give the option to install the map to SD.

But from what I can see, there is no native support for map install to SD in the current version of Garmin Express for Windows. If there is, I would sure like to know how to get to it.

«from what I can see, there is no native support for map install to SD in the current version of Garmin Express for Windows. If there is, I would sure like to know how to get to it.»

According to the Garmin website, yes, you can install a map update directly to your SD card:

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

A new FAQ on POI Factory describes another way to do it if your unit is NOT listed in that document. The FAQ's author calls the method "cloning." In essence, you set up your SD card so that Garmin Express recognizes it as your device, and GE then installs the map to your SD card:

http://www.poi-factory.com/node/39231

I wish it was as simple as a single download to update the Nuvi, Basecamp and MapSource, but it isn't. I'll never understand why.

That's why I continue to use Garmin Map Updater. I can update my Nuvi 660, BaseCamp and/or MapSource with one download.

Has anyone found a way to update Basecamp maps using Garmin Express? I know there are work-arounds but I'd like to keep things simple.

I 'travel' with the maps on my laptop but do my trip planning on a desktop. Aside from using the 'remote desktop' feature to access my laptop maps, is there way to transfer/copy maps (ie 2013.4) from my laptop to my desktop WITHOUT downloading them? I would rather not use my internet allocation limit or otherwise use my connection to download a second time---4-6 hours. Both computers are Windows 7.

Simplest would be to copy to a SD card then move them to my desktop. Would the map 'locations' be the same? On my laptop they are a C:programdata/garmin/maps.

That would appear like it should work and your map location should be the same on both computers. One issue maybe if there are registry entries that point to the map file or unlock codes. If those entries aren't present on the laptop you may have a problem. It's pretty simple to check it out by doing the copy as you suggest in your post.

I connected my NUVI, fired up GE and it said my 'device' was up to date...correct. Then I disconnected my device, fired up GE and it said I was up to date.

My reason for 'part 2' was to be sure there were no registry triggers that were missed during the transfer.

So, it seems to work.

Thanks

I'm sort of lost. I just updated to 2013.40 shortly before this thread came up.

I have a 1350LMT. If I do this update, what does it do?

Just downloaded the most recent version of Garmin Express which is 2.2.17 and they've added an option to download your maps to a computer, albeit they did not put the option in a very easy place to find. On the main toolbar menu...Updates...Extras...Device...Settings, Click on Device and then click Advanced, located to the right in the sub menu that opens. At the very bottom of that screen is a box..."Would you like to install the map files on your computer for use with other Garmin Software (such as MapInstall, MapSource, and BaseCamp)? You should be good to go from there.

Thanks for the info. I'll give it another try.

The latest version of GE for Mac is 2.1.2 and has no such menu option(s).

Plugged in nuvi 1450 and launched Garmin Express. GE indicated I was up to date. Click "Reinstall Maps". In the next dialog window click "Advanced Options". In the "Advanced Options" dialog box use the drop down menu to choose "Install to this Computer" then click the "Install" button.

Next time I'll pick "Install to Device and Computer".

Pardon if the specifics are not completely accurate. My map is installing with two hours remaining so the above entry is from memory but it should be close enough to work.

Also note that under preferences GE was set to run at login and device plugin. I prefer applications not to run it unless I start it so I unchecked these options.