Maps not showing on device after copying to SD card

[whistler]

Hey, Everyone. Have a small problem that is really frustrating me at the moment.

1. Decided to update my maps for my 550. Removed the SD card and loaded it into my Macbook. Saved the 2018 .gmap and .gma files to my hard drive, then erased the SD card.
2. Opened Garmin Express, found the 2019 map file I needed and downloaded it to "Computer Only."
3. Download finished. Opened MapInstall, selected all the lower 49 states in the US and installed them to the SD card.
4. Loaded the SD card with the new 2019 .gmap and .gma files into my 550.
5. Walked outside my house and turned on the 550. It booted up, found the satellite(s) it needed and was "Ready to Navigate."
6. Selected "View Map" and only saw my motorcycle icon - no nearby roads, streams or other geographical features. Thought that was strange, so ...
7. I selected a nearby "Favorite" from that category and pressed "Go."
8. The 550 started "Calculating" and a few seconds later, a message popped up that said "Unable to calculate route: no roads near starting point."
9. Erased and formatted the SD card, and then retrieved and copied my saved 2018 maps from my hard drive to the SD card.
10. Loaded the SD card with the previous 2018 .gmap and .gma files into the 550 and repeated the same boot-up, View Map and Favorites process with the same end result - no maps showing up on the Zumo's screen; just my vehicle icon again.

I'm at a loss. Sure hope someone has an idea of what I may be doing wrong, or what step(s) I'm missing.

Thanks for your time.

[advnzer]

i will try to find some links but there is a current issue with map install not installing new maps properly.I had this problem when i used basecamp to install a new map .The problem may be map install
here is a link re mapinstall https://openmtbmap.org/tutorials/basecamp-4-7-0/
Have you done this before with an sd card?I beleive a certain folder structure has to be set up??

[whistler]

Hmm, very ineresting, Advnzr. I'll check out the link you sent after my workday here.

I did indeed use the same procedure last year when I updated my Zumo with the 2018 files. I made sure I copied the files into their respective folders on the SD card, and everything worked like a charm.

Things do sound like it might be a bum MapInstall version. Will post up what I learn later.

Thanks again for your time.

[sussamb]

Yes there is an issue with BC 4.7 and the MapInstall version that came with it. Revert to a previous version and all should be well.

[carolinarider09]

This is the process I used the last time I updated the maps on my 550

Here is how to update the maps on a Zumo 550 with lifetime maps. It requires an SD Card (I used an 8 gig card) and access to a computer with Garmin Express loaded and two USB connections so you can connect both the Zumo and the 8 gig card.

You connect the Zumo (I took the SD Card out of mine) and the 8 gig card (freshly formatted in FAT 32) to the computer and copy all the files from the Zumo's memory to the SD Card. In essence cloning the Zumo's internal memory.

You now eject your Zumo 550 from the computer, leaving the SD Card connected.

Once done, you can launch Garmin Express with the SD Card still installed and it will see it as your Zumo 550.

It will ask if you want to update maps (if new maps are available) and you just tell it to go ahead (well you actually have to use the mouse)

In about two or so hours, the new maps will be updated to the SD Card.

Now you have to do the following in the Garmin Folder on the SD Card

Rename the map files (in the Garmin Folder) from gmapprom.img, gmapprom.gma and gmapprom.unl to gmapsupp.img, gmapsupp,gma and gmapsupp.unl. You will need to do this after Express has finished installing the map on the SD. The map files must remain in the \Garmin folder on the SD card.

I then deleted all the other folders (except the Garmin Folder) from the SD Card, ejected the SD Card from my computer and put it into my Zumo 550.

Start your 550 and the maps will be downloaded or should I say, linked, to your device.

[whistler]

Well, here's the short version...nothing worked. Here's the longer version...

First, I'm very grateful to everyone for your effort and input; I greatly appreciate your time and trouble.

Anyway, I tried Carolina's tutorial first. Followed it to the letter. It all made good, logical sense to me and the whole process happened precisely as Carolina described it...again, to the letter. Man, I thought I was homefree! So, the download from Garmin Express to my SD card finished, and I cleaned up the SD card and installed it into my Zumo. Turned it on and watched it boot up. Pressed "View Map" and got the dreaded empty map screen. Selected another one of my Favorites, and got the "Unable to Calculate Route; No Roads Near Starting Point" message again. I started singin' the blues...

Then, I did the whole "uninstall" procedure with the Garmin suite (BaseCamp, MapInstall, MapManager). Found the BaseCamp for Mac 463.dmg file and opened it. Re-installed everything just fine. Opened MapInstall, checked the version number (it was good to go) and installed the 2019 map files to my once-again-formatted SD card. No hiccups, no issues at all. Installed just fine. Closed that app, pulled the SD card out and inserted into the Zumo. Fired up the Zumo with no problems. Pressed "View Map" and, you guessed it, that blank empty map showed up again, with the same error message after I tried to view one of my "Favorites."

Now I'm totally bummed and not at all sure about what to do next. I'm open to suggestions, and I do appreciate everyone's efforts to fix my little dilemma. I'll keep plugging away.

Thanks very much.

[carolinarider09]

I don't have my 550 with me (its out in the truck) but on the 660 series, you can go to settings, and map info and see what version of maps are loaded on your device. If that same option is available on the 550 what does it tell you?

The reason I ask is that my device, if I remember correctly you can check and uncheck map versions. It would be very interesting to know what it thinks is loaded on the device.

I will check my 550 tomorrow.

[sussamb]

Yes, see if the map is showing in Map Info. If so is it checked. If not check the SD card. You say you formatted it, you did format it as FAT32 I assume but check it is FAT32?

[advnzer]

i think this is what you need to do. it is mapinstall thats broken

a) Only downgrade MapInstall to 4.0.4: In order to Downgrade - simply go to C:\Program Files (x86)\Garmin\MapInstall\ folder - then delete all the content of the folder but not of subfolders. Especially leave the "Maps" subfolder. Then Install MapInstall 4.0.4 - Download from here: http://www8.garmin.com/software/MapInstall_404.exe

that info is from here https://openmtbmap.org/tutorials/basecamp-4-7-0/

I had exactly this problem trying to install a new version of NZ open street maps.I downgraded mapinstall only then the map install worked.

[whistler]

Carolina - will take a look after work and see if the 550 has Map Info and confirm the map version.

Sussamb - yep, the SD card was formatted to FAT32.

Advnzr - will give the MapInstall-only downgrade a shot. Thank you for the info and links.

Thanks again for your help and patience, folks! Will post up what I find out later this evening.