Wasted space on the PC

[Oop North John]

On another forum, someone posted about how the Program Data on their PC was using over 100 GB of data. I had a look at mine, and while not quite as bad, it does have map sets that don't show in BaseCamp or in the Apps and Features of Settings.

The place to look is: ProgramData - Garmin - CoreService - Downloads - Maps

[sussamb]

That's where Express stores the files that it uses to compile the map and other data it sends to your device. You can safely delete all of it.

[Oop North John]

And another 20 GB here: C:users - AppData - Local - Garmin -express - maps and this is the biggest one:

9f05ab61613d7246ce2f7037d301b929 with over 3 MB of data.

[Peobody]

Wow! It isn't just maps though. Look at C:\ProgramData\Garmin\CoreService\Downloads\Application. The installation file for every Express update is stored here. Eleven of them in my case (1.36 GB) and I've only had a Garmin device for 18 months.

That's where Express stores the files that it uses to compile the map and other data it sends to your device. You can safely delete all of it.

Just to be clear, everything in \CoreService\Downloads is safe to delete?

And another 20 GB here: C:users - AppData - Local - Garmin -express - maps and this is the biggets one:

12.7 GB of space taken up there for me. Some filed date back to when I first bought my XT.

[Stu]

seems to me like its not cleaning up after itself!

[sussamb]

seems to me like its not cleaning up after itself!

Express unfortunately doesn't

[sussamb]

Wow! It isn't just maps though. Look at C:\ProgramData\Garmin\CoreService\Downloads\Application. The installation file for every Express update is stored here. Eleven of them in my case (1.36 GB) and I've only had a Garmin device for 18 months.

That's where Express stores the files that it uses to compile the map and other data it sends to your device. You can safely delete all of it.

Just to be clear, everything in \CoreService\Downloads is safe to delete?

Yes. Express puts the files there so updating subsequent devices, if you have more than one, is quicker, but after you've updated your devices you can delete them. Note that if you choose the Express option to install maps to PC for BaseCamp to use they are stored elsewhere.

[kernowing]

The place to look is: ProgramData - Garmin - CoreService - Downloads - Maps

I put a search in Local Disk "C" for "ProgramData Garmin"
The search found nothing Am I looking in the correct place?

[jfheath]

Yes @kernowing You are looking in the right place, but using the wrong search term.

ProgramData is a folder in drive c:
Garmin is a folder inside ProramData

Navigate directly by scanning sown the list of folder in drive C, or search for just ProgramData - then locate Garmin in there.
---
I've never bothered looking in here.

Note that Core services contains an entry representing the UnitID of every Garmin Device that you have owned (reported on the About screen)
The downloads contain a copy of every bit of software - (they call it firmware on here) for the Zumo, for Express and for maps.
I never knew that - easy to get the installer for an older version of express, or revert to older software if an upgrade doesn't work as it should.

[Peobody]

Note that Core services contains an entry representing the UnitID of every Garmin Device that you have owned (reported on the About screen)
The downloads contain a copy of every bit of software - (they call it firmware on here) for the Zumo, for Express and for maps.
I never knew that - easy to get the installer for an older version of express, or revert to older software if an upgrade doesn't work as it should.

Yes, it was cool to see old versions of Express and maps there although I would prefer that Garmin keep my PC tidy and make older version readily available for download.

The content of the C:\ProgramData\Garmin\CoreService\Downloads\Firmware\ directory is pretty strange. In some cases there are multiple files with the same modified date and I don't see any firmware version identification that is meaningful to me. I wonder whether anything here could be used to install a firmware.