Author Topic: Garmin Express won't start (Windows)  (Read 3036 times)

Garmin Express won't start (Windows)
« on: 13 March, 2021, 09:15:16 am »
I've just tried to connect my device and found that Express won't start. It sticks on the splash screen. Don't think it's the Edge Touring Plus as Basecamp, the Web Updater, etc. can all see it. I've tried uninstalling Express, rebooting and reinstalling, but no difference. Given the reboot, my Windows 10 is up to date as of this week. I've also tried forcing the device into mass storage mode.

Any suggestions? The Edge Touring Plus relies on a cable connection to report activities to Garmin Connect of course. I haven't used it for a bit because I've been on Zwift in lockdown.

I've sent an enquiry to Garmin Support.

Re: Garmin Express won't start (Windows)
« Reply #1 on: 13 March, 2021, 10:18:49 am »
mllePB has endless problems with connectivity to her Edge Touring.  It is a real PITA and has been from the day we bought it.

It doesn't help that it will work flawlessly when connected to my pc.  Her pc does have a very occasional BSOD moment but in the main works without any other issues.  I put it down to tech quirkiness.

That reminds me: I was contemplating gutting her machine and updating it.  Hmmm ...

Re: Garmin Express won't start (Windows)
« Reply #2 on: 13 March, 2021, 11:56:47 am »
I'm not sure whether it's the Edge Touring though, for the reasons I said. Even if I reboot and then don't connect the device, Express still hangs at its splash screen.

Re: Garmin Express won't start (Windows)
« Reply #3 on: 13 March, 2021, 12:11:50 pm »
My Edge Touring Plus works flawlessly on my pc.

fuaran

  • rothair gasta
Re: Garmin Express won't start (Windows)
« Reply #4 on: 13 March, 2021, 12:18:54 pm »
Can just upload your activities on the Garmin Connect website, don't have to use Garmin Express.

citoyen

  • Occasionally rides a bike
Re: Garmin Express won't start (Windows)
« Reply #5 on: 13 March, 2021, 12:54:53 pm »
my Windows 10 is up to date as of this week

This sets off alarm bells for me. Any security settings changed in the update?
"The future's all yours, you lousy bicycles."

Re: Garmin Express won't start (Windows)
« Reply #6 on: 13 March, 2021, 01:03:33 pm »
Difficult to know. MS are somewhat prone to changing things without warning. Any suggestions of what to look for?

I should say that the problem started before this week's update. However, I haven't used the Edge Touring Plus since December, as I've done Zwift in lockdown, so that doesn't rule out previous updates. I've got measures in place to stop Windows force-rebooting, and make it update only with permission, but I generally let it do it within a few days, just at a time of my choosing and not of MS's - hence, the first reboot I did in investigating this problem also allowed the latest update.

citoyen

  • Occasionally rides a bike
Re: Garmin Express won't start (Windows)
« Reply #7 on: 13 March, 2021, 01:39:19 pm »
Any suggestions of what to look for?

I should say that the problem started before this week's update.

On the first point, not the faintest idea. But if the problems predate the update, that might be a red herring anyway.

General principle when things stop working though: first look for what has changed since the last time it worked.
"The future's all yours, you lousy bicycles."

Re: Garmin Express won't start (Windows)
« Reply #8 on: 13 March, 2021, 01:43:10 pm »
Agreed. As I said, there will have been a number of Windows updates since I last did a sync on the device.

Re: Garmin Express won't start (Windo
« Reply #9 on: 13 March, 2021, 02:08:09 pm »
It could be that Garmin Express is having its Internet connection blocked by windows firewall.  Go into Windows Firewall and see if Express is permitted to access the Internet.

Re: Garmin Express won't start (Windows)
« Reply #10 on: 13 March, 2021, 04:03:01 pm »
Good suggestion. Not the right answer, but did indirectly lead to my making some progress.

In checking that even stopping Defender Firewall had not helped, I had a look at the files in C:\Users\{myaccount}\AppData\Local\Garmin\express\
I noticed that requestcache-log.db had an older date than today. I'd already removed and reinstalled Express, supposedly removing all the data as well (on principle, in case it were a corruption). So I nuked the folder, on the basis that it couldn't do any harm or lose anything really important.

Success! Express started, but had forgotten all my devices. I connected the GPS, and Express asked me to sign in with my Garmin account. It's now updating the Edge Touring Plus's maps. It still hasn't remembered my Fenix 5 watch, my mother's older car GPS that's registered to my account because she doesn't do this kind of thing (and needs map updates), and so on, but at least Express works.

Why Express doesn't check with my Garmin account that it has all the right devices, once I've signed in, is another matter. Maybe it will get around to it, who knows. As best I recall, it previously knew about devices even when I had registered them on another PC.

But in short it looks like a corrupted local file, or something in my account, that Express choked on.

Re: Garmin Express won't start (Windows)
« Reply #11 on: 14 March, 2021, 09:24:37 am »
I had the same problem with Garmin Basecamp a while back. Tried pretty much all the things you did but in the end, some Googling pointed to a corrupt cache file which once deleted, Basecamp started up fine.
I am often asked, what does YOAV stand for? It stands for Yoav On A Velo

Feanor

  • It's mostly downhill from here.
Re: Garmin Express won't start (Windows)
« Reply #12 on: 14 March, 2021, 01:46:35 pm »
Programs which don't *fully* un-install are the work of Stan.

Sure, if there's user data as part of the installation, the user should be given the option to delete it or not.

Re: Garmin Express won't start (Windows)
« Reply #13 on: 14 March, 2021, 04:35:27 pm »
I think Garmin express is now just for connecting and we are supposed to use Garmin connect. But I may be wrong.

Feanor

  • It's mostly downhill from here.
Re: Garmin Express won't start (Windows)
« Reply #14 on: 14 March, 2021, 04:59:45 pm »
I think Garmin express is now just for connecting and we are supposed to use Garmin connect. But I may be wrong.

On a PC, Back In The Day, you would upload your rides to the Garmin Connect website.
There was an Upload button, and you browsed to the Activities folder on your device.

This was not seen as the 'modern' way; having to browse a file system!
They wanted it to be plug-and-play, it just works by magic.
Hide the file system! There is no file system!

So some years back, they updated the website to the 'modern' theme, and the Upload button was gone.
You were meant to use the Garmin Express software, which was always running in the background.
As soon as you plugged your device in, this would automatically 'sync' everything on your device to the Garmin Connect website.

This caused a bit of a fuss, for 2 reasons:
1) You could not upload arbitrary .fit files;
2) Privacy: it would upload *everything* on your device, whether you liked it or not!

So they eventually relented, and put the upload button back on the website, where you can browse to the device and select what you want to upload.
I think they still 'prefer' that you use the Garmin Express utility to automagically sync, but they can get in the sea.

This is how I use my Garmin devices.
I no longer have Garmin Express installed, and do all my uploading by selecting the files I want using the website and browsing the device.




Re: Garmin Express won't start (Windows)
« Reply #15 on: 14 March, 2021, 05:12:55 pm »
All of my Garmin activity is now loaded by automatic sync as soon as I finish my session.  My Fenix 6 talks to my phone via bluetooth and within seconds the session is uploaded to my phone.  Before I walk the ten minutes or so back home as part of my cool down the session has already been uploaded using 4g and is available on Garmin Connect.

When it is working* it is extremely quick and reliable.

* reference to last year when Garmin was hacked and went black for a week.

Re: Garmin Express won't start (Windows)
« Reply #16 on: 14 March, 2021, 11:48:05 pm »
Not really an option though with the Edge Touring Plus...