Author Topic: Etrex Legend HCX Snag.. SOLVED THX ALL (Read 4524 times)

Fidgetbuzz · « **on:** 17 May, 2016, 05:29:26 pm »

I have had two Etrex legend HCX for years -- do the job for me .. they have been replaced by Garmin when there was a fault ( rubber band thing etc ).. currently one has a broken contact which I can fudge with silver paper, and the other has a really dodgy rubber band ( glued , patched etc ).

Garmin have stopped doing any maintenance on the Etrex .

I have just acquired another virtually unused Legend HCX thru YACF .. but here is the snag.

Put my OSM memory card from my working HCX into new HCX .. and it does not see it.

Try to copy my OSM download .. on gmapsupp onto the card coming with the new HCX .. and the capacity is too small at only 512mb.

Head scratch some more .. use a card reader to examine the two memory cards .. to see what I can learn.. and this may be the problem.

The card coming with "new" etrex is 512mb .. but when looking at it on the card reader .. instead of just saying drive F .. it says 0101069100 (F)

Iis there some simple way to make this old but unused Etrex just accept my memory card.. ie what is the 0101069100 and how to I either get rid of it ( assuming that is the source of the snag ) or get the ""new" Etrex to just accept my memory cards.

Thx for any help you can offer.

jhob · « **Reply #1 on:** 17 May, 2016, 06:16:33 pm »

Sounds like the memory card may well be corrupted. My first port of call would be to buy another (larger, think 4gb is the hcx limit but double check that) SD card and copy the osm maps to that.

Sent from my MotoG3 using Tapatalk

Feanor · « **Reply #2 on:** 17 May, 2016, 06:38:15 pm »

Might it be that the 'new' unit has very old firmware that can't see the larger sd card?

Check the firmware level and update if necessary.

Fidgetbuzz · « **Reply #3 on:** 17 May, 2016, 06:58:36 pm »

Suspect that the "new" unit may well be very old.. how do I update the firmware level .. sorry to be "thick" . not my area of expertise.

rogerzilla · « **Reply #4 on:** 17 May, 2016, 09:16:21 pm »

3.20 is the latest version I can find reference to.

http://www8.garmin.com/support/download_details.jsp?id=3644

3.00 and later adds support for maps larger than 2GB. Would that help?

fuaran · « **Reply #5 on:** 18 May, 2016, 12:24:56 am »

Quote from: Fidgetbuzz on 17 May, 2016, 05:29:26 pm

The card coming with "new" etrex is 512mb .. but when looking at it on the card reader .. instead of just saying drive F .. it says 0101069100 (F)

Iis there some simple way to make this old but unused Etrex just accept my memory card.. ie what is the 0101069100 and how to I either get rid of it ( assuming that is the source of the snag ) or get the ""new" Etrex to just accept my memory cards.

Sounds like it is just a label set on the card. Put the card in the card reader, then you should be able to right click on it in my computer, and choose properties. Then you can enter what you like for the label.
Or try formatting the card, that will let you set a label, and could fix other possible problems.

For OSM maps, you should be able to fit most of the UK in 512MB. Depends on just what sort of maps they are, and if they include contours etc. Try using this website, you can use the option for 'manual tile selection' to just select the part you need: http://garmin.openstreetmap.nl/

Though you should be able to use a bigger card anyway. As they say, check the firmware version.

Wobbly John · « **Reply #6 on:** 18 May, 2016, 06:58:11 am »

I found that my older Garmin doesn't like SDHC cards - I got an old non-High Capacity 2GB one from ebay for a couple of quid and it works fine.

Ham · « **Reply #7 on:** 18 May, 2016, 07:55:54 am »

Updating (and checking) firmware is straightforward (as for any Garmin device).

You need Garmin Express. Download, install, plug in your device and let it find it. If there are any updates available they will be shown and installing is just clicking as appropriate/

(Note: upgrading firmware always carries a risk of turning your equipment into a brick)

fuaran · « **Reply #8 on:** 18 May, 2016, 11:52:57 am »

For updating firmware, probably easier to use the Garmin Web Updater software, instead of Garmin Express. Its a lot simpler and less bloated, and doesn't require registering etc. http://www8.garmin.com/support/collection.jsp?product=999-99999-27

Fidgetbuzz · « **Reply #9 on:** 18 May, 2016, 03:31:04 pm »

UMM -- did a 95kms ride this morning using "new" garmin with its memory card . I can see the days track on Mapsource .. but when I try to save it ( to upload to Stava) I get a message telling me that I can not save the track. I have fired the evidence off to Garmin .. but anyone got any useful input.

I am about to try changing those numbers that preceed /F -- but logically that does not sound to me as if it will achieve anything .. as my cards have no prefix .. and the Garmin will not see my cards.

Fidgetbuzz · « **Reply #10 on:** 18 May, 2016, 11:50:05 pm »

taking out those numbers on the old data card .. still meant that the etrex could see the existing UK map .. but it will not see any other data card .. no matter what the size.. so appears to be locked in some way to the UK map that came with it ( oh.... I can not update that map either ) . Bloody garmin .. never mind not being able to get at todays track and Strava it.

Fidgetbuzz · « **Reply #11 on:** 19 May, 2016, 11:23:23 am »

Solved the track problem .. will never upload from the garmin unit itself... but the writing to the micro sd card had not been set up.. so got that sorted .. but why can I not get the unit to see a new sd card or update the current card.

rogerzilla · « **Reply #12 on:** 19 May, 2016, 02:58:26 pm »

Have you upgraded the firmware yet?

Fidgetbuzz · « **Reply #13 on:** 20 May, 2016, 08:37:48 am »

Tried .. will not allow it. Waiting for garmin reply to my query. Nearly there anyway .. old UK map , track downloadable now .. would like newer map and also o'seas map capacity on diff card .. but can live with what I have. Will let you know how I get on with Garmin in due course

fuaran · « **Reply #14 on:** 20 May, 2016, 11:15:14 pm »

What won't allow it? What happens when you run the Garmin Web Updater software?

You can check your current firmware version by going to Main menu > Setup > System, then press the menu button, and select software version.

frankly frankie · « **Reply #15 on:** 25 May, 2016, 11:07:39 am »

Acquiring a new 2Gb mSD card is the 'safe' option. Put it in a card reader and format it to FAT32. (FAT is also OK and is what the Garmin expects by default, but FAT32 works for me.) Create a /Garmin/ folder on it. Unless it is faulty, the HCx should have no problems with that.

It would have to be a very early HCx to not accept cards bigger than 2Gb, they introduced that as an update only a couple of months after introducing the HCx range. I have also seen some old documents relating to compatibily problems between Garmins and Sandisk cards - so to be ultra-safe, get a Kingston 2Gb mSD card if you can find one (7DayShop?).
Here's a no-name 2Gb card from Amazon for £3.15 Looks like it doesn't come with a SD adaptor (most do) which you need for the card reader.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Memory-Viewty-Adaptor-TEKONLINE-ACCESSORIES/dp/B003Q44C1K/ref=sr_1_6?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1464170436&sr=1-6&keywords=mSD+card+2gb

Fidgetbuzz · « **Reply #16 on:** 27 May, 2016, 05:54:41 pm »

Been family busy for a few days.. now reverting to "normal" life trying to solve this little niggle.

1 Thx FF .. I have placed an order for a new 2G card .. that might solve it

2 Garmin express does not support this unit.. and points me at Garminmapupdater.

3 Download this and it updates the device software.. then it tells me to visit Garmin and purchase available maps ( which in the days of OSM is unnecessary ) .. but I explore this to see what they are offering .. and it tells me " Map updates are not applicable to this product "

4 Meanwhile the Etrex screen is now seemingly stuck -- reporting "" Loader.. loading"" . I shall leave this as is for an hour to see whether anything happens.

5 Fuaran .. firmware version is 2.7

6 I just want the darn "new" etrex to see one of my memory cards with an updated UK map ( which seemingly I can not buy from Garmin anyway ) and to let me use my foreign OSM maps when I want to .. rather than apparently being permanently stuck on a 2007 UK map.

Simple you would have thought

Fidgetbuzz · « **Reply #17 on:** 28 May, 2016, 07:58:23 am »

As I was out last night .. I left the update on for 12 hours .. etrex screen still has fixed wording LOADER LOADING

and garmin map updater shows " copying software updates to your device " Time outstanding < 1 minute" same as it has done for the last 12 hours.

Unless the 2GB card solves this .. then I shall have a discussion about returning for money back

Phil W · « **Reply #18 on:** 29 May, 2016, 03:26:33 pm »

I have OSM of this country at 468Mb if that would help? I updated the previous weekend so the mapping is as of May 20th.

Fidgetbuzz · « **Reply #19 on:** 29 May, 2016, 08:20:45 pm »

Thx for the offer.. at the moment I am still trying to get this etrex updated to current version ..ie 3.20 whereas I seem to be unable to change the existing 2.7 .. and I want it to see new micro cards .. then I can use OSM to do Oz, Croatia , etc etc .. when I want.

I have an order for a new card .. rather than fiddle with my assorted stock.

Phil W · « **Reply #20 on:** 09 June, 2016, 09:45:18 pm »

All sorted now?

Fidgetbuzz · « **Reply #21 on:** 13 June, 2016, 04:09:42 pm »

NO ..been riding LEJOG .. now returning to the problem .. after dealing with things like LEL finances etc

Fidgetbuzz · « **Reply #22 on:** 13 June, 2016, 10:15:16 pm »

Slow progress .. now updated to 3.2

And downloading a small part of France onto the new 2GB micro card.. lets see what that does .. it works .. maybe all is solved. Now trying an updated Uk map on a 512mb card

Phil W · « **Reply #23 on:** 13 June, 2016, 11:27:36 pm »

U.K. and Ireland OSM maps here you're free to download and try if you want.

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/nn5lfayjjih12fz/AABxx04PMEfEYUeuhe5DGDIGa?dl=0

These are from May 20th 2016 OSM mapping.

Author Topic: Etrex Legend HCX Snag.. SOLVED THX ALL (Read 4524 times)

Phil W

Phil W

Phil W