USB 3 Problems

USB3 ports are backward-compatible with USB2 or USB1 devices.

All my advice is based on my knowledge of Windows 7, but Windows 10 should not be any different.

I think the problem is that Windows AutoPlay is taking an action that doesn't need to be taken when the GPS is plugged in. Disable AutoPlay for that device, the GPS, when it is plugged in. Look in Control Panel/AutoPlay. Once every AutoPlay action is disabled, you should be able to plug the GPS in and nothing should happen except that inside "Computer" a new disk icon should appear.

I have disabled every AutoPlay action for every device, because Windows seldom takes an action that I want to take.

Once the GPS is plugged in, install Garmin Express:

http://software.garmin.com/en-US/express.html

Garmin Express will then install USB drivers. (even in Windows 10!)

If Garmin Express has already been installed and it cannot see or update the GPS, then delete the GPS in the Garmin Express software. Unplug it from the computer and restart both the GPS and the computer. Plug the GPS in to the USB3 port using the Garmin USB cable that came with it. Garmin Express should then detect the GPS and install the proper USB drivers.

Garmin tech support specifically recommends against using a USB hub to connect any GPS to a computer.

dobs108

My 2450 doesn't have any issues connecting to my new laptop on it's USB3 port. This is a Win 10 laptop.

What you are describing sound like a cable problem to me. I would try a different cable.

I hoped I could help others, but all I hear is what I ddescoverwd isn't appreciated. I quit.

Good Luck!
Wil

Wil01, you have helped many others. For every one member posting in this discussion there may be tens of thousands of others just following and never posting. You have helped all these people by just starting this discussion.

Two heads are better than one, and ten heads are better than two. No matter what is discussed here everybody has a different way of doing it and speaks his or her piece. We can't predict where each discussion is going, but we all will know more afterward.

I can't remember any other time someone brought up a computer with only USB3! So we can all learn from this!

dobs108

I have 3 cables that fit my cell phone to my computer , 2 don't work 1 does . there is nothing wrong with the other 2 cables they work fine on other phones . as far as usb ports go if one don't work try another . I have a usb 3.0 128 gig stick that didn't work with my usb 3.0 the blue one , I found I had to get an updated usb 3.0 driver from AMD then it worked . so one answer may not help but several give you options to try and every body who gives a solution gives you something to try and usually you find a solution to your problem .

FYI - A USB3 port is actually BOTH a USB3 and a USB2 in one socket.
If you plug a USB2 cable into a USB3 port it connects to the USB2 pins. You must have a USB3 cable and a USB3 device in order to connect to the USB3 pins. This is why you can't get USB3 power (1A) to a USB2 device (0.5A).
Therefore the problem is not a compatibility issue with the port. It is a driver issue. Loading Garmin Express should set up the drivers.

a usb2 hub between my win10 laptop and an old tomtom 1 and now it works, loading new maps

I understand that you solved the USB 3 lack of connection to your new computer running Win 10 by using a USB 2 "hub". I would be interested in knowing what you plugged the USB 2 hub into? Was it a USB 3 port (as I am assuming that your new computer had no legacy USB 2 ports)?

Since not all people facing the problem you encountered will have a USB 2 hub on hand, it would be helpful to the community if you could try a couple of the suggestions put forth so that we can collectively find other solutions.

In particular, I am wondering if installing the latest version of Garmin Express
see http://software.garmin.com/en-US/express.html
and then getting Express to recognize your device thru a USB 3 port will work.

Just bought one for my son. What are the switches on each port for?

1. I tried all my cables. None worked.

2. Garmin Express nor the computer could see the 760 so GE could do nothing.

3. I spent 30 minutes on the phone with Garmin Support. We tried everything they suggested. Nothing worked. They left me with a dead paper weigh

4. My local computer guy connected the 760 to his computer with a USB 2 port. When that worked, he transferred the cable connection to my USB 3 outlet. That worked, and my computer could see the 760. He said that he "tricked" it. After disconnecting and reconnecting the same problem was there.

5. The tech began roaming around on my computer and found a message from some troubleshooting place that said that the old device may not be compatible with the USB 3 system. That message was exactly true.

6. My tech then gave the opinon that some means must be found to convert the USB 2 from the 760 to USB 3 for the computer. He suggested that the easiest way to do that was with a USB 2 Hub. Well, I have several, and I suspect that they are available since USB 2 isn't obsolete

I know of no other way to solve this problem except to buy a new GPS or stay with an old computer.

Good Luck!
Wil

Wil01, I am glad your computer tech was able to help you find a solution to this issue. We have all been through the frustration of things that are supposed to work and work fine for others, but don't work for you. I have read the Garmin recommendations to never use a hub with a Garmin device, but that's what works with your combination of computer and Garmin, so that's what you should use. I have tried my 3 Garmin devices with the various USB hubs I have laying around, and despite all the recommendations against it, have found they all work fine through the hubs. Use what works ... that's my philosophy. If in the future you have problems with disconnects or map update failures, you may need to look at some of the other solutions offered. But as long as the hub works with no problems, stick with it

Interestingly, my Win 10 desktop has both USB3 and USB2 ports. My Garmins connect fine through either port using the USB cables that came with the Garmins. Go figure!. I guess the "USB Standard" isn't necessarily .... well, standard! It is implemented slightly differently on different combinations of platforms, drivers and hardware.

One thing this thread points out is that a solution for one person does not work for everyone. So it helpful when other users post different solutions. Then when someone starts researching an issue, they will find the thread and see several different things they can try to solve their unique problem.

I'll report a different issue but it had me stymied for a while. My desktop PC has 4 USB2 ports on the back and I thought 2 USB3 ports on the front.

When connecting my nuvis to one of the front USB ports trying multiple cables, Garmin and generic, I found my nuvi going into operational mode rather than Mass Storage. In looking closer, I then saw that one front port was USB3.0 (which worked fine with nuvis going into MS mode as desired) but the other was just listed as "USB" with a tiny silk screened "3bar battery icon showing '2' bars." Yes indeed, for connecting Garmin devices, it was a nuvi operation charging port that would not let nuvis go into MS mode. It was odd because I can connect external hard drives, USB memory flash drives, etc. to the "charging" port and it is a fully functional USB connection letting me read or write to the drive but was a No Go with a nuvi connected.

FYI
I have a Dell XPS 1702x W7-64, and it has both USB3 & USB2 ports...
both garmins, 660 (USB1) and 2689LMT (USB2) work on both type ports here...

As this thread has shown. The thread did give other possible solutions to the problem. Anyone reading this has multiple things to try to fix their issue.

We have also seen in the past that connecting a Nuvi to a hub has failed so we have suggested in the past to go straight to the computer.

Your information is great. The others are just sharing ways other can try if they don't have a usb hub. And if the other ways don't help they people can go out and buy a usb hub.

Every suggestion and fix reported on this site is so important. There are many that your suggestion will help that the others suggestion won't help. Everyone's systems are different and set up differently and it is a great help to the community to hear everyone's suggestions it might just be the one that helps someone.
NEVER QUIT. WE NEED YOU AND YOUR SUGGESTIONS.

Mary

As an addendum to my above post... If you do a search, Dell XPS 15 & 17 series both have had 'issues' getting USBV3 to work properly.... and the cause seems to be the early Dell Drivers, and possibly Bios upgrades, though there hasn't been substantial proof to Bios upgrades.....
Mine is a recent (Used Purchase, i7 processor, Latest/Last A19 Bios when I received it) and I went to Dell website and downloaded drivers based upon the Service Tag on the laptop.
USB V3 worked reliably out of the box W7-64 (Thought I did run into issues with chipset drivers not working 100% until they were loaded in the correct order (do google search on this, too!)

Anyway, due to the similarities in the model number, I though I'd addend my post....

It's easy to update a Dell. Just go to the Dell website and enter the service tag number that is on the computer. Everything can be updated automatically.

BIOS updates are very important. Almost every computer sold already has an outdated BIOS. USB drivers are always troublesome. What if these updates would allow Wil01 to use the USB3 ports as USB2?

dobs108

One thing I've learned attending the "school of hard knocks" is that if my computer is working - - DON'T UPDATE IT! I have Windows update turned off, doesn't even notify me that there is an update.

Yes, I agree that we should not update too quickly. Several weeks ago I updated Garmin Express and my computer locked up.

Dell's updates are directly related to the service tag number, and are specific to your particular computer. These updates are based on their recent technical support experience with a large number of the same computers owned by other customers. So this is the exception to the rule. If you own a Dell computer, keep it fully updated on the Dell website using your service tag number. It takes no technical knowledge to do this - it is completely automatic.

BIOS for all computers should be fully updated. This comes from the motherboard manufacturer and is meant to remedy specific issues that have been reported by users. Usually, BIOS updates require some technical knowledge. If anything goes wrong, the computer will not boot. Again, Dell is the exception. They have automated the BIOS update process. It is done quickly and easily.

USB drivers are notoriously troublesome. Again, there is good reason to do these updates. Dell does this automatically.

dobs108

Many companies have learned that by not doing updates to their PC software, it has left them open to a myriad of security vulnerabilities!

True, having a "Bug" in an update is not unusual, but I will risk the chance of a "Bug" rather than leaving code on my machine that would allow some hacker a way in. Microsoft and others are now quick to react with a "Bug" fix these days when they screw up an update.

I'm retired now, but at my last employer there was NO WAY you could get around the updates. They were automatically installed after they were tested by security and IT. The average user could not get around them and if you did manage to avoid the update, an IT person would be calling you and/or your supervisor if you did not install the update in response to their emails.

"Phishing" emails are getting very sophisticated and authentic looking these days. You may open one thinking it's real and have the html code in the email take advantage of a security flaw in your browser and ----- BINGO! now some clown can take control of your PC and do whatever they want. How do you think that attacks on servers for major sites happen and they have to shut down? The attacks are made by making webpage requests over and over at a vary rapid rate from thousands of PCs from all over the globe. These are PCs that have been hacked into through a security vulnerability that the user did not fix by installing an update. The hacker sends a message to the compromised PCs that starts bombarding a web site at a specific date and time so that all the PCs do it together. The server is basically overwhelmed with requests.

Hackers can also pull lots of personal info as well. Even emails, as we have all seen Wikileaks releasing recently. Hackers can also Format your hard drive and its all lost, even the code "tracks" they leave behind!

Anyway, if you have info on you PC that is important to you, you'll do the updates and be sure to get some good antivirus software like Stopzilla that detects and quarantines viruses, stops unauthorized access from the web and blocks users from opening webpages with malicious code.

You don't have to listen to me, but if your machine gets compromised---

OK, I'll get off the soapbox now, and good luck.