Unable to D/l Full NA Map

See FAQ http://www.poi-factory.com/node/39231 .Look at the forum topic http://www.poi-factory.com/node/39338 for the 650.

Sadly, the nuvi 6xx series is one of the old devices incapable of reading files that are over 2GB in size even with your 8GB SD card:

http://www.poi-factory.com/node/42561

This wasn't a problem until recently because in the past, the North America map file was less than 2GB.

Also, the nuvi 6xx series devices will not automatically perform map updates to a SD card:

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

There is a solution that will allow you to have access to the full North America map but it requires some effort on your part each time you perform a map update:

https://support.garmin.com/support/searchSupport/case.faces?caseId={a209e880-9319-11e2-65d0-000000000000}

http://www.poi-factory.com/node/31185

Basically, you will use Garmin Express or GarminMapUpdater to install the map to your nuvi and computer. The nuvi will receive the largest map possible (given both the free space on the nuvi and the 2GB file size limit), then when done, you will use your computer's MapInstall to install to your SD card the portion of North America that's not already installed to the nuvi. This faq may help in deciding what map portion to install to the nuvi and what portion to install to the SD card:

http://www.poi-factory.com/node/42542

Note that the cloning method to install a map to a SD card for use in your Garmin device will not allow you to install all of North America to the SD card because the map file will be larger than 2GB and therefore will be unreadable by the nuvi 650 so I suggest you follow the Garmin and POI Factory faqs, above, rather than try the Cloning Technique.

I'm pretty sure that the nuvi 6xx series only allows a single supplemental map on a SD card, so it's not possible to have all of North America installed to the SD card under two file names since the 660 only allows a single map file to be on the 660, the gmapsupp.img file. Therefore, you will need to install the two map files needed to be able to see all of North America in different locations, a gmapprom.img to the nuvi (which will be done by Garmin Express or GarminMapUpdater) and a gmapsupp.img to the SD card (done by Garmin's MapInstall program).

Thanks to all who wrote the above-mentioned faqs!

Have fun and write back if you have more questions or have a problem.

Thanks Craig, I thought I was doing something wrong. I think I'll just stay with the lower states.

But, I just noticed that my Garmin Nuvi/Garmin directory contains: GarminDevice.xml (1/2/16), gmapbmap.img (no date), and gmapprom.sum (3/31/2007). The xml file I used on the flash drive was dated 8/26/12.

1) Should I have used the newer xml, which was updated when I plugged the Nuvi in to see if there was a new map available?

2) I inadvertently change the name of the SD card with File Manager (and don't recall the original name). Will this be a problem when I power up the GPS? I've got a couple of hours to wait right now.

Thanks!

I think this will answer your questions, hopefully with the right answers. If I mess something up, someone will come along quickly and fix things.

-the gmapbmap.img is your nuvi's BaseMap which you need to have, so keep it in the nuvi. I think it's around 50MB. With some/all? nuvis, the lack of a basemap will cause your nuvi to display no roads at all!

-the gmapprom.sum is a really tiny file is an old checksum for an older map you had on the nuvi at one time. You can safely delete it (and I would), but given its tiny size, you aren't gaining any space in the nuvi storage by removing it.

-If I remember correctly, the nuvi 660 will ignore any map on the SD card unless it's named gmapsupp.img. If you used the clone method as I suspect you did, GarminMapUpdater or Garmin Express install the map file to the SD card with the gmapprom.img name. This will need to be renamed gmapsupp.img to work (unless I'm wrong and the 6xx nuvis can utilize a map file with a name other than gmapsupp.img).

-xml file: hopefully alandb or charlesd or someone will pipe in here. I think the xml file on the nuvi is necessary to keep and is recreated each time the nuvi is booted up. Assuming you installed your map to the SD card with the clone method, you will still have the xml file on the SD card that you put there at the beginning of your map update. I believe the cloning procedure recommends deleting the xml file on the SD card once the map update is complete. I've only used the clone method a couple times in the past, so rather than believe what I say about xml files, do what's stated in the cloning faq or listen to alandb or charlesd or others with more cloning experience.

PS: the new 2016.30 map should be available in the next month or two. You mention that you plan to keep your current partial map and that makes sense to me. But when the next map update comes out, know that you can install all of North America to your 650 with a SD card, with part of the map in the nuvi and the rest of the map on the SD card.

Your advice is right on (as always).

The cloning method is not really the best way to install a map update to a 3xx/6xx nuvi because of the 2 GB file size limit. Putting the full NA map on SD simply will not work on these devices because of the size limit.

As suggested by CraigW, your best method is to install the full map to the computer and whatever will fit on the device internal storage (lower 49 or US only). You can do this with either Garmin Express or MapUpdater. Then once that is finished, use MapInstall to put the remaining regions on SD card. The nuvi 6xx will merge these 2 separate files and make the full NA map available to you while you navigate.

I like your new tree, alandb!

Thanks Craig,

I will finish this up in the morning following your recommendations. I appreciate all the help. I think you were the same person that helped me out a few years ago when I first tried updating.

Thanks again,

Alex

Just a final comment. gmapbmap.img is small at 6056k, and I deleted gmapprom.sum (1k, 2007) from Nuvi. Map comes up and seems ok. Too many trees around the house to get a satellite, will check later today when I go out.

Looking at my old backup maps, I have 2014.40 at 1.97 (full NA), 2015.40 at 1.69, and now 2016.20 at 1.73. Looks like I'll be bumping the 2g limit in a few more updates. I will go over the other update method you outlined and try it on the .30 update.

Thanks again!