Mapsource Maps To Hard Drive...?

[+AuntieWeasel]

I know I saw this topic come up recently (didn't I?), but I didn't own a copy of MapSource then, so I didn't care. Now I can't seem to turn it up in a search.

 

Can I copy Mapsource topo maps to my hard drive? I plan to keep a copy on my desktop machine (while I'm plotting to take over the world) and another on my laptop (while I'm out actually taking over the world). The licensing agreement seems to allow for that. But, boy, I don't want to move that CD back and forth, or have the laptop use the juice to spin up a CD drive.

 

Garmin's FAQ doesn't touch it. Can anyone point me to the previous thread?

[Neo_Geo]

You can uninstall your current installation, then copy your CDs to a folder on your hard disk and install from there...

 

- OR -

 

You could edit the Windows registry...

 

Either way, you're going to have to copy data from your CDs to your hard disk

 

Which would be preferable to you?

Edited July 24, 2004 by Neo_Geo

[+TotemLake]

Seems to me when I installed the maps to the system for one of my customers; all i had to do was tell it to do a full installation instead of the typical installation.

 

But if my memory doesn't serve me right, the next time you start the software, it should reference you to put in the CD or allow you to browse to another location. If you have copied the CD to a location on your laptop/desktop, then the browse button should allow you to point to the directory of the maps location.

Edited July 24, 2004 by TotemLake

[+AuntieWeasel]

Thanks for the input.

 

I can find a registry key for default directory, but not for CD location (it's got to be somewhere, though, because it can't even find the CD on the other CD drive).

 

I actually noticed that the only choice I had on install was 'typical'. If typical is all you can do, why give me a choice screen? It may be because my laptop is still running '98 and the XP machine was given other choices.

 

I'll fiddle with it tomorrow, as it looks to be another rainy one

 

I went out for a couple today (yes, I got wet) and it was a kick to watch my blinky icon move down Route 44 on a nice big screen. Woohoo! I'm James Bond!

[Neo_Geo]

Sounds like you prefer to edit the registry then... No prob.

 

Close the MapSource program (if it's open)

 

Make a new folder in your C:\Garmin folder and name it "Topo"

 

CD 1 contains a folder named "West"

CD 2 contains a folder named "East"

CD 3 contains a folder named "Alaska" and a folder named "Hawaii"

 

Copy those folders into your "C:\Garmin\Topo" folder

 

Click your Windows Start button and select "Run"

Where it says "Open", type in "REGEDIT"

Click the "OK" button

 

Double-Click the folder "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE"

Click on the following plus signs in sequence"

+SOFTWARE

+Garmin

+MapSource

+Products

 

Click on the folder named "6", and then in the right window pane, double-click the "Loc" registry key.

 

"D:\East" is displayed

 

Change that to read as:

C:\Garmin\Topo\East

 

Click the "OK" button

 

Click on the folder named "7", and then in the right window pane, double-click the "Loc" registry key.

 

"D:\West" is displayed

 

Change that to read as:

C:\Garmin\Topo\West

 

Click the "OK" button

 

Click on the folder named "8", and then in the right window pane, double-click the "Loc" registry key.

 

"D:\Hawaii" is displayed

 

Change that to read as:

C:\Garmin\Topo\Hawaii

 

Click the "OK" button

 

Click on the folder named "9", and then in the right window pane, double-click the "Loc" registry key.

 

"D:\Alaska" is displayed

 

Change that to read as:

C:\Garmin\Topo\Alaska

 

Click the "OK" button

 

Close the Registry Editor window

 

Open MapSource

 

Your Topo maps should now open without the CDs!!!

[+Puzzzler]

Hey Neo_Geo,

Your Registry edit procedure worked like a charm. I've wanted to do this for years. Thanks for the tip.

 

For any others who may be reading, the Mapsource Topo install program does not give you an option to install on your hard disk, unlike the newer City Select and such. This method is great.

 

The Puzzler

[Neo_Geo]

Hey Neo_Geo,

Your Registry edit procedure worked like a charm. I've wanted to do this for years. Thanks for the tip.

 

For any others who may be reading, the Mapsource Topo install program does not give you an option to install on your hard disk, unlike the newer City Select and such. This method is great.

 

The Puzzler

Glad to hear it worked for you. It makes life so much easier not swapping disks all the time!

[+cameramonkey]

one thing that worked exceptionally well for me... I already used a program called "alcohol 120%" It allows you to make backups of your CDs, as well as mount them as virtual drives.

 

Alcohol software webpage

 

Yes, its a little more costly than the above drive copying and registry tweaking, but I think this scenario is better on two fronts.

 

First, it saves the disk images in standard iso files. If you ever LOSE your disks, you can very easily recreate them for reinstallation if needed. Second, there is no chance of screwing up your PC by accidentally editing your registry incorrectly.

 

just my .02.

[+KaiserKlan]

Would it be OK to put the files (West, East, etc.) on my "F" drive and make the pointers in the registry point there instead? I have much more room on this drive (85 gig) than I do on my "C" drive.

[Neo_Geo]

Would it be OK to put the files (West, East, etc.) on my "F" drive and make the pointers in the registry point there instead? I have much more room on this drive (85 gig) than I do on my "C" drive.

ABSOLUTELY! As long as you make the registry entries point specifically to where the files are located, it doesn't matter where the files reside.

 

If you're just changing the Drive letter, then you need to be sure to make a folder named "Topo" inside a folder named "Garmin" on your F: drive in order for the example above to work properly. Then copy the "East", "West", "Alaska" & "Hawaii" folders to the F:\Garmin\Topo folder.

Edited July 29, 2004 by Neo_Geo

[HawkesNest]

Sounds like you prefer to edit the registry then... No prob.

 

Close the MapSource program (if it's open)

 

Make a new folder in your C:\Garmin folder and name it "Topo"

 

CD 1 contains a folder named "West"

CD 2 contains a folder named "East"

CD 3 contains a folder named "Alaska" and a folder named "Hawaii"

 

Copy those folders into your "C:\Garmin\Topo" folder

 

Totally totally great. I read this about a week ago and gave it a try today. Many many thanks for this tip and step by step instructions. It is working great for me. Thanks again.

[Neo_Geo]

Again, I'm glad it helped

[+Quintheeskimo66]

Thanks!

I used the method of modifying the registry for Mapsource, and a similar method worked for DeLorme Street Atlas 2004. You saved me from having to lug around a folder of CD's when I travel!!!

[+Ratjumper]

Thanks Neo Geo, I was getting tired of having to keep a cd in my drive just for those time when I wanted to do some maping work..... then that Plese enter cd message.... uggggghhhh... THANKS...

[+YuccaPatrol]

Thanks NeoGeo! That worked like a charm. I've always been afraid to monkey with the registry, but that was easy!

[+Brian - Team A.I.]

It's pretty simple to make simple registry tweaks like that, even for the uninitiated. I've used registry hacks to access all of my MapSource products mainly for use on the PC. Sometimes, even with a 52x CD-ROM it would take 10-20 seconds to re-draw the map screen if I moved a significant distance. Now, it's <3 seconds. About the only way I could make it quicker is to image the CD and mount it using daemon_tools. But to knock of 1-1.5 seconds really isn't worth the effort, and I don't have to mount the image everytime I want to access the maps if they already reside on my local drive.

[+rokclimber]

man this was helpful! has anyone tried doing this with delorme topo? i have ver.4 but cant find the right registry entries to edit...??

[+Sputnik 57]

Not intending to bump and old thread, but I KNEW this topic would be on the forum somewhere.

 

Tiny Kudos to Sputnik for searching "Mapsource CD" instead of starting a new topic, only to be Markwelled.

 

HUGE KUDOS TO NEO_GEO for a really great way to simplify our lives.

 

Thanks Neo

 

Edit [Humble request]Is there a way to do the same thing for NG Topo! CDs? I would like to load the Texas CD on my hard drive[/Humble request]

Edited September 25, 2004 by Sputnik 57

[+Sputnik 57]

Is there a way to do the same thing for NG Topo! CDs?  I would like to load the Texas CD on my hard drive.

Answered my own question. This is covered on NG Topo! web site's FAQs. You just copy the cd data folders to c:/topo!/tpo_data/. This is especially handy for Texans, because, as with Garmin Topo, the state is split down the middle onto 2 CDs.

 

Cheers.

[Duggie]

Thanks Neo Geo! Great work!

[+AuntieWeasel]

Yessss! Thank you NeoGeo, that worked a treat!

 

Okay, yes, I know it was months ago, but I've just gotten around to trying it. And if ever an excellent piece of advice was bump-worthy...

[Gounamitz]

Will this work with Map Send Topo Canada.

[nchmura]

one thing that worked exceptionally well for me... I already used a program called "alcohol 120%" It allows you to make backups of your CDs, as well as mount them as virtual drives.

 

Alcohol software webpage

 

Yes, its a little more costly than the above drive copying and registry tweaking, but I think this scenario is better on two fronts.

 

First, it saves the disk images in standard iso files. If you ever LOSE your disks, you can very easily recreate them for reinstallation if needed. Second, there is no chance of screwing up your PC by accidentally editing your registry incorrectly.

 

just my .02.

I agree. You can use whatever you can to make cd images (you can with nero, clonecd, probably roxio, etc)

 

Then use daemon tools to mount these images as virtual disk drives. This way you don't have to tweak the registry and its keeps the file nicely packaged (1 file for each cd) - it will make these images show up as a cd rom drive, so the software is nonethewiser

 

DT webpage: http://www.daemon-tools.cc/

Edited November 12, 2004 by nchmura

[Teeds]

Thanks Neo_Geo!

 

The "detailed" instructions helped a bunch. I tried the install from the HD route first and screwed everything up to the point that all my GPS and Computer did was go Huh? when I tried to get them to talk.

 

I nuked the program and did a clean reinstall including the update from Garmin (1:30 +/- download time, dial up :ugg:), tweeked the registry and am finally able to use Mapsource without carrying the CDs.

 

Why this is not an option when you install is beyond me? I'm sure somebody is worried about software piracy somewhere.

 

BTW - Search worked very well, but I couldn't find this thread again (I had lost it) until I narrowed the search to Units and Software. Go figure ...

[Doug in Alaska]

You can uninstall your current installation, then copy your CDs to a folder on your hard disk and install from there...

 

Neo Geo,

Any tips or anything special I should know about if I start from scratch and copy the CDs to a folder on my hard disk and install from there?

 

Thanks for the info!

[Neo_Geo]

Any tips or anything special I should know about if I start from scratch and copy the CDs to a folder on my hard disk and install from there?

I've never done it that way, so I couldn't say. I've seen other people post messages in other threads say it is the preferred method if you don't want to tweak the registry, and that it works very well that way.

 

I'd say give it a shot and see what happens. If it doesn't work, uninstall and then re-install and then do it my way...

[Doug in Alaska]

I've never done it that way, so I couldn't say. I've seen other people post messages in other threads say it is the preferred method if you don't want to tweak the registry, and that it works very well that way.

 

I'd say give it a shot and see what happens. If it doesn't work, uninstall and then re-install and then do it my way...

Thanks for the info, I appreciate it!

[Doug in Alaska]

I copied the Mapsource Topo cds to my hard drive and installed the program from there. Everything works fine, thanks for the info!! I'm now getting ready to purchase Mapsource City Select. Should I copy the City Select cds to the same folder as the Topo cds and then instal from there also? Any suggestions to make this as painless as possible? When finished, will I be able to run all my maps from the same Mapsource software. Sorry but I'm not familiar with having more than one Mapsourse program installed on my computer.

Thanks

[Neo_Geo]

City Select copies all necessary files to the hard disk, so it won't be a problem.

 

When having more than one MapSource title loaded, you have to select which product you want to work with. You'll see it in the upper left corner of the screen. To change, click on the drop-down arrow to the right of the title and select the appropriate product.

 

That's how you get maps from BOTH products loaded into your GPSr. Select the map segments from one product, then switch to another product and select the segments there - then send to your GPSr.

 

With multiple products loaded on the GPSr, you have to select which one to view on the GPSr. You do THAT by going into the Map Setup page on the GPSr.

Edited December 31, 2004 by Neo_Geo

[+Sputnik 57]

More info on multiple maps on your GPSr is here, starting with about the 6th question down.

[Doug in Alaska]

Thanks guys, I appreciate the help!!

[+Sputnik 57]

I just updated my office computer and decided that I wanted MapSource available at work as well as at home. Thanks again to Neo_Geo for his detailed registry edit instructions to load Topo maps onto my hard drive. Very convenient.

[+Crusso]

If u like Mapsource, DO NOT upgrade to the latest firmware as u lose real time tracking! For some reason Garmin is pushing nRoute, which while being a nice program (voice prompts) does not allow for upload/download of info from the GPS. You have to go to Mapsource, up or dowload ure GPS, save the file and then go back to nRoute and IMPORT the file u just created. Much easier to just do real time tracking in Mapsource if u don't need the voice prompts. Plus, nRout is free (nice) but I paid for Mapsource. So now Garmin is taking something away from a program that I paid for!!

[+Timpat]

I just updated my office computer and decided that I wanted MapSource available at work as well as at home.  Thanks again to Neo_Geo for his detailed registry edit instructions to load Topo maps onto my hard drive.  Very convenient.

Neo_Geo, you're awesome! I want to thank you SO much for this registery edit step-by-step procedure for my Topo mapping. Not sure why it took me this long to try it. Probably because I'm a nit-wit when it comes to this under-the-hood computer tinkering . You're the best!

[+deere_x475guy]

Thanks from me also. I was hoping there was some kind of work around to swapping those CD's!

[+fratermus]

Can I copy Mapsource topo maps to my hard drive?

I have copied my metroguide maps to HD and then used sendmap to send them directly to the GPSr.

 

The trick is figuring out which map goes to which area. I think I used strings and grep to find the mapname as given in mapsource.

[+deere_x475guy]

After reading this thread at work today I came home and uninstalled Garmin TOPO then copied the 3 CD's to a directory that I created called TOPO. Ran set up from this directory and everything works great. Thanks!!!! I sure hated to carry around those cd's.

 

Bob

[+GOT GPS?]

Pretty neat stuff,

I had just copied East, West, Alaska, and Hawaii to the hard drive,

then changed the Win XP Registry, and it works now.

 

Geoff

[Neo_Geo]

I have copied my metroguide maps to HD and then used sendmap to send them directly to the GPSr.

 

The trick is figuring out which map goes to which area. I think I used strings and grep to find the mapname as given in mapsource.

Why not just use MapSource? Installing MetroGuide will copy all of the .img files to the hard disk anyway. It's just Topo and WorldMap that require the CD (and maybe a couple of older titles as well).

[rynd]

Tried it, Works great. Thanks.

[+deckard0]

Thanks so much! No day is complete without hacking the registry

[+tsamop]

Thank you Neo Geo, I was getting tired of swapping the battery for the CD in my laptop, this is a great improvement.

[+Lucky46]

NeoGeo, Add my thanks to the pile. I'm about a week old GPSwise, but even I figured out how to make my life easier with your knowledge. As garden hoe challenged as I am, I was able to figure out your formula to success. Thanks again. This is getting more interesting every time I tune in.

[Neo_Geo]

NeoGeo, Add my thanks to the pile. I'm about a week old GPSwise, but even I figured out how to make my life easier with your knowledge. As garden hoe challenged as I am, I was able to figure out your formula to success. Thanks again. This is getting more interesting every time I tune in.

Glad to hear that even a newbie was able to do it! But I must say that you are no ordinary newbie! You somehow found this thread on your own in less than two weeks! I would shake your hand if I could.

 

Still, while the instructions look like a lot to digest at first glance, much of it is repetitive procedures due to the number of disks involved and the procedures are easy to follow.

 

It's so easy, a caveman could do it!

 

[+Lucky46]

Well Neo Geo, You have more genius than I thought. I didn't even post my photo in my profile. How did you do it? Things like this can get me up on the wrong side of the rock.

[Neo_Geo]

Well Neo Geo, You have more genius than I thought. I didn't even post my photo in my profile. How did you do it? Things like this can get me up on the wrong side of the rock.

You sleep on a rock? You should try a bed of straw like the rest of the civilized world.

[+Lucky46]

You know, I can't stop thinking about this. Earlier NeoGeo were you alluding to the fact that even "I" can do it? You people just have to get past your trivial stereo typing.LOL (I just can't figure out how to make those little happy and sad faces. Mine seems to be funny enough. Eh?

[dirtrunners]

I just tried the "copy the files from the CD to a folder on your hard drive and install from there" method and I keep getting a "Cannot copy 05617000: Data error (cyclic redundancy check)." error. I did try to uninstall Mapsource and then reinstall using this method. Is it possible that there's a conflict with a file that is hanging around from a previous install? Another issue? Any help greatly appreciated. Thanks!

[+fratermus]

I just tried the "copy the files from the CD to a folder on your hard drive and install from there" method and I keep getting a "Cannot copy 05617000: Data error (cyclic redundancy check)." error. I did try to uninstall Mapsource and then reinstall using this method. Is it possible that there's a conflict with a file that is hanging around from a previous install? Another issue? Any help greatly appreciated. Thanks!

 

It's not reading the media, perhaps due to scratch or crud on the disc.

 

In order:

1. pray

2. clean the disc

3. try again

4. try to copy from another dvd/cd drive. Some can read particular discs better than others.

[+Ckingrex]

Sounds like you prefer to edit the registry then... No prob.

 

Close the MapSource program (if it's open)

 

Make a new folder in your C:\Garmin folder and name it "Topo"

 

CD 1 contains a folder named "West"

CD 2 contains a folder named "East"

CD 3 contains a folder named "Alaska" and a folder named "Hawaii"

 

Copy those folders into your "C:\Garmin\Topo" folder

 

Click your Windows Start button and select "Run"

Where it says "Open", type in "REGEDIT"

Click the "OK" button

 

Double-Click the folder "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE"

Click on the following plus signs in sequence"

+SOFTWARE

+Garmin

+MapSource

+Products

 

Click on the folder named "6", and then in the right window pane, double-click the "Loc" registry key.

 

"D:\East" is displayed

 

Change that to read as:

C:\Garmin\Topo\East

 

Click the "OK" button

 

Click on the folder named "7", and then in the right window pane, double-click the "Loc" registry key.

 

"D:\West" is displayed

 

Change that to read as:

C:\Garmin\Topo\West

 

Click the "OK" button

 

Click on the folder named "8", and then in the right window pane, double-click the "Loc" registry key.

 

"D:\Hawaii" is displayed

 

Change that to read as:

C:\Garmin\Topo\Hawaii

 

Click the "OK" button

 

Click on the folder named "9", and then in the right window pane, double-click the "Loc" registry key.

 

"D:\Alaska" is displayed

 

Change that to read as:

C:\Garmin\Topo\Alaska

 

Click the "OK" button

 

Close the Registry Editor window

 

Open MapSource

 

Your Topo maps should now open without the CDs!!!

 

I just want to send my thank you. I am a newbie and didn't have a clue as to what the problem was until I signed on MapSource and it kept asking me to put in my TOPO East CD. What a pain that was. I have never been in to the Registry before, so I was a little apprehensive. I followed your instruction, and VOILA, no more need for the CD. Thank you very much. You people are great.::REX p.s. I was a little worried because the "WEST" showed different than the others but I just did as you said and it worked great.