Nuvi 200 software upgrade to 300 or 550 series?

mandrbarrett · Occasional Visitor Joined: Apr 12, 2007 Posts: 8

Does anyone know whether it is possible to lioad 300 series or 550 series (or zumo) software onto a 200 series device to upgrade it to higher spec?

I have a zumo550 as my main device and a 200 as a backup which seems a bit limited at times. Has anyone tried loading higher spec sofwtare onto it to give better functionality?

Thanks,

Mark.

PaulB2005 · Posted: Thu Aug 13, 2009 2:00 pm Post subject:

This almost certainly won't work and will just result in a bricked device. The firmwares are usually model or range specific.

mandrbarrett · Occasional Visitor Joined: Apr 12, 2007 Posts: 8

Going on what I've read on the Garmin website I'd be inclined to agree with you, but that's what they want you to believe insn't it?

The case of my 200 is identical to other 20x models - there isn't even a model number written on it anywhere. I'm convinced that they manufacture one piece of hardware then program it to suit the model they want to sell it as. It may well be that as part of this programming they break fusible links inside the device making it a specific model from that moment onwards, but they may not do this.

Has anyone tried to install different software and did it work?

Thanks,

Mark.

scotty76 · Posted: Fri Aug 14, 2009 9:38 am Post subject:

I would imagine they have thought long and hard about how to stop people doing what you are suggesting. Otherwise we'd all just buy a cheap Nuvi and load the better firmware. Very Happy

Besides if it had been done surely it'd be on Google/YouTube five minutes later.

PaulB2005 · Posted: Fri Aug 14, 2009 9:41 am Post subject:

OK. Let's apporach this from a different angle.

mandrbarrett what extras features / functions do you want to achieve by "upgrading" the firmware from 200 to 300 or other...

mandrbarrett · Occasional Visitor Joined: Apr 12, 2007 Posts: 8

Well I'd like to have it:

speak streetnames
allow more than one via point on a route
edit and reorder via points whilst navigating a route
save several routes for reuse
display speed whilst navigating a route
display a count down of distance to go whilst navigating a route

Lester_Burnham · Frequent Visitor Joined: Oct 17, 2005 Posts: 618

Pete7049 · Posted: Thu Sep 10, 2009 9:33 am Post subject:

When I use web updater it tries to install 2x5 software on my 200w. Needless to say I havn't installed it. Whats going on there???

retracert · Occasional Visitor Joined: Mar 10, 2009 Posts: 9

Some 200w are actually 205w with some features removed. It is quite safe to install the 205 updates, provided you are do it using the update software. Do not do it manually because you must use the correct update file for the correct model on 200w or you will brick it. Although the operating systems is a basically 205 it will never be a 205w it will still be a 200w using the same basic operating system as the 205w with out the 205 additional features except perhaps the add advantage of FM traffic if you buy the receiver.

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