Nuvi 255W Freezes

I have a 2450 that is dead as a doornail when not connected to a power source. The battery will not take any charge, but the 2450 works just fine when connected to my computer or automobile.

@upprof

I think your 255W is stuck at the “preboot” stage, and if so it may show up in the list of devices on your computer instead of in the list of drives.

On a windows 7, the devices can be seen at {Control Panel\Hardware and Sound\Devices and Printers} I do not know where to look on a MAC

If it does not show up in the list of devices do the following:

Stay at the computer screen where you can see the devices.
Unplug the USB cable from the 255W but leave the cable connected to the computer.
Use the power switch to turn off the 255W.
Hold a fingertip to the upper left corner of the 255W and insert the USB plug into the 255W (do not touch the power switch).

After a few seconds the 255W should show up as a device, on my computer it is listed as “Garmin USB GPS”, and should stay there for about 30 seconds.

Note: I hold the 255W sort of how you would hold a mouse – with right thumb along the long edge and a bit below “Garmin nuvi”. Then I press index finger to the upper left corner of the screen (which will be upper right corner as being held) Then rotate the 255W so that the USB cable can be plugged in using the left hand.

If this works, the above process can be used as part of further attempts to resurrect your unit.

BTW A well charged battery will be required if further attempts are to be made because there will be times when the 255W will be disconnected while the firmware is loading.

And a partly discharged battery could be responsible for a failed firmware or map update.

dobs108

Yes indeed, at least for the firmware - I wonder what cupprof can tell us about the state of the battery when he was doing the firmware changes?

If your firmware was corrupted because of a bad battery (which seems likely), your 255W can still be fixed.

The steps would be:

Buy a replacement battery – the ones with tool kit costs about twice as much as just the battery. You can see prices at Amazon.com. (I had the small torx screwdriver and a set of small Philips screwdrivers so did not need the kit.)

Install the battery. See https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PwAbKYOgiZg
(I don’t think you need to play Bolero while you work on it but would be fun do so.)

Use Garmin’s updater.exe and an .rgn file built using the latest GUPDATE.GCD to load the firmware. You have to do this on a Windows computer. (I can send you the two files via email.)

Given the old map, and the outdated 255W it probably would not be very wise to do the above – unless you just like to tinker. I like to tinker and found it fun to take the 255W apart, see what's inside, mess with versions of firmware that I tailored by changing the Logo seen during startup etc. In other words, I use it as a guinea pig.

I continually checked the battery status when I was trying all the other troubleshooting. It was fully charged at all times.

I used your process of holding the top-left corner while connecting the 255W on my son's PC. It does show up for about 30 seconds, as long as I continue to hold my finger to the screen.

Time that you buy a new GPS and use the one you have as a paper weight.

Suggestion. Would you allow someone to log on your computer with the GPS hooked up so they could look into your GPS. Some one might be able to help you this way. If you talk to Garmin that is what they would do.

In its current state, it does not mount on my computer...

Ok, I will send you the two files. Put them in a folder, which can be on your desktop or anywhere else convenient to get to.

Start with your 255W disconnected and do the following:

Drag and drop the .rgn file on the updater.exe file
Click a dot in the circle beside “USB Device” in the Updater window that pops up.

Now do the "finger on the upper left corner process" and your 255W should show up in the text box beside “USB Device” and should stay for about 30 seconds.

Click on the “OK” button. [You may get a message about the unit not responding – keep hitting “OK” buttons until the unit responds.]

Be patient and wait for the progress bar to complete (and the bar may take some time to show up) you should see “Software Loading” on your 255W screen during this stage.

Click on the OK button and when you see “Update was successful”

Remove the USB cable from the 255W should boot up and ask you to “Select a Locale”

You should be able to” follow your nose” from there to when you can see the Main Menu.

If this does not work, we will have to run the “cure” .rgn on it.

I am thinking that John (cupprof) likes to tinker same as I do.

Also since he is a “Clarion University of PA Professor of Educational Technology and all things Education” I figure that he has a lot of curiosity.

To see what the end result will be and what the solution will be.

I fully expect that the 255W may not work after we try all the fixes that I know how to do.

But I will not count that as a failure. What I would count as a failure would be to have not tried everything I know how to do, or can learn to do, as long as the other person is willing to keep going.

No matter what, these will be some of the “results” as far as I am concerned:

I will have documented all the steps, which I have been putting off doing for a long time.

I will have passed some of my knowledge on to someone else – maybe even several others. (The procedure can be used on other Garmins.) I would count missing an opportunity to do that as a failure.

Isn't this what it's all about, trying to help one another out ?

I applaud you in your tremendous effort in trying to help a fellow member, that in itself says alot about you.

I remain confident that you'll both succeed & am following this thread even though I'm not directly concerned with alot of interest, enthusiasm and at the same time, learning new things

Yeah, I love to tinker too... although I usually just break things.

Thanks for your efforts and assistance Evert! The device is now alive, but still suffering from the original problem. I ran the RGN routine twice. The first time, when the device came back to life, it still asked me to update the software since it was using the old firmware that I loaded. I foolishly clicked "Yes," which killed it again. So I ran the RGN routine again and this time said "No."

So the device is pretty much right back to where we started... it crashes when I view any map and try to zoom. Thanks for bringing it back to life. I have access to a PC if you have any more suggestions.

Thanks again!!

Ok so now we need to use the “cure” .rgn (I will email you the file), to cleanup the 255W, then use the regular .rgn to put the normal firmware back on, and then put files back on.

These are the two .rgn files we will be using:
109101000760.rgn
109101000760cure.rgn

The cure .rgn is used load a firmware that does only one thing: present the 255W as a drive on the computer. Once it has been loaded, the 255W will do nothing else until a regular firmware is loaded.

This gives you a chance to do whatever you want with the files on the 255W both adding to or taking away. You can also format the drive and even remove the partition and re-partition it.

First we will format the drive to have a “clean slate”.

Do the following:

Remove the SD card if there is one.

Use the same procedure as for the other .rgn file but use the one with “cure” in its name.

When the process is complete, do not disconnect the 255W. Shortly you should hear the sound that indicates that you have inserted a flash drive and perhaps the Autoplay choice popup will appear (depending on your system settings).

Go to “Computer” and you should see the 255W as one of the drives. On my computer, the drive is labeled “Garmin nüvi(F:)”

If you have not backed up the files on the 255W now is the time to do it before proceeding to the next step.

Right-click the drive and select “Format”, make sure the File system is set to FAT32, and that there is no checkmark beside “Quick Format” then click on “Start”

When the format is complete, disconnect the USB cable. If the 255W stays on after the disconnect, hold the power button to the shutoff position until it turns off.

Now use the .rgn file without “cure” in its name to load the regular firmware. Answer “Yes” to the question about “Do you want to replace your current software version with …..?”

When the process is complete remove the USB cable and the 255W should boot up to the point where it complains about not having a map.

Insert the USB cable again and the 255W should appear as a drive again but this time under the control of the regular firmware. You should be able see some folders and files that were automatically put on the 255W. Copy either a gmapprom.img or a gmapsupp.img map file from your backup to the Garmin folder.

Remove the USB cable and now the 255W should boot up to the Main Menu

Insert the USB cable and copy a gmapbmap.img (Basemap) file from your backup to the Garmin folder on the 255W

Remove the USB cable and now the 255W should boot up to the Main Menu again - if it doesn’t there is something wrong with the Basemap.

Connect the USB cable again and run Garmin Express to install the timezone map etc.

Unplug the cable and you should be “good to go”.

Note: I have made use of the “cure” process that was developed by user kunix on the GpsPasSion Forums. See topic GarminCure3

I had a similar problem 4 years ago with my Nuvi 265WT (Basically a 255 packaged with a GTM 25 traffic cable). The unit had a weak battery which died during a firmware update. Afterward, it displayed most of the symptoms the OP described with his 255.

Although I was a POI Factory member back then, I didn’t think to research or post a question about the problem. Instead, I sent the unit back to Garmin for an $80 repair. Live and learn.

Thanks to everyone who contributed to this informative post!

Please allow me to make some suggestions.
If both parties agree, perhaps you can call one another and you can walk John through steps over the phone. It’s a lot faster & easier than typing. I see you both have contact option available so you can get the phone numbers through email.

Another option suggested earlier by member rthibodaux is to connect to John’s computer remotely. Since John now has the ability to see the files on his PC you can use a free program to connect to his PC and you can complete steps needed remotely. I use the program frequently to fix friends and family issues they have. You can even transfer files from your PC to his.

The only problem you may have is John is using a Mac and I’m not sure you are familiar with a Mac, I am not.

If interested, here is the link for free download:
When installing MAKE SURE you check the box "For Private Use Only".
http://www.teamviewer.com/en/index.aspx

Evert and all the contributing posters are not only helping cupprof, but all of us reading these posts.

dobs108

I very much appreciate you making the suggestions. I have used teamviewer and several similar Remote Access/Control software on PCs and Androids using both WAN and LAN connections so I know how useful it can be.

However, as I said, one of my goals was to document the steps so “faster & easier than typing” is not applicable.

Another goal was to have others to see details of the process involved in trying to resurrect a Garmin nüvi.

In other words, it is not just about getting John's 255W fixed.

I totally agree describing the process will be beneficial to other members. What I was hoping for that you are able to find a solution then post the steps on how you got it done. By posting all attempts made with failures may possibly discouraging members from reading farther for the solution. Please don’t take this as criticism; you need to follow your plan whatever that may be.

You truly are a caring and giving person and I tip my hat to you. I'm sure John is quite appreciative for your efforts.

Thank you very much for your kind words.

I very much hope the “failures” do not discourage others from reading further.

I purposely started with the most simple fix and progressed to more complex fixes. For some the first fix may work and they would have to go no further – and so on through the other fixes.

To paraphrase Thomas Edison, we were not having failures, we just eliminated several ways that won’t work.

Let me first say that I have never encountered an individual as helpful and unselfish as Evert. The amount of time he has spent with me on this silly little device is above and beyond the necessary. Thank you Evert!

Having said that, Edison would agree that we have now eliminated several ways that don't work. I went through the most recent set of directions, "cured" it, reformatted it, etc. I even went through the process twice, just to be sure I didn't miss something.

But... the 255W is still in the original condition when I first posted. If I click "View Map" it shows all of North America and on the second time I click the Zoom button, it shuts down. If I choose "Where to" and enter an address and click "Go," the device calculates the directions and then shuts off. Additionally, if I visit any setting which draws a map, the device shuts off.

At this point, I would assume it must be a hardware error. I have a hard time understanding how it couldn't be since it was completely reformatted.

I now know way more than I ever dreamed possible regarding the makeup of a Garmin... thanks to Evert, alandb, canuk, and others! This hasn't been a failure, it has been a wonderful learning experience.

To finish, unless there are further suggestions on software fixes, I would like to offer to mail the device to Evert as a gift for his time and effort. He can do with it as he sees fit... I'm sure there are plenty of useful parts. I would add that if Evert decides to destroy it, I would prefer he mail it back to me. I have so many times envisioned it skipping across the surface of a local river, slowly sinking after that last little skip. If Evert finds it useless, I would like the pleasure of realizing my vision.

John

John, I do have one more Ace up my sleeve – a binary file that has a complete image (down to the bit level) of another 255W as it came out of the box.

Formatting does not clean everything – there is the Master Boot Record and some hidden sectors that can only be seen with special tools, and are not affected by formatting.

(One of my favorite Edison quotes is "When you have exhausted all possibilities, remember this - you haven't.")

Last night I used the Windows Diskpart Clean All command to completely erase my 255W and when it tried to start up after that, it acted similar to the way yours does.

I was able to make it work again by using a program named IMAGEUSB to put the complete image onto my 255W.

I could send you the image, program, and instructions but since you offered to send your 255W to me, I would like for you do that. It would be fun to see if I can make it work.

If I am successful I will send it back to you and you can listen to it say “Recalculating, …. oh it’s cold ... so cold ….glub glub” as it skips across the water and sinks. :)

You have my name and after reading your “Find Yourself!” blog I figure that you probably also have my address but I will email it to you just in case. :)

I know that many of us will be looking forward to the sequel

Please keep us posted on the outcome.
I have a gut feeling Evert is going to get it to work so the Nuvi won't be doing any river skipping.

@Evert
Sounds good... I'll send it out to you (but I don't have your address). My son is heading to college and taking his PC with him, so I won't have easy access to a Windows machine after tomorrow.

Thanks again for all your help, it's been amazing! I've learned a ton... and I've already started tinkering with my other Garmin, a Nuvi 50.

You are very welcome, and I will watch for smoke on the horizon.

Here is a copy of an email I sent to upprof today:

I used the “one more Ace up my sleeve” i.e. copied the complete image of another 255W as it came out of the box to your 255W.

The result was the same as the other fixes we tried – basic functioning of the device but it shuts down when one attempts to zoom in on the map.

Next I put the 255W into diagnostic mode and saw that the ROM check reports “Pass” but the RAM check reports “Failed”. So apparently you were right about it being a “hardware error”.

In order to figure out exactly what hardware element failed, I dissected your 255W to see what chips are on the Logic Board, and found 4 main chips.

“SanDisk” which no doubt is simply an SD “card” and is probably what is seen as a drive when the 255W is connected to a computer.

“ARM” which I believe is a microprocessor chip which includes the “ROM” (Read Only Memory) that is checked in diagnostic mode.

“K4X56163PL” which is similar to markings I have seen on Samsung memory chips so I think it is the “RAM” that is checked in diagnostic mode.

"G150” which I think is the GPS receiver.

Except for the SanDisk, I could not find any these chips online so they are probably special made for Garmin. Even if the chips were available, it would be very difficult if not impossible to install them on the board.

So it looks like the only way to fix your 255W would be to replace the logic board.

I checked on the Garmin site to see what the repair would cost and they state that “Repair services no longer available” for the 255W.

I also searched for a replacement logic board but could not find one offered anywhere.

My plan is to put the 255W in my spare parts box and see if I come across someone that has a 255W with a broken screen or some such that I can salvage the logic board from. Or use parts from it to repair my 255W if the need arises.

Thank you for giving it to me. It was nice to have one that I could take apart further than I have before.

Pictures of your logic board are attached.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v469/evstringer/POIFactory...

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v469/evstringer/POIFactory...

The K4X56163PL is a 16M x16 Mobile DDR SDRAM

I had seen that but it seems to come in several configurations.

I found several listings of K4X56163PL-FGC6 but the pictures did not match the foot print - which is why I thought maybe Garmin ordered a special configuration i.e. "K4X56163PL SEC 949 FGC6". I did not find a listing for that.