Garmin GPS not seen by PC for update...

[Warm_in_NH]

I have an older Garmin Nuvi 255W Gps. I used to update the maps by downloading them onto an SD card and transferring them to the GPS.

Now Garmin has two programs that allow you to plug the GPS straight to the PC and update automatically. Garmin Express and another older map updater program.

When I plug the GPS into the PC the GPS shows a picture of the GPS with a tether to a PC tower and a green "loading" bar that takes about a minute to "fill up". Then it turns itself on like normal and that's it. The PC doesn't see it at all, not in the "my computer" section as a storage device, nothing there. Both Garmin apps don't see it either.

I've googled the issue and haven't come up with any fixes yet other than the obvious turn off/on, plug/unplug, change USB ports, etc...

I'd be happy doing it the old school way and put the maps on the SD card and swap it over that way, but I don't see where that's an option anymore either.

Anyone have any experience with this? Not the end of the world, it's just sometimes I'm driving "off road" when I go into newer developments or I'll get really twisted up in cities that have changed their highway routes recently (Providence).

Thanks.

 

[Warm_in_NH]

Got it!

Turns out the cable that looks like the right cable wan't the right cable, just right enough to fit and fool me and the gps but not the PC. Right cable plugged in now, all is good.

 

[Bad Wolf]

Thats the unit I have. Do you have to pay for the updates?

 

[Warm_in_NH]

Thats the unit I have. Do you have to pay for the updates?

Nope. They're free but you'll need a Garmin cable to plug it into your PC.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B0023Y1INY

Then just go to Garmin Web site and download their update program and it does it for you. Although since it's an older unit and the new maps have so much more info it made me choose a "region" instead of being all of US and Canada. So my "Region" is the lower 48 states. That covers about 99.9% of my driving.

Just make sure u get the right cable. I used one from a newer gps that my gf has. I had another cable that fit, same pin configuration and everything but it was a no go for some reason, this my initial post