This topic contains 12 replies, has 8 voices, and was last updated by 
Chatauqua560 12 years, 9 months ago.
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I have a Garmin Oregon 400t. Decide that I should be a good person and keep the software updated on the thing, so I upgraded using the Garmin website/updater from version 3.60 to 3.80. Now I get a “Can’t Unlock Map” on startup … and sure enough my Garmin City Navigator NT microSD card seems to be useless (no auto routing, no POIs). From what I can figure out I need to use the myGarmin website and re-enter my unit ID number and product serial code, then the website tells you your unlock code. But for some reason I have the packaging the map card came in, the instruction booklet that came with it … but very unlike me, the piece of paper with the product serial code is not neatly tucked away inside the map packaging.
I’ve got an email into Garmin … not sure if they can help me or not and of course it’s the weekend.
So … don’t install updates if you have a map microSD in place, unless you have the unlock code. Right now I’d be happy to have my maps and still be running on version 3.60 🙁
Did you try and revert back to 3.60 for now to see if your maps work again. I am sure that Garmin will be able to help out. They seem very acommadating.
I’m not seeing any method for reverting back to a prior version … and again this happened on the weekend, so their call center is closed and the email is awaiting their return. I’d be surprised if reverting would “un-erase” the unlock code … I suspect that value is stored somewhere on the unit and when it’s cleared it’s cleared.
ES,
Can you clarify something for me… Is your City Navigator the DVD version or microsd version? If you have the chip created by Garmin, there isn’t an unlock code, you can move it to as many GPS’s as you want.
If you do have the chip version of the CN map, the upgrade may have damage the files on the chip…. If this is the case, we will be sure to pull our map chip prior to updating anything.
sorry was out of town for a week, but back now.
It is the microSD card … but yes there is an unlock code. When I bought the card in April it came with a slip of paper with a serial number specific to my purchased copy of the map … you enter that serial number in a special Garmin web page, along with the serial number of your Garmin GPSr unit, then it gives you a special code number to punch into the GPSr to “activate” your license to the maps.
Since I was away from my computer for a week, I’m a couple steps behind on getting this fixed with Garmin. They emailed me something to try (installing a Beta/newer update), which didn’t solve the problem. Now they sent me another email to try something else (removing a file that the update added and then resetting the unit) … but I need to wait until I’m home to try that fix. If that doesn’t work, they said if I return the card, they’ll send me a replacement.
Update … no luck with the steps they told me to try … send the cards is on it’s way back with an RMA number and they’ll be sending a replacement. Hmmm, I wonder if the new card will be 2010 maps instead of the 2009 that I’m returning.
Regarding suggestions to others … no clue what went wrong, so I can’t say that removing the card before doing the updates is the answer, but I guess that would be the most logical solution. If I had to do it all over again, I would not have installed the updates … however, the Geocaching screen now has a new “Filters” option section (you can limit to the caches sizes you want, D/T rating min/max that you want, ignore caches you couldn’t find).
While this has been frustrating in general, the person emailing me back n’ forth from Garmin has been trying their hardest to help me … the emails are very personal and specific (not some canned copy/paste text) … including things like having me email them the file sizes of the files on the microSD card. It comes as no surprise … the customer service at Garmin is 105 on a scale of 100.
Final Update:
Got my replacement microSD card in the mail today from Garmin! All is well … I just inserted it, fired up the unit and it works. The nice side effect of my problem is that I’m assuming it’s the latest available map set (version is 2011.20).
No written feedback as to what the problem was. But I guess in theory the unit did NOT loose the unlock code (as I didn’t have to enter any with the new card). So I’m guessing the update I installed scrambled the contents of the card in some way.
So my logical advice … remove the card before updating, then maybe do one power-up without the card to make sure the unit is happy, then power it down again and install the card. I can only assume this based on logic, rather than experience of a positive result.
@sammyclaws wrote:
ES,
Can you clarify something for me… Is your City Navigator the DVD version or microSD version? If you have the chip created by Garmin, there isn’t an unlock code, you can move it to as many GPS’s as you want.Can anyone confirm this? If you have a CityNavigator map on a microSD card for a Garmin unit, can you move it from unit to unit and it will still work? We have a DVD version of CityNavigator, which can only be used once, on one GPSr.
@hack1of2 wrote:
@sammyclaws wrote:
ES,
Can you clarify something for me… Is your City Navigator the DVD version or microSD version? If you have the chip created by Garmin, there isn’t an unlock code, you can move it to as many GPS’s as you want.Can anyone confirm this? If you have a CityNavigator map on a microSD card for a Garmin unit, can you move it from unit to unit and it will still work? We have a DVD version of CityNavigator, which can only be used once, on one GPSr.
Ya use to could. I think. But now that I think about it, I don’t know. One USE to be be able to use the DVD version on multi units and Garmin changed that a few years ago. I do know I was able to load my old Topo on a friends gps,but could not put Navigator on it.
The SD cards can be moved from unit to unit. That said, if you update your GPS, you should probably update your maps, which ends up costing the same (more or less) as just buying a new set. Also, don’t do what I did and buy a unit without checking whether it has an SD card slot. D’oh!
@Team Deejay wrote:
The SD cards can be moved from unit to unit.
Good to know. A few months ago our Garmin Oregon died (2 years old, about 3,000 caches). We got a new one, but could not load our 1-1/2 year old City Navigator maps on it from the installation DVD because they’re specific to one GPSr serial number only. Garmin said we would have to buy a new City Navigator map for that unit. Our other GPSr, a GPSmap62S, has a microSD card with City Navigator on it. So if correct, the City Navigator maps on a DVD are not transferrable but the City Navigator maps on a microSD card are transferrable.
hack, I am pretty sure you are correct
I HAD the City Nav. SD card but once again, it has been erased. I wish it did have a lock because if you leave it in the GPS when just loading new caches and you don’t move both icons to the trash to eject, the card gets erased. BaseCamp wants the card left in for the maps! Silly!
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