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How to Get MapSource Free From Garmin
XopherN71
0 Points
Here's a trick to getting MapSource, and it works! Best part is, it's right from Garmin with no hacks or cracks.
Download the Training Center:
http://www8.garmin.com/support/download_details.jsp?id=835
Install it
Then download the MapSource update:
http://www8.garmin.com/support/download_details.jsp?id=209
Install it.
You now have full blown MapSource, enjoy!
Download the Training Center:
http://www8.garmin.com/support/download_details.jsp?id=835
Install it
Then download the MapSource update:
http://www8.garmin.com/support/download_details.jsp?id=209
Install it.
You now have full blown MapSource, enjoy!
Comments
thanks
:?
To me it's more of a tool and I use it various tasks that are just easier on the computer, then write it back to the nüvi.
However I live in South Africa and purchased a nuvi 310 with the Southern Africa map on SD card. When I go onto Mapsource it only gives me the "rather plain mapsource map".
How do I go about getting the map from my nuvi onto Mapsource so that I can have more detail. Do I have to unlock the map and if so, where do I get the code from (I don't see one on the SD Card).
Thanks to you and Tim for a brilliant site!
P.S. would be great if there was a thread in reviews for the nuvi 310.
I'm sure that a dumb question, but I'm new to GPSes and still learning my 760, its functions and uses...
I download and opened the second program.
I get an error, ~us topo missing, program closing...
If I open the training center, it wound locate my 780? If I select find a new device, I get an error...
If I check for updates, sez, none available...
If I Check about,
Product info, I have 3.4.3
USB, no drivers installed (it went through the process?)
Update, then download mapsorce,now works fine...
Thanks,
Bill
That's great service and one which completely surprised me.
Tim
did it and all i got was the basemap. missing alot of roads in between the majors. am i missing something? have the nuvi 850.
thanks
I instead bought Topo USA 2008 just to get some maps with Mapsource to plot points/tracks on my PC from my 750 (or old GPS 45 w/o maps), since I also do things out in the woods.
Although, I recently bought an eTrex Legend HCx on Ebay bundled with City Navigator NT (2008), DC power cord, suction cup mount. After I registered at Garmin I was able to order 2009 map update no charge via 1st class mail. So I now have City Navigator NT 2008 on my PC and will have 2009 when updates arrive.
I only had the base map... very limited data set... Here's how I got around it and now have the map that came with my GPS in MapSource
Your 850 should have a map installed.
If you look on the Flash drive via USB, you should see a huge file ~ 1Gig in size. Mine was called gmapprom.img.
Copy it to the directory where the base map is located:
c:/garmin/pcbsmp2/pc_basemap2.img...
Rename the pc_basemap2.img to something else, like: pc_basemap2OLD.img.
Finally, rename the map file from your GPS to pc_basemap2.img.
Run MapSource and you should see all roads and points of interest etc...
Sam
Please help. TIA
I didn't have to change any other files, on the nuvi or in the c:\garmin\pcbsmp2 sub directory. Not sure what to tell you. Have you exited from MapSource and restarted it? I guess double check that the map from the nuvi made it to the pc correctly... and is named correctly...
Anyone else have any thoughts?
Sam
In MapSource, in Edit, in Preferences, in Default File Location: Make sure that it's not pointing to some other directory.
Finally, I think I have problem with the installation. I have gStart on the quickstart tray. When I click on it, it says no gps detected. But I can see the nuvi255 from the windows explorer. Also, when I installed the training center, it ask me to plug in the usb cable into the pc with nuvi255 started and connected to the other end, and wait for windows to install the driver. But, I waited for a long time, and there is no activity, so I click next, and it finished installing training center. Maybe that is why gStart did not detect the nusi255.
Please advise what I can try next. I have tried to install, uninstall many times, but the same result as above.
TIA.
Not being any kind of expert here... I mostly just try things...
I do notice the same thing with the maps being displayed in chunks. But that's only when I'm zoomed way out. Like for instance: When I'm at a zoom level of say 100 miles, I can pan around 1 state, but when I get near the edge of that state I see some blanks space where the next state should be. If I pan over more, the first state goes blank and the new one displays correctly. I believe it's the program memory management.
Routing (calculating a route (driving directions) from point A to point B) doesn't seem to work for me either.
The Find, Find Places is kind of quirky also. Sometime is work, sometime not.
As for gStart, I have the exact same thing happening. I haven't bothered trying to "fix" it. I just as soon have it go away. I'm not even really sure what it's for. I can connect the GPS to the USB cable and "see" the drive, transfer files etc... so the USB connection is obviously working... Yet gStart say there is no GPS connected.
I think Garmin has way to many products, and they are not able to support them all properly.
I was just happy to be able to see the maps. That and to be able to upload tracks, waypoint, geocaches etc... to the GPS, and to be able to download GeoCaches to the GPS. It would be cool to create driving instruction in MapSource and download it to the Nuvi. Not really sure if that's possible.
Sam
Changes made from version 6.14.1 to 6.15.3:
* Fixed an issue where blank map tiles are left on the screen.
* Fixed an issue with redrawing the map after a detail level change.
* Enhanced the drawing of roads to better distinguish primary from secondary roads.
* Added the ability to adjust symbol size of icons.
* Fixed the display of spot soundings in Marine maps.
* Fixed an issue with areas getting highlighted inadvertently.
* Fixed 'Move Waypoint', 'Insert Route Section', and 'Extend Route' capabilities from right-click context menus.
* Fixed an issue with water regions getting clipped.
* Limited 'Nearest Features' to only displayed maps.
* Fixed overlapping copyright information for certain maps.
* Fixed the display of certain Marine icons in the 'Find Nearest Places' dialog.
* Fixed an issue with improper amenities getting displayed for 'Exit Properties'
* Modified the color used for bathymetric lines.
* Enhanced the look of dashed and dotted lines.
* Enhanced sizes of certain labels.
* Enhanced the look of road shield icons.
* Fixed an issue when using certain find operations.
* Fixed an issue where changing the font would result in no labels being displayed.
* Fixed an issue with using the Roads & Rec 2.1 Hawaii and Alaska product
Updates & Downloads
MapSource software version 6.15.3
as of January 15, 2009
Download (61.04 MB)
View download instructions and system requirements
Notes:
* WARNING: This software will not work unless you already own a MapSource product.
* This version of MapSource no longer supports Windows 98, Windows Me, and Windows NT.
* Works with Windows Vista.
and fyi - you can click the trasnfer - "from device" action menu and get your favorites, etc from the gps into mapsource :D
(Including your track logs !!!!!!!!!!!)
Why didn't I have one of these when my kids where 16 and just driving? :)
Atta boy !
I'm having troubles getting a current map to work with MapSource. I have a map update (That I cant use - see below). Someone posted a, how to copy a map from your gps (or elsewhere. As long as it has that has the 'img' extension), and renaming it to the, original name of, pc_basemap2.img (found in the, Garmin\PCBSMP2).
All this to get a real map. Anyway, I did this with some success.
However, wile experimenting, I copied over my TOPO map. It overlaid the basic map (incorrectly), and remained even though I erased it. So I copied the 2009.0 file and this worked, however, the bad TOPO remnants remained?
Next, I deleted the c\garmin folder, and I deleted the trash, went to the, add and removed programs tool, and removed both the trainer and mapsorce programs. And rebooted.
Finally, I reinstalled both programs, and the collage of maps remains???
What am I doing wrong?
Note: I have 2009.0 map update, but it from my previous 780 that was returned do to a dead battery. So the map program wont run because the serial numbers differ.
For the scrambled maps: Select, "less detail." Then back to "most detail," this redraws the map.
I found out how to fix my missing map problem:
(With the map update DVD, in the appropriate drive) Using windows explorer, go to the DVD drive, folder named, "windows," next, "msi," finally a file named (click on) CNNANT2009Update_ENU.msi
MapSource now works fine...
Dave
Question: I intend to buy additional maps (Europe) on SD card. Will I be able to load them on my PC in the same way?
Phil
sends me to a download of Map Source Safeware Version 6.15.6. When I try to install, I get the message "previous MapSource not found! Setup will terminate." What am I doing wrong to install MapSource?
http://www8.garmin.com/support/mappingsw.jsp
Sorry... after reading your post again I realize that "safeware"=software. That had me confused!
That does appear to be the newest version. Are you sure that Training Center was properly installed? Maybe they have changed something in Mapsource such that the update no longer works without a previous version installed? Sorry, I don't know, but others have done this without problems during the past few months, so if something has changed then it's recent.
Maybe Garmin finally got annoyed that people are using Mapsource to work with free third party maps, when it was really designed as part of their own products. :?
I am new to GPS and MapSource. When I install on my desktop with XP Media Center I get a lot of gray areas on the map. Didn't get to try any routes. I think Media Center is the same as XP Pro. I did remove and reinstall. Any suggestions?
JimB
There are issues with ripping the map from the GPS and this is something which Garmin doesn't support.
Thanks for the reply
JimB
http://www8.garmin.com/support/download_details.jsp?id=835
I then installed the training center until it to me to attach my device and I just clicked "Finish"
I then downloaded the Mapsource:
http://www8.garmin.com/support/download_details.jsp?id=209
I am having two issues. When finished installing, it Prompts for "Launch MapSource Now?"
After running it, and closing the program, it is not installed. Everytime I want to use it, I have to re-install it.
My Main proble is the map. I attached my Garmin Nuvi 760 to my PC and copied my GMAPPROM.IMG file to my harddrive. It is just over a gig. I then renamed it to PC_BASEMAP2.IMG and put it in the c:\garmin\pcbsmp2 directory. It will not load. Trying to run mapsource says there is an error with maps and if I say run anyways, it will just open the generic map.
In looking at what was there originaly, not only was there a PC_BASEMAP2.img file, but there was also a PC_BASEMAP2.TDB file. I have no TDB files on my nuvi 760 to copy over.
Any ideas on how I can get this to work?
I am a past user of MapSource, and have been using it for several years. It came with my Garmin GPS-V. I currently have it installed on an older machine that still has serial ports, just so that I can talk to my GPS-V. Over the years I have updated MapSource, but I have not updated my map set. My data is several years old and really out dated. I've never bought updated maps, because for the most part, the old maps work fine (although the outdated info does occasionally bite me in the butt). At the time, new maps costs more than a new GPS unit.
Which is why I recently bought a Nuvi 780, to get new data. If I'm gonna pay all that for new data, I may as well get new equipment with it.
I followed the tips above with MapSource and tried to swap out the old data with the new img file I obtained from my Nuvi 780. Since my old data set is configured a bit differently and points to things in different directions, it didn't quite work like others found it to work. However, I was able to poke around and with the knowledge of how others did it, tried some things and managed to get it. So now it works. Sorta. I can live with the map "Chunks" and how it is displayed in an odd fashion. The problem however, is that the Map-Tools selector icon no longer works. Well, the icon works but it will not allow me to select any portion of the map. Not a big deal for use with my Nuvi, but my old GPS-V relies on maps being loaded FROM MapSource onto it's massive 19MB internal memory (yes, I said MB). Without this ability, my GPS is "Stuck" with whatever map data I sent to it last. With only 19MB of memory, that is usually just two or three counties. It's a PITA, but that's how things used to be (and if you're using a GPS-V, how they still are). So the MapSource with new map data from my Nuvi 780 works fine with the Nuvi (or any other modern Garmin I presume), but is only a one-way-street with my GPS-V (and it desperately needs to be a two-way street). Without the map selector tool, I can't really use it with BOTH my GPSes.
I know I'm bending the rules (or at least trying to) and what we're doing with the maps is probably a gray area at best, but does anyone know of any tricks or tips to help me with this issue? I'd really like to use the same maps/MapSource with both units.