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Magellan Explorist 200 "Contains No Maps"


SoloCraft

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:shocked: I'll give this a shot here. I have an explorist 200, used.

Error- "Unit Currently Contains No Maps! Intiating Map Upload"

 

No matter what I do I can't get past this screen.

I have a 4 pin cable that connects to the PC via a USB port. I have tried the Prolific USB drivers...to no avail. I have tried every secret handshake out there. Only one combination does anything.

Menu-Enter then Power. When I do that I get "Software Upload Mode Active".

 

I am really at wits end here. I talked to Magellan support today... They're not interested in supporting older units.

 

I've downloaded what I think are the right base maps. Basemap.mgi and/or NAbm112.mgi

 

The unit is used...(you guessed it...ebay). I have no CD...but do have a 210 CD from a friend.

 

If there is anyone that can help me fix this...please let me know. I really just want to go exploring...as opposed to re-engineering a gps unit.

 

Thank you,

God Bless,

Merry Christmas

SoloCraft

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:shocked: I'll give this a shot here. I have an explorist 200, used.

Error- "Unit Currently Contains No Maps! Intiating Map Upload"

 

No matter what I do I can't get past this screen.

I have a 4 pin cable that connects to the PC via a USB port. I have tried the Prolific USB drivers...to no avail. I have tried every secret handshake out there. Only one combination does anything.

Menu-Enter then Power. When I do that I get "Software Upload Mode Active".

 

I am really at wits end here. I talked to Magellan support today... They're not interested in supporting older units.

 

I've downloaded what I think are the right base maps. Basemap.mgi and/or NAbm112.mgi

 

The unit is used...(you guessed it...ebay). I have no CD...but do have a 210 CD from a friend.

 

If there is anyone that can help me fix this...please let me know. I really just want to go exploring...as opposed to re-engineering a gps unit.

 

Thank you,

God Bless,

Merry Christmas

SoloCraft

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Hello,

 

I do not believe you can add waypoints/maps to the Explorist 200. It does not have a cable receptacle. If you have the 210 then you should save your Mapsend region <22MB to the hard drive. Then, open Magellan Conversion Manager and transfer the map region to the GPS. You cannot send them directly as with many other GPS types. Also, when you get ready to send waypoints, remember only 200 or you get truncation messages. The manuals are on line if you want to do further research. Good Luck!

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Solocraft here...

The unit is definitly a yellow explorist 200 (two-hundred).

 

In the battery compartment there are 4 holes which allow access to a data/power array of 4 mating 'buttons'. The unit was shipped to me with a cable that interfaces nicely with this array and clamps down using the same D-ring screw that holds the battery cover on normally.

 

The unit remains undetected by my PC. I have tried to use the Megellan conversion manager and the geocach manager from the two-ten.

 

I have tried uploadGPSserial.exe (Which seems to be made for meridians)

 

Also,

The unit does not power off once it is power on. Either it needs to be disconnected from the usb... or the battery has to be removed. (The light doesn't work either)

 

I have a two-hundred (200) manual...and it doesn't make any reference to connecting it to PC's

 

Oh...

Holding goto-enter then power give me a 'black' screen, but freezes there.

 

Thannks again,

Solocraft

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There's no info in your manual for connecting the Explorist 200 to a PC is because it was not designed for that. The cable you have was developed by hackers. It's PROBABLY this one (though there were a few other types made):

 

<http://pc-mobile.net/mex100.htm>

 

...and you might be able to find driver info on PC Mobile's site -- even though they don't support it and refer you to the infamous Rhamphorinkx site full of broken links.

 

Getting the cable to work would be your first order of business, but I'm not sure which drivers you'll need. But if you can find them (perhaps someone else here has played with that cable? (Robert Lipe?)) you should be able to use the "secret menu" functions

 

<http://www.gpsfaqs.org/faqs/magellan/explo...documented.html>

 

to get the unit back into basemap upload mode to restore the missing file.

 

Hope that's at least SOME help. Hope you didn't drop too much on eBay for this one.

Edited by lee_rimar
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If that's to be it...

Then it's back to ebay. There are hackers out there that can make this thing sing I'm sure. I'm a mech eng...so I'm a little out of my league here.

I'll give a bit more of a warning in my listing than what was provide for me.

 

Thanks for all of your help.

Merry Christmas,

Solocraft

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...back to ebay...
Before you do that, would you consider sending it to me to take a look at? You pay shipping this way, and I'll pay to send it back.

 

I'm not making any promises - it just sounds like an interesting problem and I'd like to see what I can do with it.

 

If I can fix it, cool -- if not, you're only out one-way shipping.

Edited by lee_rimar
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Yes...

If it doesn't sell...I'd more than welcome the help and be glad to pay the shipping both ways. (If it does sell...you might see the same note on here posted by someone else...) It is an interesting problem.

There does seem to be a Vista driver out there for the two-ten (210). There's a chance that would work for the 200 as well. I might get a chance to try this later today at my Dad's, since I don't have Vista myself...(Thank God!)

 

Enjoy your Christmas.

Thanks

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To OP,

 

If you haven't sold your 200 yet, you may want to visit the file section of yahoo's Explorist's group and see whether the two following two folder and files are of help to you:

1. Firmware in hex for bricked units

2. Explorist 200 fw-bm part1.rar

3. Explorist 200 fw-bm part2.rar

 

They seem to come from the Rhamphorinkx group. It comes with instructions and the magup software that would allow you to recover from your explorist 200.

 

Clement

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