Zumo User Forums

Hi, just joined the forum.

Have had a number of Zumo's over the years 345, 590 were the most recent. Never had any issues with any of them.

Now have an XT & finding it somewhat difficult to use.

Someone has advised me that Garmin have changed their operating system & it's now Android. Never seen android before - We're a Mac household. iMac (desktop), iPad, iPhone... you get the idea.

Have had to resurrect an old Windows laptop (Complete with windows 7) to try getting routes/tracks installed for a trip next week.

Chris Vincent

Hi Chris - glad you found us.


You were getting a lot of information on the FB pages which simply were either incorrect or not relevant to the problem that you asked - I thought I'd step in and rescue you !!

The document that I promised is here: viewtopic.php?t=521

Download the pdf file. It is written for the 590 and the 595 - but much of it is also relevant to the XT. Just for your own use please - don't post it anywhere else.

I was trying to explain about where 'stuff' is placed when transferred from Basecamp. Pages 20 and 21 give a detailed, illustrated answer to that.

The XT is a little different in some fine detail, but first things first !!

However - I have another set of pages about the XT here: viewtopic.php?t=1464

Let us know if you are still having problems - and make sure that BC has stopped transferring information for itself before you transfer any of your own.

For others looking in, Chris was transferring files from BC to the XT, but could not find the stuff that he had transferred. He has used a Zumo 590 for a number of years and is well familiar with Basecamp.

We are still trying to find out exactly what the problem is.

If you transfer to Internal Storage from BC - it creates a temp.gpx file - with everything in it.
If you only transfer tracks (rather than routes), then the files with those disappear - the tracks themselves are stored elsewhere. This is different behaviour from the 590.

If you transfer to the SD card you get the files similar to those that I show on P21. In my opinion - transferring to the XT SD card from Basecamp is the safer option.

With your USB connection to the XT, and Basecamp transferring files to Internal Storage - you should be able to use Windows File Explorer to see which files that BC has created in the SD Card/Garmin/GPX folder without breaking the connection.

Once they are there, the XT needs to Import the files using the trip planner app.

Hi Chris. Welcome to the forum.

Thanks both for that.

Time is getting rather short and we have to be all packed up & ready to go for Monday. In view of that I will probably go with what I've managed to do so far. If it fails, it won't be a complete disaster as there will be others on the same event & we'll slot in behind someone & follow them. It will [/i]spoil things though. If we can get packed up in time i'll take another look at it before we go. Failing that, I will certainly get back to this on our return but that's not 'till the 21st may though.

Welcome to the forum, Chris.

Marmaduke wrote: ↑Sat Apr 27, 2024 6:42 pm Thanks both for that.

Time is getting rather short and we have to be all packed up & ready to go for Monday. In view of that I will probably go with what I've managed to do so far. If it fails, it won't be a complete disaster as there will be others on the same event & we'll slot in behind someone & follow them. It will [/i]spoil things though. If we can get packed up in time i'll take another look at it before we go. Failing that, I will certainly get back to this on our return but that's not 'till the 21st may though.

I hadn't realised that time was so short. Forget about the links I sent - you don't have time to read them .

So here is an Emergency kit.

On the Computer: Format a new SD card.
32Gb is plenty - I often have just an 8Gb in my memory card slot.
Put it into an SD slot available to your computer. You may need a micro card adapter.
Format it FAT32 - if it isn't already formatted.
Create a folder Garmin - case sensitive.
In the Garmin Folder, create a subfolder GPX (all capitals)




Optional - but may be useful:

In Basecamp:
* For each route, right click and select 'Create Track from Selected Route'.
* A track should appear with the same name as the route in Basecamp
* Do that for each one of your routes.


Save your data as a single gpx file.

In Basecamp:
* Highlight all of your routes, tracks, and waypoints
* Select File / Export / Export seclection - there will be a single gpx file named.
* Navigate to the SD Card - the Garmin/GPX folder and click Save
* Check that the file has been placed on your SD card. Eject your SD card using the Windows tool.

• If you haven't got such an icon in the bottom right to do this, then go to File Explorer, find the SD card listed with al of the other drives, right click on the SD card and select 'Eject' from the pop-up menu. This makes sure that the computer has sent everything to the file before it closes it down.
  (Its not needed whent he SD card is in the XT, but it is if the card is plugged into the computer).

Take out the card and keep it safe.

Whether or not you were able to transfer anything to your XT from your computer, you now have everything available on the SD Card.
Somebody on your tour will probably know what to do - but you then have all of your routes tracks and waypoints available as soon as you insert the memory card into the XT.

(You may get two copies of some things - ones that may have been transferred to the XT already, and the ones on the SD card. Thats OK - they are both the same - choose either.)

Whatever you do - do not delete all of your favourites from the XT screen. You need at least one to remain. But you will be able to perform a complete system reset if you need to. The XT will not wipe out data that is on the card, so you will always be able to import routes and tracks again. Waypoints - the XT will not find them on the card unless there is at least one waypoint already saved. But you can create one using the map, and then it will see all of the ones on the card.

Just put a new SD card in the XT and turn it on. It does the formatting for you.

rbentnail wrote: ↑Sun Apr 28, 2024 12:04 pm Just put a new SD card in the XT and turn it on. It does the formatting for you.

I wonder if that is only with select SD cards because mine didn't. Perhaps because I have a 64GB card??? Perhaps because it came exFAT formatted???

Default FAT32 formatting with my Windows PC gave it 32GB of usable space. It took a special utility to FAT32 format it to its 64GB capability. When I did it I assumed bigger would be better but now see that I will never come close to needing 32GB let alone 64GB.

rbentnail wrote: ↑Sun Apr 28, 2024 12:04 pm Just put a new SD card in the XT and turn it on. It does the formatting for you.

I've never been able to get the XT to format a card. I think it might format a blank card, but it seems like all the cards I've purchased recently have arrived pre-formatted as exFAT, and the XT will not recognize or re-format them as FAT32.

That is why I suggested a smaller capacity card. I wanted to give one instruction that would work.

His problem is that he doesn't seem to be able to get Basecamp to put his routes anywhere that the XT can see them. He is no novice at this - He's owned a 590 for years and is a regular user of Basecamp.

This could be due to a cable issue, an XT issue, a BC issue, an Explore issue. .... There is no time to find out.

Putting the files onto lower capacity XT card by-passes all of those issues, and he can take it with him, and doubtless someone will be able to help on the trip. And we know that the XT will not touch data on the SD card if they decide to reset the XT.

But I have made an additon - ie format the card -- if it isn't already formatted.