Hello, everyone. Hoping this is the correct forum for the problem.
I recently purchased a Garmin GPS unit (Nuvi 265WT). When I went to the Garmin website to register it (warranty) I was prevented from doing so by Garmin’s site which says that you can only use Windows or Mac. I called customer service and was told that they provide no assistance for Linux (no surprise, right!) >:(
Garmin will provide a free update of their maps, but ONLY if the unit is registered on-line. And at this point I’m prevented from doing so.
Even so, I cannot download updated maps, newer firmware, and other features to the GPS since it first requires downloading and installing some small Garmin applications. Those are then used to get and load the maps into the Garmin (via USB).
Has anyone had any success updating a Garmin GPS using SuSE? I hate to say this but I am considering the unthinkable – installing Windoze as a dual-boot. I really do not want to put Windoze on any of my computers as my home have been Windoze-free for about 10 years. But…
I searched these openSuSE forums but found no help. I also Googled “Linux and Garmin GPS” and “SuSE Garmin GPS” but found only some references to programs to create one’s own maps. I don’t want to do that. I only want to be able to access the Garmin website, register my unit, and periodically get updates into my GPS.
Sorry for being so long-winded. Can anyone help? (I am at the “Linux-for-Dummies” level of expertise!)
Thanks!
socref;)
Hi
I have a 260W which works fine with mapsourse and crossover, I’m sure
it works with wine. So it’s no problem for using that to sent POI’s etc
to the device, all that is required are softlinks to the /media entry
in the wine dosdevices directory.
I also use it to talk to gpsd and tango gps by putting the device in
debug mode before plugging in the USB to prevent it using storage mode.
You can login to Garmin and just enter the serial number to register, I
haven’t tried an update from linux, but again it should be no issue with
wine as it’s just copying data to a drive. The trick is to run the msi
file for updating and not the setup utility.
–
Cheers Malcolm °¿° (Linux Counter #276890)
openSUSE 11.1 (i586) Kernel 2.6.27.21-0.1-pae
up 1 day 11:42, 1 user, load average: 0.09, 0.16, 0.11
ASUS eeePC 1000HE ATOM N280 1.66GHz | GPU Mobile 945GM/GMS/GME
Malcolm, what is “mapsource?” Is that something of Garmin’s? I have Crossover but have not been successful using it with the Garmin webupdater_241.exe file I downloaded from the Garmin site…
So it’s no problem for using that to sent POI’s etc
to the device, all that is required are softlinks to the /media entry
in the wine dosdevices directory.
Where is this dosdevices directory? How do I create the softlink you mention once I am in /media?
I also use it to talk to gpsd and tango gps by putting the device in debug mode before plugging in the USB to prevent it using storage mode.
Putting the Garmin into debug mode? What does that mean? How?
Are gpsd and tango gps Linux programs for creating your own maps, or something else? Will they help me access the Garmin site? All I’m looking to do is update my maps using Garmin sources. I’m not looking to create ANYTHING customized.
You can login to Garmin and just enter the serial number to register,
I cannot. Garmin website tells me it doesn’t detect any device, and so I’m not given a drop-down box to select the model. >:(
I haven’t tried an update from linux, but again it should be no issue with wine as it’s just copying data to a drive. The trick is to run the msi file for updating and not the setup utility.
Sorry, I don’t know what “msi file” means, nor do I know what setup utility you’re referring to. Is that a Garmin set up or a Linux set up?
Can you provide some more specific instructions? Step-by-step?
Please remember, I’m at the “Linux for Dummies” level.
Installing Internet Explorer isn’t really a problem. The problem is trying to get the site to discover your device. I recently tried with a Garmin Nuvi 200 (our 260 has already been activated). Apparently, even with the Garmin Communicator installed on IE6 under wine (even passed the verisign test saying it’s windows IE6), it still won’t find the GPS.
Thanks for suggestion, Ron. But I had already tried “User Agent Switcher” in an attempt to trick the Garmin site into thinking I was using Windows/IE. Didn’t work. >:(
Thanks for sending the link. I checked it out, and that’s an interesting site.
The link could be useful for installing customized maps and points of interest using Linux. But again I repeat what I’ve said a couple of times… I am NOT looking to do custom installations. I’m only trying to:
Malcolm, thanks, but the instructions are confusing and just a bit ambiguous. Sorry. Please see the comment I attached to the “howto.” I can’t even get started without a file you say is necessary, but I have no idea where to find the file.
Thx
socref
