Moving CN maps to new hard drive

[Berin]

I currently have my maps on my C drive, (c\programdata\garmin\maps) where they go by default. Licence keys are in (%APPDATA%\Garmin\Maps)

I'm running out of space on this, plus I'm trying to keep applications only on this drive as it's a 120gb SSD. I'd like to move the maps to my chunky 1tb G drive:

Can I move the maps out of the default directory?
Which files do I move?
How do I tell Mapsource the maps are now somewhere else?

I've just done this with memory map and it worked fine, but I can't see how to do it with mapsource.

Any ideas?

 

[Berin]

Does anyone know how to do this? I need to move maps from one PC to another - reason is I have crap broadband at home, so I want to download the maps onto my Nav IV and laptop at work, then transfer the mpas to my home PC at home.

 

[Stitchawl]

Does anyone know how to do this? I need to move maps from one PC to another - reason is I have crap broadband at home, so I want to download the maps onto my Nav IV and laptop at work, then transfer the mpas to my home PC at home.

If you have the license keys, why don't you just re-instal the maps, changing the default directory? I did this twice (onto two different computers) with the same map and had no difficulty. Just wipe out the stuff on the first computer and do a clean instal. Be sure to save copies of your own data (i.e. waypoints, POI, tracks) files. You should have back-up copies of those anyway!


Stitchawl

 

[Berin]

I don't want to download the maps again, just copy them from my laptop to my desk top. But where do I copy from and to?

 

[Stitchawl]

I don't want to download the maps again, just copy them from my laptop to my desk top. But where do I copy from and to?

Ahh... I didn't understand. I thought that you had the maps as CDs. I don't know if just copying them will place the correct information into the registry file (assuming you are using a PC.) I never tried that. When I get a map, it's always been on either a CD or a memory card, and always has an executable file to install it. It's a good question... Tomorrow I will go through my registry file and see if I can come up with some answers. I'll try to figure out just what that setup.exe is really doing.


Stitchawl

 

[Bumpkin]

I don't want to download the maps again, just copy them from my laptop to my desk top. But where do I copy from and to?

Though if you have a broadband connection it's no great hardship to just leave it running overnight, surely

Transferring the mapping from one PC to another is fraught with issues, as Stitchawl says, registry entries will need to be considered. Potential to do more harm than good...

In the past, when updating, I've noticed a checkbox in the install options to retain the install files on the target PC to enable installation on another. I checked that once but could never figure out how to do it so just downloaded again (I have mapping on my main PC as well as my netbook that I take on tour).

 

[Stitchawl]

Sorry, but I must be missing the required skills to figure it out properly. I'd hate to give you incorrect information that might screw up what you already have. When I buy software, even downloadable stuff, I always request a CD copy if available, just for this reason. Actually, the last map I bought, (a Garmin-compatible routable map of Japan 2011 in English... finally!) came on a mico-SD card that I could copy into my computer and then place right into my GPS. Very nice company with which to do business.


Stitchawl

 

[richie]

I don't want to download the maps again, just copy them from my laptop to my desk top. But where do I copy from and to?

Ben, I would say that you will have a hard time moving them. Download tonight before you go to bed and by any luck you will have the file by the morning. (took me 36hours) when you have the downloaded file keep a copy, as quoted above.

Reinstall... Then again, I don't know if you can install mapsource on one drive with its files on another, you can let us know.

Richie

 

[Stitchawl]

Reinstall... Then again, I don't know if you can install mapsource on one drive with its files on another, you can let us know.

Richie

THAT is something I can comment about. When I first installed Mapsource, I did so on my C drive. Then I installed the map setup on a 2T external drive. Mapsource had no difficulties finding it. I did the same with the waypoints file as well. Not a problem. I try to keep my C drive ONLY for applications, with all data files in external drives (easier to make regular back-ups) so I never lose any data when I feel the need to re-format and re-install the OS (which I do at least twice a year just to keep everything running smoothly.)


Stitchawl

 

[Beemerman59]

This is an interesting post for me at the moment. I have a Zumo 550 with lifetime maps. However, I'm going to be selling it soon and have been wondering how the new owner is going to be able to use the maps. I have them all stored on an SD card with the Zumo. The original Mapsource disk and code dates back to 2008. I'm wondering that if the new owner loads Mapsource onto his PC, will he be able to transer the 2012 maps from the Zumo back to his laptop to update the maps? I am aware the Lifetime maps cannot be transferred but I'm hoping at least the current maps actually on the Zumo can be used on a new owners PC. Anyone know?

 

[Stitchawl]

This is an interesting post for me at the moment. I have a Zumo 550 with lifetime maps. However, I'm going to be selling it soon and have been wondering how the new owner is going to be able to use the maps. I have them all stored on an SD card with the Zumo. The original Mapsource disk and code dates back to 2008. I'm wondering that if the new owner loads Mapsource onto his PC, will he be able to transer the 2012 maps from the Zumo back to his laptop to update the maps? I am aware the Lifetime maps cannot be transferred but I'm hoping at least the current maps actually on the Zumo can be used on a new owners PC. Anyone know?

I'm just guessing, but if he uses the original SD card that the map came on, there won't be a problem. My new map came on a micro-SD card that worked perfectly in a hand-held eTrex and in the Nuvi. It loaded into my two computers into Mapsource. It loaded a third time when I changed the data directory out of the C drive.

What did NOT work was copying the information from the micro-SD card. I tried copying to a hard drive and I tried copying to another micro-SD card. Neither worked for me.

There was one file on the card that refused to allow me to view it or access it. I'll guess that this was the file that provided the 'unlock' info. It's the only thing that makes sense to me.


Stitchawl

 

[Berin]

I only have at best 600k broadband speed at home - hence the reason I want to download them to my alptop at work and then move them! I don't have CD/DVD copies as this is a numaps subscription.

Ben, I would say that you will have a hard time moving them. Download tonight before you go to bed and by any luck you will have the file by the morning. (took me 36hours) when you have the downloaded file keep a copy, as quoted above.

Reinstall... Then again, I don't know if you can install mapsource on one drive with its files on another, you can let us know.

Richie

 

[Berin]

I called Garmin, who said you can't do this - but in fact you can

To move the maps do the following:

1) On the PC with the mapping installed, open Mapsource, then open Utilities> Manage Map Products
2) Note the installed location of the map you want to move - eg my CN 2012.3 is at : c:\programdata\garmin\maps\ City Navigator Europe NT 2012.3.gmap
3) On your PC, navigate to that folder. You may need to unhide hidden folders (on Windows 7 this is at organise>folder and search options>view click show hidden files and folders) and locate the .gmap file
4) Copy the file either via your network or external drive to the same location in the new PC
5) Connect your satnav via USB to the PC you have just moved the maps to
6) Open Mapsource on the new PC then open Utilities> Manage Map Products
7) Highlight the new map, which should be in your map list.
8) Click Unlock Online - follow the Garmin instructions


Note, the maps are licenced per device - so you can't use this method to add maps to new devices.

 

[Redboots]

I called Garmin, who said you can't do this - but in fact you can

To move the maps do the following:.....................

If you just want to move them to a drive/partition other than C:, (I do because I install as little as possible to C: to make the backup and inevitable restore smaller), copy or move the map into the new drive/partition/directory of your choice and create a shortcut in the original directory, pointing to the new location. Viola as the Frogs say

Delete map from old location after verifying it works.

John

 

[Berin]

If you just want to move them to a drive/partition other than C:, (I do because I install as little as possible to C: to make the backup and inevitable restore smaller), copy or move the map into the new drive/partition/directory of your choice and create a shortcut in the original directory, pointing to the new location. Viola as the Frogs say

Delete map from old location after verifying it works.

John

Useful tip, thanks. I do the same, try to keep C (it's a fast SSD) for programmes and install data elsewhere.

 

[E. Buygum]

Bit late...just stumbled across this but there's a free utility which will move Mapsource maps...http://www.ukgser.com/forums/showthread.php?t=320644