USB 3.0 speed not so fast.

[harryhh]

I downloaded a 2.3Gb .img map onto my computer.

I've read that I can put the .imp directly onto a SD card and the GPS will read it.

I plugged a USB cable into the 3.0 ports on the back of my computer and into my Nuvi 780. The Nuvi has a 4Gb SD card installed as drive N:.

I am transferring the .img file to the SD card in the Nuvi, but the transfer rate is about 335Kb/s. Is that the expected speed for such a transfer? Is there a faster way?

Harry

[Boyd]

The Nuvi 780 is pretty ancient by consumer electronic standards, it was introduced in 2007. I'm almost certain it used the really slow USB 1.0 interface. Garmin has been very slow to update USB on their devices, I don't think they offered USB 2.0 until a few years later, and then only on the high end models.

So it makes no difference what kind of USB port you have on your computer, it can't send data any faster than the Nuvi is capable of receiving. Transfering large files over USB is always painful.

Note that with your device, the file must be in a folder named Garmin and it must be named gmapsupp.img in order for the map to work. There are other reasons why it might not work also. For example, Garmin's commercial products are copy protected an will only work on the device for which they were purchased.

[harryhh]

Thanks Boyd,

I'm pretty new to this. The map is still transferring and is actually preventing me from using File Explorer right now. So, I can't see the actual name of the file. ( I have a terrible memory and can forget things within seconds.)

I had OSM create a map of the entire US. Hopefully this will work, or maybe I can use the info you gave me to make it work. Or redo it.

I tried to find what usb interface the nuvi 780 used, but didn't have any luck.

[Boyd]

I'm certain it is USB 1.0. I remember now, because I got a Nuvi 5000 in 2008 and it was one of the first that had USB 2.0. The Nuvi 5000 was introduced at the same time as the Nuvi 800 series, a year later than your 780.

I suspect you will be fine when (if?) the file transfer is finished. Have heard that an OSM map of the entire US has too many segments to work in Garmin's handheld units, but my understanding is that the Nuvi series doesn't have such rigid limitations.

The faster way to do this in the future is to use a USB 3.0 memory card reader instead of putting the card in the GPS. That will be much, much faster and the bottleneck then will be the write speed of the card itself. After transfering the map, then you can put the card in the GPS.

[harryhh]

Well, on the SD card I have a 3Gb file, gmapsupp.img and a text file with a long multi segment number consisting of letters and numbers.

The SD card is in the Nuvi 780 but it doesn't show the map. I go to Map Info on the Nuvi and it shows:

 CN North America NT 2010.30
     [1] ALL

There is no option for another map, although I don't know what that [1] ALL is.

I have read the tutorial 'How to load maps on my garmin gps' but that didn't help.

Basecamp shows the nuvi as drive M and the SD card as N. I can't find a way to make Basecamp show the map or file on N. All it says is 'User Data' and below it says 'This list is empty.'

[harryhh]

Using 'Device Information' on Basecamp can it shows the Nuvi and a picture of an SD card with only 440Mb memory out of 3.6Gb. So, it knows the card is there, the size of the card, and how much memory is left.

  Maybe Basecamp is just taking a long time to read that 3Gb map file. 

[harryhh]

Okay. I'm looking into MapSetToolKit.

I'll let you know if that doesn't help. Or let me know if you already know it won't.

[harryhh]

MapSet didn't work. I don't have a .TYP file. I have a id.txt file with about a 30 digit number in it. That didn't work either.

I changed it to id.typ and it said 'The selected file is already compiled.'

I didn't put anything in that box and the convert failed.

The gmapsupp.img in on the SD card, the id.txt in on the card and the card is in the Nuvi 780. How do I get the map to work?

[harryhh]

I'm going to start a new proper titled post.

[jolly47roger]

There several tools from Javawa to help you find out what is happening.

Some .img files have a bit set that makes them invisible to Basecamp and Javawa device manage will allow you to change that.

[Boyd]

Well, on the SD card I have a 3Gb file, gmapsupp.img and a text file with a long multi segment number consisting of letters and numbers.

Did you place the gmapsupp.img inside a folder named Garmin on the card, as I mentioned above? It will not be recognized unless it's in the Garmin directory.

Also, is the firmware up to date on your Nuvi? Not certain, but some of the old Nuvis do not recognize SDHC memory cards. I believe Garmin fixed this with a software update at some point. You should be able to use either WebUpdater or Garmin Express to update your firmware, see Garmin's website.

But before doing anything, be sure to do a full backup of your Nuvi. Just copy all the files from the internal drive to a folder on your computer. This will take a long time with the USB 1.0 interface.

[harryhh]

Thanks Folks, I'm about to start on it again tonight.

I'm sorry Boyd, I misunderstood. I put the file in a sub-folder of Garmin on my computer. I will get to work on what you said after I eat.

[harryhh]

Thanks a lot folks!!

I now have my original Nuvi 780 map and a newer and more complete map of the continental US on an SD card and they both work.

And Boyd, this time I used a card reader that is probably 2.0. It took about 10 minutes compared to a couple of hours.

Thank you,
Harry

[devpatel1]

I am transferring the .img file to the SD card in the Nuvi, but the transfer rate is about 335Kb/s. Is that the expected speed for such a transfer? Is there a faster way?

[Sam1]

I've read that I can put the .imp directly onto a SD card and the GPS will read it.