Use Caution with MapSource Beta 6.6

[Siskiyou]

:noway: The MapSource Beta v6.6 caused me a bit of stress today.  I am luck to have more then one computer and I was able to resolve the problem on the other computer by using MapSource v6.3.

I have been using MapSource and it's updates for a few year now.  My original Garmin Legend came with a serial port connector on the computer end and a "Garmin" type connector at the gps end.

I purchased a new Garmin GPSMap76C a few months ago and it came with  different connectors on the gps to computer cord.  On the gps side it has a mini usb connector, and a standard usb connector on the computer side.  Along with the new gps came a CD with software updates for using the usb connectors.  The problem is that after loading the usb software the computer and the old Legend gps would not marry up.

I dropped back to using a computer I have around for the grandkids which does not have Garmin's usb software loaded on it.  The Legend upload and download data without a problem.

Today I tried MapSource Beta v6.6.  It worked without a problem with the GPSMap76C.  But I encountered problems with the Legend.  It downloaded the maps, waypoints, tracks, and routes without problem.  The problem came when I modified the mapset.  I then tried loading the modified mapset on to the Legend.  I received a message the software did not recognize the unit, the unit had no memory, and the unit was not connected to the computer.  

I checked the Legend and found that the waypoints, routes, and tracks had been transferred but the maps had not.  At that point I could not get my computer to recognize the Legend.  I had to fall back on the one the grandkids use.

So is the problem with the software drivers?  When updating MapSource for the USB drivers are the serial port drivers removed.? Is the problem with Beta v 6.6 or a combination of the drivers and the software?

As Dave in WV and I stated in an earlier post on Beta software, when you use it you are a test dummy.  It is an at risk undertaking.  In the past I have not had a problem using Garmin's beta software, this time I took a hit.  So how do I fix my computer?  Uninstall MapSource, re-install MapSource, and then update to release version 6.5.

[victorcharlie]

That's probably what I would do......de- install, re-install, and add updates......I'm still running 6.5.........and with your problem.....I think I'll stay where I am for awhile.....

Is there a new feature with 6.6 that you need?  I rarely run beta software unless it is providing something I want or need..........

Good info.......Thanks.......

[Siskiyou]

Why did I try Beta v. 6.6?  I was not successful in currently downloading maps to the Legend after installing the usb drivers, and v. 6.5 to my computer.  It worked great moving maps, routes, and tracks to the GPSMap76C.  And it would download data from the Legend.  I was having to fall back and use the "visiting grandkids" computer to load maps on to the Legend.  I did not identify the problem until a couple of weeks ago when I helped another Legend user update his unit.  I did a dry run using mine to make sure everything was okay when the problem surfaced.  

My computer runs on XP Home Edition, and I recently upgraded the other computer to XP Professional.  I did the XP Professional upgrade over the existing Windows Me operating system.  The upgrade left existing programs and files in place.  One of those programs was MapSource, along with mapsets that I had saved.  One of the listed changes with MapSource v. 6.6 Beta takes advantage of Windows XP operating system.  And there appears to be other operation improvements.

I called Garmin Support yesterday.  I had about a ten minute wait on the Support Line.  I was surprised the wait was so short.  I explained the problem that I had.  And I asked if installing the drivers the new USB drivers had a negative effect on serial port drivers for the older model Legend.  I was told there were no serial port drivers.  

I explained the different results between the two computers.  Support had me hook up the Legend to my computer and download the waypoints.  Support says great it is working.  I then re-explained the problem was not with downloading and uploading waypoints, and tracks but with the mapsets.  I explain the mapset I was moving contain 7.79MB of data.

Support recommend that I try reducing the mapset to 7.50MB or less.  Saying the unit rounds up the size of the mapset. (Historically I have successfully upload mapsets slightly larger then the 8MB the Legend is rated to handle.)  I thanked him for his help.  I should note that Support was very polite.

I then went back to my unit as victorcharlie and I discussed and uninstalled, MapSource, and Garmins Trip & Waypoint Manager.  After a restart I reinstalled MapSource with the v. 6.5 update, and Trip & Waypoint Manager.  I connected the Legend to the serial port cable and downloaded all the data from the Legend.  I modified the mapset so that it contained less then 7.50MB's.  I then uploaded the waypoints(180+), and the tracks.  No problems.  I then unselected the waypoints and tracks and started to load the new mapset.  It stopped at about 3/4's of the way into the mapset.

I disconnected the unit, and tested it to see if I had any users maps.  My waypoints were there but the none of my mapset.

I then fired up the other computer  It is loaded with Map Source version 6.3.  I had my mapset with 7.79MB of maps stored on the computer.  I started the mapset loading and went to the Garmin International website.

The purpose was to look at the changes between version 6.3 and 6.5.  They do not show a version 6.4.  In version 6.5 a change is shown on how maps are unlocked.  I do not know if this the problem.  There are a lot of variables between computers.  In the past I have depended on my laptop(Windows 98SE)  to modify mapsets on the Legend if I need other maps while travelling.  This morning I checked it and it has MapSource v. 6.1 loaded on it.  I am going to leave things alone for now.  I have both serial port and usb cables for the 76C.  So do I mess with it?   Not this week!

[victorcharlie]

Do you get an error message when the mapset transfer fails?

If de-installing it, then re-installing it didn't fix it the maybe the problem is with XP professional?

As the transfer starts and runs for awhile, your serial port and RAS service are running ok......

Have you gone into services and stopped any virus protection, firewalls, etc..... You might try killing any service along those lines that you don't need..........I've seen those kinds of conficts do the same kind of thing you have with mapsource........

So, mapsource runs ok on XP home, and ME.....I have it loaded on win2K.......anyone out there have mapsource running on XP professional?

[Siskiyou]

The other computer also know as the grandkids computer is the one that has XP professional on it.  That is the computer I fell back on to reload the maps.  

The computer with XP Home Edition worked fine with MapSource and the Legend in the past.  The first indications of a possible conflict occurred four months after I installed v. 6.5 and the usb drivers for the 76C.  I then tried Beta 6.6.  So I have three accumulated installations that worked fine with the 76C.  Then I pull out the Legend which I had not changed MapSets in since I purchased the 76C.  That is when I discovered the problem.  Last fall I had used the Legend a lot during deer season and had played with the maps without problem.

I had disabled the firewall, pop-up blocker, and virus scan.  What is RAS?

I did get an error message.  It said it could not communicate with the gps.  This occurred part way through the download.  Was this caused by the new map unlock process in v.6.5?

At this point the main differences are XP Home Edition on one computer, and XP Professional on the other.  The other difference is MapSource 6.3 on one and MapSource 6.5 on the other.  One thing I could do on another rainy day is unistall MapSource and re-install MapSource with update v.6.3.

[victorcharlie]

RAS.....Remote Access service...........

I've have seen some so screwed up that I've had to deinstall and reinstall the serial port and RAS..........

Is this problem occuring on the machine that was upgraded from ME to XP?

[Siskiyou]

Not a problem.  I broke down our home net work a few years ago.   Hackers, worm, and virus writers have me thinking security.  We have three computers setup in one room; Grandma's, the Grandkids, and mine.  It works for us, and resolves internal conflicts.  I have a
buddy who is always crying about his computers problems.  He asked me to look at it.  Found they had not done any maintenance, or updates in three years.  His wife had almost 3000 e-mails in her inbox.  There virus protection was out of date, and he did not run ad-ware protection.  An ideal situation for two non-networked computers.

My next step is to un-install MapSource with version 6.5 and then re-install with version 6.3.  This will put my computer and the grandkids computer at the same level in regards to MapSource.

The rain has broke and outdoors is great now.  The computer is going to get a little lonely.  Went to the 1/4 mi. paved car races last night.  Broke in a new 5.0 MP camera.  A big upgrade from the older digital camera.  It was worth the trip.  

I needed the break away from trying to resolve the software problem without messing up the gps units.  I have always preached that playing with the software was easy, and without problems.  So I had to expose that I had run into a problem.

[Siskiyou]

My wife surprised me big time today.  She gave me a new Dell laptop for our 40th.  She was real sneaky and had it delivered and hid out at our daughters' house.  Says I need it for all my mapping programs.  

I need to get my boat out for a fishing trip but I know that I will be loading MapSource on to this computer.  I have Versions 6.3 and 6.5 saved on the hard drive on my desk top computer.  I'll burn a copy of them and start by loading V.6.3 on board. I'll then see if I can move data up and down using a USB port. This new laptop does not have a serial port.  USB to RS232 with a cd cost $59.99 from Garmin, the same item from a well know after market vendor cost $44.95.  Other vendors a selling adapters very cheap on E-bay.  But I do not know to what standard.

The other item I would like to do is load the  Full "West" Topo CD on the harddrive so that I  do  not have to carry it with me when travelling.  My old laptop did not have room on the harddrive to do that.

If this works out the old laptop will go to a granddaughter.  She has an old tower computer in her bedroom.  The monitor is huge and takes up a lot of desk space.   A kid with a lot of ambition.  She is on course to completing high school in three years with "A's."  I thought high school was something that interfered with hunting and fishing time.  Part of my double standard, unacceptable for my kids and grandkids.  

But I did pull the boy out for a week of antelope hunting one year.  We called it a  history field trip because it was in an area one of the Indian Wars was fought.  Told him all about Captain Jack, Scarface Charlie, and wildhorses.

I am now teaching his son on how to read a topo map, and use a gps. [/u][/i]

[victorcharlie]

Yep.....I agree......maybe a USB driver issue........

[Siskiyou]

Garmin has just upgraded Beta 6.6 to 6.6.1, I will wait for the release version.  Currently spending to much time on the computer.