Problem with my Garmin I3

[pigpicker]

I've had this excellent little unit for nearly a year now and it's worked perfectly up until a week ago.

Now whenever I turn it on a picture of PC connected to an I3 comes on the screen with message saying 'please use the provided PC software to load maps containing turn-by-turn information'
Until last week I've never seen this message before.

From here I press the 'back' button and the screen returns to the normal start screen offering the usual options of 'where to' and 'view map'

Normally when you press 'where to' it comes up with another menu containing the choice of 'address' and when you click on this it allows you to input a postcode or town etc.
But now the 'address' option is not there so there is no way for me to input a postcode making the whole thing relatively useless.

I've connected it to the pc but it does nothing!
I also tried loading up the latest speed camera database via POILoader but it won't have it. I just get a message saying ...
"The GPS is unable to program the requested memory region. This could be due to an incompatibility between this application and the GPS."

I've tried doing a reset but I still have the same problems.

Does anyone know what could be wrong with it, why that message is coming up and how I can start using it normally?

[mikealder]

Welcome to the forum, for a start can you try a reset of the i3, switch it off then press both buttons and the scroll wheel for about 5 seconds, then check answer Yes to the question of "Do you really want to erase all user data" (Please note this will wipe any settings you have made, but it might get the unit working again).
Also make sure the tiny transflash memory card hasn't fallen out of the slot on the top right of the device, if it has you might need to have a good look in the car! (I doubt this as the i3 will prompt to insert the card if powered up with the card removed) - it sounds as if the device has lost the detail mapping and is resorting to the base map to be honest, which indicates either a missing card or corrupted card. (Being nearly 12 months old would indicate the device was supplied with the memory card rather than the newer i3's running internal mapping) - Mike

[pigpicker]

Hi Mike - thanks for the friendly welcome!

The card is definitely in the unit - i took it out and started it up and saw the error message. I plugged it back in and the message went away.

I have also done a 3 button restart of the unit and wiped all my settings.
Now when i turn it on I get the following ...

"To use this unit, map data must be installed. Installation instructions are located in the enclosed setup guide"
WARNING
"Do NOT connect this unit to you PC until instructed to do so as explained in the setup guide"

There don't appear to be any instructions in the box (i still have box & receipt!) regarding installation. Any more advice?

If it is a corrupted card will this unit be under warranty?

cheers

[mikealder]

It sounds very much like a corrupt card, I would try giving Garmin support a ring in the morning and hope they can arrange for you to return the unit, if its under 12 month old you should be OK - Mike

[pigpicker]

[pigpicker]

Ahhh hang on ... i've just updated the firmare version from 2.7 to 3.2 and the problem SEEMS to have sorted itself out!!

Back to working normally.

How bizarre!

[mikealder]

Strange, I have only tried going above version 2,7 a couple of times, my i3 is now firmly staying at version 2,7 - each attempt at an update has resulted in something not quite right - see how it goes over the next few days then - Mike

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