Question About Map Install and Map Source ...

If so, you can share out the DVD drive from the laptop, then map the drive from your desktop PC. Its not as hard as it looks.

Sharing a CD/DVD drive:
http://techrepublic.com.com/5208-6230-0.html?forumID=101&thr...

How to map a drive:
http://compnetworking.about.com/od/windowsxpnetworking/ht/ma...

Most of the time, software will let you do this:

Find out how large the files are on the software DVD. Copy those files to a flash drive (might need a 4GB or larger). Launch the software installer from the flash drive on your non-DVD notebook.

90% of the time this works for me.

You could also copy the files to your non-DVD notebook and have them for a later install/emergency. Works well if the files are included in your computer's backup process.

That sounds like a good idea. I presently have a 2G Flash Drive in the house and will give it a try and see if I can fit it on there. Thanks very much for the idea!!

I'm curious. How do you use the Mapsource software with you C530? I have both softwares but, I really don't know how I can use the two? Furthermore, you said you saved some of the map to your SD Card. Why did you need to do this and how do you use it with the unit? I have a c530 as well.

Well my c530 had the old 2006 maps in it so I called Garmin and they sent me the new 2008 maps on DVD. The 2008 maps do not all fit on the c530 so the installation setup gives you a choice of either installing the 48 states or Canada, Alaska etc. I chose to install the 48 states so in order for me to get the rest of the maps to work with the unit that had to be installed on the SD card. Works great! As far as Mapsource goes the DVD installed mapsource and the maps so if you have mapsource without the maps it would be of no use.

to load maps to the SD card.

Have the GPS connected to the computer, OR, just insert the SD card into a card reader. (Much faster)

Start the program
A window comes up to detect your unit
Click the little down arrow and choose the SD card drive letter.
Continue
The map window comes up, choose what map set you want to install on the bottom left
Zoom in to the area you want to send to the SD card
Choose what regions you want to install. An entire state will show up as many small boxes. Choose all you want.
Continue
Let it finish, and you're done.

I have many maps on my SD cards. Canada, Alaska, Hawaii, from the CN NA NT 2008 DVD. I also have Topo, and the recreational lakes and lights maps.

After I installed them to the SD card, one at a time, I renamed them. Otherwise, a new map will overwrite the previous. They will be called gmapsupp and that is the active map. Whatever map set I want to use, I just copy it as gmapsupp.

I only have a dvd drive on my laptop, not on the desktop where I update the nuvi or work with mapsource. I just share the laptop dvd and map it on the desktop...it then acts just like the dvd drive is on the desktop. Just like doc_brown detailed above.

I will try Doc Browns method of mapping. How Will I connect the laptop (with the DVD) to the Desktop (Without the DVD)? Do I need USB cables or is there a wireless connection? Just want to know what I will need to do to prepare for this becasue I have never done anything like that before. Sounds interesting. Hope it works.

I think before I try the mapping method I will explore the 2008 maps DVD and see if I can find the file that installs mapsource and try and copy it over to a thumb drive and then install it on the other computer. I just don't know if the maps will be on there. Maybe it reads the maps from another file. I will need to experiment. But if anyone has done this before any input would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

Well I used "CAR NUTS" idea of copying the files off the DVD and putting it onto a Flash Drive and then coping it over to the computer without the DVD. I did that and it worked perfectly, have Map Install and Map Source installed and ready to be used. Thanks CAR NUT!

So basically, you saved Hawaii, Alaska and Canada to your unit. Because the GPS unit wouldn't save it. So the GPS unit will notice the rest of the states as one big Map?

Yes, that is exactly correct. Works perfecly.

So basically, all I have to do with the mapsource software is hi-lite these parts and drag them into the SD card or select the source where I want the map to be saved to? Right Scott?

Hey, thanks for emailing me back.

Click on the link below and scroll down to REDBARBERS message and he will give you step by step instructions. That is exactly how I installed mine. Good Luck!
http://www.poi-factory.com/node/5462