+2SweetTs Posted October 2, 2008 Share Posted October 2, 2008 I'm feeling rather stupid right now. My husband and I just started caching this week, so we are newbies to this. I have a Garmin etrexH which I can input coordinates by hand, but just bought gillson (garmin compatible) cords from amazon so I could connect from my computer's USB port directly to the unit. Can't seem to download anything from geocaching.com or garmin.com even with the garmin communicator that I put on the computer. My computer doesn't recognize I have a GPS and the tech lady on the phone says I need some mapping software. When I look at Garmin's website at the Trip and Waypoint manager (http://www8.garmin.com/cartography/mapSource/tripandwaypoint.jsp), it doesn't show just the etrexH model as compatible, but a bunch of the other etrex models are listed. All I want to do is download the waypoint from geocaching.com or garmin.com and I can't seem to get any help from anybody. What do I do? Quote Link to comment
+2SweetTs Posted October 2, 2008 Author Share Posted October 2, 2008 Oops, didn't mean to do this again. I got an error message the first time I tried to submit, so backed up and tried again. Quote Link to comment
+wkmccall Posted October 3, 2008 Share Posted October 3, 2008 I'm feeling rather stupid right now. My husband and I just started caching this week, so we are newbies to this. I have a Garmin etrexH which I can input coordinates by hand, but just bought gillson (garmin compatible) cords from amazon so I could connect from my computer's USB port directly to the unit. Can't seem to download anything from geocaching.com or garmin.com even with the garmin communicator that I put on the computer. My computer doesn't recognize I have a GPS and the tech lady on the phone says I need some mapping software. When I look at Garmin's website at the Trip and Waypoint manager (http://www8.garmin.com/cartography/mapSource/tripandwaypoint.jsp), it doesn't show just the etrexH model as compatible, but a bunch of the other etrex models are listed. All I want to do is download the waypoint from geocaching.com or garmin.com and I can't seem to get any help from anybody. What do I do? If you haven't done this yet - and it kind of sounds like this might be it - try adding the Garmin USB drivers to your computer. You can get them here on their download page. Quote Link to comment
+2SweetTs Posted October 3, 2008 Author Share Posted October 3, 2008 If you haven't done this yet - and it kind of sounds like this might be it - try adding the Garmin USB drivers to your computer. You can get them here on their download page. I've tried to add this, but the directions they give don't work with my computer. I'm supposed to tell the new hardware wizard "no, not this time" and then say next to the recommended install. It says to do this twice, but I can only do it once. It doesn't want to seem to load. Any ideas? I tried uninstalling what I had to get the new hardware wizard to even show up, but nothing seems to work. Quote Link to comment
+johnling Posted October 3, 2008 Share Posted October 3, 2008 If you haven't done this yet - and it kind of sounds like this might be it - try adding the Garmin USB drivers to your computer. You can get them here on their download page. I've tried to add this, but the directions they give don't work with my computer. I'm supposed to tell the new hardware wizard "no, not this time" and then say next to the recommended install. It says to do this twice, but I can only do it once. It doesn't want to seem to load. Any ideas? I tried uninstalling what I had to get the new hardware wizard to even show up, but nothing seems to work. Install the USB drivers with your unit unplugged from the computer. After install is complete plug in the unit. You computer should recognize the new USB device and it will then find those installed drivers and set up your unit. Hope this does it for you. Quote Link to comment
+2SweetTs Posted October 3, 2008 Author Share Posted October 3, 2008 Install the USB drivers with your unit unplugged from the computer. After install is complete plug in the unit. You computer should recognize the new USB device and it will then find those installed drivers and set up your unit. Hope this does it for you. Okay, maybe I'm trying the wrong driver? USB Drivers software version 2.2.1 is the one I'm trying, but it says I have to tun on and connect my GPS unit into the computer, but when I do, it doesn't recognize it. Now what? Quote Link to comment
+briansnat Posted October 3, 2008 Share Posted October 3, 2008 Moving to the appropriate forum where the experts lurk and may be able to help Quote Link to comment
+Corey Posted October 3, 2008 Share Posted October 3, 2008 The eTrex H doesn't use USB, it uses a serial connection. I'm not sure if Garmin Communicator will work with it. What you can do is download the LOC files of caches and use GPSBabel to send them to your GPS (assuming you have a way to connect it to your computer). Quote Link to comment
+2SweetTs Posted October 3, 2008 Author Share Posted October 3, 2008 OK, I'm ready to throw the unit and it's cords in the trash. Garmin programs don't recognize the unit is even plugged in, even though the device manager says it is. The Babel program at least recognized this, but being that I'm new at this, how am I suppose to set it up? What's the input and what's the output? I'm trying GPS TrackMaker right now. Hoping to have some luck, but need some sleep b/f I send this thing our the window. Quote Link to comment
Motorcycle_Mama Posted October 3, 2008 Share Posted October 3, 2008 When you got the USB-Serial converter cable, it should have come with drivers? Did you install those drivers? Does the port show up in your Device Manager? Quote Link to comment
+2SweetTs Posted October 3, 2008 Author Share Posted October 3, 2008 The USB - Serial Cord came with a driver, but my computer said it wasn't XP logo verified and not to run it, so I downloaded the one online from the same manufacturer that was. I didn't get a driver for the GPS - Serial cord. Am I supposed to have a driver for that too? I thought the Garmin drivers would work, but it won't let me get to the install screen until it recognizes the gps is connected, which it doesn't with the first drive intalled or uninstalled. Quote Link to comment
+coggins Posted October 3, 2008 Share Posted October 3, 2008 (edited) The USB - Serial Cord came with a driver, but my computer said it wasn't XP logo verified and not to run it, so I downloaded the one online from the same manufacturer that was. I didn't get a driver for the GPS - Serial cord. Am I supposed to have a driver for that too? I thought the Garmin drivers would work, but it won't let me get to the install screen until it recognizes the gps is connected, which it doesn't with the first drive intalled or uninstalled. Your USB to serial adapter will need the drivers to work. You don't need the Gamin USB drivers, you don't have a USB unit. The Garmin Communicator will work with the eTrex H under Windows just fine, does here... Have a look into installing the drivers for your adapter and configuring them. Then install the Communicator software. Use the Garmin Communicator test page to insure that it is working. Edited October 3, 2008 by coggins Quote Link to comment
+2SweetTs Posted October 3, 2008 Author Share Posted October 3, 2008 Your USB to serial adapter will need the drivers to work. You don't need the Gamin USB drivers, you don't have a USB unit. The Garmin Communicator will work with the eTrex H under Windows just fine, does here... Have a look into installing the drivers for your adapter and configuring them. Then install the Communicator software. Use the Garmin Communicator test page to insure that it is working. Please understand that I'm a techno-IDIOT! I truly won't be upset if you talk to me like I'm a first grader. I have a pretty good handle on finding things on the GPS unit itself, I just don't get downloads and configurations when they don't work the first time. I have the usb serial adapter downloaded, and it shows up under the device manager under port "COM 3". I have also downloaded the Babel program (I'm assuming this is the Communicator software?) but have no idea what to do with it. What's my input and what's my output? When I choose device, will it be "serial" or "com 3" - it seems whatever I try doesn't work because no program seems to think I have a GPS connected, even the Garmin test page. Why doesn't Garmin give a nice step by step explanation? Aaargh! I think of all the coordinates I could have input if I wasn't wasting so much time with this setup. How do I "configure" whatever I need to configure? Quote Link to comment
+coggins Posted October 3, 2008 Share Posted October 3, 2008 (edited) Your USB to serial adapter will need the drivers to work. You don't need the Gamin USB drivers, you don't have a USB unit. The Garmin Communicator will work with the eTrex H under Windows just fine, does here... Have a look into installing the drivers for your adapter and configuring them. Then install the Communicator software. Use the Garmin Communicator test page to insure that it is working. Please understand that I'm a techno-IDIOT! I truly won't be upset if you talk to me like I'm a first grader. I have a pretty good handle on finding things on the GPS unit itself, I just don't get downloads and configurations when they don't work the first time. I have the usb serial adapter downloaded, and it shows up under the device manager under port "COM 3". I have also downloaded the Babel program (I'm assuming this is the Communicator software?) but have no idea what to do with it. What's my input and what's my output? When I choose device, will it be "serial" or "com 3" - it seems whatever I try doesn't work because no program seems to think I have a GPS connected, even the Garmin test page. Why doesn't Garmin give a nice step by step explanation? Aaargh! I think of all the coordinates I could have input if I wasn't wasting so much time with this setup. How do I "configure" whatever I need to configure? I think you will need to setup your GPS with the following steps for you computer to work with it: MENU SETUP INTERFACE I/0 FORMAT = GARMIN I would hold off on GPS Babel until you get the "Send to Garmin" working. Edited October 3, 2008 by coggins Quote Link to comment
+2SweetTs Posted October 3, 2008 Author Share Posted October 3, 2008 It is set up for Garmin. Now what? Why won't anything read? Quote Link to comment
+Lovey Pigs Posted October 4, 2008 Share Posted October 4, 2008 (edited) OK, I'm ready to throw the unit and it's cords in the trash. Garmin programs don't recognize the unit is even plugged in, even though the device manager says it is. The Babel program at least recognized this, but being that I'm new at this, how am I suppose to set it up? What's the input and what's the output? I'm trying GPS TrackMaker right now. Hoping to have some luck, but need some sleep b/f I send this thing our the window. you can throw your unit my way! i think you will get this, between the drivers, ports, etc.. it took me alitte while to get my computer to 'find' my Etrex unit. hang in there!! (but if you do throw it our, remember me! ) Edited October 4, 2008 by Lovey Pigs Quote Link to comment
+2SweetTs Posted October 4, 2008 Author Share Posted October 4, 2008 Thanks for the encouragement, if you happen to recall those magic moves, let me know please! For now, I'll just have to keep plugging away by hand which is a bit tedious, and make some phone calls to the wonderful people that made this so difficult Quote Link to comment
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