Is my etrex 30 dead?

[Tortoise]

After I can't remember how many years, I'm having serious problems with my etrex 30. Last week it worked fine. This week, it wouldn't connect to satellites. I finally twigged that it said something like 'simulating' satellites. I managed to find in settings that it had switched to demo mode. Weird, but I'm quite capable of doing things I don't mean to do with technology. Fixed that, worked again. Next day, I had no maps displaying on it. Weird. I went into maps, and found they'd all been disabled. I selected enabled, which it now said they were, but still no display. All I had on the screen was the arrow showing where I was, and an arbitrary trace nearby that I must have recorded some time in the past. I tried 'Where to', to check if my waypoints were still there. It didn't give me the option of waypoints. I went to Waypoint Manager and it told me there were no results found.

Does anyone know what's happening? I'm thinking that even if there's an answer now, I probably won't be able to trust it again. Ta for any thoughts.

[tastrax]

Plug it in to a computer and then check if there are loads of old track files. Sounds like it may have run out of memory and is struggling to do everything. Look under the GPX folder. Maybe also remove, to a backup, any maps that you dont use regularly.

[Tortoise]

Thanks, Phil. I'll see what I can do with that.

[tastrax]

Quick check via 'This PC" on a windows machine

ETREXThisPC.JPG (15.29 KiB) Viewed 9293 times

You should see two drives if you have an SD card installed - do either look full or is there plenty of room?

[Tortoise]

Hi Phil,

I don't think I have an SD card. I have a Mac, which tells me I have 1.47 free out of 1.96 GB.

On my computer, under 'Data in etrex 30', all my waypoints and tracks are still there. The OSM is still on it too, according to my computer.

[Tortoise]

And I have the map back on my GPS, but in Waypoint Manager, I only get the following: "No results found. Try adjusting search parameters"

[Tortoise]

And my Tracks don't come up in Track Manager either. At least, there are some unnamed ones, going back 10 years. But not the ones I loaded. The computer tells me they're still there.

So yes, there are loads of old track files. But if I still have plenty of space, can that still be a problem?

[tastrax]

And I have the map back on my GPS, but in Waypoint Manager, I only get the following: "No results found. Try adjusting search parameters"

what happens in the waypoint manager if you press the menu button or back button?

[tastrax]

The back button should get you out of the waypoint manager search function that is displaying "no results found etc"

[Tortoise]

The back button should get you out of the waypoint manager search function that is displaying "no results found etc"

The back button just takes me back to the home menu (with choices of map, where to, compass, set up etc). As soon as I click on waypoint manager, it shows the 'no results' apparently without having done a search. I'm pretty sure it used to just bring up all the waypoints.

If I press the menu button when I'm in waypoint manager, it brings up 4 options: Spell search, search near, sort or delete all. No results found by those searches.

Some other odd things are happening with the back light disappearing without me changing anything, and after replacing the batteries (again) with the best ones yesterday, and only using it for a few minutes, I think I saw in my travels in the GPS that the battery is already down a zhing. That shouldn't happen. (It came up by accident and I can't remember how to find the battery level again.)

[peregrinator]

. . . I think I saw in my travels in the GPS that the battery is already down a zhing. That shouldn't happen. (It came up by accident and I can't remember how to find the battery level again.)

Indication of battery strength is shown by a Quick Press on the Light button (which is also the start-up button).

[tastrax]

Something suss going on. Seems to indicate that there are no waypoints on the device. Maybe just create one to see if that 'no results' goes away and you can see the new waypoint.

Maybe the best bet is to download Garmin Express, plug in the GPS and check if there is any updated firmware. Make sure batteries are new/fully charged when doing this.

I am not a MAC user so cant really help in that regard. How do you normally load waypoints and tracks? A quick press of the power button brings up the battery level and backlight settings.

[Tortoise]

Thanks, guys. Yes, it's showing that the battery is only 3 bars, and I'm pretty sure ( ) that it's normally 4 for new batteries. There is the space to show another bar.

How I normally load waypoints and tracks... hmm. Not good at explaining!
When I connect the GPS to the computer, the Garmin comes up, with its folders and files. I copy over the files from my computer into the appropriate folder. It still says that all the waypoints and tracks are there on the Garmin.

I made a new waypoint, which appears on the map, and is the only one visible in Waypoint Manager.
I now have the option of choosing a waypoint at the 'where to' menu on the home screen. But it's the only waypoint the GPS recognises.

[Redtail]

I would copy all the data to your computer, do a factory reset on the Garmin, and check that it's got the latest firmware.

On a Windows box, the software is Garmin Explorer that will do the check and download the firmware. I would assume there's a Mac version for that, too.

[peregrinator]

Thanks, guys. Yes, it's showing that the battery is only 3 bars, and I'm pretty sure ( ) that it's normally 4 for new batteries. There is the space to show another bar . . .

I'll try to get time to see if I can address you other questions, as unlike Phil, I am a Mac user so that might help.

Yes, four bars is what is displayed with full or full-ish capacity. Three bars is not an "only" in my experience. "Only" for me is one bar. But this is due to the fact that I usually leave the device off for most of my walking. Turn it on rarely for confirmation of what I already know. And even more rarely when I am genuinely confused. And I generally don't use it for recording a track.

I just read Redtail's comment. Seems like a good idea, unless there is data lurking on your device that you do not want to erase yet.

[tastrax]

My next question would be how do you create the waypoints that you load onto the GPS. It may be they are not recognised by Garmin for some reason.

[peregrinator]

After I can't remember how many years, I'm having serious problems with my etrex 30. Last week it worked fine. This week, it wouldn't connect to satellites. I finally twigged that it said something like 'simulating' satellites. I managed to find in settings that it had switched to demo mode. Weird, but I'm quite capable of doing things I don't mean to do with technology. Fixed that, worked again. Next day, I had no maps displaying on it. Weird. I went into maps, and found they'd all been disabled. I selected enabled, which it now said they were, but still no display. All I had on the screen was the arrow showing where I was, and an arbitrary trace nearby that I must have recorded some time in the past. I tried 'Where to', to check if my waypoints were still there. It didn't give me the option of waypoints. I went to Waypoint Manager and it told me there were no results found.

Does anyone know what's happening? I'm thinking that even if there's an answer now, I probably won't be able to trust it again. Ta for any thoughts.

Re-reading your initial post, I'm wondering about that sentence in the middle.

Fixed that, [it] worked again.

Do you mean that you checked the device after exiting demo mode, and were then able to connect to satellites? And then, on the following day, the weirdness set in?

[Tortoise]

That's correct. It worked fine after exiting demo mode. Got satellites, and everything else was normal. I assumed I somehow had done something that put it into demo mode. It's still possible, but weird. Given what happened later, I suspect it might have done it without me after all. Then it got weirder the next day, when I lost the maps, waypoints and tracks.

[Tortoise]

Thanks very much for your input, folks. Looks like I've got a great opportunity to buy a replacement one. I know they're very clunky, but at least I know the model, and I've got some big walks planned where I want to be more sure that I've got a reliable GPS. I'll follow your other advice to see if I can get more life out of it for a friend.

[tastrax]

I am sure we can find someone to look at it. They are pretty robust and I have had very few problems with them over many years (including use in sub Antarctic islands). I would be more than happy to have a look if you are down Hobart way at any time.

[tastrax]

If you would like a better button interface then I would suggest the Garmin 65 or 65S if you want the sensors. Not much dearer than the Etrex 32X

https://www.anacondastores.com/camping- ... ticoloured

[Tortoise]

I am sure we can find someone to look at it. They are pretty robust and I have had very few problems with them over many years (including use in sub Antarctic islands). I would be more than happy to have a look if you are down Hobart way at any time.

Thanks, Phil. That's very kind. Hope I can take you up on the offer sometime.

[Tortoise]

If you would like a better button interface then I would suggest the Garmin 65 or 65S if you want the sensors. Not much dearer than the Etrex 32X

I've had a very good offer on a second hand Etrex 30, which will do me for the upcoming season. Then I'll have time to really figure out what to do next.

[tastrax]

I have sent you a PM Tortoise.

[Tortoise]

Thanks, Phil.

[swills]

My etrex 30x died in June. It would fire up when connected to my computer, but not if it wasn't. Took it into Johnny Appleseed in Melb, the shop assistant tried everything he knew to get it started but no luck. He phoned Garmin in Syd. and all they could do was to sell me a reconditioned 30x for $150, so I bought one. I find it amusing that my 30 year old etrex 10 still works fine, but no maps.

[Tortoise]

My etrex 30x died in June. It would fire up when connected to my computer, but not if it wasn't. Took it into Johnny Appleseed in Melb, the shop assistant tried everything he knew to get it started but no luck. He phoned Garmin in Syd. and all they could do was to sell me a reconditioned 30x for $150, so I bought one. I find it amusing that my 30 year old etrex 10 still works fine, but no maps.

More evidence that they don't make things like they used to! I do like maps, though.

[Tortoise]

Replacement Etrex 30 bought from a kind member. That'll do me for now. Thanks, everyone.