Garmin GPS Needs Powered USB Hub to Update?
 

A while back I bought a Garmin Nuvi 2539 auto GPS for use both in the car and on the bike. Small enough to tuck in a bag and pull out on a ride. Large enough to see in a car. From Day One I've had trouble updating the maps.

Documentation is, generously speaking, very poor. But, after fiddling and calls to Garmin Support I've been able to update the maps. Until last night.

Now Garmin tells me their devices are not designed to be updated with a laptop. Only a desktop, or other full size computer, is to be used. The rep claimed laptops don't have enough power to their USB ports. No one has mentioned that before. It is not in their sales literature, or in the Owner's Manual.

Is this true? Anyone else's experience? Must I use either a powered USB hub, or a full size computer to update?

If so that is a real design deficiency.

so it's externally powered in use? If so, it doesn't surprise me. If it has batteries, it's just their lazy programming again. There should be a warning label on most of their products, "firmware probably has stupid oversights, suck it" or something like that.
The Amazon Basics hubs seem pretty good.

I would guess there is a rating for how much power the device needs. Laptops do usually have wimpy usb power supplies.

I see my etrex update to V4.50 features "improved detection of USB connection to a PC."
Hmmmmmm....

AFAIK, a USB port is supposed to be able to source 500 ma @ 5v, though maybe laptops don't meet spec? I would find that kind of surprising, at least for better laptops.

scott s.
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I've updated some model of Nuvi using an old laptop multiple times without issues.

Maybe, customer support doesn't know what they are talking about.

I say the tech support person is on crack.

I've never updated any Garmin, and I've had 4 different GPS units over the years, except off laptop.

Call back and hopefully get a different service person as this is just BS.

Try the different usb ports on your laptop, some are rated better than others. At least on my older Macbook, the one closest to the front puts out more power than the others - when I used to DJ, I'd have to plug my controller into the front port to get it fully operational.

Never updated the GPS? Personally, I think that is a mistake. Roads and other features do change.

As for this unit: I was headed out for a trip so Garmin gave me a RMA to exchange the unit on my return. The problem is with the update process, not it's navigation.

One Garmin rep blames the problem on laptop USB ports. Another says the unit is defective. We'll see.

Poor Design, Poorer Service Reps
 

Back from the trip. The unit did OK except in IL. It took me down every country farm road in the area. Apparently, the data and algorithm can't differentiate between a paved farm road and a main highway. But we did get to the desired destination.

We did the unit swap recommended by one service rep. Instructions said the new/refurbished unit would come preregistered and with latest updates. It didn't. In fact, it wouldn't turn on.

Decided to play a bit so plugged it into the computer. It came up and I started the registration and update process.

No error messages. No connect/disconnect tones. The whole process looked normal until the end. Then the unit said the files were corrupt.

Garmin instructions are poor at best. But, after trying some more I broke out the powered USB hub.

Everything looked the same as before. Except the update took.

Most of the people I know don't own anything but laptops. Apparently Garmin's poor design hasn't kept up with the world.

Now to see if the battery is good.

I'll have to think for a long time before buying a other Garmin consumer product.