Garmin 62s stuck in mass storage mode

[+muncle56]

I just bought a 62s after using an older eTrex for years. The problem is whenever I attach it to my computer it goes into mass storage mode and I can't get it out unless I detach it. I want to have access to all the functions while it's attached to my computer (like I did with the eTrex). What am I missing here?

 

Thanks

[+muncle56]

So if I want to view the map or caches I just uploaded I have to disconnect the usb, turn the unit on again and then do everything under battery power? Sounds crazy.

[alandb]

Doesn't the 62s have "spanner mode"? If you can set the interface mode to spanner mode, it should prompt if you want mass storage. At least that's the way the Oregon works.

Edited April 4, 2014 by alandb

[+muncle56]

Don't know what "spanner mode" is...

[insig]

Doesn't the 62s have "spanner mode"? If you can set the interface mode to spanner mode, it should prompt if you want mass storage. At least that's the way the Oregon works.

 

Yes, the 62s has spanner mode.

[insig]

I just bought a 62s after using an older eTrex for years. The problem is whenever I attach it to my computer it goes into mass storage mode and I can't get it out unless I detach it. I want to have access to all the functions while it's attached to my computer (like I did with the eTrex). What am I missing here?

 

Thanks

 

Newer units connect as a USB mass storage device by default. You can't fiddle around with the unit while simultaneously loading things onto it. If you want to have the unit plugged into the computer and still use it, you can configure it to use Garmin Spanner mode in Setup -> System -> Interface. Now it will ask you if you want to enter mass storage mode when you plug it into your computer. If you select "No", the unit will stay useable, but you won't be able to access the files on it from your computer. You can hook it up to something like GpsGate and grab NMEA data from the unit when it's in Spanner mode.

[+muncle56]

Thanks, that helped a lot. Now is there a way to easily switch between the 2 modes?

[insig]

Thanks, that helped a lot. Now is there a way to easily switch between the 2 modes?

 

Unplug it and plug it back in - then select the appropriate option.

[+larryc43230]

Thanks, that helped a lot. Now is there a way to easily switch between the 2 modes?

If the 62s operates in the same way as my Oregon 650, and I'm almost sure it does, once you connect the unit to the PC and place it in mass storage mode, the only way to get it back into "GPS unit" mode is to disconnect it from the PC and reboot it. There is no way to jump back and forth between mass storage mode and GPS mode while keeping it attached.

 

--Larry

[+Mineral2]

I do it to check that geocaches installed and indexed properly without running down the battery. Spanner mode also lets you plug a USB cable into a power source (say, your car) without it incorectly going into mass storage mode.

[insig]

I do it to check that geocaches installed and indexed properly without running down the battery. Spanner mode also lets you plug a USB cable into a power source (say, your car) without it incorectly going into mass storage mode.

 

Or you can buy the rather spendy official Garmin cable for your car and it will work just fine without having to set it to spanner mode.

[alandb]

I use this on my Oregon 550 all the time for two reasons. One is what you said, to be able to load and test geocaches and play with other functions without using up the batteries. The other reason is to reduce the number of times I plug and unplug the USB cable, as I think the USB port is a common point of wear and failure on the Garmin devices.

 

Here is how I switch modes using Spanner mode: When in Mass storage mode, eject both the device and SD volumes (in the Windows My Computer panel). This safely closes the mass storage mode and powers down the Oregon. Then leaving the USB cable plugged in, I just press the Oregon's power button to restart it and get the spanner selection prompt again.

 

When operating in normal mode under USB power, I simply press the power button to turn the device off. Again, leaving the USB connected, I press the power button again to restart it and get the spanner prompt.

Edited April 4, 2014 by alandb

[+larryc43230]

I use this on my Oregon 550 all the time for two reasons. One is what you said, to be able to load and test geocaches and play with other functions without using up the batteries. The other reason is to reduce the number of times I plug and unplug the USB cable, as I think the USB port is a common point of wear and failure on the Garmin devices.

 

Here is how I switch modes using Spanner mode: When in Mass storage mode, eject both the device and SD volumes (in the Windows My Computer panel). This safely closes the mass storage mode and powers down the Oregon. Then leaving the USB cable plugged in, I just press the Oregon's power button to restart it and get the spanner selection prompt again.

 

When operating in normal mode under USB power, I simply press the power button to turn the device off. Again, leaving the USB connected, I press the power button again to restart it and get the spanner prompt.

Interesting. That's not how it works with my Oregon 650. I just tried it again to verify.

 

When in mass storage mode, I ejected the device and SD volume using the "Safely Remove Hardware and Eject Media" icon in the System Tray (doing it that way avoids the necessity of going to "My Computer"). Leaving the USB cable plugged into the unit, I pressed the Oregon's power button. And pressed. And pressed. And pressed some more. Nothing happened. The unit still showed the mass storage mode graphic in the display, even though the PC no longer showed a connection. I pressed the power button briefly; I pressed it for 10 or 15 seconds. Nothing. When I then unplugged the USB cable, the unit dutifully powered down.

 

Then, with the power off, I plugged in the USB cable and chose not to enter mass storage mode. The unit was now running off USB power in "GPS unit" mode. When I then pressed and held the power button for a second or two, the unit powered off, and the display showed me the battery graphic indicating the unit was off and charging through the USB cable.

 

I seem to remember that I could power down my old 550t after exiting mass storage mode but without disconnecting the USB cable. Is this a difference between the 5xx and 6xx series units? Or is my 650 just peculiar that way?

 

--Larry

[insig]

Your 650 has the battery pack in it, so that's why it's showing you the charging page.

[+larryc43230]

Your 650 has the battery pack in it, so that's why it's showing you the charging page.

Yes, I'm aware of that. My question involved what happens after the unit has been in mass storage mode.

 

What I'm concerned about is whether my unit should power down after "ejecting" the unit using "Safely Remove Hardware and Eject Media" (but not disconnecting the USB cable). alandb has reported that with his Oregon 550, "When in Mass storage mode, eject both the device and SD volumes (in the Windows My Computer panel). This safely closes the mass storage mode and powers down the Oregon." My 650 does not power down under those circumstances, even when I press the power button. I have to physically disconnect the USB cable to power down the unit. Is this normal for the 650 or is my unit peculiar?

 

--Larry

[alandb]

Interestingly, the method doesn't work with my 550 if I use the "Safely remove hardware" selection on MyComputer instead of Eject. Maybe it is something unique to my computer setup. I am running Vista Home Premium on an ASUS G50VT laptop

Edited April 4, 2014 by alandb

[+Mineral2]

My 450 powers down when I eject the drive(s) when in mass storage mode. Your 650 may not if it is actively charging the battery.

[+larryc43230]

My 450 powers down when I eject the drive(s) when in mass storage mode. Your 650 may not if it is actively charging the battery.

How would I even know if the unit was being charged at that point? As far as the unit's display is concerned, it's still in mass storage mode, though the PC no longer shows it as attached.

 

Anyone else out there with an Oregon 6xx unit with rechargeable batteries care to test this? I'm still curious as to whether this is normal behavior for these units.

 

--Larry

 

Edited to add that your unit would presumably be similar to alandb's 550 in this respect. Mine is a 650, which can handle the rechargeable batteries. That's the only real difference I can think of.

Edited April 4, 2014 by larryc43230

[+muncle56]

Getting back to my original post about the 62s, alandb's method worked for me. Thanks.

[alandb]

Getting back to my original post about the 62s, alandb's method worked for me. Thanks.

You/re welcome. Glad it worked for you.

[+Mineral2]

My 450 powers down when I eject the drive(s) when in mass storage mode. Your 650 may not if it is actively charging the battery.

How would I even know if the unit was being charged at that point? As far as the unit's display is concerned, it's still in mass storage mode, though the PC no longer shows it as attached.

 

Anyone else out there with an Oregon 6xx unit with rechargeable batteries care to test this? I'm still curious as to whether this is normal behavior for these units.

 

--Larry

 

Edited to add that your unit would presumably be similar to alandb's 550 in this respect. Mine is a 650, which can handle the rechargeable batteries. That's the only real difference I can think of.

 

Do you have your interface set to Garmin Spanner or Garmin Serial? When I have my Nuvi plugged in and I eject the drive, it'll sometimes "reboot" if I leave it plugged in. But the nuvi doesn't have an option to be plugged into the computer and run normally as if it were plugged into a power source. In fact, when I plug it into other USB power sources (TV, or sometimes a wall socket), it will go into mass storage mode even though there's no computer to connect with. I also have a USB outlets in my car's electric port, and my Oregon used to go into "mass storage" mode before I switched it over to Spanner. But that being said, my Oregon always shut down on eject regardless of which interface I was using.

 

If you want to test whether it's the battery pack, you can always remove it. The Oregon should power up without any batteries in if it's plugged into the computer, and see what happens when you eject the drives.

[+larryc43230]

My 450 powers down when I eject the drive(s) when in mass storage mode. Your 650 may not if it is actively charging the battery.

How would I even know if the unit was being charged at that point? As far as the unit's display is concerned, it's still in mass storage mode, though the PC no longer shows it as attached.

 

Anyone else out there with an Oregon 6xx unit with rechargeable batteries care to test this? I'm still curious as to whether this is normal behavior for these units.

 

--Larry

 

Edited to add that your unit would presumably be similar to alandb's 550 in this respect. Mine is a 650, which can handle the rechargeable batteries. That's the only real difference I can think of.

 

Do you have your interface set to Garmin Spanner or Garmin Serial? When I have my Nuvi plugged in and I eject the drive, it'll sometimes "reboot" if I leave it plugged in. But the nuvi doesn't have an option to be plugged into the computer and run normally as if it were plugged into a power source. In fact, when I plug it into other USB power sources (TV, or sometimes a wall socket), it will go into mass storage mode even though there's no computer to connect with. I also have a USB outlets in my car's electric port, and my Oregon used to go into "mass storage" mode before I switched it over to Spanner. But that being said, my Oregon always shut down on eject regardless of which interface I was using.

 

If you want to test whether it's the battery pack, you can always remove it. The Oregon should power up without any batteries in if it's plugged into the computer, and see what happens when you eject the drives.

My unit's interface is set to Garmin Spanner.

 

I have a Garmin USB cable I use in the car. When I plug that cable into my Oregon, I'm never asked what I want to do, it goes straight to "GPS mode." If I power down the unit, it goes into charging mode.

 

I also have a similar adapter plugged into a wall outlet here at home. Same result: Straight to "GPS mode", then charging mode if I power it down. The unit never goes into mass storage mode unless it's attached to the PC.

 

I took the battery pack out of the unit, then attached it to the USB cable from the PC. I placed it in mass storage mode, then used "Safely Remove Hardware and Eject Media" to disconnect it. The unit did not power down, it continued to display the mass storage graphic. When I physically disconnected the USB cable, the unit powered down. Exactly the same behavior with or without the battery pack.

 

I guess this means the lack of power-down at disconnect has nothing to do with having rechargeable batteries.

 

--Larry

[+Lil Devil]

I do it to check that geocaches installed and indexed properly without running down the battery.

Seriously? The 62 has a 16 hour battery life and you're worried about the 3 minutes it takes to check that everything loaded properly.