Explorist 600 Connecting Via Usb, Please Help

[allencf]

I am having no luck connecting my Explorist 600 Via USB Cable. I have a background in computers and I am a Network Engineer by trade.

 

When i connect my gps reciever to my pc I get "USB Device Not Recognized"

 

"No drivers are installed for this device.

 

If you are having problems with this device, click Troubleshoot to start the troubleshooter."

 

I spent over 30 minutes on the phone with Magellan with a gentlemen who spoke broken english, he procceded to inform me that my USB drivers are out of date.

 

Every single USB device I have fuctions perfectly with my laptop. 2 Externals, Game Pad, Mulifuction Printer and USB to Bluetooh for my mouse.

 

I am running Windows XP SP2 with the latest Micrsoft updates.

 

Please help.

[+GeekBoy.from.Illinois]

When i connect my gps reciever to my pc I get "USB Device Not Recognized"

 

We had experienced this once with our eXplorist 600. In our case, the USB cable screw was not tightened and therefore the cable was not making a good contact (if at all). Someone else also referenced that if you connect the cable upside down, it won't work properly either. Their reference was that the cable should be attached such that the wire drops down over the batter when attached.

 

Having said this, you should also make sure that you don't have any dirt or such on the back of the GPS [where the cable connect].

[bgarland]

I had a similar problem attaching a Garmin 76CSx to my PC. My problem was the unit would not be recognized if I attached it to my USB 2.0 Hub. When I moved the USB cable to directly attach it to the PC USB port, it worked fine. got me why that is, all my other USB devices work fine off the hub???

[+Team ChipsNDip]

I don't know why Magellan support is so bad on this issue.

 

First thing to check - make sure the cable is installed so that it is running toward the bottom of the unit. If it is installed running to the top of the unit, then you'll only get power, and no data connection.

 

Second, if that doesn't work, make sure that all of the metal "tabs" on your gps are sticking out - they are sort of spring-like in their connection to the metal pins.

 

Third, if that doesn't work come back here and see what else we can do to help.

[allencf]

My cable is connecting Down. I do not work off a USB Hub. There is an internal hub, I work off a laptop.

 

If it turns out the my internal USB Hub is stopping it, then I am not sure what the designers had in mind. GPS Reciever in my mind are designed for laptop use.

 

MS Streets and Trips, Google Earth and a mirad of other products.

 

My unit is charging while connected. This leads me to believe my cable is working on some level.

 

Each male tip on the cable end is "spongy" and fully exteneded.

Edited July 19, 2006 by allencf

[allencf]

Hot dadgum.

 

dadgum near put and indent in my finger turning the cable tight.

 

PC just recognized it.

 

Thanks for the help.

 

Anyone searching this problem in the future.

 

Ungodly tight Cable.

Have it run down past the battery.

Edited July 19, 2006 by allencf

[+embra]

Glad that you "established contact," but that doesn't seem right. I have my cable mounted in the desktop swivel mount such that I just click my 500 into the mount and I have a cable connection...no screw. It's downright loose, relatively speaking.

 

I would have been suspicious of the cable prongs, although I note that you checked them and they seem to be protruding properly. Since it seems to be a contact issue, I'd suggest carefully inspecting the two surfaces to see if you can determine why the design is functioning so poorly. It really sounds like you are having to work too hard--that's not normal (i.e., if you don't feel like you can live with it, and you can't see a way to fix it, you may want to exchange it if you can...I'd consider it defective).

[+Team ChipsNDip]

Glad that you "established contact," but that doesn't seem right. I have my cable mounted in the desktop swivel mount such that I just click my 500 into the mount and I have a cable connection...no screw. It's downright loose, relatively speaking.

 

I would have been suspicious of the cable prongs, although I note that you checked them and they seem to be protruding properly. Since it seems to be a contact issue, I'd suggest carefully inspecting the two surfaces to see if you can determine why the design is functioning so poorly. It really sounds like you are having to work too hard--that's not normal (i.e., if you don't feel like you can live with it, and you can't see a way to fix it, you may want to exchange it if you can...I'd consider it defective).

 

I got the swivel mount mentioned by embra, and it's a lifesaver. I don't have to screw in the cable anymore, which should prolong the life of the unit quite a bit. Check and make sure all of your prongs and contacts are clean - if you see any discoloring, you can clean them with rubbing alcohol. I'd double check the "spring tabs" on your unit as well, making sure they are all sticking up the same amount. You definitely need to screw in the cable, but shouldn't have to bear down on it for it to make contact.

[+salcedo]

Have you checked to see if you can get NMEA data from the unit? When you connect the unit to the computer, the unit should give you a menu where you can choose the communication mode:

 

File Transfer

NMEA Data Comm

Power Only.

 

Select NMEA Data Comm, then choose NMEA V2.1 GSA. If you have a MapSend product or any other mapping product that can read NMEA data, set it up to show the GPS position on the screen. The USB port now shows up as a serial COM port, and you will need to specify which COM port the device is attached to. You should be able to see it under Modems in the Device Manager (of course I am assuming that you are using Windows :-)). If you don't currently have any mapping software, try one of the freeware or shareware applications (like USAPhotoMaps from http://jdmcox.com/)

[Scrivartha]

I just got my eXplorist 400 today and I am having the EXACT same problem!

 

Some notes:

I tried switching the direction the cable was screwed in - when it is facing up over the top of the device, Windows detects it but says no drivers are installed. When I tried to get it to load the drivers on the CD that came with it, it gave me the same error.

Conversely, when I attached the cable in the recommended direction - down over the battery case - the gps device itself goes into File Transfer Mode, but Windows doesn't find or install the device at all.

 

I have also tried "screwing it in tightly" as recommended, but to no avail.

 

O/S is Win2k, SP4

My mp3 player, camera, and flash drive work fine so I know it is not a problem with my USB setup.

 

Is this just a common problem with several models of Magellan's? There does not appear to be a way in the 400 to manually enter waypoints to use the GOTO feature either unless I am overlooking an obscure menu feature... So if I can't get it connected to my PC I can't go geocaching at all...

 

I almost bought the less expensive 210, but I may switch to a Garmin if it looks like I can't resolve this - a pity too, since the Geocaching feature and the GOTO button seemed like they would really be useful...

 

-Scriv

[+geognerd]

Is this just a common problem with several models of Magellan's? There does not appear to be a way in the 400 to manually enter waypoints...

This is what the mark button is for.

 

Here are the steps:

 

1. Press mark

2. Use the center joystick to click/scroll to the coordinates.

3. Press enter.

4. Change each digit of the coordinates to what you want by scrolling up or down, then left or right to move to the next digit. Press enter to go the E/W coordinate after you finish the N/S coordinate. Press enter when done editing the coordinates.

5. Scroll down to save and press enter.

 

I almost bought the less expensive 210, but I may switch to a Garmin if it looks like I can't resolve this - a pity too, since the Geocaching feature and the GOTO button seemed like they would really be useful...

All GPS receivers have a GOTO button.

 

Have you read the manual? Entering coordinates and going to them are explained here. As for your USB problem, this is why you should always install whatever software comes with a device before you stick the plug into the computer.

[+hiikaash]

we had the same problem with the 310, my advice is to use Magellan Geocache Maanager and check if you connected the cable correctly to the GPSr

[+FamilyDNA]

I have a new but, I think, related problem. My cable or where it connects into the GPSr seems to have stripped out. (Explorist 600) I just noticed it yesterday when I tried to reconnect it. The screw won't tighten, it just pops back out. Anyone have this problem? Anyone know whet to do about it?

[+Trail Buzzards]

The screw won't tighten, it just pops back out.

 

It happened to me at about 10 months. I pulled the washer and it worked for a little while longer. The best thing to do is to buy a mount for it to click into. Don't need to screw the unit in.

[+jrbuc]

I have had the problem where my windows xp reads....USB Device Not Recognized" when I was plugging in my Magellan Explorist 600. Found out that the problem was in connecting the usb cable to the receiver upside down. Try turning it around and replugging it in. It most likely will correct your problem. It did for me.

[+letmein]

My unit is charging while connected. This leads me to believe my cable is working on some level.

 

Odd, my unit says "External power" when I have the cable attached "correctly" (with the cord running down). with the cable "upside down" my unit says "Charging". The cable is designed this way: If you connect it with the cable running out the top you get a rapid charge through the USB port but cannot communicate with your computer. I hook my cable up this way on purpose all the time to charge my unit.

 

I still use the cable without a cradle. I make sure I never fully tighten the screw because I don't want to strip out the threads or damage the unit.

 

I think you might have a bad cable. Before replacing the cable I'd take a small alcohol swab to the contact pads on the GPSr and to the cable pins to make sure there is no insulating coating on them.

[+SWAK9802]

I have the same problem with my 500LE on my desktop, but it works fine on my laptop. I can't do any data transfer to my GPS and I've spent numerous hours searching info and trying out everything that has been recommended. I bought an SD card to load my info onto and use that now. Initially I couldn't get my unit to sync with the laptop either, but it started working today, and I'm not looking a gift horse in the mouth.