Yet Another Cycling Forum

General Category => The Knowledge => GPS => Topic started by: andygates on 04 August, 2008, 10:53:53 pm

Title: Deleting maps from Garmin Etrex Venture?
Post by: andygates on 04 August, 2008, 10:53:53 pm
I need to free up space on my GPS before heading to the Alps - I currently have the UK topo loaded, which is huge.  I've only got MapInstall and it looks like I'll have to deselect every single block... surely there's a quick easy "delete this map" option somewhere?
Title: Re: Deleting maps from Garmin Etrex Venture?
Post by: Wowbagger on 04 August, 2008, 10:55:18 pm
Why not buy another GPS unit? :P

Could you get a clockwork one in Switzerland?
Title: Re: Deleting maps from Garmin Etrex Venture?
Post by: andygates on 04 August, 2008, 11:02:36 pm
 ::-)
Title: Re: Deleting maps from Garmin Etrex Venture?
Post by: Oscar's dad on 05 August, 2008, 09:03:48 am
Not sure this will help as I haven't got the exact same set up as you. 

I use Mapsource City Navigator with an eTrex Vista HCx.  Using the City Nav software on my PC, in conjunction with the Garmin means I can easily pull maps off the device and load others in their place.  Would this work for you?
Title: Re: Deleting maps from Garmin Etrex Venture?
Post by: andygates on 05 August, 2008, 09:39:48 am
If I had that software, perhaps.  :)  I've just got MapInstall, and I think I've sussed it but have a b0rken map!
Title: Re: Deleting maps from Garmin Etrex Venture?
Post by: Oscar's dad on 05 August, 2008, 09:44:49 am
If I had that software, perhaps.  :)  I've just got MapInstall, and I think I've sussed it but have a b0rken map!

Oh dear.  Although the software I have cost about £100 I think it is worth the money.  Its so quick and easy to use.  Plus, for £100 I have maps for the UK and the whole of Europe.  It doesn't show bridleways and tracks but it does show the most minor of roads.
Title: Re: Deleting maps from Garmin Etrex Venture?
Post by: numbnuts on 05 August, 2008, 03:19:56 pm
I think this is what you need (http://www.sailgb.com/p/garmin_mapsource_trip_waypoint_manager_software/)
Title: Re: Deleting maps from Garmin Etrex Venture?
Post by: frankly frankie on 05 August, 2008, 03:28:06 pm
'fraid not.

Quoting from the bottom of that page
"The basic map included is for general reference only and detailed maps cannot be loaded to any Garmin unit using this product."
Title: Re: Deleting maps from Garmin Etrex Venture?
Post by: Craig on 05 August, 2008, 03:38:06 pm
When you say eTrex Venture, I assume you mean the Venture Cx?
If so, the maps are stored on the microSD card, so you can take it out and put it in a card reader and delete any maps from it. Or just plug in the cable and put the eTrex in USB mass storage mode, then it will appear as a drive to delete the maps from.

Why do you need to delete the maps anyway? MapSource deletes all of the loaded maps whenever you load a new set, I assume other software works similarly.
Is MapInstall Garmin's own Mac OS software?
Title: Re: Deleting maps from Garmin Etrex Venture?
Post by: numbnuts on 05 August, 2008, 04:11:05 pm
Quote
'fraid not.
...opps :-[ missed that bit sorry
Title: Re: Deleting maps from Garmin Etrex Venture?
Post by: andygates on 05 August, 2008, 04:33:14 pm
When you say eTrex Venture, I assume you mean the Venture Cx?
If so, the maps are stored on the microSD card, so you can take it out and put it in a card reader and delete any maps from it. Or just plug in the cable and put the eTrex in USB mass storage mode, then it will appear as a drive to delete the maps from.

Why do you need to delete the maps anyway? MapSource deletes all of the loaded maps whenever you load a new set, I assume other software works similarly.
Is MapInstall Garmin's own Mac OS software?

Not the Cx, just the regular Venture.

It still has the card though.  Are the map files just copied onto it?  'cos if so, I can manage my own.  I'll go get a many-card adapter tonight.   :thumbsup:

The deletion is in fact down to confusion on my part.  The actual error I've been getting is "you are trying to load 90k of maps and only have 500k free" - which generally means "you've got a pikey broken version of those maps"  I'm grabbing some more as we speak, otherwise I'll just have to use the global basemap.
Title: Re: Deleting maps from Garmin Etrex Venture?
Post by: frankly frankie on 05 August, 2008, 06:10:45 pm
Get a big card and send it to a friend who'se got Metroguide (its not locked to device) and a free hour.
Title: Re: Deleting maps from Garmin Etrex Venture?
Post by: andrew_s on 05 August, 2008, 07:23:01 pm
Mapsource consolidates and indexes the selected map tiles into a single file called "gmapsupp.img" which gets stashed in a folder "Garmin" on the card. If you load another set of maps, a new gmapsupp.img will replace the old one.
It may well erase the entire card rather than just the old gmapsupp.img file, so if there's anything else on the card, back it up first.

Title: Re: Deleting maps from Garmin Etrex Venture?
Post by: andygates on 05 August, 2008, 10:16:09 pm
Got it! 

Reinstalled GPS drivers to get a consistent connection.  Scored a copy of MapSource which gave me the control I needed.  And discovered that it was just one map tile in my Alps Topo set that was bad, by only uploading the region in which we're playing to the device.
Title: Re: Deleting maps from Garmin Etrex Venture?
Post by: Regulator on 06 August, 2008, 02:00:38 pm
When you say eTrex Venture, I assume you mean the Venture Cx?
If so, the maps are stored on the microSD card, so you can take it out and put it in a card reader and delete any maps from it. Or just plug in the cable and put the eTrex in USB mass storage mode, then it will appear as a drive to delete the maps from.

Why do you need to delete the maps anyway? MapSource deletes all of the loaded maps whenever you load a new set, I assume other software works similarly.
Is MapInstall Garmin's own Mac OS software?

Not the Cx, just the regular Venture.

It still has the card though.  Are the map files just copied onto it?  'cos if so, I can manage my own.  I'll go get a many-card adapter tonight.   :thumbsup:

The deletion is in fact down to confusion on my part.  The actual error I've been getting is "you are trying to load 90k of maps and only have 500k free" - which generally means "you've got a pikey broken version of those maps"  I'm grabbing some more as we speak, otherwise I'll just have to use the global basemap.


I did point out at time of sale that the UK map was an 'internet special'  ;) .  AFAIK you can't delete the basemap but you should be able to load a dditional mapping on to the SD card.
Title: Re: Deleting maps from Garmin Etrex Venture?
Post by: andygates on 06 August, 2008, 02:20:55 pm
I now have other "internet specials" loaded up! :D

Finally, a use for bittorrent that doesn't have boobs.   O:-)

(nb, if the map packs were, say, £30 I'd buy 'em.  £60 is just enough of an ouch to download instead.  c'est l'internet)