So I was looking at Garmin Express to see about getting the Europe maps that I need. I thought I would delete the Mexico and other areas as a test. But Garmin servers are not allowing any activity. Now this kinda reinforced my concern about Garmin screwing up my device.
So my idea is to move the map files to a micro SD card and then obtain maps from Openfiet or BBBIKE.
My question is how do I identify the map file on my Garmin?
If you need more information let me know.
Thanks!

Maybe wait till Garmin is allowing access to?. If you plug into Express, they allow downloading of maps for other regions.

Are you using Garmin Express through a old Wifi router or other wireless ethernet appliance? If so, try hooking your PC or Macbook to a wired ethernet connection and see if that does better. If you use a router supplied by your ethernet provider, there might be one or more ethernet ports on it. Just need to supply a patch cable. And a usb ethernet adapter if your notebook is newer and doesn't have a rj45 jack.

7 or 8 years ago, updates and especially maps where a issue for me with Garmin Express. And I too got a lot of messages for Garmin server errors and such. I figured out it worked perfectly with a wired connection. I also realized I had a very old wifi appliance that didn't have all the new stuff. When I finally sprung for a new wifi endpoint, I could again used Garmin Express through the wifi with no issues.

Take some money with you to get another GPS device when you get to Europe. You might find that the maps didn't fully load as you expect them too. Especially if you are doing all this at the last moment before you go. It'll save you a lot of frustration just to get it and not bother with what you currently have for North America.

I have never used the GPS you are using, so this info might me wrong and is only a guess.

I used to have a Garmin 60CSX, that would only use one map and you could not select map by using the keyboard on it. The map it used had a file name of gmapsupp.img. Look for a file with that file name in a Garmin directory. Is it a big file like you would expect for a map?

Use Javawa device manager. You will be able to manage/delete maps. Also you will be able to save your device before doing any map management.
If you use Openfiet or BBBIKE and a PC, you will be able to install maps on your device via USB port and Garmin Basecamp (if you use it).

The only real reason to delete maps is to make space for other maps. If you use custom regions in BBBIKE, the are going to be small. There should be ample room on the device.

Note that the name of the map files doesn't matter. Though, you can't have two files with the same name (just like every other computer). It's perfectly file to rename the files (don't rename the Garmin ones!).

The map list on the Garmin is using names from inside the map file. BBBIKE lets you specify this name when creating the map.

Note that you don't want to enable multiple maps that cover the same region. That is, if you have a Europe map and want to install BBBIKE maps in the same area, you need to disable the Europe map.

This is ancient stuff. For the Edge devices, this hasn't been the case starting with the 800 (they all handle multiple maps just fine).

It might be more useful to refrain from commenting about it (since you might just confuse people more).

It's not likely the router or anything else is the bottle neck. The estimates Express gives for updating maps is much, much longer than I've ever seen it take. I suspect Garmin Express is throttling the transfer so that it doesn't slow people's computers down or put too much of a load on their servers.

Generally, stuff that old was much faster than the transfers. While there could have been problems, it seems like ancient history. (I update multiple devices on multiple computers in multiple places and never really had an issue.)

There's no reason to do this. The device he has is completely able to handle what he is doing (I was doing the same thing with an even-older 800.) He should learn to use the device he has rather than adding to his problems by buying another device.

This is easy to check (pan to the area and zoom in).

It doesn't take long. One could, in fact, do it "last minute" (whatever that means). It shouldn't be too hard to give yourself sufficient time (the "last minute" minute problem is easily fixed). Buying a different unit seems like an overly-expensive way to deal with an easy problem. If it's a different unit (something unfamiliar), it's likely going to add more problems. (TT is a bit "technically challenged".)

I wear the badge "technically challenged " with honor! 😁😁😁😁

(Just stating it as a fact. Lots of people are. I think it's something to keep in mind when offering advice.)

The issue is that buying another device wouldn't be easier for someone technical and would (likely) more problems for someone technically challenged.

I offered the advice to him because you apparantly had not responded. At this link you will see that I suggested in post number 3 that he contact you. Only after you had not responded (see post 6) did I attempt to offer him assistance.
Garmin Edge Explore 2 & Maps


He was asking for help, not offering advice.

You pretty much tell him to ignore what "advice" you gave!

You also provide kinda-contrary advice (correct and useful) here:

Garmin Edge Compass Orientation

You aren't required to give advice. From what you said, it might have made more sense to exercise your other option.

??? He? I wasn't talking about TT. I was talking about the person who advise him to buy a second unit.

In my case it was one of the original Apple Airport Express's. It had only a very limited amount of channels. And it's hadn't had any updates as Apple had ended support for it. Don't even know what wifi version it was capable of. Despite living in a house on a normal lot size, we get decent wifi signals from all of the neighbors too. The apple wifi diagnostic report showed that there was a issue for the number of devices in range wanting to talk on the same channels.

When I changed it for a more modern wifi endpoint from Ubiquiti that had 2 or 3 times the channel capacity, then it solved the issue. Or at least that is the only thing I can think of that changed in that time.

Welcome back. We've missed you!

Kind of ancient history (2004, 2008, or 2012), then. I'm not sure it's useful information at this point.

I've run across people complaining (fairly recently) about how long it takes on the Garmin forums. I've measured it a bunch of times and it never takes as long as people say. Garmin's estimates are very pessimistic. (I'm not sure why people care about how long it takes.)

Lies!

If the update to maps is going to take as many hours as Garmin says it’s going to take, I know to plug my laptop into shore power. But generally you are correct, it’s a very pessimistic notification and never takes as long as they state.

You may have room on the GPS for an additional map. The Garmin maps should have the extension IMG. So plug it in look in the folder for the GPS and I think it’s called the Garmin folder. Look in there for IMG. They have large files. Also check and see how much room you have left and before you mess with it copy all the files over to a folder on your computer. Just in case I have an old 1030 and I think I put additional maps on an SD card. They were recognized in the map list But run slower. At least look at the folders in the GPS and then do some little searching. You’ll figure it out.

That might be an option on our older 800 but the Explore 2 I had to do everything through Garmin Express

One difference is the Explore 2 (like other newer units) is an MTP device. The older devices looked like regular USB drives to computers.

MTP is harder to use but you can still copy maps to the device. The following (recent) link has people doing just that.

https://forums.garmin.com/sports-fitness/cycling/f/edge-explore-2/389114/edge-explore-2---osm-map-installation

(Garmin changed some devices to use MTP.)