Maps on Flash Drive

There isn't an option to state where the maps may be found for BaseCamp. That leaves only the option of deleting the maps on the PC and using the one on your unit which would have to be connected.

Why couldn't you use alanb's cloning procedures to install the maps on the flash drive. In theory you could just adjust the process to use the flash drive in place of the SD card.

Basecamp does see the maps on the SD card and use them so it should see the maps on the flash drive and use it.

Don't have time right now but I'll give it a try later and see what happens.

The cloning procedures are at http://www.poi-factory.com/node/39231

Make a copy of your device to an 8G stick. It will contain the GarminDevice.xml file.

I can confirm that these methods will work

I simply created a Garmin folder at the root of a flash drive.

Then I copied these two files from the Garmin folder on the SD card in my 40 to the Garmin folder on the flash drive:

gmapprom.img
gmapprom.unl

Basecamp then automatically finds the map on the flash drive.

This does make it much easier for me.

I should have included the following file in the list of files to copy:

gmapprom.gma

And it works fine in Basecamp from an 4GB Flash Drive.

Worked for me too. Thanks for the tip.

The reason I suggested 8GB was that the newer nuvis need 8G in total. Maps will fit on 4GB as several have commented.

I have the xml and the other three files on the flash drive. It is recognized by Windows, but not by Basecamp. I uninstalled and reinstalled BC, but the only map showing is the Global. What have I done incorrectly? Must be something, because the rest of you got it to work.

EDIT: GE recognized Flash drive

Did you make a new folder on the flash drive called Garmin, and put the files in there?

That is a good point. Using the maps downloaded for my 3597, and using the "cloning" method I did get a message that the whole map could not be installed on my 4gb flash drive. Using Evert's process of just putting a copy of the 3 gmapprom files on the flash drive worked fine.

Lots of the difference can be explained by the fact that I haven't put the 3D terrain, 3D buildings, time zone maps etc. on the flash drive.

Yes ... There are 4 files ~ xml and the 3 map. Along with these files are the ones that come with the flash drive. I wll delete these an see if these are interfering for some reason.

I got a good deal on 16gb and 32gb Flash drives. Put the map files on the 16gb and it is not recognized by BC. Copied the same files to a 4gb Flash and it works fine. Anyone have an explanation here?

That is odd because the flash drive I used was 16gb and it worked ok.

I wonder if the problem maybe that the large capacity flash drives are not formatted as Fat32. Maybe something to check.

When I read that I thought: – since the files will be read by BC on a computer, it should not make any difference what format is on the flash drive.

So just for fun I formatted my 16gb flash drive to NTFS (had been FAT32), created a Garmin folder, and copied the three map files to it and verified that BC read it ok.

Isn't all this discussion about cloning your device on a flash drive essentially what I stated at the beginning of this thread? Haven't you connected your "unit" to the computer? The maps are still being installed to a "device" and only the map stored on the clone can be accessed. If you install maps to both the device and computer during the update process, the newest map is ADDED to the map files on the computer, but REPLACES the map on the unit. With a cloned device on the flash drive, you can't use BaseCamp without connecting your clone.

Well, it sounded to me like you meant an actual Garmin unit needed to be connected and was implying that a flash drive would not work.

The request of the OP was to have a map on a flash drive and that it be readable by BaseCamp. We were giving details of how to achieve that goal. (Details that your first post lacked.)Surely the OP would know that the flash drive would need to be connected, so I don’t see where “With a cloned device on the flash drive, you can't use BaseCamp without connecting your clone.” would be a problem.

BTW Actually the method I showed is not a “clone” because I did not use the .xml file that is a key part of the clone method. So it is just a set of files on a flash drive that BaseCamp happens to recognize.

Also you are mistaken about “There isn't an option to state where the maps may be found for BaseCamp” because there is a way to point BaseCamp to a proper set of files. Basically you simply put a Shortcut (to the location of the map files) in the C:\ProgramData\Garmin\Maps folder.

@Evert et al

OK ... and yes, I do know that the drive needs to be connected

This is what I am wanting, but not able to achieve with my Sandisk 16gb Flash Drive ...
I want to be able to plug in the Flash Drive, in lieu of having the maps on my HD, and not plugging in my unit.

I have been successful with a 4gb generic Flash Drive, but not the Sandisk 16gb.

The Sandisk have been formatted, tried changing drive letters, deleted volume and created a new basic (original config), and recopied the files, rebooted and ... It seems that BC just can't find the drive.

I am leaning towards the thought that BC is not at fault here.

EDIT: Plugged both drives into diff ports with BC open and 4gb recognized, Sanddisk not.

dferron, I cannot figure why your 16gb Sandisk will not do the job. My 16gb flash drive is a Lexar but that should not matter.

Sounds like you are computer savy so here is a bit more complicated way that might work for you:

Go to C:\ProgramData\Garmin\Core Update Service\MAP-NA-2015-10\IMG and copy the City Navigator North America NT 2015.10.gmap folder to the root of your flash drive.

Go to C:\ProgramData\Garmin\Maps folder and create a shortcut to the City Navigator North America NT 2015.10.gmap folder on your flash drive.

Note: ProgramData is a hidden folder. IIRC you do not have to show hidden files if you copy and paste the above paths into the search box of the Start button.

You should now be able to see the map in BaseCamp and in Mapsource. (The 3 file method I previously described does not work for Mapsource.)

In the process now ... slow to copy. Anyway, why are the map files so much larger on the PC than on the device? The Core folder is over 7gb, and the maps folder is about 2.6gb. What was all the other "stuff" that was included in that download ... bloat? It looks like several copies of maps.

If this works can I uninstall the maps that were installed via GE to the PC?

The reason for this whole process is two fold ... recover HD space, and not have to bring in the unit from the car every time I want to use BC.

I do not know all the details of the files but from what I recall the files in “Product 1” are map segments and other files have to do with databases, indices etc. for the detailed information that go along with the segments. Apparently the maps that are shown in BaseCamp and Mapsource are a lot more detailed than the versions that are compressed and sent to the GPSr units.

You can uninstall the map via Control Panel and you will see that most of the map data will be gone from the C:\ProgramData\Garmin\Maps folder. However there will still be a copy of the map in the Core Update folder. If you delete that folder you will have to download the map from Garmin if you want it on your computer again. Do you have a lifetime map?

I have uninstalled the map via Control Panel and it did not cause any problem with the license etc. when using the copy on the flash drive. However the map uninstall removed most of BaseCamp – which was a big surprise because Basecamp was still in the Programs list in Control Panel. I had to reinstall BaseCamp.

@Evert

It looks like there isn't much gain to put the maps on a stick and removing from the PC. AND since I have a 4gb drive that works, what is the use, EXCEPT that I hate having things that don't work that should lol!!

The programmer/analyst in me just has to react to the "having things that don't work that should" comment.

Let's consider first that there are very few people - most of them on poi-factory - who realize that one can put your device on a stick and have other Garmin programs treat it as such.

Admittedly, there will be some people who see that Core Services contains a very large amount of data that they would like not to be there. If they have never heard of Basecamp or MapSource, they would have no problem with the uninstall of the map possibly giving BaseCamp problems.

There are those that use either BaseCamp or Mapsource for planning trips but, I think you would agree, that they will also be like those here on poi-factory and, thus, limited in number.

I suggest that there are only a very few people who would benefit from Garmin having designed and then programmed what you are wanted to be the situation. I do not think a business case could be made for the extra effort.

By the way, I took a 16GB SD micro card in one of the little USB "bugs" that I keep around and did a copy from my 8GB stick ( a clone of my 2595) to the 16GB SD micro card. It was recognized by BaseCamp and POI Loader without problems.

I think you indicated that you were getting your 16GB working. If so, what was the problem that previously had kept it from working?

John

John, what dferron wanted to do was to put his MAP on a flash drive – he never asked to have a clone of his Garmin on the flash drive. And he only wanted it to appear in BaseCamp and did not say that he wanted the flashdrive to work with other software such as POI Loader.

Garmin provided a way do what he wanted several years ago. They posted on their forum site that one could move a MAP from the standard location (C:\ProgramData\Garmin\Maps folder) to somewhere else on the computer’s hard drive, or even to any other drive such as a DVD drive or flash drive, and simply put a shortcut to the new location in the C:\ProgramData\Garmin\Maps folder. They indicated that BaseCamp and Mapsource would then find the Map(s) in the new location.

(That is the second method I suggested to him.)

He and I corresponded a bit via email and I don't think he ever got his 16gb flash drive to work. I think that is what he meant by "I hate having things that don't work that should.".

That is a real puzzle - my 16gb Lexar worked ok. He said that his was a Sandisk so I also tried one of my Sandisk 16gb flash drives and it worked too.

I understood dferron's reason for wanting the map on a stick or flash drive a bit differently.

I thought the main goal was to be able to remove the map from the PC - using the stick in place of the map on the PC, based on his comment:

The discussion about problems that occur with BaseCamp when you uninstall the map led, I thought, to his last comment.

It would indeed be nice if you could uninstall the maps with no impact on BaseCamp (and I admit I have not tried to do so) and use the map on a stick (not having to run to the car to get the device). I thought that was what he was saying should have been the design of the overall Garmin experience. I may have misinterpreted his goal, but that was what I reacted to.

It appears that BC hates SD 16gb, but is OK with a generic 4gb. Who knows what the issues are, but not going to pursue this 16gb drive any longer.

This did create a bit of a discussion though.

Just for something to do while watching an old John Wayne movie I copied the 3 files to a 4gb Sandisk with positive results.

Thanks to you all for your input. Anyone have a SanDisk Cruzer Blade 16gb they would like to try ...

It appears that BC hates SD 16gb, but is OK with a generic 4gb. Who knows what the issues are, but not going to pursue this 16gb drive any longer.

This did create a bit of a discussion though.

Just for something to do while watching an old John Wayne movie I copied the 3 files to a 4gb Sandisk with positive results.

Thanks to you all for your input. Anyone have a SanDisk Cruzer Blade 16gb they would like to try ...

I agree with that completely and all my posts were attempting to help him achieve that goal.

In addition to his posts you quoted he also said this in one of his emails to me: “I want, though not entirely needed, to uninstall the maps from the PC to recover space.”

Also note my post with subject "uninstalling" was dedicated to the removal of the Map from his computer.

When I said “He just wanted the Map” I meant that is all he wanted on the flash drive. I did not mean that was all he wanted to do. (You and others seemed to be concentrating on getting a clone of a Garmin on the flash drive.)

When you said

I thought you were talking about Garmin making the Map available on a flash drive.

Hopefully he will tell us what caused him to say that.

It is not difficult to reinstall Basecamp after uninstalling the Map.

On the other hand, I have been thinking that it is unnecessary to uninstall the Map because all that does is delete the map from the C:\ProgramData\Garmin\Maps folder, and moving the MAP to a flash drive would accomplish that without wrecking BaseCamp.

Win7 Programs and Features there is a Garmin City Navigator North American NT 2015.10 entry. I believe that this is the entry created when I installed the map via GE to my PC. Is this correct?

I had no intention of creating a clone. Just wanted to put the maps on a SanDisk 16gb Flash drive, which has failed.

I have accomplished putting the maps on a Flash drive (and an SD Card, too), though not the one that originally started the discussion.

That is correct and if you uninstall the entry, most of the data related to the Map in the C:\ProgramData\Garmin\Maps folder will be gone.

But, as I said, most of the BaseCamp installation will also be gone, although there will still be an entry “Garmin BaseCamp” in the Win7 Programs and Features list. You can fix that by installing BaseCamp again.

In order to be completely rid of the Map on your hard drive, you have to delete the C:\ProgramData\Garmin\Core Update Service\MAP-NA-2015-10 folder.

If you don’t have a Lifetime map you should save the C:\ProgramData\Garmin\Core Update Service\MAP-NA-2015-10 folder on some other media such as an external hard drive or a separate flash drive.

Don’t you mean flash drive instead of a SD card?

The closest I can come to your SanDisk Cruzer Blade 16gb flash drive is my SanDisk Cruzer Glide 16gb. BaseCamp can see the Map on it using the “three file” method and also will see the Map using the City Navigator North America NT 2015.10.gmap folder method.

I have been reading this post and wondering why you don't just let MapUpdater put the map on your computer each time you update? That way the updated map is always on your computer.

Am I missing something?

Well I guess if your short of HD space it does free up a couple of GB of disk space by not downloading the whole map to your computer.

When I think of the term "flash drive" I visualize what is shown here:
https://www.google.com/search?q=flash+drive&rlz=1C1RNRA_enUS...

When I speak of a SD card, I mean something like this:
https://www.google.com/search?q=sd+card&rlz=1C1RNRA_enUS562U...

I have multiple "clones" of nuvis. Now we probably need to define what we mean by clones.

I have a few that are really nothing more than a removable device with a Garmin folder as well as a GarminDevice.xml file. I usually go into GarminDevice.xml and rename the device to "nüvi 765 on F" (for the 2GB SD card in my printer slot) or "micro2595" (for the 16GB micro SD card) or "stick2595" (for the 8GB flash drive).

If I go to POI Loader right now, I see
"Stick2595(Unit ID 0123456789)"
"micro2595(Unit ID 1234567890)"
"memory card (F:\)"

If I go to BaseCamp, I see
"memory card (F:)" (note no slash)
"micro2595(Unit ID 1234567890)"
"Stick2595(Unit ID 0123456789)"

Note that both the micro and the stick have full maps. Indeed, as I recall, Express updated the stick for me. The micro was a full copy of the stick that I did the other night to test whether 16GB was acceptable to Garmin Programs - which it seems to be in my case.

I am at a loss to understand why a card and a flash drive would be considered differently. I do know that my attached Maxtor 500GB USB drive has not ever been considered as "removable" even though it has several backup copies of my 765 and 2595 devices. It must have something to do with the "capacity" of the removable device.

Has anyone used 32GB and tried to see if BaseCamp would find it. I know dferron bought both 16 and 32 but I think our discussion thus far has been on 16GB.

@Evert - you make a good point that dferron could just delete the "maps" from C:\ProgramData\Garmin\Core Update Service if reducing space was necessary. I hope that he makes an "image" copy of his hard drive at least every quarter so that he could restore the maps from his backup if needed.

MEMBERS READING THIS POST.
Please consider buying a portable 1TB or 2TB USB drive like the WD Passport. It is small (3.23 x 4.35 x 0.82" / 82 x 110.5 x 20.9 mm) such that it will fit into a safety deposit box which adds considerable protection to your important files).

I have an old portable drive hooked to my pc and it is getting full and it is large. I will look at the smaller drive which has a lot more space on it than the one I have. Thanks

Yes. I wanted to recover the HD space, by putting the maps on a Flash Drive, and then deleting the maps off the PC. So, why would I want to download the maps at each update, when they can be copied to the Flash drive from the unit?

I am bad as not taking in all I read and I didn't read the needing space. I looked at the portable drive that was mentioned above and it is only around $70 on Amazon. This might be a better way to go if you need more space.

I have successfully loaded the maps on a generic 4gb FLASH drive, and a Sandisk 4gb SD Card. The SanDisk 16gb FLASH drive was NOT successful.

Here is a link for the Cruzer Blade ... not the one I bought, but the same.

Sandisk Cruzer Blade

I have not tried the 32gb, but may later today.

If I remove the maps, a drive image will not be of value.

If map updating is in the offering, I would just copy the files from my unit to the SD or Flash.

I think the confusion came when cloning entered the picture and that I only wanted maps on the Flash drive. Then the issue came that BC didn't like the SanDisk 16gb.

I am guilty of skimming a post and then making a reply without taking the time to REALLY read and think before I write. Perhaps some of this has happened in this entire thread. This is not meant to be a chastise, but a point of observation...

I "resemble" that remark.

On my drive images (made with Macrium Reflect), I can mount the backup device and navigate to any file on the backup for restoration.

Thanks for the tip.

My Subject says it all.

I found an item in a drop down menu in BC that allows me, maybe you, too, to install maps on your device. I am at work so I will try to take this from memory, such as it is. IIRC it is either the Tool or Map drop down with an offering to Install Map. You drag to the area you want and just follow the prompts. I selected a big box and the zoomed in to add the little spots I missed and were outside the box. If you right mouse on a selected map that you don't want it will remove it, left clicking will add the map. Took me about 3-4 minutes and 30 minutes to copy to the Flash drive. The maps are available, but do not show in Maps>>Manage Maps.

I will edit the drop down location when I get home and will also try my 16gb SanDisk.

For what ever reason I can't get my Nuvi to read my SD card which I have maps on there.

Will your PC read the card?

The location of the "install maps" is from the Maps menu or a right click on User Data for the device in the Library pane on the left.

BTW ... BC won't read the 32gb either.

I just cannot understand why BC will read my 16GB micro card as if it is a nuvi but will not read your 16 GB flash drive.

I hope other members will who have a 16GB card or flash drive will copy their device to it ant see what BC will do.