New life for Garmin 278/378/478??

[pepebayeta]

Hi all,

I'm still happy with my 278, it makes everything I need from a gps but the memory, with a 64mb card, is almost useless.
Tired of changing maps every short time, I've been looking for a long time the way to get to the device's internal memory.
Finally I found a forum where somebody explained a way to load maps in the internal memory but unfortunatelly it didn't work for me. I'm pretty sure it was my mistake as I'm not very good at computers.


This is an extract of the procedure:

-Open map in mapsource.
-Select all regions
-Transfer selection to memory stick (2 gb)
-Copy file gmapsupp.img to c:\test
-Rename file to gmapprom.img
-Transferring to device:
- open dos box
- type cd.. until you see c:
- c:\Garmin\Webupdater.exe /upload_file rgn=49 path=c:\test\gmapprom.img -autorun usb /i

I think this would give a new life to these devices if it can be done.
Is there anybody skilled enough to help with this?


The original thread (post #3): http://gpsunderground.com/forum/garm...276-278-a.html

[pepebayeta]

It was a few days ago, with some help and reading other forums it's finally done.

At first it didn't work because the file webupdater.exe was in a different folder (C-Program files(X86)-garmin-webupdater, in windows7) so I copied the exe and language dll files to the garmin folder.

Then I created a mapset with mapsource covering all the countries I had from OSM (downloaded from here: http://garmin.openstreetmap.nl/ Good and FREE) and sent it to a SD card.

I created a folder named "test" in C: and copied the gmapsupp.img file into it and renamed to gmapprom.img.

As I'm not very good at computers and know NOTHING about command lines, etc. I created a text file in the desktop, copied and paste the command:
c:\Garmin\Webupdater.exe /upload_file rgn=49 path=c:\test\gmapprom.img -autorun usb /i
and changed the extension from .txt to .bat.

With the gps turned on and connected to the usb, gmapprom file in "test" folder, webupdater.exe and webupdaterlang.dll in the garmin folder, just double click in the bat file from the desktop...... a few minutes later:





Hope this is useful!

I'd like to say THANK YOU to all the people who shared this info in GPS forums.

[BlueLghtning]

Thank you! Very good info.

I've been running my 2011 maps off of a 512 card myself in my 478 because I couldn't figure out how to update the 2008 maps it has in its internal memory.

[pgenera]

Anyone gotten this to work on a 478? I've got a ~1.3GB map image, and it dies after 35% of transfer :(.

[advNZer?]

Originally Posted by pepebayeta

As I'm not very good at computers and

i dont call that "not very good at computers"

[pgenera]

Okay, I figured it out on my 478. The 478 has two memory partitions (it seems), ~1.37gb under rgn=77 and ~450mb under rgn=49. I got most of the continental US into 1.3gb, and canada in mexico fit in the rest easily. Sort a pain, but it worked out well. My version of WebUpdater doesn't support the /sacrifice_maps flag, but seems to overwrite maps by default.

I found the information on this german forum:
http://www.naviboard.de/vb/showthread.php?t=37731

[Honkey Cat]

Originally Posted by pgenera

Okay, I figured it out on my 478. The 478 has two memory partitions (it seems), ~1.37gb under rgn=77 and ~450mb under rgn=49. I got most of the continental US into 1.3gb, and canada in mexico fit in the rest easily. Sort a pain, but it worked out well. My version of WebUpdater doesn't support the /sacrifice_maps flag, but seems to overwrite maps by default.

I found the information on this german forum:
http://www.naviboard.de/vb/showthread.php?t=37731

I just the other day pulled out of the closet my brand new 478 that I never used. I downloaded base camp and went online from base camp and unlocked maps thru mygarmin and the new 2012 city maps downloaded no problem.

[Motorrad]

EDIT: Now that I sit down and read the above about 4x... It makes more scense to me... going to give it a shot... will report back. (working on a 478 BTW)


How much of the internal memory needs to be left open for say, routes, data points, tracks, etc etc?? and which partition is it in? rgn=77 or rgn=49

[Motorrad]

Originally Posted by pgenera

Okay, I figured it out on my 478. The 478 has two memory partitions (it seems), ~1.37gb under rgn=77 and ~450mb under rgn=49. I got most of the continental US into 1.3gb, and canada in mexico fit in the rest easily. Sort a pain, but it worked out well. My version of WebUpdater doesn't support the /sacrifice_maps flag, but seems to overwrite maps by default.

I found the information on this german forum:
http://www.naviboard.de/vb/showthread.php?t=37731

Mine just accepted a 1.41G map file into the rgn=77 going to try for more now

[mpatch]

So if I do this to a 378 will it fix the track/route import problems?

[Joetool]

And are they talking about a 2gb garmin data card or a mini sd in you computer?

[9Dave]

Originally Posted by mpatch

So if I do this to a 378 will it fix the track/route import problems?

What problem is that?

The way it recalculates routes? I doubt that would be the case, as it is a system issue and not a map issue.

[BlueLghtning]

Originally Posted by 9Dave

What problem is that?

The way it recalculates routes? I doubt that would be the case, as it is a system issue and not a map issue.

But, I thought the entire reason the 378 did that is because the "internal" map was a weird contraption of the waterways mixed in with the road maps and you could never get the map on the PC to match so it always tried to re-calc because of that?

I'm not entirely sure, but if this process replaces the internal saved maps on the 378 that were causing the issue to the type of maps that are on the 478, it makes me think it could work. I'm totally guessing here though.

[mpatch]

Originally Posted by BlueLghtning

But, I thought the entire reason the 378 did that is because the "internal" map was a weird contraption of the waterways mixed in with the road maps and you could never get the map on the PC to match so it always tried to re-calc because of that?

I'm not entirely sure, but if this process replaces the internal saved maps on the 378 that were causing the issue to the type of maps that are on the 478, it makes me think it could work. I'm totally guessing here though.

That's my thoughts will update once I try it. I know that with maps on a external card and internal maps turned off the recalc problem goes away.

[BlueLghtning]

Originally Posted by mpatch

That's my thoughts will update once I try it. I know that with maps on a external card and internal maps turned off the recalc problem goes away.

Wow, good no know. I think if that's the case than it should work fine. I'll start adding 378's to my list to watch for.