DeLorme PN-40 Firmware Update HELP!

[+scvmeat]

Hello Geocaching Community!

 

I am seriously frustrated with my PN-40. I decided to update my PN-40's firmware to 2.9 from 2.6 last night. I followed the instructions and all seemed well. The problem comes in when I try to load caches. I am running Win7 Home Premium 64 Bit. I have, in the past loaded gpx files from my pocket queries by directly loading onto my SD card, using GSAK 8 and most recently using Cache Register. I can now do none of these. I have scoured the GSAK, DeLorme and GC.com forums and I either suck at searching and can't find anything, or there isn't much on this. I need some help please.

 

When I try to manually drag and drop the GPX file in windows explorer, I get an I/O error, or a message to format my SD card.

 

When using Cache Register, either the sync button does nothing, or I get an error that the device is busy.

 

If I try GSAK 8, I hit send to GPS and I just get the "Sending waypoints" window with the status bar that just keeps going and going and going, without ever completing.

 

Keep in mind that I have rebooted the computer between attempts and reset the PN-40. I made sure that Cache Register wasn't running live or in the background when attempting GSAK or the manual drag and drop. I am at a loss and very frustrated. Can anyone offer some help or advice?

 

I am sorry if this is in the wrong forum or if there is a thread that covers this, but I could not find one.

[+Damin69]

You can give this a try.

 

I had to do this once on my PN-20 and this also worked when I had to reset my 30 once also. Give this a try it may help.

 

 

Now follow these steps to clear out any possibly corrupt waypoints/caches on your device (note: if you have any waypoints/geocaches you need to save, please download them first into Topo):

 

1.) Turn off the PN-40 and close Cache Register (as well as any other DeLorme programs such as Topo). Leave device plugged in to machine, though.

2.) When it is off, hold down the Page and Menu buttons together, then press the power button

3.) Continue to hold down all 3 buttons until the splash screen appears. At this point, release the power button

4.) You will now be in Support Mode. Hit Enter to Continue.

5.) On the next screen, hit the down arrow button once until System...is highlighted. Hit Enter

6.) On the System menu, scroll down until 'Delete All Waypoint files' is highlighted. Hit Enter

7.) Choose Yes when asked 'Are you sure?'

8.) When that process completes, hit the power button and the device will turn off.

9.) Boot up the PN-40 normally (just holding the power button)

10.) Hit Menu > Device Setup > Interface. Under USB Setting, Change it to Mass Storage: Internal.

11.) Your PN-40 will mount as a removeable drive and you should see EM_USERMAPS appear as a new option in My Computer.

12.) If you see a file here called cacheregister.xml, delete it.

13.) On your PN-40, change the USB Setting back to DeLorme and try another transfer via CR.

Edited February 23, 2012 by Damin69

[39_Steps]

In addition to the above, it is my understanding that only the new (freely downloadable) Delorme Cache Register2 app should be used with the 2.9 firmware on the PN-40.

[+scvmeat]

Thanks for the response!

 

I tried this and all matched up perfectly until step 10. I don't have "interface" under Device Set Up. I do have "Connect to Computer..." and tried changing "When Connected" to "Open Internal Drive." At that point, I would only get a Windows message that it can't read the drive and it wants me to format. I could not access my device as a mounted drive. I tried the same process you gave me, but this time changed "When Connected" to "Open SD Card," and I get the same result.

 

Now, I have rebooted the computer multiple times and attempted this a few times and can't seem to get past this roadblock. I am planning on calling DeLorme tonight, but was hoping to get it resolved before then on my own or with help. Any other ideas?

 

Thanks again for all your information and suggestions!

 

Dimitri

 

You can give this a try.

 

I had to do this once on my PN-20 and this also worked when I had to reset my 30 once also. Give this a try it may help.

 

 

Now follow these steps to clear out any possibly corrupt waypoints/caches on your device (note: if you have any waypoints/geocaches you need to save, please download them first into Topo):

 

1.) Turn off the PN-40 and close Cache Register (as well as any other DeLorme programs such as Topo). Leave device plugged in to machine, though.

2.) When it is off, hold down the Page and Menu buttons together, then press the power button

3.) Continue to hold down all 3 buttons until the splash screen appears. At this point, release the power button

4.) You will now be in Support Mode. Hit Enter to Continue.

5.) On the next screen, hit the down arrow button once until System...is highlighted. Hit Enter

6.) On the System menu, scroll down until 'Delete All Waypoint files' is highlighted. Hit Enter

7.) Choose Yes when asked 'Are you sure?'

8.) When that process completes, hit the power button and the device will turn off.

9.) Boot up the PN-40 normally (just holding the power button)

10.) Hit Menu > Device Setup > Interface. Under USB Setting, Change it to Mass Storage: Internal.

11.) Your PN-40 will mount as a removeable drive and you should see EM_USERMAPS appear as a new option in My Computer.

12.) If you see a file here called cacheregister.xml, delete it.

13.) On your PN-40, change the USB Setting back to DeLorme and try another transfer via CR.

[+riffraff9000]

If you're getting an I/O error on your SD card, the file system might be corrupt. Can you write a small text file to it? If you get the same error, try running chkdsk (assuming windoze) on it. I've had to do this twice on a Garmin eTrex 20 file system.

[+Team CowboyPapa]

The original version of Cache Register has been superceded by a newer one, Cache Register 2.0. I suggest that you use that.

 

I keep all the GPX files from my PQs on the SDHC card. If you want to reformat yours, first check it format, FAT32?, under Windows Properties and reformat to that. You should also be able to bypass CR 2.0 and just drag 'n' drop the GPX files onto a root level folder, waypoints, on the SDHC card.

 

I avoid using both internal and external, SDHC cards, for waypoint files.

[+PeoriaBill]

I do not know for sure, but think the problem is with the driver software from DeLorme not supporting Win7. Here is some discussion I found. I don't know if it is true, but you can clear it up with a call to DeLorme.

http://forum.delorme.com/viewtopic.php?p=180112

[39_Steps]

Hello Geocaching Community!

 

When I try to manually drag and drop the GPX file in windows explorer, I get an I/O error, or a message to format my SD card.

In response primarily to this thread, I deliberately messed up my PN-40 with geocaches in such a manner that W7 64 bit gave the error message that formatting of the internal memory by Windows was required.

 

However, formatting by neither Windows nor by internal PN-40 firmware was required, as entering support mode and deleting the waypoint file on internal memory sufficed. It should not hurt to reformat any removable SD cards in an external card reader as well, if problems persist.

 

In the future, more reliable results might be obtained by copying the PQ gpx files directly into the PN-40 SD card, or possibly by using Cache Register 2. Topo8 Handheld Export should not be used for waypoint (geocache) transfer after upgrading the PN-40 to 2.8 or 2.9 firmware.