G1000 - how to update DB

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gsontheimer
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Re: G1000 - how to update DB

Post by gsontheimer »

SD cards are 2GB max., the 4 GB SD cards are non-standard, as there was never a standard finalized for 4GB SD cards. The Garmin bottom SD card readers can only read SD cards, they can not handle SDHC. I am not sure whether Garmin could provide a software/firmware update to correct this, but they have not done it when releasing the .23 System Software last year, so I suspect it is a hardware limitation.

The Garmin cards are SanDisk cards.

On eBay you will be able to buy 2 GB and 4 GB SD cards, still. Buy several! And on 2 GB everything fits, even with high resolution terrain and worldwide data bases.
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Tim H
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Re: G1000 - how to update DB

Post by Tim H »

Just to close the loop on my data card issues.

Contrary to what Jeppesen told me, the old database does not remain on the card until the new database is added.

I took the cards to my Garmin dealer who was able to load older versions of the terrain and obstacle databases back onto my -41 cards. I tested them and they work.

Be forewarned, the -41 cards WILL NOT hold the latest version of terrain, obstacle and SafeTaxi.

Thanks to Chris and Gerhard for your help and advice.

Tim
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Bill A.
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Re: G1000 - how to update DB

Post by Bill A. »

I'm now trying to get a new subscription set up on Garmin. I'm using the PNY 2GB SD cards - I download just the NAV database to see if I could get that to update (wanted to make sure I fully understood the lower slot PFD/MFD variables before I started that).

So, I downloaded the NAV maps using a MAC. The cards were formatted as FAT and the files appeared to download just fine. Put the cards into the PFD (and then also tried the MFD) and got a "failure" message. I reread what I could find and saw that there are sometimes issues with using MAC as the download platform (although Garmin has a MAC based download tool).

I just finished using a PC to download the NAV databases and noticed that the file structures are different. Specifically the PC uses all hidden files. The MAC version had hidden files and several unhidden files; one file that had a description that included something related to a "mac bin file".

After doing some more reading, I'm going to download everything to the two MFD/PFD bottom slot cards and see what happens in the morning. The cards will have everything but the basemap (which looks like a new version for 2014). I'll report back.

Also, just out of curiosity - what is contained in the basemap? And why would it change (assuming it has something to do with a base map which would logically be static)?
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Tim H
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Re: G1000 - how to update DB

Post by Tim H »

There are two “sets” of databases.

The NAV data is loaded via an SD card from the upper slot of the PFD and MFD and stored internally in the G1000. Once the NAV data is loaded, remove the SD card.

The Terrain, Obstacle, Safe Taxi, Charts, etc are stored on individual (Garmin Proprietary) SD cards in the lower slots of the PFD and MFD. These cards must remain in the G1000 in order to have access to the data.

The Basemap is stored internal to the G1000 and contains country and state boarders.

To update the NAV data:

First time only:

Format one 2 GB SD cards as FAT (make sure it is an SD card)

Load the formatted card in the upper slot of the MFD and power up the G1000 and avionics master.

After the G1000 boots up, shut it down.

You only have to do this once with the new card, the following steps are repeated for each new NAV data cycle:

Load the NAV data onto the card using Jeppesen JSUM

Load the card in the upper slot of the PFD and power up the G1000. The G1000 will ask you if you want to load the NAV data and you press “yes” a couple of times.

Turn off the G1000.

Remove the NAV data card from the upper slot of the PFD and load it in the upper slot of the MFD.

Power up the G1000 and it will ask you if you want to load the NAV data and you press “yes” a couple of times.

Turn off the G1000 and remove the NAV card.

Turn on the G1000 and the NAV data should be updated.
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Re: G1000 - how to update DB

Post by CFIDave »

From your description it sounds like you bought a Jepp NavData subscription through Garmin rather than through Jeppesen. The advantage of this (rather than running the Jepp JSUM app on Windows, which is required if you bought NavData through Jeppesen) is that you can update your cards on a Mac -- no Windoze required. I do this as a longtime Mac user.

To update NavData on the card via a Mac:

Use Safari to go to http://www.flygarmin.com
Click on the "Database tab"
Find your active subscription for NavData and select
Insert your SDcard
Follow the Garmin website instructions.

Along the way, the site will tell you that your selected SDCard requires reformatting (it does this every month!). It will then give you the opportunity to download a small Garmin app: "Garmin Aviation Device Prep Utility." You need to run this app to properly format the SD Card. Once you've accomplished this, you can continue following the site's download instructions to load the latest month's NavData onto the SDcard.

To load the new NavData file into the G1000 (for NavData only), place the SDcard in the *upper* slot of the PFD, turn on the electric master to boot up the G1000, and follow the text message instructions on the PFD screen. After the G1000 has finished booting up, shutdown the G1000, take out the card, and place it into the *upper* slot of the MFD. Again turn on the electric master and follow the on-screen instructions on the MFD. After the G1000 has booted up again, shut down the G1000, remove the card, and save it for use next month.

Don't touch the bottom slot SDcards for NavData -- everything's done with the upper slots.
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Chris
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Re: G1000 - how to update DB

Post by Chris »

CFIDave wrote:The advantage of this (rather than running the Jepp JSUM app on Windows, which is required if you bought NavData through Jeppesen) is that you can update your cards on a Mac -- no Windoze required.
Jeppesen JSUM has been available for Mac OSX for a while now. Works just fine for me.

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Re: G1000 - how to update DB

Post by Gnomad »

Chris wrote:
CFIDave wrote:The advantage of this (rather than running the Jepp JSUM app on Windows, which is required if you bought NavData through Jeppesen) is that you can update your cards on a Mac -- no Windoze required.
Jeppesen JSUM has been available for Mac OSX for a while now. Works just fine for me.

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I'm also using JSUM on OSX since getting my DA42. It's pretty slick, big improvement over the clunky PC version I remember having to use for NavData, on my DA40, before all the pilot packs became available from Garmin.
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Re: G1000 - how to update DB

Post by Rich »

Chris wrote:
CFIDave wrote:The advantage of this (rather than running the Jepp JSUM app on Windows, which is required if you bought NavData through Jeppesen) is that you can update your cards on a Mac -- no Windoze required.
Jeppesen JSUM has been available for Mac OSX for a while now. Works just fine for me.

Sent from my slapped Moto X via Tapatalk
Yep - this was the last thing I had to use Windoze for and it went away the better part of 2 years ago, I believe.
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Re: G1000 - how to update DB

Post by PapaSierra »

Hi Rich,

I really like the end of your last post... "I believe"... as a solid PC user until about 5 years ago - I "believe" too!! Been loving Macs ever since. Once you switch you'll NEVER go back... they're that good. LOL

I have had some delays in getting my plane but it's 40.1100 with SVT, WAAS, SafeTaxi - all the apps installed. I bought the Jeppesen PilotPak with FlightCharts for two reasons: the geo-sync'd approach plates and taxi diagrams AND the fact that I could buy just the part of the US that I wanted. Jeppesen sells "East US" which includes the Bahamas for about $500 less than the whole US FlightCharts! This was a big savings as I live in So. Florida and can't see myself getting east of the Mississippi (even though their East US group included several states west of that river).

I have read many threads on updating G1000 units and can certainly see how so much confusion exists. I was speaking to a Garmin Aviation tech last week and he said that any SD card 4GB or less (again, not SDHC) will work fine. Brands are irrelevant (SanDisk, etc). Above 4GB is not readable by the device (and from my extensive IT background I would suggest that this limitation will never change on this hardware. It's not a firmware issue but a hardware limitation in the data bus of the card reader).

As for being able to make backups of the bottom-slot cards that's still up in the air. I believe that "some" of the posters above have had some luck in making working copies, but I'm willing to bet that Garmin has one or more hidden files on the bottom cards that are locked in the directory structure of the card. When you place these cards in the SD reader on your computer Garmin may very well read those hidden files and then when you run the "Prep" utility they replace them on the newly formatted card(s) before loading the needed files. Not sure about this, but in my 40+ years in the IT industry I've seen similar practices by other device and system manufacturers with regards to license protection.

A word of caution - As Bill Armstrong posted earlier, he noticed a "mac bin file" on a card. Both Windows and Mac OS and many apps as well, leave "litter" in your directory structure. These micro-sized files enable the OS or app to perform a bit faster next time and can be useful on a computer. However, if Garmin is sensitive to file structure, version and date stamps on files, etc, then such "litter" files might very well cause the G1000 to reject or otherwise not use the cards correctly. Not saying this is true - but don't be surprised if in your experimentation something like this causes problems. Even the examination of the files on a card can create a file or two in the root directory!

Paul

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Bill A.
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Re: G1000 - how to update DB

Post by Bill A. »

Update -

I'm using the PNY 2GB SD cards. The original packaging was very clearly marked as SD as is the card(s).

I've tried several of the various methods and for the NAV data in the top slot it comes back as "failed" and for the other databases in the lower slots it fails to boot.

I thought it had something to do with the formatting of the disk, so I've been playing around with the Apple Disk Utility trying to figure out if a "FAT" format on Apple is really a "FAT" format or a "FAT32" Format - and trying to figure out what an exFAT format is...

In any event, what I discovered is even though the cards are "SD" cards - Disk Utility is reading them as SDXC. I've now tried to confirm that a couple of ways and the spec sheets for the PNY product (specifically the PNY Premium 2GB card) indicate that the speed/class is "Standard" even though Disk Utility is reading it as an SDXC card. If I understand the documentation right the SDXC file formatting is exFAT, is designed for cards of 32GB or more, but is downwardly formatted all the way to 2GB. While the SDSC (Standard Capacity) has to be formatted in FAT12 or FAT16.

OMG - I think I need to head back to MIT and see if I can get some continuing education on what flash drive to buy... :scream:
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