Zumo User Forums

That is the state of play at the moment. The latest Garmin Express does not have a facility to download the map to the computer. At the time of writing, the latest version is 7.4.1.0 - damn - I just loaded Garmin Express and it tells me that 7.4.2.0 is now available.

Dare I risk it ?

Ok - here goes. I may be some time.

No 7.4.2.0 doesn't allow it either.

If you have an earlier Zumo registered with Express - eg a 590 or 595 (and probably 660 or 550 - although they didn't all come with lifetime maps), then the facility to install to the computer is available. They use the same maps, and the same installation works with both Mapsource and Basecamp.

The issue has been lodged with Garmin, not just by me, but I raised the issue on 16 March 2021. The last communication from them was on 18 March 2021:

We have added you into an open investigation which will be used to determine the cause of this issue which we are looking into currently. Using the information provided they will test and reach a suitable resolution which will then be supplied to you directly by email.
We cannot provide a time frame for this process as it depends on what is discovered during the investigation and what is required to resolve the issue.
Any updates will come to you directly via email as an affected user of this case.


The files are typically installed in C:\Program Data\Garmin\Maps and if that folder is renamed, then Basecamp cannot see them. If it is put back, it can. So I'm guessing that a backup copy of the entire folder would enable maps to be restored. There are plenty of lines that can be read between.

But - I have just noticed. In C:\Program Data\Garmin\CoreServices\Downloads|application there is a series of single folder names, at the end of which is a floder that seems to contain all of the previous versions of Garmin Express. I haven't tried them yet, but it may be worth a go.

Heh. This is one thread I will watch!

No, false hope. Removing express and then installing a previous version does not work. The previous version installs fine, but when you run it, it knows that there is a 'critical update' to install. You cannot proceed without installing the latest version.

So basically, if you run Express it forces every XT owner to have the version that currently does not allow installation of maps to the computer.

There was once a way of making an SD card look like a Zumo to the software, I seem to remember. It relied on the presence of a few files. I can't remember the details. Maybe someone else can ?

Just copy the GarminDevice.xml file from the Garmin folder on the device to the Garmin folder on the card. Delete when finished though or it'll cause confusion.

Hi All. I just subscribed after lurking to this and the forums.garmin.com site for several months while attempting to figure our BaseCamp and a Zumo XT. I very grateful for all of the contributors to these forums.

It's probably obvious that I subscribed and am posting in this discussion because of the inability to get the latest map into BaseCamp. It has been extremely frustrating (slow!) trying to plan an upcoming 14 day motorcycle trip while using the map on the connected device so I'm hoping for a way to manually get the map into BaseCamp that I have yet to find. The reference to copying the GarminDevice.xml file give me hope. If a manual process exists, details would be greatly appreciated.

See https://www.javawa.nl/virtualdevice.html

The JaVaWa virtual device webpage states that one you have created a virtual device you then need to use the JaVaWa Device Manager to copy the contents of the GPS to the virtual device. I have not been able to get the JaVaWa Device Manager to see the Zumo XT and can not find anything in its settings to switch to USB Mass Storage mode. Am I missing anything?

I think that the JavaWa device manager program is too old to see the new XT.
Plus the fact that it is no longer a supported program by the developer, it most likely won't in the future either.
I couldn't get it to see my XT this last weekend either....

You can do it manually if device manager doesn't see your XT. All that needs copying are the main map files into a folder named Garmin on the drive.

What you need is a friend with a 590 or 595. Maybe earlier ones too. Register that with Express on your computer - you need to have the 590 plugged in to register it.

Install the map on your XT in the usual way.

After that, the 590 doesn't need to be plugged in to select it on the Express home screen, and install the map. That will allow the map to be installed on the computer. (Corrected thanks to @sussamb spotting my error )

There may be a way of fooling express into temporarily thinking that the attached XT is a 590., since it doesn't seem to check the serial number once it has displayed the home screen. I haven't tried.