Mapsource // Backup-Copy-Move Maps

25 Jan Mapsource // Backup-Copy-Move Maps

Install GMTK before Mapsource for NEW computer setup!

So… you got that computer all setup running Mapsource for your older Garmin GPS units like the 276 or 478… Well, then you probably know how painful it can be when you get a new computer and need to get your maps installed on it. OR if that computer’s hard drive crashed! Help is here! If you haven’t stumbled upon the awesome little program called JaVaWa GMTK, you need to know about it!

Features of JaVaWa GMTK

This little gem of a program is very powerful, a few things you can do with it:

• Backup your maps! Great for backing them up to external backup device or the cloud just incase of that emergency.
• Restore your maps! Yep, back them up, then use this tool to restore them to the same computer or new computer!
• Move your maps! Need to move your maps to a different storage device to save space?
• Remove your maps! Corrupt maps can be removed correctly with this tool
• Info on your maps! Gives extensive information on maps and any errors.
• Repair your maps! Got corrupt map.. GMTK will fix it!

There are a lot other things GMTK can do, just head over to JaVaWa’s website for all the details.

New Computer Setup

I needed to setup Mapsource on my new Macbook Pro running Parallels Desktop with Windows 10.  Here’s how I got my maps copied from my ADVtabet to my MBP.

1. Download JaVaWa GMTK on both computers.

2. Install GMTK on both computers

3. On the Old PC where Mapsource is all setup, open JaVaWa GMTK, GMTK finds your maps automatically!

4. Select your maps listed under Installed maps.

5. Click Backup icon and now you can select where to backup your maps to. I’m selecting a USB stick. GMTK begins backing up your maps to the destination…..

6. Once the backup is finished, move the USB stick to your new PC, and then Open GMTK

7. Click ‘Restore’, select the backup location, mine is the E: which is my USB stick, click OK

8. Select the maps to restore, then click Start Restore

9. Once the restore process is done, install Mapsource on the new PC (as noted here.)

10. Now open Mapsource.. don’t freak out if your maps don’t show! In Mapsource go to View – Switch to Product, select your restored maps

All worked very good for me.. my maps now show in Windows 10 running on Parallels Desktop on my Macbook Pro. A few things to note though, the new Macbook Pros are ONLY USB 3.0, so it does not connect to my old Garmin 478 GPS unit.  I use this setup to help route trips and then save my .gdb files to my Dropbox folder which then will sync to my ADVtablet. Simply open the .gdb file, connect my GPS and send the routes to it from my ADVtablet.  Pack up my ADVtablet in my tankbag and go riding!

Huge thanks to JaVaWa for all his work on his GPS software!