60CSx just lost its memory

[Raymond]

Everything’s gone. Waypoints, loaded maps, etc. Not a huge deal, I have the waypoints saved on a map on the computer, so I can transfer them back in, but I know that when I do, the various symbols I had chosen for them will be gone, everything will be represented by the same symbol. The blue flag, I think.

I was just trying to access the USB mass storage, and the screen grayed out for a moment, then the unit began beeping at me (I always had the sound turned off), the Trip Computer page was all zeroes, and the Map page showed Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Wha’ hoppened?

 

[PeterM]

I don't think theres any possible way that your mini SD memory card lost its data - take the batteries out, the chip out, wait 5 min & reassemble. And hope it doesn't happen again - when you really need it.

Maybe a call to Garmin if they'll help, If it were me I'd want to know what happened and that I shouldn't see that again

good luck (btw I own a 60CSx as well)

 

[Mohamed Ellozy]

This used to happen to me occasionally. Take the memory card out, then re-install it. Probably slightly loose.

 

[Raymond]

You’re right! Thanks, fellows.

It still thinks I’m 80 miles over Tulsa, and my greetings page is gone, but at least I have my Active Log back.

 

[Raymond]

Huh. Waypoints are still gone, but the maps I had most recently loaded seem to be there.

Oh well.

That memory chip became dislodged a couple times while I was hiking, but I don’t remember everything disappearing like this; just the maps temporarily vanishing.

 

[MichaelJ]

This has happened to me. I *think* that having the card loose and so effectively connecting and disconnecting while the unit was on, made the unit panic and reset. So I would lose everything in built-in memory, but once I reseated the card would get my maps back.

Definitely go through all the settings, you may have made changes long ago that you've forgotten about and need to re-make (like the default "invisible" color for the current track).

 

[DougPaul]

If reseating the card isn't enough, there is also a reset (resets settings to their defaults) and a master reset (resets everything). You might want to remove the microSD card before resetting.

I don't have time to look them up right now, but the resets are performed by holding a key or several keys down while turning the unit on. (Enter+on gives a diagnostic screen.)

FWIW, there are two memories in the 60CSx: internal (software, tracks, waypoints) and the removable card (maps and optional day tracks).

Doug

 

[DougPaul]

Found a reference for the hard reset: page+enter+on (Haven't tried it myself.) Again, it might be a good idea to remove the microSD card before resetting.

Also, corrupt microSD cards can cause problems, so if the unit operates properly without the card (basemap only), but improperly with the card, you may need to erase and reload the maps onto the card.

Another possibility is that you might need to reload the software.
Latest version is 4.00 (GPSMAP60CSx_400.exe) and the latest version of the GPS chipset software is 3.00 (GPSChipsetTypeG_300.exe) . Available from http://www.gawisp.com/perry/agree.html or the Garmin website. (FWIW, I prefer to download the software and perform the update locally. IMO, more reliable than using Garmin's webupdater.)

Doug

 

[Raymond]

Well, it worked all right today. I had to reset my preferences, and the waypoints are definitely gone, but I can get them back in when I load the maps for the next time I go away. (I don’t have the nationwide 1:100,000 maps, just the National Parks East set, so I select the ones I think I’ll need and put them in, usually jockeying back and forth between the White Mountains and Adirondacks.)

 

[DougPaul]

Well, it worked all right today. I had to reset my preferences, and the waypoints are definitely gone, but I can get them back in when I load the maps for the next time I go away. (I don’t have the nationwide 1:100,000 maps, just the National Parks East set, so I select the ones I think I’ll need and put them in, usually jockeying back and forth between the White Mountains and Adirondacks.)

The entire NP East mapset is only ~340MB in ~930 segments. The entire mapset fits on a 1 or 2 GB card with lots of room to spare.

(The max number of map segments in the 60CSx is 2025.)

Doug

 

[Kevin Rooney]

The entire NP East mapset is only ~340MB in ~930 segments. The entire mapset fits on a 1 or 2 GB card with lots of room to spare.

(The max number of map segments in the 60CSx is 2025.)

Doug

I've found the capacity of my 60CSx is quite large. My mapset is shown below. I tried to add Canadian maps, but the upload didn't work. I suspect the reason is that MapSource can access either Topo US 2008 or Topo Canada v4, but not both at the same time.

 

[Peakbagr]

I have 3 mapsets on my hard drive. One for the entire eastern US and out towards the midwest, another for the western US and farther east, and another for the mountains, nat'l parks and anywhere else I'd like to hike.
One mapset is in one GPS and I keep another in a second unit.
Before, I just would download the mapset I needed any time I travelled.
I have about 1,950 to 2,000 maps in each mapset.

 

[DougPaul]

I've found the capacity of my 60CSx is quite large. My mapset is shown below. I tried to add Canadian maps, but the upload didn't work. I suspect the reason is that MapSource can access either Topo US 2008 or Topo Canada v4, but not both at the same time.

The capacity is limited by the size of the memory card (which can be up to 4 or 8 GB (don't remember which off hand)) or 2025 map segments. Some maps have big segments (small total number) and some have small segments (large total number: US Topo 2008, for instance, has 6616 total segments, 5172 ConUS segments).

I've had no problem combining segments from a variety of maps as long as I don't exceed the size or segment limits.

Doug

 

[Raymond]

The memory card that was included is only 128 MB. It will hold most of the Northeast maps, but not quite all (I had to leave out some maps around Acadia and the perimeter of the Adirondacks), and that doesn’t leave much room for saving active logs.

More importantly, I’ve just discovered that it is loose and doesn’t want to lock into place anymore.

I thought I was saving the data to the card, but there was no file there. Later, when I looked again to see if anything was saving, the option was grayed out. Still checked, but grayed out.

I haven’t been playing with the card, it’s always just sat there permanently in place or so I thought, so I don’t know how the locking mechanism could have broken.

Maybe a little piece of paper will hold it in place, if the batteries won’t.