64gb sd card formatting

[lkraus]

This is on the Garmin support page for Zumo 396: The device supports microSD® memory cards from 4 to 64 GB.

That is misleading because I cannot use my new 64gb sd card.

You only need to change the formatting on the 64Gb SD card to use it.

If the 396 does not offer to reformat the card when you put it in, use your computer to perform the format change.

The built-in formatting utility of the Windows operating system is not able to format a 64Gb card as FAT32, but there are many free utilities that can. Besides the previously mentioned Aomei Partition Assistant (https://www.diskpart.com/free-partition-manager.html), Easeus Partition Master (https://www.easeus.com/partition-manager/epm-free.html) or Rufus (https://rufus.ie/) also work well.

[Peobody]

That is misleading because I cannot use my new 64gb sd card.

It isn't though. A FAT32 formatted 64GB card will work. Unfortunately you can't purchase one with that format. You must do it yourself.

[twowheelstom]

ok that's good but... the 64gb card in FAT32 format would still be limited to only hold the Garmin device map file size limits of 4GB or less, I could use the 64gb card but would still need to split up North America downloads to the 64 card into 2 separate file sizes of 4gb or less. correct? from what I understand now, an all of NA map download file will exceed the 4gb file size limit and will needs 2 separate files anyways, either on a single FAT32 64gb or on a single FAT32 32gb card. All that 64gb FAT32 card will do for me I think is provide more storage capacity for things like MP3 music files. correct?

thanks guys for your help on this, i am learning

[Peobody]

I use my SD card for music, route, and track files so don't know anything about putting maps on it. I hope someone else can help you with that.

[lkraus]

Garmin Express will take care of splitting up the map file automatically. It's not a problem, all the Zumos work like that.

And I'm not sure about the internal capacity of a 396, but I'm sure at least one of the maps will fit in internal memory, if not both. You might not even need an SDcard.

And yes, all that 64Gb card gets you over a 32Gb card is more storage space. I have a 32Gb card in my XT just because I had an extra from an old phone. It currently holds 8.9 Gb of music (79 hours,1150 songs)and four extra OSM maps (6.8 Gb). I have 14 Gb of free space on the SDcard. Just for fun I sent all my Basecamp tracks, routes, and waypoints to the card, which only required 167 Mb more space.

BC.jpg (1.99 KiB) Viewed 2860 times

So you don't NEED a large capacity card, but since you have it, I would use it. Formatted as FAT32, it will work just the same as a smaller card, and the very small cost difference compared to a smaller card is not worth the effort of changing it.

[Peobody]

Garmin Express will take care of splitting up the map file automatically. It's not a problem, all the Zumos work like that.

How does Garmin Express handle putting a map on the card. Does it prompt for the installation location when a card is detected or does it only consider the card when there is not enough space in internal storage?

[twowheelstom]

I think Garmin Express puts the dowloaded maps on zumo internal memory if there's room, that is 1st option for GE, and 2nd option if the maps cannot fit in internal, GE goes to the sd card if one is present, GE will calculate this 1st before it does any downloading. (to my understanding)

[Peobody]

So it sounds like all should be well once the card is functioning. Garmin Express will automatically put the map on the card if there is not enough space in internal storage, dividing it into two files if needed. I hope that is the case.

[twowheelstom]

what i would do is put the zumo connected to pc, start Garmin Express and choose 'computer only' for map download location, and will put the map uplocking code for those maps on the zumo unit, if the computer already has the same maps as GE is trying to install on the computer, Ge will just write the unlocking code file on the zumo, this way you can connect the zumo to pc, run Mapinstall and pick the maps you want on the sd card, by selecting the card drive on MapInstall, and to my understanding, you can return to MapInstall and do same process again from computer to sd for a different set of maps on the computer, this all assumes that these maps on the computer were already unlocked via Garmin Express with the zumo attached. Unlock codes are linked each individual gps unit which means you can't unlock maps via GE with a zumo attached then put those maps on a nuvi gps for example, the nuvi has to be attached to computer when using GE.

[sussamb]

So it sounds like all should be well once the card is functioning. Garmin Express will automatically put the map on the card if there is not enough space in internal storage, dividing it into two files if needed. I hope that is the case.

It is