eTrex 20/30 software version 2.87 Beta

[+gjhiker]

My eTrex 20 with software version 2.80 occasionally (rarely, fortunately) starts up normally but with all the stored data, waypoints, geocaches, tracks, routes, everything having gone missing. Very frustrating when you are out on the trail and expect to be able to use your GPS for navigation. Oddly when I plug the device into my computer at home and look in the Garmin folder the waypoint .gpx file is still there but is unreadable by Garmin Basecamp as well as by the device; however other applications can open the file with no problem. (Basecamp had been used to load the .gpx file into the unit.) Hopefully this will be fixed in the next firmware release. I always take backup navigation information or even another GPS unit.

[+luvvinbird]

Who knows! Anyway, as 2.80 works fine for me I doubt I'll use 2.90, certainly haven't needed 2.87

I never had a speck of problems with version 2.80 on my eTrex 20 until this morning. I downloaded one geocache which also had a trail entry waypoint. Arriving at GZ, I was disappointed to see only the trail entry co-ordinates but no geocache. I went back home, erased that entry and downloaded it again. No problem the second time. Just a glitch or is it an isuue with 2.80?

[jholly]

Who knows! Anyway, as 2.80 works fine for me I doubt I'll use 2.90, certainly haven't needed 2.87

I never had a speck of problems with version 2.80 on my eTrex 20 until this morning. I downloaded one geocache which also had a trail entry waypoint. Arriving at GZ, I was disappointed to see only the trail entry co-ordinates but no geocache. I went back home, erased that entry and downloaded it again. No problem the second time. Just a glitch or is it an isuue with 2.80?

It is a common problem with the Garmin paperless units. It is always best to delete the current .gpx file and then reboot the unit before you load a new .gpx file. After loading the new .gpx file again reboot the unit.

[+Atlas Cached]

THIS:

It is a common problem with the Garmin paperless units. It is always best to delete the current .gpx file and then reboot the unit before you load a new .gpx file. After loading the new .gpx file again reboot the unit.

Is some of the best advice I have read on these forums.

 

This method is almost fool proof - do not underestimate this advice.

[wwjd7]

Been running beta v2.87 on my eTrex 30 since it was released.

 

For the first time, it locked up twice while turn-by-turn auto-routing to a cache. I’ve just recently upgraded to City Navigator 2013 from CN 2010. Coincidence?... I don’t know. The screen had frozen on a GARMIN bootup page and was unable to turn it off with the on/off button. Had to pull over, remove the batteries, and reinsert to bring it back to life. Happened twice 20 minutes apart.

 

Also, v2.87 definitely takes longer to calculate a route than v2.80 did.

 

Ok, I understand it’s beta so can’t *itch too much. On the positive side, love the compass, the frequent needless recalibration issue has been resolved.

 

Waiting for Garmin to come out with a release update, hopefully soon.

[fujitsu]

Hi Randall 50.

 

Did you tell to Garmin what happened to you? I sent an email to Garmin and they asked me to sent a file and some printscreens.

 

If Garmin take much longer I think will have to downgrade to 2.80

 

Two months is a long time. They usually takes two or three weeks.

 

Let's hope they give as a new release soon.

 

Please Garmin do not forget us.

 

regards,

AA

[+BlackRose67]

2.80 is the most stable firmware I've had on this device in the year that I've had it.

 

Not in a rush to change it unless they've added something new and worthwhile that will enhance the geocaching experience.

[wwjd7]

Did you tell to Garmin what happened to you? I sent an email to Garmin and they asked me to sent a file and some printscreens.

Thanks fujitsu, I’ve activated the screen shot ability for next time when an anomaly is encountered. I wonder though if the Print Screen action would have worked in a lockup condition when the unit is not responding to button presses. Still, it’s worth a try… Garmin may have given that function a high priority interrupt.

 

In a followup… it’s been fine ever since, despite following similar turn-by-turn routings. Route calculation is still agonizingly slow… by the time it’s done calculating, I’ve passed my designated turn and it has to recalculate the route again, aargh.

[fujitsu]

Hi,

 

today, for the first time I tried the car navigation and I notice that it took to much time to calculate the route. And I notice that some settings are lost when I change profiles. For instance, Lock on Road, and Calculate Routes for. Does anyone have the same problem?

 

AA

[+GeoTrekker26]

Hi,

 

today, for the first time I tried the car navigation and I notice that it took to much time to calculate the route. And I notice that some settings are lost when I change profiles. For instance, Lock on Road, and Calculate Routes for. Does anyone have the same problem?

 

AA

 

I'm not sure I understand the problem. Let's say you have two profiles, one Driving and one Walking. You set the "Lock on Road" in the Driving profile. Then you switch to the Walking profile. Are you saying when you switch back to the Driving profile the Lock on Road is no longer set? That would be a major issue and should be reported to Garmin.

[AdmiralSausage]

today, for the first time I tried the car navigation and I notice that it took to much time to calculate the route.

 

Route calculation speed really took a nosedive with 2.80. Or maybe I just notice it more because the map doesn't update while it's calculating. I frequently end up with a blue arrow on a white screen because it's recalculating a route wile I move completely out of the drawn rectangle. Really frustrating if you're driving and can't simply stop to wait for it to catch up!

 

And I notice that some settings are lost when I change profiles. For instance, Lock on Road, and Calculate Routes for. Does anyone have the same problem?

 

I've always found that this happens with "Lock On Road" when switching profiles, in all firmware versions up to my current 2.80. Haven't noticed it with 'Calculate Routes For' but I don't tend to set or check that.

[fujitsu]

Hi,

 

Are you saying when you switch back to the Driving profile the Lock on Road is no longer set?

 

Yes GeoTrekker26, that's what I want to say. I already sent a email to Garmin.

 

AA

[+GeoTrekker26]

Hi,

 

Are you saying when you switch back to the Driving profile the Lock on Road is no longer set?

 

Yes GeoTrekker26, that's what I want to say. I already sent a email to Garmin.

 

AA

 

Thanks for the clarification. For me that is reason enough not to upgrade to the beta release.

[fujitsu]

Hi,

 

but the Calculate Routes for is also annoying because it change from car to pedestrian (when change profile from pedestrian to automobile) and the route is not a valid one. I notice that because it takes too much time to calculate it. Then I change it back.

[fujitsu]

sussamb,

 

I'm working with 2.87 version and the screenshot works. I did some to sent to Garmin.

[+GeoTrekker26]

Thanks, just need to find out if it works in 2.80 then, mine might need a hard reset

 

I just confirmed the screen shot function works on my eTrex 20 with firmware version 2.80.

[+GeoTrekker26]

Must be mine then

 

Edit:

 

Nope, it's not my Etrex 20, it's me

Been pressing the wrong button

 

Well that usually makes the fix easier!

[fujitsu]

Hi,

 

I just downgrade to 2.80. Garmin is taken to much time to release a new software version. I will be more careful with beta releases. In the past Garmin was quicker between a beta release and final release.

[+northernpenguin]

More Profile fun:

 

I tried 2.87 and reverted back to 2.80 after noticing the routing preferences sticking between profiles.

 

I also noticed the Dashboard/Data Fields was sticking between profiles. For example, if I had the "Geocaching Dashboard" set "When Navigating" in my geocaching profile, and switched over to Automotive mode, I'd have the Geocaching dashboard sitting on top of the routing text.

 

The active map selections were sticking for me as well.

 

I reported all the above to Garmin using the beta email.

[+SoonerCardsFan]

Don't really know if this has anything to do with 2.87 or not. For a couple of weeks I would go into the GPX folder and delete all the files and the folder would be empty. But if I went to another folder and came back to GPX some files were back, not all, just some. It's like a few files refused to die. Of course Windows always has the box asking to scan the device whenever I connect to the PC and I always enter no. I went ahead and let it scan once and it found a problem and fixed it. Since then the GPX folder issue is gone.

[+northernpenguin]

Don't really know if this has anything to do with 2.87 or not. For a couple of weeks I would go into the GPX folder and delete all the files and the folder would be empty. But if I went to another folder and came back to GPX some files were back, not all, just some. It's like a few files refused to die. Of course Windows always has the box asking to scan the device whenever I connect to the PC and I always enter no. I went ahead and let it scan once and it found a problem and fixed it. Since then the GPX folder issue is gone.

 

That may have happened if you just unplugged the GPS rather than using "Safely Remove Hardware" in Windows. If the OS wasn't finished writing a file when you yanked the USB plug, presto! Damaged filesystem and unexpected weirdness that "Repair Errors" will fix.

[+luvvinbird]

Don't really know if this has anything to do with 2.87 or not. For a couple of weeks I would go into the GPX folder and delete all the files and the folder would be empty. But if I went to another folder and came back to GPX some files were back, not all, just some. It's like a few files refused to die. Of course Windows always has the box asking to scan the device whenever I connect to the PC and I always enter no. I went ahead and let it scan once and it found a problem and fixed it. Since then the GPX folder issue is gone.

Yeah, I've been getting that pop-up box, too. I do the scan, which seems to only take a few seconds, and everything's okay but the pop-up reappears after a few more times. I've never rushed the unit's progress and I've always exited "safely". Odd...

Edited January 11, 2013 by luvvinbird

[+cnschulz]

Initial tests indicate that the "sticky" profile items bug has been fixed in 2.90! Yay! Now profiles are actually usable!

 

Edited March 2, 2013 by cnschulz