Malsingmaps Forum

First of all, credit and thanks must be accorded to neadrenalin of gpspassion for writing the Firmware patches and popej of garniak.pl for writing the wnutrak.exe software to convert the tracklogs to gdb files which Mapsource can read.

This procedure applies to
Nuvi 2x0s with HWIDs 0660 & 0834,
Taiwan Nuvi 2x0Ws with HWID 0780 (New)
Nuvi 2x0Ws with HWIDs 0737 & 0835
Nuvi 2x5s with HWID 0851 (New)
Nuvi 2x5Ws with HWID 0827 (New)
Taiwan Nuvi 7x0s with HWID 0836 (New)
Nuvi 7x0s with HWID 0754 (New).
Nuvi 7x5s with HWID 0870 (New).

Patches for the above HWIDs to write the Logs into the SD cards instead of the internal memory are also available NOW

Do not apply these patches on units with HWIDs different from the above as you may permanently damage your GPS.

Before you get all excited and start patching your GPS units, here are some words of caution. If you patch your unit with FW patches written for different Hardware IDs (HWID), your unit may be permanently damaged. It is prudent that you fully backup everything in your GPS unit before you begin flashing your FW even if it is written for your HWID.

1. Determine what is your HWID
i. Google in the Internet for g7towin utility
ii. Download and unpack it
iii. Run and select in Configuration - USB connection.
iv. Put GPS in Diagnostic (Service) Mode (touching battery icon for 10 sec) then attach it to your PC
v. Run application command - from menu 'gps' - > get gps id

Links to download the patches:

Nuvi 2x0 HWID = 0660 (Logs written in main memory)
Nuvi 2x0 HWID = 0660 (Logs written in SD memory; file size 2827422 bytes)
Nuvi 2x0 HWID = 0834 (Logs written in main memory)
Nuvi 2x0 HWID = 0834 (Logs written in SD memory; file size 2811144 bytes)


Nuvi 2x0W HWID = 0780 (Taiwan Units; Logs written in main memory; file size 4089979 bytes.)
Nuvi 2x0W HWID = 0780 (Taiwan Units; Logs written in SD memory; file size 4090000 bytes.)

Nuvi 2x0W HWID = 0737 (Logs written in main memory)
Nuvi 2x0W HWID = 0737 (Logs written in SD memory; file size 2654429 bytes)
Nuvi 2x0W HWID = 0835 (Logs written in main memory)
Nuvi 2x0W HWID = 0835 (Logs written in SD memory; file size 2624233 bytes)

Nuvi 2x5 HWID = 0851 (Logs written in internal memory) This patch can also be applied to Nuvi 2x0 units with the new 'Glamour Menu'
Nuvi 2x5 HWID = 0851 (Logs written in SD memory; file size 4699797 bytes) This patch can also be applied to Nuvi 2x0 units with the new 'Glamour Menu'

Nuvi 2x5W HWID = 0827 (Logs written in both SD and internal memory; file size 9369321 bytes) This patch can also be applied to Nuvi 2x0W units with the new 'Glamour Menu'. You have to choose whether you wish the Logs to be written into the internal memory or the SD card.

Nuvi 7x0 HWID = 0754 (FW v3.10; Logs written in internal memory)
Nuvi 7x0 HWID = 0754 (FW v3.10; Logs written in SD memory; file size 3843299 bytes)
Nuvi 7x0 HWID = 0754 (FW v4.60; Logs written in internal memory)
Nuvi 7x0 HWID = 0754 (FW v4.60; Logs written in SD memory; file size 3829992 bytes)

Nuvi 7x0 HWID = 0836 (FW v3.10; Taiwan units; Logs written in internal memory; file size 5229890 bytes)
Nuvi 7x0 HWID = 0836 (FW v3.10; Taiwan units; Logs written in SD memory; file size 5229840 bytes)

Nuvi 7x5 HWID = 0870 (FW v3.30; Logs written in internal memory)
Nuvi 7x5 HWID = 0870 (FW v3.30; Logs written in SD memory; file size 6666949 bytes)

Access to the Logging Control Menu for the Nuvi 7x0W units: press on speedometer for 5-10 seconds and then press on 'Del' ('Dump') button and you are in the Logging Control Menu.

Regardless of the current version of firmware that is now in your unit, it will be upgraded or downgraded to the version of the patch. Thereafter, please do not use WebUpdater.exe to update your firmware to another version for you may lose the feature the patches activate.

3. Applying the patch
a) Unzip the patches into a folder in your PC. Updater.exe will be among the 3 files unzipped. It will be a good idea to at this time connect your GPS to your PC by USB cable and copy everything from your GPS memory to your PC to serve as a back-up.
b) Delete the file GUPDATE.GCD from the \Garmin folder in your GPS
c) Disconnect your GPS from your PC
d) The patch must be applied while the GPS is in the Pre-boot Mode or in the Diagnostic Mode. There are 2 ways to enter the Pre-boot Mode:
i. Move the power switch of your unit to ON and hold it for more than 30 seconds in the ON position. You are in the pre-boot mode when you see the LOADER message. Keep holding the switch to ON and connect your USB cable. Wait for 3-5 seconds or longer for your PC to recognise your unit. After the drivers are loaded (your PC will beep), run the updater.exe file and release the power switch only when you see data being transferred from your PC to your unit. Wait for the LOADING or flashing to complete uninterrupted.

ii. If you get a calibration screen inviting you to press the dot when you held the power switch for more than 30 seconds then you have to use this alternative method. Hold the switch to ON for only 5 seconds then connect the USB cable, wait for 3-5 seconds or longer for your PC to recognise your unit. After the drivers are loaded (your PC will beep), run the updater.exe and release the power switch only when you see data being transferred to your unit. Wait for the LOADING or flashing to complete uninterrupted. If the calibration screen comes on before you can run the updater.exe, it means you have held the switch to ON for too long (more than 30 seconds). Switch off the unit and start over.

e) If the above 2 methods do not work for you, switch on normally and then touch the battery icon for 10 seconds for the unit to get into the Diagnostic Mode. (Incidentally, you can charge your battery with your PC using a USB cable if you plug the USB cable in when the unit is in the Diagnostic Mode.) Then connect the USB cable, wait for 3-5 seconds or longer for your PC to recognise your unit. Run the updater.exe. Wait for the LOADING or flashing to complete uninterrupted.

f) For Nuvi 7s please use the following method:

1. Have the updater program running
2. With nuvi off, slide the power switch to the right-hand, locked position
3. Press and hold the screen
4. Plug in the USB cable. Your computer may need to go through the "Found New Hardware" routine to install the drivers if the OS cannot find them.
5. Updater should automatically detect the nuvi on the USB cable
6. Press "OK" and let the updating proceed uninterrupted.

4. Recording tracks

When loading of the patched firmware is complete, you can start your unit normally. At the map screen, touch the Speed window, at the bottom left-hand corner of the screen.

This will be the resultant screen:


Touching the speedometer will bring you to the screen below:


And when you press the "Next" button.......


The Start Recording Button is only active when you are logged onto the satellites i.e. ready to navigate. The time will be automatically updated when you have satellite lock. There will be a <STOP> button on your map screen for you to touch any time you wish to stop the recording. You will not see a trace your track displayed on the map.

After the recording is completed, you can either go back to the Logging Control Screen and touch on the Start Playback button to view a replay of your track at the speed and actual time you took to record the track or connect your GPS to your PC to convert the recorded track log to gpx files for your MapSource to display.

When you touch the Playback button, you will see a replay of your track at the speed and actual time you took to record the track.

To convert the recorded data into gpx files that MapSource can read, download the wnutrak016.zip from HERE which is the required software to do the conversion.

The GUI of wnutrak.exe is very simple and all you got to do is specify the INPUT folder as <Drv>:\Garmin\Logs (depending on which drive letter your OS has assigned) in your GPS unit (connected to your PC) or in your SD card (if you have chosen the patch that writes to SD cards). For OUTPUT, firstly create a folder in your PC to store your gdb track files and then select that folder.

I hope this explanation is clear enough. Have fun.

Hi jason. Any patches for the 205W? Specificly with ID 827.

hi Noah,

Sorry, as the 205W already has the native Trip Log capability, nobody is working on creating a patch for it. The patched 2x0 Nuvis record tracks with 1 second frequency which is far superior to the 205's Trip Log.

Thanks Jason. Yes, I am aware of the superior tracklogging capability of the 200 compared to the 205 series. Some have even returned their brand new 205 to exchange for a 200 for this very reason. Thanks again.

Hi Noah,

You are most welcome.

It is not just the N200 and N200W that will benefit from this hidden feature but also the N250, 260, 270 etc. and their wide-screen variants. I have personally patched a Nuvi 260 in addition to 2 Nuvi 200.

hi jason...thanks for the info but i'm not sure if i do it right...i own nuvi 260w and my older ver is 3.00 i already do what u told me to do..

then when i check the software ver , it show my ver is 4.00 but i can still see the hidden track function...i'm not sure if this is the correct ver to do a tracking since AFAIK only ver 3.4 can do the tracking..

Hi disc,

FW v3.40 was originally from Garmin and not a patched or hacked firmware. It was then discovered that Nuvi 2x0s running on that version could record tracks and this news spread. Garmin then quickly introduced a new FW v3.60 or v3.80 and all those who had their FW updated could not revert back to v3.40. The latest firmware for the Nuvi 2x0W is v4.00 and Nuvi 2x0 is v5.00.

Patches are now available to make the v4.00 for Nuvi 2x0W and v5.00 for Nuvi 2x0 able to record tracks just like the v3.40 could for the Nuvi 2x0s but even better. There is now no need to touch the speedometer for 10 seconds before the 'Start Recording' button appears. It is now instantaneous.

As long as you have Nuvi 2x0W and Nuvi 2x0 with the correct HWIDs, you can patch your units and enable this track recording feature. Don't worry that you are not getting v3.40 because that is already history.

Once you have successfully patched, you can start recording 1-sec tracks with no limit. Hand-helds have a 10,000-track-point limit and once reached, older track points are over-written by newer ones. The patched Nuvis do not have such limits (only limit is available internal memory) and 1 MB of internal memory can store more than 10 hours of tracking. If you do not intentionally stop the recording when you switch off, a new track will be started when you next switch on the unit.

It will be good if you report your success in patching as there may be many others waiting for such news before they attempt to patch their own units.

My patched Nuvi 200 has got a new life now and I am glad I did not pay a lot more for other units that can do less.

Mine's a Taiwan with HWID 760 but I've already upgraded the software to v4.10. Although my unit is a N200, it's detected as a N250?


Hope the patch can be out soon.

<PartNumber>006-B0760-00</PartNumber>
<SoftwareVersion>410</SoftwareVersion>
<Description>nüvi 250</Description>

Actually, the tracklogging capability of 205 series is not that bad...

It is smart enough to record at 1 sec interval on bendy roads... On straight roads, I think it drop off the data when there is not much changes in elevation and/or course... Basically, there is no fixed interval on the logging which I got for my recent trips in Malaysia...

Thanks for the info...so my ver 4.00 is the latest one,right?...

1 more thing,what u mean by no need to touch the speedometer??.how to do that??..