Garmin Software Downgrade - The Hull Truth

Ethan · 06-23-2009, 02:59 AM

O.K. I have had it with the new 5.2 "update" and my sounder issues. I don't want to set the range manually anymore. It also made my charts unstable as far as heading.
Who knows how to revert to the 4.8 software?

mojoe · 06-23-2009, 04:32 AM

I can't help but am having similar issues with a 4212 bundle. continual problems with the sonar readout getting stuck on 1.4 or 1.5 feet. think my software is 3.something. garmin is blaming my transducer installation. trying to get to the bottom of this. what are your sonar issues?

also weather does not seem to work, have not really got to that. am now able to move data between home and boat.

Ethan · 06-23-2009, 04:40 AM

I have the same sounder problems as everyone else and you. It all worked fine before the upgrade to 5.2. Now I need to find out how to get back to 4.8.

slief · 06-23-2009, 07:50 AM

Call Garmin... If you can down grade, they would know how. Have you tried loading the older version onto the card and into the unit?

OldPete · 06-23-2009, 08:10 AM

Ha! So I am *not* alone!!!

Birdman · 06-23-2009, 08:12 AM

Ethan, I have bad news for ya, you have to set the range in ALL of their versions of software. That is not something that has changed. I don't have any real problems at all with the new version, I LOVE it.

The only "issue" that are somewhat "problematic" I'm seeing with the new 5.2 version is, on the weather display all the WP icons you have turned on are displaying just as they wood on a chart, which gets very cluttered when you zoom way out to see a region (North East for example), since I have 300 WP's of wrecks and things along LI. There are still some other wish list type things I would like to see changed, mainly the way the data boxes are handled.

But physically, it's working awesome and flawless for me. mojoe, if you only have 3.x, the first thing you need to do is uprade to 5.x before wasting your time troubleshooting anything. But if you can't hold bottom, it's the transducer, period, not the software.

Ethan · 06-23-2009, 01:31 PM

With the old version my FF worked great in any depth and at any speed. It being an Airmar R199 it should. Now it sucks even when I try any adjustments be it gain or range.

wadepscott · 06-23-2009, 01:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Birdman

Ethan, I have bad news for ya, you have to set the range in ALL of their versions of software. That is not something that has changed. I don't have any real problems at all with the new version, I LOVE it.

The only "issue" that are somewhat "problematic" I'm seeing with the new 5.2 version is, on the weather display all the WP icons you have turned on are displaying just as they wood on a chart, which gets very cluttered when you zoom way out to see a region (North East for example), since I have 300 WP's of wrecks and things along LI. There are still some other wish list type things I would like to see changed, mainly the way the data boxes are handled.

But physically, it's working awesome and flawless for me. mojoe, if you only have 3.x, the first thing you need to do is uprade to 5.x before wasting your time troubleshooting anything. But if you can't hold bottom, it's the transducer, period, not the software.

My sounder worked fine before 5.2 upgrade. It now gets stuck on 1.4 and 1.5 ft. Can't be the transducer if it worked correctly before the upgrade.

Cmann · 06-23-2009, 01:43 PM

i have been emailing them regarding an update.....response is within a day.....very helpful....here's the email address.

Product.Support@garmin.com" <product.support@garmin.com>

Ethan · 06-23-2009, 01:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cmann

i have been emailing them regarding an update.....response is within a day.....very helpful....here's the email address.

Product.Support@garmin.com" <product.support@garmin.com>

Me too, Let us know how it goes.

Ethan · 06-23-2009, 02:39 PM

Called Garmin and they answered in six minutes. They stated that this is the FIRST they have heard of this issue and offered to swap out my GSD 22 and transducer to narrow down the cause. Then they would work on the software.
I would suggest everyone else do the same and call Garmin Tech to get it on file and help get this issue resolved.
Gotta love Garmin and their support!

rwidman · 06-23-2009, 02:46 PM

A software update may or may not change some settings or restore them to the defaults (which may be different than they were in a previous version). Checking the settings would be a good first step in problem solving.

Re-applying the update is another step that may solve problems.

Ethan · 06-23-2009, 03:09 PM

Good one Ron, never thought of re-applying. I'll give that a go too!

rwidman · 06-23-2009, 03:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ethan

Good one Ron, never thought of re-applying. I'll give that a go too!

I'm not sure if it will let you or not. I updated mine three times because I didn't have all the devices installed at once. I think it did the original over but I'm not sure. It can't hurt to try.

Ethan · 06-24-2009, 02:42 AM

Garmin has responded again with a request. I copied the text so maybe others could help.

Ethan,

I talked to the day shift supervisor and discovered that there have been some reports. If you are willing to do the following, it would help a lot. I looked at your R199 & see it is a 2KW. When corresponding with me please put this in the subject line: Attn:Michael Ho, OCC – Marine

We have had some reports from customers that the 1 KW transducers are not working well with the GSD 22.
Engineering is looking to correct these issues quickly and need our help.

If you have a customer that is willing and able to help us collect data we would appreciate the assistance.

We need to record the sonar image from the GPSMAP 4xxx/5xxx units and have this sent to us. Here is the information to record the data.

The customer needs to have at least one 4000 or 5000 series MFD, a GSD22, an SD card of 250M or larger, and complete the following preparation steps.

Make sure you have updated to the latest 4000/5000 software which is on the web. Older versions do not have the recording interface.
The SD card must be initialized by writing user data to it at least once before you try to record:
Go to the Home screen
Select Information
Select User Data
Select Data Transfer
Select Card
Select Save to Card
Take the boat out to the areas/conditions where you’ve seen problems. When the problem occurs, do the following:
Make sure the SD card you prepared is in the unit.
Go to the Home screen
Select Configure
Select System
Select System Information
If there is a button on the screen called Diagnostics jump to step 8.
Turn on the diagnostics support
4000 Series – Press and Hold the MARK key until the Diagnostics button appears.
5000 Series – Touch the blank area just to the left of the Back button until the diagnostics button appears.
Select Diagnostics
Select Sonar
Select Start Recording
When you’ve seen a good sample of the problem on the screen select Stop Recording.
Recording can be done as many times as you wish or until you run out of card space. Each session will automatically record to a different file.
After collecting data, please copy all of the files in the folder \GARMIN\UserData on the SD card to a computer and email to you directly not through Kana.
Once you have the file email it to me along with what transducer is installed.
michael.houk@garmin.com
Michael H. |Marine Product Support Specialist
GARMIN International | + 1200 E 151st Olathe, KS 66062
) 1-800-800-1020| 4 913-440-8280

NoFearEyes · 06-24-2009, 04:46 AM

I see that they are looking at the 4xxx/5xxx sereis for this problem. I've got a 3210 and the GSD22 (with GMR41) and I'm experiencing the same issues.

I've installed the latest software but haven't tried turning off the AUTO setting for range on the SONAR. I'll try htat this weekend since the boat is on a trailer.

Anyone else have same configuration ad experiencing problem?

Will my 3210 record the diagnostic data lije the 4xxx/5xxx?

jfriess128 · 07-01-2009, 03:52 AM

I have had an problems with shallow water readings (<20') with the GSD-22 ever since I did the upgrade from 2.2 to 4.5. I have a 4208. Garmin eventually chnaged out the 4208 and GSD-22 on different RMAs and I chnaged the transdcuer at my cost and nothing helped. I could not get the Garmin rep to understand or acknowledge the problem, It is totally unusable under 20' and recently I had it lock up sitting at 45' on ancho1

Per you email here, I sent 9 different Sonar files to Michael Houk at Garmin on 6-26-09. He acknowedged the receoipt, but no fixes yet.

rwidman · 07-01-2009, 05:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jfriess128

I have had an problems with shallow water readings (<20') with the GSD-22 ever since I did the upgrade from 2.2 to 4.5. I have a 4208. Garmin eventually chnaged out the 4208 and GSD-22 on different RMAs and I chnaged the transdcuer at my cost and nothing helped. I could not get the Garmin rep to understand or acknowledge the problem, It is totally unusable under 20' and recently I had it lock up sitting at 45' on ancho1 .

My new 5208s and GSD22 have been working fine so far. Readings down to 7'. I have the Airmar oil filled shoot through the hull transducer but it's only temporarily set on the inside of the hull and held in place with a sandbag.

Software on all units is the latest version.

john3976 · 07-01-2009, 06:18 AM

To the poster who's weather does not work it is because you need to up grade your software, you say you are way back in 3. something range.

Your XM weather box requires a software update to 2.90 in order to work with 4000 and 5000 series plotters.

If you upgrade your plotter software with the new software it will also upgrade your XM weather box at the same time.

Many features have been added to these units over the upgrades.

Again your XM weather box does not have the current software in it so it won't talk to your 4000 or 5000 series plotter, the plotter will show the subscription is there but the box can't talk to the plotter with the weather data until you do the software upgrade. I bet your XM weather box shows a software under 2.90.

Do not confuse the XM weather box software with your chart plotters software they are different, if your chart plotter is really at 3. something as you say then your XM weather box will not have the current 2.90 it needs.

rwidman · 07-01-2009, 06:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by john3976

...................
If you upgrade your plotter software with the new software it will also upgrade your XM weather box at the same time. ........................

Yes.

Whenever you update the software, it is important to have all the devices on the network turned on and operating. The update program will update the software on any networked device that needs it. The version number will not be the same for each device as some have been updated more often than others.

If you add a new device, you must run the update program again so the new device will also have the latest software and be compatible with the rest of the system.