Activating Hidden 1-second Tracklog Function In Nuvi 2xx

[JasonLee]

For most operations, you need your OS to recognise your GPS as a USB storage device (as a drive) in order for Windows Explorer to work with it. Hence you should try at least to backup all files in your GPSr to ensure that the necessary drivers are installed. Another benefit in backing up is that having a copy of all files safely in your PC available when you need to restore corrupted files in your GPSr (which I read happens very often some even direct from the factory), you will not hesitate to delete certain files to make available room for other goodies you need to install for example the alert POIs (MFM-CPOI) which may one day require more space than is available in your unit, besides making room to store your recorded track logs. I have deleted all voice files and help files of languages I do not understand. That freed almost 30MB of space.

Should the application require your Nuvi to be detected as a USB GPS, then you need to install the drivers from Garmin using the attached file if you like me have a Nuvi 200. Otherwise you have to download from the Garmin website.

[sentry]

Finally managed to get my GPSr upgraded with the patch FW and able to access the tracking menu by just touching the upper right corner once (vs holding for 10 sec to get to that menu on my previous 3.40 FW), will check out the actual functionality later this afternoon.

Here is what I did:
- using method 2, run the updater with original FW version (3.40), similar to what I describe earlier. i.e. nothing changed. Repeat the same procedures and got the same results.

- use webupdater to upgrade to V5.00 FW (and the Type M Chipset as well since it is listed as an available update by Garmin Webupdater). Checked and confirmed that the tracking menu is not accessible. Run the updater using method 2 again, the tracking menu is accessible now as described.

So in summary (and advice to those who wish to update), use Garmin Webupdater to upgrade to the latest FW first, the only run the patch.

Thanks all for the sharing and advice!

Hi Bro sentry,

I am from Penang too and will help if necessary.

All the remedial procedures I read recommended updating in the pre-boot mode. Hence I think your choice should be Method 2.

.......

[jans_wkh]

Can you guys still navigate with your nuvi while having the 'special tracking' feature on? Just curious.

[JasonLee]

Most definitely yes.

[JasonLee]

So in summary (and advice to those who wish to update), use Garmin Webupdater to upgrade to the latest FW first, the only run the patch.

Thanks all for the sharing and advice!

Thank you bro sentry for your report and advice.

It appears that by first updating your firmware to v5.00 (for Nuvi 2x0) or v4.00 (for Nuvi 2x0W) is a safer approach. I think we should recommend it even though I have personally succeeded to patch a Nuvi 200 from FW v3.80 to FW v5.00 without first updating to v5.00.

However, I would not recommend doing the updating with Webupdater as I have read too many horror stories about Webupdater screwing up the GPS units in the process of updating. This set me thinking why? My theory is, when you download a file, many things can happen - the line drops and your download is incomplete; data received contains noise and gets corrupted; the downloaded file is corrupted or incomplete and won't run, etc. What do we do then? We repeat the download until we get a good file that works. NO HARM DONE. However, when you use Webupdater, should any of the above happen with the unit connected on-line (including the unit battery running out of juice), it gets screwed up. The Webupdater offers the convenience of not having to first verify whether you have the latest FW and finding out from where to download it and then doing the actual download and manual updating. The risk you are taking to avoid a slight inconvenience is in my opinion not worth it.

Thus my recommendation is, update to the latest firmware first by all means but do it manually and don't use the Webupdater. In fact you should uninstall the Webupdater if you have installed it previously.

[zuree]

Can you guys still navigate with your nuvi while having the 'special tracking' feature on? Just curious.

yes we can still navigate..but with this special feature u can see where your wife go , which traffic light you stop at, how long u stop, or u can record the trip of your car driver...heheh just like a spy

[yoladu]

Can you guys still navigate with your nuvi while having the 'special tracking' feature on? Just curious.

yes we can still navigate..but with this special feature u can see where your wife go , which traffic light you stop at, how long u stop, or u can record the trip of your car driver...heheh just like a spy

Your wife can also do likewise to you

[yoladu]

Can you guys still navigate with your nuvi while having the 'special tracking' feature on? Just curious.

yes we can still navigate..but with this special feature u can see where your wife go , which traffic light you stop at, how long u stop, or u can record the trip of your car driver...heheh just like a spy

Your wife can also do likewise to you

[zuree]

Can you guys still navigate with your nuvi while having the 'special tracking' feature on? Just curious.

yes we can still navigate..but with this special feature u can see where your wife go , which traffic light you stop at, how long u stop, or u can record the trip of your car driver...heheh just like a spy

Your wife can also do likewise to you

i'm still a bachelor

[JasonLee]

I like to share what I read from other forums about the problem of the OS not recognising the GPS as a drive (USB storage device).

Most of the time, this is a Windows problem and not a GPSr problem.

The number 1 culprit is the USB cable. I had problems previously to get my external USB hard disk recognised and found out that among the more than 10 USB cables that I have (that came with all sorts of gadgets I have bought in the past), only 3 could work reliably. Besides that, I am most of the time using my 4-year-old Dell Notebook which has only 2 USB ports so a lot of plugging and unplugging over time has loosened the contact and if I so much as touch or jiggle the USB connector, I may lose connection because of the loose connector socket. It will be disastrous if say you are using Webupdater to update your GPS and you lose connection halfway. Thus to avoid problems, check your USB cables by testing with an external USB drive (which is more demanding on power supply and data transfer) as well as check the tightness of the connectors before using the cable to do any updating or upgrading of your GPS. You will have less risk of developing stomach ulcers or losing your hair.

Of course when your GPS is not mounted properly as a drive for whatever reason, then Windows would not have installed the correct drivers.