Garmin 705 users: heads up!

[OakLeaf]

If you are currently using firmware version 2.60 and you are not having any problems, DO NOT upgrade to firmware version 2.70.

New firmware has a bug that *on some units* corrupts all newly created history data.

[ccnyc]

The new firmware corrupted our weekend ride history on both of our Garmin 705s. My DH got a file from Garmin to restore to the previous firmware, but even though we can see our ride data in the unit itself we still can't download it to Garmin Training Center or Ascent.

[Thorn]

Good to know. I recently updated my unit (through 2.6). Two weekends ago it lost 18 miles of track on a 70 miler (overall totals were correct, but the track had a large gap). I was going to update this weekend. Now I think I'll wait. Thanks

[OakLeaf]

My DH got a file from Garmin to restore to the previous firmware,

Wow, I asked the tech guy about that, and he said there was no such thing. I guess maybe they've made it available in the interim. Email support offered to exchange the unit, which I was planning to do, but if I can back-load 2.60 I'd rather do that than take my chances on one that someone else returned. Mine has been fairly free of the other issues that have plagued the 705s.

Guess I'll call them again. CC, have your 705s been working okay since you re-installed 2.60?

At least I have the Forerunner 301 for backup.

[ccnyc]

The Garmin tech guy offered the software restore. I guess the guy you talked to wasn't up to speed. It seems to be working just like it did previously. If you PM me I can send you the file.

[OakLeaf]

I called again after reading your post and I've got it. He actually forwarded me a copy of the entire email that went to the tech support team, which was just dated this afternoon.

Hopefully it'll work now. I wish I'd known to back up my routes, though they're all on Mapmyride and I can get them, just more of a PITA. Anyway, thanks.

[sundial]

Oakleaf, thanks for the heads up.

[BabyBlueNTulsa]

Wow thanks for the info! I just turned my unit on to look what I had... I only have 2.1! Whoa! How'd I miss getting so many if they're already up to 2.7? (obviously I don't want 2.7)..

[djgafi]

good to know, thanks for the alert...

this is just crazy, why releasing an update with a bug?

thanks girls, hope you can get back to using it normally

xm

[MrSalsa]

Garmin sent me an email admitting that their firmware is broken but did not offer to give me the old version. they are "working on a fix".

WARNING: computer geek info alert

I was able to fix two corrupted ride files from my Edge 705 using the free program firstobject xml editor

The files are stored in .tcx files a directory called History on the Garmin.
A typical .tcx trackpoint looks like:

<Trackpoint>
<Time>2008-07-05T18:20:01Z</Time>
<Position>
<LatitudeDegrees>47.577279</LatitudeDegrees>
<LongitudeDegrees>-122.139872</LongitudeDegrees>
</Position>
<AltitudeMeters>97.711</AltitudeMeters>
<DistanceMeters>0.384</DistanceMeters>
<HeartRateBpm>
<Value>144</Value>
</HeartRateBpm>
</Trackpoint>

You are looking for <tags> that don't match up to </tags>. When you open the file in firstobject it will give an error at the bottom of the window that lists the offending tag and where it is in the file. It helps if you use the Tools>Align menu option to list the tags in sequential order with line breaks between them. Find the bad spot and delete <tags> until all of the <Trackpoint>...</Trackpoint> sets are complete. Then the file will probably load into Training Center once you save it.

If the problem is missing information in the file header or footer you can copy that part from a good file and edit it to have the correct start date, distance, duration, etc. to make a valid tcx file. That method can also be used to convert an orphan .dat lap file in the History>Laps directory into a valid .tcx file.