nuvi 270 problem resolved

A few weeks ago, I posted with a problem I was having connecting/updating my
nuvi 270.
As I've found the problem, or at least a work-around, I thought I'd post
back here in case it helps someone else.

My nuvi is over a year old, and as I'm planning a trip into unfamiliar
areas, I thought it would be wise to update the maps and software.
I had successfully updated it last year, so I knew how to do it, I thought.

When I connected it to my PC, the unit went into data mode...for about 4 - 5
seconds and then turned off.
The Garmin Webupdater did not see any device.
I tried two computers, and three or four cables, same thing.

I posted here, but no one had seen this problem.

I emailed Garmin tech support, and a day later, I received a response that I
needed a USB cable, and I could buy one at WalMart, etc.
Obviously, they did not read or understand my problem, and gave me the first
canned response they had to the word 'connect'.
Useless.

I started thinking of what was different from last year when I was
successful and today.
Obviously, there had been many Windows updates, and like changes with the
PC, but I didn't think that would cause this.
I then remembered I had added an SD card for images to the unit.
I removed the card, and the problem disappeared!

So, problem solved, unit updated and all is well. But, I cannot imagine why
the SD card prevents the unit from working in data mode?!

I hope this is of help,

Jack R.

OK, I'll take a guess. If you were to use maps from another country on your
US default unit, it would look for the information on an SD card. Probably
the default in the firmware is to look for an SD card, first, computer
second.

Jack R wrote:

I've had some sort of strange things happen when I used SD or microSD
cards that were larger than a computer would recognize or larger than
the Garmin receiver would recognize. The computers (a few years old)
encountered memory card too large then would just sort of go stupid and
that seem to infringe on the tranquility of the Garmin Computer
Connected or Mass Storage modes.

Using a newer card reader on a USB port let me look at the newer larger
cards on a laptop computer with older memory card reader firmware that
did not have any apparent path for firmware upgrades.

Jack

Thanks, Ed and Jack for your replies.
I agree it is probably the device looking at the SD card for maps, and
finding none, turns off.
At least I got beyond it, no thanks to Garmin support.
Jack R.