How To Copy Garmin TopoActive Maps From GPS Device to Basecamp

[@robf5374]

Can you then copy these maps from basecamp to another garmin device? I have an etrex which gets these map updates free via garmin connect. I want to use these maps on my montana 680t instead of the outdated street mapping. I tried to copy the file from one sd card to the other but it didnt show in the montana map options

[@Hikingguy]

I don't think you can do that, but you can load free OSM maps onto as many as you'd like. I have a guide on my site.

[@robf5374]

@@Hikingguy OK, sorted it. locate 4 files in GARMIN folder (GMA file, DISC Image file, UNL file, GSD file ) on the card from the Garmin device which has Topoactive included (like my Etrex has) copy and paste them onto the card for the new garmin device. This will be the folder named GARMIN that stores any other mapping you have. Works as expected, shows in the list of available maps to use in the menu where you can enable or disable them.

[@Hikingguy]

@@robf5374 Ha that is awesome, thank you for sharing. I'll pin that comment to the top - sure it will help others.

[@skinnie88]

I've done it in the past and it worked. From my 945 lte to my etrex 30x. Crazy thing is that after that the etrex 30x started showing updates for maps on garmin express. PS: not from basecamp, you just copy and drop the .img files from one device to the other

[@skinnie88]

Thank you, great tutorial! Made my day. Can't really understand why Garmin allows City Navigator Maps to be installed to basecamp using Express but not Topoactive

[@upward-trend]

Awesome. Worked perfectly. I also found out a simpler method (Windows and Garmin 945 watch) 1 Download and install the ImDisk Virtual Disk Driver 2 Open ImDisk Virtual Disk Driver from inside Control Panel 3 Create the new virtual disk as per instructions but leave the "image file" box on the ImDisk Virtual Disk Driver blank. 4 Format new drive. 5 Plug in device and drag the "Garmin" folder from the device to the new drive. Also it is worth mentioning, If at a later date a Garmin map update happens to your device, simply replace the Garmin folder on your new drive with the new one from your device. Thanks Hiking Guy, I had wanted to do this for ages but could not find out how.

[@Hikingguy]

Nice! Thank you for sharing 👍

[@jimstcyr]

Nice simple solution to what was an annoying limitation. Thanks for posting this.

[@stever2074]

Fabulous video. I spent so much time trying unsuccessfully to get the maps on my computer before I found your video. Now I'm golden. Thank you!

[@davidf9494]

Excellent tutorial and just what I was looking for to have the topos in Basecamp. Thank you!

[@ArtyYeo]

Great info. Thanks for teaching us. Appreciate it very much.

[@siebel204]

Looking at the data on my Garmin I simply took a new 32Gb memory stick and copied all the data to that. Garmin BaseCamp loads fine and recognizes the necessary data instandly. Good performance as well.

[@RagnarMoller]

Thanks for this guide on how to create a virtual drive. My garmin device shows up with two subdirectories : Internal storage and Memory card. I would suppose that you can get many maps from different SD cards. Would you have an idea how ? Would it be necessary tro create many virtual drives or can you just merge the contents of all of them to one folder ?

[@jonathanclements3860]

Brilliant, works perfectly, thanks for posting.

[@north7island79]

Once again, you solve it !! Garmin will have to hire you my friend

[@Hikingguy]

Ha I wish - they barely return my emails...

[@simonsutherland15]

Hi, guy struggling with basecamp and 67i #2. This is a wicked cool hack. I didn't actually know you could create your own DMGs. That said the 67i doesn't seem to have a Mass Storage mode. It has two USB modes under settings. "Garmin" which isn't recognized by my macbook at all and Media Transfer Mode which is recognized on base camp, but doesn't mount to the file system. Have you run into this?

[@RichardBoly]

When I started to "Download ImDisk install files for current stable version as a zip file built 23 December 2022 - 1.1 MB" McAffee warned there may be hidden threats in the file. Anyone else gone ahead and downloaded without problems?

[@DrKnyckis]

I have a Garmin EPIX watch and have followed your guide on both a mac and a windows PC, but sadly, in neither of the cases I have managed to get the maps on my watch to show in either of the images. The gpx hikes are visible alright, but not the topo maps themselves. Does this not work anymore or are the garmin watches more protected than the gps:es perhaps?

[@PaoloDurandetto]

hi, thank you. The problem with the Etrex 32x is that it takes hours and hours to transfer the files to the computer (recent Mac).

[@mooganoid]

Great device but DAMN! What were Garmin thinking with that transfer speed?! 😫 I dread any updates from Express to the eTrex whereas my Fenix 6X Pro is like lightening in comparison.

[@toddstantalizingtips6079]

As A new user of a garmin extrex32...is it worth loading and using basecamp since garmin has stopped supporting the program? Thanks for your time in Advance.....Awesome Videos On your Channel!!!!

[@Hikingguy]

Well, Garmin actually stopped, and then started supporting Basecamp, so that happened. Last update was May 19, 2021 - www8.garmin.com/support/download_details.jsp?id=4435 - So I'd say use it, it'a a solid tool and super easy to transfer to your device with.

[@LED682]

That comes in handy, thanks!

[@creatamax16]

Great video thanks for making it. Unfortunately it does not work for me as when i try and do the disc utility part it flashes up a warning saying operation prohibited?. i guess its copy protected on mine or something?. Cheers Mike

[@COYSMike]

If I may ask, do the Topoactive maps that come with devices like the GPSMap 66 get updated? And are those updates free and easy to do? Thanks

[@COYSMike]

@@Hikingguy brilliant thank you. I already use Garmin express for my forerunner so good to see the 66 handheld also used that

[@greedygringoprospecting6941]

how do you load maps on to my garmin 30x. like a topo map of california. or claims trails. so forth. ? have a good day.

[@joseazurara3245]

Good video. Thanks

[@Boudi-xy9by]

The Garmin Zumo-XT interface is a USB-2.0 with Type-A and type-mini-B (that is by now already up to the 3-Generation, whit speeds up to 5-10-20 gbps) whit the lates USB-C type connectors. Newer Mac with USB-C you cannot plug in that totally outdated USB-mine to USB (type-A) it needs a adaptor to be properly detected by the macOS OS. There is a document at Garmin support explaining that you have to use a hub into the MacMini (with M1 chip, in my case) than Garmin Express will recognise the Garmin if you connect it to macOS. I did not have a hub but I used a USB-3.2 (type-A) to USB-3.2 (type-C) adaptor (from a Samsung SSD external hard drive) and an old USB 2.0 type-A to type-B cable that I plugged-in to the monitor-hub. Then I connected the Garmin-Zummo-XT cable, USB 2.0 mini-A to type-A into the monitor USB 2.0 socket and that worked. GArmin-Express and Garmin BaseCamp now could find the Zummo-XT. MacOS although was not able to recognise it as an external-Drive yet, but that’s has to do with security and privacy issues I guess. Did not get that running but that could be because I run Parallels Virtual machine, and may be that interface is claiming the USB-Drives. So I still have to figure that out. But with the first solution I could export the payed maps (all of Europe) to the computer so BaseCamp is Mitch faster displaying the maps instead with the stupid solution of plugging it into the computer and using a totally outdated USB interface from about 20-30 years old. Shame to Garmin selling dearly new Hardware with Dutch an outdated interface.

[@billhackley3540]

with all your savy, can tell me why my export bar is grayed out in caltopo. they claim they just redid everything. used to be a bar at the top with impore/export etc all gone, just a small imort/export below map objects tab

[@Hikingguy]

I noticed that export is grayed out / disabled if you don't have any objects on the map, but once you add a waypoint or something, it will turn on.

[@billhackley3540]

@@Hikingguy thanks, tried several things no luck. contacted caltopo response by a walmart employee by day/caltopo responder at night responded with similar i read on their site they just did a huge upgrade much better. yup

[@Hikingguy]

@@billhackley3540 yea, I actually can't use it in Safari anymore, the map goes crazy, I switched to using it on Google Chrome and it's good - maybe try switching browsers and see what happens

[@billhackley3540]

@@Hikingguy thank you, been a few years since using the export function, re-sub'd (hoping) got nothing. it can be a frustrating site

[@peteperez5455]

Hi HikingGuy I did this step by step, I start Basecamp and it does see the new virtual drive J:, however it only sees Global Map and not the others as when I am connected with the device, should I leave the device connected?

[@Hikingguy]

It's hard to troubleshoot the problem without being there. It sounds like the files didn't copy over correctly if it doesn't see them.

[@oregonriverrunner5042]

Firdt of all, this is a very cool tip. Thank you very much! I've set up my virtual drive per the video and copied my 700i internal files to the new drive. Public lands and Topoactive Central shows up on my Basecamp - Topoactive North does not show up, but all the files were copied from 700i to virtual disk. One shows up, one does not? Anyone have ideas?

[@jim0648]

Does this work with City Navigator maps on SD? I have to plug in my Map 64s everything.

[@wayfarerwalks]

Badda-Bing!

[@marklaurendet1861]

Thanks for an informative video New to GPS in general and thought I would try this to speed things up. My GPS 67i does not show up in finder so cant copy files. I have an iMac that is fully up to date, the last model they made. Have a bit of a search but so far cant work out how to get my GPS 67i to show so I can copy the files off it. Anyone have any ideas? Trying to use the map when the 67i is plugged in is just too slow and not usable at all. I have 32 gig of memory so that should be ok hopefully. It is going t be very hard to plan routs without basecamp but because of the speed it just wont work at all.

[@Hikingguy]

try using this - www.android.com/filetransfer/

[@davidmckale5506]

I just bought a Zumo XT. I am using a Mac. I can not get the Garmin Zumo XT to show up as a USB connection. What am I doing wrong? I would TopoActive maps is why I bought it, but using from device is painful slow. Thank you

[@Hikingguy]

I don't have a Zumo but you should check the settings and make sure it's in "mass storage mode"

[@andrejs6450]

I created the .dmg file and mounted it, but BaseCamp does not see it as a device. Any help?

[@byemrahozd]

When i connect my garmin 66i, i cant see TopoActive map in Basecamp. Is it normal?

[@_Per_Aspera_Ad_Astra_]

complicated: hiking 🥾 is nice but w/o Garmin 😂 Compass + Map ✅

[@chuckhirst2759]

Why not just insert an SD card into your computer (provided that you have an SD card slot) and copy the files to it?

[@dave1066]

1) you need to buy / have a spare SD card 2) that card needs to live in the SD card slot - that takes up the slot, so... 3) you need remove the card to use other cards (if you use other SD cards) 4) you need to store the card somewhere safe, and find it, insert it every time you use basecamp (then remove after, if you use other SD cards) 5) not all devices have a memory slot, and those people may not have an external card reader OR you can create a VD! If you rarely use basecamp and/or are not particularly tech savvy, etc. then, yes, a SD card may be your option, but HikingGuy's method is SO much more convenient.