How To Load Maps Into Your SD Card

[moeyhc]

The process of loading maps into the SD card for navigation is simple. It is also a safe way to test new map before loading into your GPS main memory. There are users here 'Bricking' their GPS after loading new maps into the main memory. Below please find the procedures to load map/s into a SD, Thumb Drive or any USB storage memories.

Using Garmin Mapsource:-

- Install the map into Mapsource - see related topics HERE & HERE. for details on Mapsource.
- Select the map tiles in Mapsource for your map using Map Tool.
- Insert a USB card reader (with memory card..SD, XD..etc), Thumb Drive, USB storage media or your Nuvi to your PC.
- Click Transfer>Send To Device
- When the Pop up menu appear, select the USB storage in Device Settings > Device:. For Nuvi select the SD card Drive.
- Check Maps in What To Send.

Send To Device.JPG

NOTE:- Mapsource will now Generate and Write the selected Map/s to your USB storage device Gamin folder with the filename GMAPSUPP.IMG. If you have any map file with the same name inside this folder please rename or backup the file. It will be over written without warning... you are warned!

- If you have a Garmin folder inside your USB storage device Mapsource will write the new Map into this folder with the filename GMAPSUPP.IMG.
- If you do not have a Garmin folder Mapsource will create one and places the same map into it.
- Transfer the GMAPSUPP.IMG to your GPS SD Card Garmin folder and to test your map.
- Done

Direct Gmapsupp.img Loading into SD Card - If you already have a Gmapsupp.img file.

- Insert a SD card into a card reader or Notebook card slot and connect to your PC.
- Copy and paste the Gmapsupp.img file to your SD card Garmin folder.
- Remove your SD card and test in your GPS.
- Done

Hope this procedure helps... Cheers!

[drsec]

Why do we have to do this complicated process?

All I do is unpack the downloaded map and generate the gmapsupp.img on my notebook.

Connect the GPS or PDA to the notebook using a USB cable. Access the drive which represent the device or SD card, copy and paste the gmapsupp.img in the correct folder in the device/PDA or the SD card.

I have been doing this every week for the last 1.25 years on my 2 GPS and my PDA, ever since I had problems installing Mapsource and stopped using it. I have used this method well over 200 times.

I have never encountered any problems on my 200W, 255W, 360, HTC HD, HTC HD2.

I never use the installer or Mapsource to write directly into the device or SD Card, that is I think is the key.

I don't use a card reader also.

[moeyhc]

Good question.

You are only referring to MfM maps (must be MfM where we release maps every weeks) where our Brothers here took the trouble to generate the Gmapsupp.img for you to copy and paste. What about other maps installer? MfM have made us so comfortable to a point where some of us forgot the procedure.... ... cheers!

[drsec]

Good question.

You are only referring to MfM maps (must be MfM where we release maps every weeks) where our Brothers here took the trouble to generate the Gmapsupp.img for you to copy and paste. What about other maps installer? MfM have made us so comfortable to a point where some of us forgot the procedure.... ... cheers!

We are talking about MFM here in this forum aren't we?

And Thank You MFM for creating the installer to generate the gmapsupp.img file for me to copy and paste.

If my memory serves me right, I previously followed the same process for the maps other forum.

[moeyhc]

How To procedures are written to help those who needs it. This procedure is written for GPS users to load maps into their SD card. There are more than one solution to a problem and the simplest way is to use the one you know best. There is no harm knowing other solutions to a problem too.

BTW this forum is not only about MfM... it is about GPS...cheers!

[Ten4]

I followed this method( ie without mapsource),downloaded the latest map, opened the file and followed the steps and created the gmapsupp file and loaded it into the Garmin file in the SD card together with the map.Only a partial map appeared. I am not IT savvy at all.Did I miss a step somewhere?Can someone please help. Thank You

[tlchuan]

Bro, What garmin model did you use ?

[Ten4]

It is a Nuvi 260W. I failed to mention that I had completed the procedure previously and did successfully download a map but the SD card was misplaced and now I cannot replicate what I did .