Thread: How to unbrick a nüvi - step by step guide

Garmin nuvi 1490. Created "Original" .rgn file with GarminCure3. Tried to enter pre-boot for the longest time, until I found the instructions to drag-&-drop the .rgn file into the Updater field ([Only registered and activated users can see links. ], post #9). Finally entered pre-boot, installed USB drivers on my machine, detected device, ding dong, etc., clicked OK, it ran through a progress bar, and then said it couldn't complete... nuvi screen said "Software Missing" (I think?). And now my nuvi won't even turn on... :-( Is there any hope, or was that my only chance?

@lengolad
If you didn't check the HWID before you started you may have used the wrong firmware to make the Cure3 fw and inadvertently flashed the wrong one. 13/14xx devices have two possible HWIDs because of different chips, HWID 0972 and HWID 1106.

Probably the message you received was in full "System Software Missing" which usually indicates wrong fw_all.bin flashed to region 14. It might have been possible to revive it while still powered on, but that chance is usually lost once it's been completely shut down it after flashing an incompatible fw. To explain: A wrong boot.bin flash can result in no subsequent re-boot because of foreign bootloader and x-loader now present in regions 5 and 43, via virtual region 12, now being incapable of booting the device. If that's happened it's likely dead and cannot be revived by any software method, only by replacing the main flash chip which isn't economically feasible anyway.

Try these tips if you're sure you flashed the correct fw version to match it's HWID:
(i) Take it into a completely dark room and see if there's a feint backlight on the screen in case it's not even booting to the logo splash screen, if not;
(ii) Open it and disconnect the battery for a time, at least 5 minutes and preferably longer, even overnight. That drains all electrical components. After you reconnect battery and try to power it on if still no start screen or any screen backlight it's likely now only useful to harvest parts like the screen and battery etc..

Thanks for that, @Butters. Hard to check HWID when your device won't get past the splash screen, and isn't detected as a USB device, isn't it...? Unless I was supposed to open the device and physically look at the chip? Anyway, what's done is done. I'll try disconnecting the battery and see what happens.

The Windows program G7ToWin works to check the HWID in preboot mode. Soft-bricked devices which show the logo splash screen almost invariably have preboot available so even though they aren't detected in Mass Storage Mode by a PC, they are shown in Device Manager as "GARMIN Device" and will be recognized by some programs like G7ToWin. There is a warning in the Cure3 thread initial post about using correct fw and also a link to the thread to help in finding the device's actual HWID:

Originally Posted by kunix

Here is a special firmware patcher for creating cure firmwares. Patched firmwares enter the mass storage mode immediately, without going through the normal booting process ( e.g. they don’t display “Loading maps…” and so on). That’s why they don’t crash or hang up because they don't try to load corrupt files, therefore, they can be used for curing. It works even if your device was formatted into NTFS.

WARNING

1. Don't use GarminCure3.exe if you don't know how to enter pre-boot mode. Entering pre-boot is neccessary to flash firmwares after CURE firmware has been flashed.
2. Don't flash GVN and Kenwood devices with the CURE firmware, as they don't have a real pre-boot mode very frequently.
3. Download latest Garmin USB Drivers to your PC if you don't already have them loaded: [Only registered and activated users can see links. ].
4. Check your device's HWID and compare it to the firmware you intend to use to avoid making a minor problem a permanent one by using an incompatible fw. Read here how to check: [Only registered and activated users can see links. ].

...........................................................

(My emphasis in red added to above quote).

But as you said, what's done is done ... that's if in fact, 'done' by you however. To check further and maybe eliminate the possibility of an incompatible firmware causing the hard-bricking, here's some more information. To flash the wrong fw to it you'd have had to make an intentional or accidental change to the 'safe-naming' of the RGN file automatically given by GarminCure3.exe. Let's say for instance that your device has the MTK chip with HWID 1106. Say also that you used the HWID 0972 firmware to make the Cure. The program would have made the cure RGN named "097201000630.RGN" (where '630' is denoting use of Version 6.30 in that example). When that's loaded to Updater.exe it detects "01000" in the file name so when the device is connected in preboot it will query the device to check it's actual HWID. If the device has HWID different from 0972/972, Updater will report "No Updates Available For Device" and not attempt to flash it. However, if certain change is made to the RGN file's naming, e.g. "OUT.RGN" or even a single numeral is removed from the central "01000" (e.g. 09720100630.rgn) then that safety check isn't done and the flash is forced. As your flash initiated, regardless that it then failed, either the device indeed matched the fw in HWID, or the RGN safe-naming had been changed.

So if you're quite certain that you didn't change the default naming of the cure RGN file, the problem may not at all be of your doing. Updater's flash not finishing and the subsequent message "System Software Missing" can also mean that the device's main flash memory chip was already damaged, i.e. failing but still partially functioning, which could explain why the device appeared 'soft-bricked' initially and could still attain preboot. It's not uncommon for a failing chip to be finally pushed over the edge by an attempted flash. Regardless of course,for practical purposes the 1490 would still be a paper-weight only good for parts whether the chip is physically kaput or just been inappropriately flashed.

Still worth trying to drain all charge from it. Good luck.

With some devices the sum of usable parts can be as much as the present use value when fully functional. The board is junk now but the battery is worth a few quid if it's holding charge, as is the screen. The case not so much but the front bezel strip if not cracked is saleable as ppl often find they break it during removal to access the case screws. Check prices on eBay.

About preboot and Device Manager. In preboot it doesn't show up as a USB device as it does when Explorer lets it be browsed in MSM. From when you heard the 'ding dong' windows connect tone and saw the device details in Updater's GUI, while it took for the unsuccessful flashing process right thru until the flash failed, for that entire time while it was being detected by Updater.exe it would have also been listed in Device Manager under the Alphabetical list there (G not U). When the device dropped preboot or the flash failed it disappears from Device Manager instantly. You just didn't look at the right time in Device Manager because you were busy flashing it for those mere seconds is all.

@Ahrder
The "No updates ....." message indicates Updater.exe has determined your device HWID doesn't match that written in the firmware RGN file, i.e. the first four numerals aren't the same as your device (XXXX01000630.rgn). Therefore, you may be using the incorrect GCD for making the Cure RGN. US/EU 13xx can have two possible HWIDs, "0972" and "1104". Check your HWID from a backup by looking at GarminDevice.xml or in preboot using G7ToWin: [Only registered and activated users can see links. ].