New eTrex Software version

[BikinOn]

eTrex 20/30 software version 4.20 available here as of 21 Jan 2015:

http://www8.garmin.c...ils.jsp?id=5553

Perhaps a few foolhardy brave souls will let us know if there is any noticeable improvement.

[stu1102]

Changes made from version 4.10 to 4.20:
◦Fixed several track distance statistic issues

http://www8.garmin.com/support/download_details.jsp?id=5553

[fuaran]

I notice v4.00 says "Improved pairing behavior with cadence sensors (eTrex 30 devices)".

Does this mean it actually works with cadence-only sensors? Previously it only worked with speed/cadence combo sensors. Has anyone tested it?

[Kim]

Changes made from version 4.10 to 4.20:
◦Fixed several track distance statistic issues

Wonder if that means the trip odometer issues...


ETA: Successfully upgraded my eTrex 30 to 4.20 (from about 3.10 or so).  Doesn't appear to have broken anything obvious.  Let's see if it helps...

[fhills]

I'll pass.

My Etrex20 on a substantially older release freezes now and again**

Sometimes this means I have to take the batteries out to sort it.

But that is preferable to a dodgy update which is unlikely to offer more functionality.

** I have a sort of idea that this might sometimes when I'm letting the Etrex do the routing and it loses satellite contact. Could there be anything in this?

[Kim]

Are you actually suggesting this is a dodgy update, or just proceeding with "devil you know" caution?

[fhills]

Sorry Kim, I should have made it clear.

The latter.

I don't know anything specifically about this update.

The oddities of mine at the moment are a very minor irritation.

But the thing still works, and generally very well.

I'd need an awful lot of convincing that any update gave some pretty great features to risk slowing mine down or screwing it up.

[BikinOn]

There are ways to roll back a firmware update, so if it doesn't work as advertised just go back.

[321up]

I notice v4.00 says "Improved pairing behavior with cadence sensors (eTrex 30 devices)".

Does this mean it actually works with cadence-only sensors? Previously it only worked with speed/cadence combo sensors. Has anyone tested it?

That's what I'd like to know.  We bought a Bontrager cadence sensor (http://www.evanscycles.com/products/bontrager/ant-cadence-sensor-ec021207) and neither the etrex 30 nor the Forerunner 305 we own will work with it presumably due to limitations in the garmin firmware  .

Garmin have their own seperate cadence sensor now so hopefully they will fix the firmware limitations in their products.  When/if they do I expect that they will be included in this compatible device list...
https://buy.garmin.com/en-GB/GB/shop-by-accesories/fitness-sensors/bike-speed-sensor-and-cadence-sensor/prod146897.html

More likely Garmin will force users to buy a new model of gps rather than fix the firmware. 

I might try this update in a couple of weeks if there no reports of it introducing new problems. 

There are ways to roll back a firmware update, so if it doesn't work as advertised just go back.

How?

[fuaran]

There are ways to roll back a firmware update, so if it doesn't work as advertised just go back.

How?

First you need to get the firmware version you want, as a GCD file. This site has them for most Garmin models: http://gawisp.com/perry/etrex/eTrex_10_20_30/
Download that, and rename it as "gupdate.gcd".
Plug in the Etrex into your computer, and copy the gupdate.gcd file into the Garmin directory on the Etrex (not the memory card).
Disconnect the Etrex, and switch it on. It should run the update, and load that software version.

For cadence sensors, you can also check the Ant+ directory. But it seems its not always accurate or up to date. Currently it doesn't list any cadence sensors as compatible with the Etrex 30. http://www.thisisant.com/directory/etrex-30/

[Fab Foodie]

Mine (20)ran the automatic update and hasn't exploded yet.

[Kim]

Yeah, mine's still working.  I haven't made any cycle-train-cycle journeys with it yet to test the odometer bug, though.

[BikinOn]

Quote from: BikinOn on January 31, 2015, 08:35:21 PM

    There are ways to roll back a firmware update, so if it doesn't work as advertised just go back.

How?

Sorry, missed your post. Now I haven't done this on an eTrex only an Oregon, but the method outlined for GCD Updates worked for me. Naturally, it's a use at your own risk thing:
http://garminoregon6xx.wikispaces.com/Firmware#x-GCD%20Updates

[vantage]

The rollback thingy as above worked on my etrex20. It's now back to 2.80 which it was when I first bought it and back then it actually worked flawlessly.
The file needs to renamed in block capitals though "GUPDATE.GCD" as in lower case it wont work. You'll get a warning message asking if you want to carry on as it's an older software version and when you click yep, it'll take over from there.

[BikinOn]

Glad that worked for you. Since things have been disappearing off the website I linked to recently, here are the instructions:

GCD Update Procedure

• Use the links in Firmware History to download the zipped file for the version you need
• Unzip the downloaded archive and extract the gcd file
• Rename the gcd file to gupdate.gcd
• Remove µSD card from the Oregon 6xx, if present
• Connect the Oregon 6xx to your computer and enter Mass Storage Mode
• Copy the gupdate.gcd file to [GPSr]\Garmin\gupdate.gcd
• Disconnect and reboot the GPSr
• Once the update is completed, the GPSr will delete the gupdate.gcd file

[Christophe]

I'll pass.

My Etrex20 on a substantially older release freezes now and again**

Sometimes this means I have to take the batteries out to sort it.

But that is preferable to a dodgy update which is unlikely to offer more functionality.

** I have a sort of idea that this might sometimes when I'm letting the Etrex do the routing and it loses satellite contact. Could there be anything in this?

Happens to mine as well. Personally I think its something to do with the incompatibility between maps on the unit vs maps used on routing software. Mine freezes when in navigation mode and says something about incompatible map and route and then switches to Garmin screen. Like yourself I have to take out the batteries to get it going again. I'm using openstreetmaps on mine.

[fhills]

I use mine in point to point mode very often - not sure but i have the impression that it sometimes does it in that mode when it is not really navigating as such, just doing a straight line countdown to the next point i have put in. Will keep an eye on it and try to report back.

It's a small issue but a reset/reboot button you could activate with a key or pen would be handy.

[Ben T]

Hi,
I "had to" install 4.2 on my etrex 30 yesterday.
Basically in preparation for saturday's audax I put a gpx on it (which was fine) and put fresh batteries in it and it wouldn't turn on. Just displayed the garmin logo for about 5 seconds then went off again.
On getting home I discovered that it did exactly the same thing even when I tried to hard reset it by holding down enter and menu and switching it on. Just garmin logo for 5 seconds then off again. So I was completely stuck...

So then I installed garmin express on my windows pc and updated it. At first it appeared that it did exactly the same thing. Wouldn't turn on. But then, I did the master reset combination but held down 'back' as well, and it came on and applied the update.

The only things I think I could have done that it could have taken exception to are:
* I put in (fresh) non-rechargeable batteries when previously it had had rechargeables
* I put a gpx on it that, albeit fully schema compliant and nothing of the sort it hasn't seen before, did have a space at the *end* of its file name before the extension - e.g. "Cambrian .gpx" rather than "Cambrian.gpx"

If neither of those things, then why wouldn't it turn on?
Bit annoying as this is a bit of a dent to its reliability reputation in my eyes.

Can anyone confirm whether the reset procedure is just menu+enter and turn on, or menu+enter+back and turn on... is the inclusion of back an 'even harder' reset?

Can anyone confirm or deny whether the version of software I had on it before (what it would have come with in august 2012) has a bug that  takes exception to file names with spaces before the extension e.g. "Cambrian .gpx" (don't try it just before a ride )

However, one thing I have noticed about the new version, that I regard as a major improvement to it, is that it now beeps! 
After 2 and a half years of being mute, it now makes sounds.
This means proximity alarms are useful, and it stores them as waypoints and can recognise them from (and stores them as) waypoint extensions in gpx.

[Kim]

My eTrex 30 has always beeped... 

[Ben T]

My eTrex 30 has always beeped... 

does it beep when you press the menu button and use the joystick to scroll around?

[fhills]

Yes, my 20 has always beeped as well.

Are you sure that maybe you hadn't turned the beeping off in some way.

And that maybe the OS update has just taken it back to some sort of default - ie - maybe WITH beeps.

With regard to changing the type of batteries, you are actually supposed to tell it - there is a setting in the set-up menu. Not that I can imagine a failure to do this should cause the freeze you describe.

[Kim]

My eTrex 30 has always beeped... 

does it beep when you press the menu button and use the joystick to scroll around?

No, because that's annoying so I turned the key beep off in the tones menu.  It works if I turn it back on again.

I've always had tones for turn warnings and proximity alarms, through several firmware versions.


TBH, it sounds like yours was crashing in response to some corrupt file (it doesn't seem particularly robust in the face of invalid GPX files - I've had problems in the past with truncated files caused by power failure or the SD card working loose).  The tones thing is probably a result of it reverting to defaults after the reset.

[Ben T]

Are you sure that maybe you hadn't turned the beeping off in some way.

No, but I don't know how...!


The only file that I put on it since it working and this crash is the one that is fully compliant (and works on it ok now) but like I say has a space at the end of its filename.
It could be that there was a bug in whatever version I had on before that took exception to that but that has now been fixed.

[Kim]

Are you sure that maybe you hadn't turned the beeping off in some way.

No, but I don't know how...!

Menu->Setup->Tones

There's a global on/off, as well as settings for customising the tones for various events, including key beeps and proximity alarms.

[Kim]

4.30 has been released:

http://www8.garmin.com/support/download_details.jsp?id=5553

Changes made from version 4.20 to 4.30:
Improved 'Save Portion' track feature. When saving a portion, the device now remembers that position in the track log so it can be used as a track segment for future portion saving.
Fixed possible erroneous track point on power on.
Fixed formatting issue with certain map names in the map information list.

I'm hoping that erroneous track point fix will finally sort the trip odometer out.