Garmin map update

miken

I am clueless on how to upgrade my Garmin. When I switch on it tells me that my map is out of date (had it approx two years).
Can someone explain in simple English how I can do this or is there a manual I can download. Think its a 3i model?? need to check.

BillScarab

You need to buy an updated map disc from Garmin. Did you register in tehir website when you bought your Sat Nav? If so go to My Garmin and log in and it will tell you what is available.

Alternatively go to the support page and put in your unit's serial number to find out what the latest update is.

The only problem is the maps are expensive and it probably won't cost much more to buy a new Sat Nav.

OK_Sauce

Yeah, they're about 60 quid for my Garmin! The message disappears eventually.

steadyaway

Anybody sorted this out yet? I have the KNA-G520 hard mounted in my car. I have got City Navigator NT V8 installed and just received the update dvd from garmin. I usually perform updates (software, POI's etc) with a SD card so I selected a bunch of maps and sent them to the SD card in my pc. I then put the sd card in the 520 and powered it up. I expected an on screen message asking me to update. But not this time. So I borrowed a lap top to do the transfer via usb. When I explore the Garmin I can see that it has a total storage capacity of 1.4 GB but the update software tells me that there is only 242mb of storage available. On the Garmin there is a file of 1.3GB with a file extention .img - is this the map data and do I need to delete this first in order to make room for the new maps?

bjorn_toby_wilde

I think the first question you should ask is whether it's worth updating the maps. At £60 they're very expensive (although if you hunt around you can find them cheaper, e.g. £50.50 inc. p&p at Handtec - http://www.handtec.co.uk/product.php/1259/garmin-map-update-2008-city-navigator--europe-nt.
My Nuvi250 is 12 months old and is telling me that I should update it's maps but I intend to ignore it at least until next year. The only inaccuracies I've noticed on it are a couple of new roundabouts on the "Heads of the Valleys" road in North Wales (it behaves as if you're driving in the middle of a field next to the road but soon picks up where it left off) and the "new" section of dual carriageway on the A30 near Victoria in Cornwall (which has been open for well over a year now). Looking at posts on other forums, it would seem that the changes to the A30 haven't been updated on the new 2008 version of the map so it seems to take Garmin a long time to catch up. Why pay for something that isn't much better than what you've got, unless it's really causing you problems?
If you decide you really want to update there are full instructions on the GPS Forum http://www.gpsmagazine.com/2007/07/how_to_install_garmins_map_upd.php.

Hope this helps

Bjorn:cheesy:

steadyaway

Hi, thanks for the post and I take onboard all that you say. I already have the update dvd and the unlock code so it seems a bit of a waste not to do the update. I am sure I have read the instructions you suggest buy I will have a look to make sure. The problem I am having is that I expected to replace all the maps on the sat nav with the updated ones, but when I select them all in the software (approx 1.3GB) and try to send them to the device (sat nav) the software tells me firstly that I am about to overwrite existing data (sounds about right if I am to replace the maps) and then tells me I only have 240mb of available space, and to select fewer maps and try again.
When I explore the sat nav with the lap top I can see three files. Two are folders, one for poi's and one for the voices. The third file has a .img file extention and is about 1.3GB. I am thinking this is the map image file and the one which should be replaced, but I havn't got the bottle to delete it first.