Unlocking maps on Garmin GPS

My Garmin GPS was working fine when suddenly it said can’t unlock maps and wanted me to set up maps and then recalibrate the compass. This was very annoying, but anyway I had no choice but to do as instructed. But it was only the basic world map without all the detail that I previously had.

However it continued to give the message can’t unlock every time I turned on the GPS. I searched Garmin website and also emailed Garmin for help. I did find a reference to the message relating to the Garmin Nuvi navigator and also on another web site specifically relating to GPS’s. On this site 3 people had the very same problem of suddenly the maps not being there. Incredibly a crucial file gets deleted from the GPS; how it happens is a mystery but it is very poor of Garmin not to have the software robust enough so that this can’t happen.

I tried the solution suggested, but it did not make any difference. Then a few days later I realised that I had made a spelling error in the file name and when this was fixed the maps were back.

I can tell you that this was a most frustrating and annoying time, especially as the maps are not cheap to buy.

The solution in case you have the same problem is as follows;

1. Go to the Garmin web site and sign in to your Garmin account.

2. Look up the maps you have purchased under MyMaps tab

3. Select Details

4. Included here will be the unlock code

5. Connect your device to your computer

6. Create a file gmapprom.unl and paste the unlock codes into it, one to a line. It is only the unlock code that is included here, just by itself.

7. Put the file onto the Garmin device inside of the Garmin folder.

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