Map install to PC locked, again, but solution found.

[Peobody]

More from me...

Map .gma and unlock code files are stored in C:\USER\<username>\APPDATA\ROAMING\GARMIN\MAPS.
As mentioned, the installer requires admin privileges. If you, the user, are not a PC admin and you run the map installer as an admin, the .gma file and associated UnlockCodes.ucx file are created in C:\USER\<adminusername>\APPDATA\ROAMING\GARMIN\MAPS. When you then run Basecamp logged in as you (<username>), Basecamp can see that the map is installed (it's in C:\PROGRAMDATA\GARMIN\MAPS) but it thinks it is locked because you don't have permission to the admin users appdata directory where the unlock code file is. Garmin should put the .gma and unlock code files in the same place as the map file so that everything needed to use the maps in Basecamp would be accessible to every PC users. Unfortunately they don't so my workaround has been to temporarily elevate my PC user to an administrator whenever I install a map or any Gamin software/updates (GE and Basecamp).

What I don't know is what the purpose of the .gma file is. Please share if you know. I have a bunch of them but only one with a date/time stamp that corresponds to that of the UnlockCodes.ucx file which of course is the most recent map install.

[sussamb]

It's a garmin map activation file hence the .gma extension. It works together with the .unl file which is an unlock file.

Older .gma files can be deleted