Giving your eTrex a personalized startup screen

[KurtS]

I have found a way to personalize my Garmin eTrex 20, by including my name and other details in the startup screen. This might help in recovery if the unit is ever lost or stolen, since few people would know how to find or edit the file. However, if you are tech-savvy, personalization is a very easy process.

 

The very first thing every eTrex user should do is archive all their GPS system files to a computer before they use their unit. I recommend this because sites like Geocaching.com write directly to your eTrex. In the event a corrupted GPX file is written to your GPS, or any other files get corrupted in the process--you can always revert to a fresh operating system. I prefer this method because I have found the Garmin “Master Reset” will restore some files--but not all--to their original configuration.

 

Once the eTrex system is backed up, it’s safe to do this “hack”, which personalizes the unit’s startup screen. To find the file we’ll edit, connect your GPS to a PC, open the unit and go to the “Garmin” directory. Once at that level, copy the text file named “startup”--it’s always best to edit a saved copy. Using Notepad for the PC or TextEdit on Mac, open the file. It will look like this:

 

<!-- Edit this file to display a message while your unit is powering on                -->
<!-- Allow one full power cycle after editing for your message to be updated           -->

<!-- Set the display number to the minimum number of seconds your message is displayed -->
<display = 0>

<!-- Type your message on the next line -->

Obviously, Garmin setup this file for easy editing. To set your startup message for 3 seconds, simply replace the numeral "0" above with 3 to read <display = 3>

Finally, to create a startup message, you simply add after the last line such as...

<!-- Type your message on the next line -->
Property of John Smith
john@smith.com
(555) 555-5555

(Note: this works for multiple lines) That's all you do, and the result is your name and number centered nicely in the startup screen. Here is a sample of what the whole file might look like:

 

<!-- Edit this file to display a message while your unit is powering on                -->
<!-- Allow one full power cycle after editing for your message to be updated           -->

<!-- Set the display number to the minimum number of seconds your message is displayed -->
<display = 3>

<!-- Type your message on the next line -->
Property of John Smith
john@smith.com
(555) 555-5555

Finally, save this file as the same exact name, and copy over to your eTrex in the same directory, replacing the previous file. (Naturally, take great care to not delete or edit any other files.) This is why a system archive is so important--so you can restore your GPS in the event of any unforeseen glitches. Note: try at your own risk--no warranty is expressed or implied by this hack.

Edited December 21, 2012 by KurtS

[+Atlas Cached]

Fantastic post!

 

How would you feel about adding this information to the eTrex wiki?

 

I hope you will!

[KurtS]

Thanks Atlas--I'll check out that site.

 

Fantastic post!

 

How would you feel about adding this information to the eTrex wiki?

 

I hope you will!

[+BlueDeuce]

Had my Vista hcx stolen on a trip to Boston. Two months after getting a replacement I did the typical leave it on the roof of the car and drive away, some 50 miles north of home. I could have kicked myself.

 

A couple found it and contacted me from the info on the start-up screen. They refused a reward and when it arrived in the mail there was a personalized note from my gps saying - "I bet you missed me!"

 

I sent them a $25 gift card.

[+Atlas Cached]

Had my Vista hcx stolen on a trip to Boston. Two months after getting a replacement I did the typical leave it on the roof of the car and drive away, some 50 miles north of home. I could have kicked myself.

 

A couple found it and contacted me from the info on the start-up screen. They refused a reward and when it arrived in the mail there was a personalized note from my gps saying - "I bet you missed me!"

 

I sent them a $25 gift card.

 

Not nearly enough good people like them exist any more....

[+BlueDeuce]

or me. thank you.

[+Atlas Cached]

or me. thank you.

 

No offense intended

[+BlueDeuce]

or me. thank you.

 

No offense intended

 

Hey I got my gps back, all is well.

[KurtS]

That's a great story! Did you build that start-up screen yourself, or did the GPS do it? Perhaps I haven't found that on my eTrex 20.

 

Had my Vista hcx stolen on a trip to Boston. Two months after getting a replacement I did the typical leave it on the roof of the car and drive away, some 50 miles north of home. I could have kicked myself.

 

A couple found it and contacted me from the info on the start-up screen. They refused a reward and when it arrived in the mail there was a personalized note from my gps saying - "I bet you missed me!"

 

I sent them a $25 gift card.

[+EScout]

Yes, this is a good idea. I did it with my 20 when I got it. For all my GPRs, I also stick a Brother label on the back and inside the battery area. Then make a text file named: ownerinfo.txt and put it in the internal memory.

[MtnHermit]

I have found a way to personalize my Garmin eTrex 20, by including my name and other details in the startup screen. This might help in recovery if the unit is ever lost or stolen, since few people would know how to find or edit the file. However, if you are tech-savvy, personalization is a very easy process.

On my OR 450 I have a file "startup.txt" which is a simple 5-line text file which is displayed at start up. Cannot the eTrex 20 display the same startup.txt file?

[MtnHermit]

Put your Nuvi track logs on Google Earth and Geotag your photos:

Not used GE to GeoTag, but have used BaseCamp. Don't know if GE does this, but BC will put the photos back inside your GPS so that you can view the photos in track context in the field. I'm doing this with an OR 450. FWIW

[+Atlas Cached]

On my OR 450 I have a file "startup.txt" which is a simple 5-line text file which is displayed at start up. Cannot the eTrex 20 display the same startup.txt file?

 

The startup.txt file is EXACTLY the file the OP is referring to in the first post.

Edited December 22, 2012 by Atlas Cached

[KurtS]

The startup.txt file is EXACTLY the file the OP is referring to in the first post.

 

Yes--he said simply what took me several paragraphs. However, as a programmer I tend to err on the side of detail, so there's less chance of error later on. Thanks everyone!

[+Atlas Cached]

The startup.txt file is EXACTLY the file the OP is referring to in the first post.

 

Yes--he said simply what took me several paragraphs. However, as a programmer I tend to err on the side of detail, so there's less chance of error later on. Thanks everyone!

 

I wish I were a programmer, and try to provide just enough detail ;-)

[tr_s]

Just a warning. I read here or another GPS forum that if you put international characters in the startup message, like å,ä,ñ, etc, the unit will deadbrick and require service by garmin (joystick up to force USB mass storage and edit back the message won't work). This was a few months ago and the bug might have been fixed, but you might want to avoid taking the risk.

[+BAMBOOZLE]

All the new Garmins have this feature.....we did our 450 and 62S awhile back......very nice feature.

[+ThreeTrees]

This feature has been around for a long time. I had it set on my first 60cs.

[+cwgrizz]

I found a GPSr at a cache I was looking for. I tried to find some owner info and finally discovered a Cacher's handle. I was able to contact them via email and get their Rhino back to them. It would have been better, had they had phone # or other info to make it easier to find the owner. If a non-geocacher had found it, BooBoo would not have meant much.

 

Even my old Magellan Explorist 100 had a way to fix the start-up with a name and phone #. I feel it is much more likely to be returned with info like that.

[KurtS]

Interesting, another good reason to archive your GPS files before doing anything. I notice for each language setting, Garmin supplies .gtt files which include Unicode (UTF-8) characters for Spanish, German, Swedish--even different alphabets such as Arabic and Russian are represented. Apparently Garmin can display it, so I'm unsure why the startup screen cannot? The first thing I would try is to copy Unicode characters from a known source and paste them into the startup.text Undoubtedly, geocachers overseas have solved this issue--I'll follow-up when I find a solution. Note: not to suggest anyone "deadbrick" your unit, but if this happens due to editing the startup.txt file, I would think restoring to its original state would avoid service by Garmin?

 

Just a warning. I read here or another GPS forum that if you put international characters in the startup message, like å,ä,ñ, etc, the unit will deadbrick and require service by garmin (joystick up to force USB mass storage and edit back the message won't work). This was a few months ago and the bug might have been fixed, but you might want to avoid taking the risk.

Edited December 23, 2012 by KurtS

[alandb]

I put a "If found please contact ..." startup message on my Oregon 550T when I first got it. The problem I have with it is that the startup screen on the Oregon is so dim that the message is barely readable under any lighting conditions. Is there any way to improve the screen brightness during startup?

Edited December 23, 2012 by alandb

[KurtS]

I put a "If found please contact ..." startup message on my Oregon 550T when I first got it. The problem I have with it is that the startup screen on the Oregon is so dim that the message is barely readable under any lighting conditions. Is there any way to improve the screen brightness during startup?

 

I noticed this on my eTrex 20 as well--the initial startup screen is very dim. But if I lengthen the time this screen is displayed, it gets brighter and more legible at the end. I have mine set for 5 seconds by adjusting this part of the text file.

 

<!-- Set the display number to the minimum number of seconds your message is displayed -->
<display = 5>

[alandb]

I have my Oregon set at 5 seconds also ... doesn't help. The startup screen remains dim until the current profile menu pops on at full brightness. I suppose Garmin has a reason for doing it this way, but it makes the startup message almost worthless.

Edited December 23, 2012 by alandb

[+Atlas Cached]

I see the startup message just fine on all my Oregon GPSr, as well as my Montana. Not sure why you are having trouble seeing yours