STILL can't upload maps to my Magellan Explorist 500LE

[+celestialmom]

Okay, I spent all day installing my new mapsend topo software, finding out that I can't use it to transfer files to my gps using windows vista, copying dvd files to my pc over our network, installing the topo software on my pc with windows xp, and NOW I thought I'd finally be able to download a region to my gpsr! But nooooo.....

 

First of all, the mapsend topo software doesn't recognize my explorist. When trying to detect, it just cycles through bitrates checking com1 and com3 but says "failed to detect gps receiver". I know I have it connected correctly, and in the correct mode, I download .gs files to it all the time exported from gsak.

 

Secondly, after saving a map region to my hard drive, when trying to transfer it to the gpsr using mapsend manager (clicking on transfer date to gps unit) It doesn't recognize the .img file as being in explorist format. (I think it needs a mgi or imi) HELP!!!!!!!!! This has been a really frustrating day, but I thought it was finally going to work, and then! *poof*

[+embra]

I've got the CD version, which does not have the USB capability to communicate directly with the Explorist. Since you are working with the DVD version, I would expect that you should be able to do what you are trying to do--it's supposed to have USB communication capability. I'm just not sure how it's supposed to come up.

 

I'm also not certain what's happening that you're getting img files, as you are indeed supposed to get .imi files for the Explorist. For the CD version, such results are almost always due to incorrect serial numbers being entered at compile time (img files are compatible with the older Meridian models). I was under an impression that the registration process for the DVD version reads the serial number directly, but again I don't know first-hand how that's supposed to work. FWIW, I raise the serial number issue for double-checking. The number is the one from the About screen, not the number in the battery compartment.

[+7Crooks]

The number is the one from the About screen, not the number in the battery compartment.

 

That's great to know. I'll try that, because I am having the same problem as the first poster. I just got my 500 yesterday and thought it would be simple to connect the USB and transfer the files to the SD card. So for no go, but I WILL work on it tomorrow and I hope to find that it was a simple fix.

 

The only difference I have that the first post is that I installed with CD's not dvd's.

 

I hope its an easy fix.

[+bassmig]

do you have the virtual serial port installed? It sounds like it's looking for a serial (or virtual serial) connection. The only way I have ever seen a comm port on my pc was in NMEA mode which isn't a file transfer mode. I don;t have a version of MapSend so I can't try it. In File transfer mode your unit is basically seen as a hard drive, so Mapsend would have to save the file directly to the unit or have to be converted into the correct format.

[+celestialmom]

do you have the virtual serial port installed? It sounds like it's looking for a serial (or virtual serial) connection. The only way I have ever seen a comm port on my pc was in NMEA mode which isn't a file transfer mode. I don;t have a version of MapSend so I can't try it. In File transfer mode your unit is basically seen as a hard drive, so Mapsend would have to save the file directly to the unit or have to be converted into the correct format.

 

I have never heard of a virtual serial port! How do I install this?

 

Also, thanks embra for the serial # idea--I think that might actually be the problem and can't wait to try it this afternoon. I think I remember when I entered the serial # that I ran out of space before I ran out of numbers!

 

I'll let you know how it turns out...

[+embra]

I have never heard of a virtual serial port! How do I install this?

 

Also, thanks embra for the serial # idea--I think that might actually be the problem and can't wait to try it this afternoon. I think I remember when I entered the serial # that I ran out of space before I ran out of numbers!

I think the serial emulator is needed only if you want to send an NMEA signal to your computer to see your position on the PC screen in the map program. It's handy for laptop use in the field (e.g., driving around), but you shouldn't have to worry about it for map transfers.

 

IIRC the 600s had more digits than space to enter, and a leading zero needed to be dropped (or something like that). I just looked at my T3D v1.0 and it has the 11-digit serial number from my 500 fully entered (starting with 1184...).

 

If you had to manually enter it, I'm almost certain that there's a typo in the serial number that needs correction and you should be good to go.

[+7Crooks]

If you had to manually enter it, I'm almost certain that there's a typo in the serial number that needs correction and you should be good to go.

 

This was my problem. As soon as I changed the serial number to the one listed in the "about" screen, the computer went on to install the maps. I was using the serial number in the battery case, but, I think I was typing it in wrong. After using the number in the "about" screen it solved my issues.

 

I too had the same issue where the load screen would cycle through all the possible connection ports at all the possible speeds. But, it's good to go now. I loaded a map and it works great. I think I'll delete that map and load a much bigger map, due to the expanded capacity of the new unit.

 

My problem right now it loading caches. I can't seem to get that to work, but I'll work on it tonight after my shift. I'm sure I'll get that done too.

[+celestialmom]

Thanks, everyone, I got at least ONE problem resolved. Mapsend Topo will recognize my gps unit now, but still can't upload maps. I save the region to my hard drive, and have tried two things.

1. Click on regions, upload to gps--then I get a message that the data transfer failed.

2. Go to mapsend manager and click on transfer data to unit. I then find the file in my documents, my gps, detail maps and click on transfer. This gives me an error message of "cannot copy file. path too deep."

 

Has anyone else dealt with this?

[+celestialmom]

Oh yeah--forgot to say how the problem was fixed. First of all, I changed the serial # as suggested by using mapsend manager and clicking on "profile." Also, I used a different usb port which all of a sudden woke up my computer fairy, who decided to install new hardware! I had to restart my computer and then at least I was able to communicate to the unit.

[+celestialmom]

Yay! It works! ...sort of...

 

When I thought about the "path too deep" error, I figured I'd try to upload the test region to my internal memory instead of the sd card. That worked!!!

 

Of course, I got the sd card so I could upload maps to it--is there anything different I need to do here?

thanks

[+hukilaulau]

Yay! It works! ...sort of...

 

When I thought about the "path too deep" error, I figured I'd try to upload the test region to my internal memory instead of the sd card. That worked!!!

 

Of course, I got the sd card so I could upload maps to it--is there anything different I need to do here?

thanks

As I pointed out in another thread, try a different SD card even if you have no reason to believe the current one is bad.

[+celestialmom]

I can't believe I finally got this to work! After all that, I put my sd card in the card reader of my laptop and copied the file from my pc to the sd card over the network! Holy cow, I've been working on this for TWO days!!!!!!!!!! Thanks everyone for your help.

[Cachethecheck]

If you had to manually enter it, I'm almost certain that there's a typo in the serial number that needs correction and you should be good to go.

 

This was my problem. As soon as I changed the serial number to the one listed in the "about" screen, the computer went on to install the maps. I was using the serial number in the battery case, but, I think I was typing it in wrong. After using the number in the "about" screen it solved my issues.

 

I too had the same issue where the load screen would cycle through all the possible connection ports at all the possible speeds. But, it's good to go now. I loaded a map and it works great. I think I'll delete that map and load a much bigger map, due to the expanded capacity of the new unit.

 

My problem right now it loading caches. I can't seem to get that to work, but I'll work on it tonight after my shift. I'm sure I'll get that done too.

 

But how did you change the serial number? I have never had an option to enter or modify the serial number in the Mapsend program.

[+hukilaulau]

If you had to manually enter it, I'm almost certain that there's a typo in the serial number that needs correction and you should be good to go.

 

This was my problem. As soon as I changed the serial number to the one listed in the "about" screen, the computer went on to install the maps. I was using the serial number in the battery case, but, I think I was typing it in wrong. After using the number in the "about" screen it solved my issues.

 

I too had the same issue where the load screen would cycle through all the possible connection ports at all the possible speeds. But, it's good to go now. I loaded a map and it works great. I think I'll delete that map and load a much bigger map, due to the expanded capacity of the new unit.

 

My problem right now it loading caches. I can't seem to get that to work, but I'll work on it tonight after my shift. I'm sure I'll get that done too.

 

But how did you change the serial number? I have never had an option to enter or modify the serial number in the Mapsend program.

If I've followed the thread correctly, the first try at entering a serial number was unsuccessful due to too many numbers, so he didn't really "change" it. Once a serial number is accepted then you can't change it, although tech support can reset to allow a new serial number if you can convince them there's a good reason. When I lost my 500 and bought a new one, they allowed me to change the serial number for DirectRoute so I could use it in the new gps (Of course, when I found the old one, I could no longer install maps in that one!)

[Cachethecheck]

Unfotunately, I contacted the Magellan help desk. The first bit of "help" I got was to unplug all of my USB drives, reconfig, then to remove and reinstall both the Magellan and the Mapsend software...which got me nowhere. Same exact problem. I called back in and was told that Mapsend Topo US is old and not compatible at all with Explorist models. Is that true?

[+sledgehampster]

was told that Mapsend Topo US is old and not compatible at all with Explorist models. Is that true?

 

Has to be TOPO 3-D to work with eXplorist...