Marc Forrest.com

  • Home
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Contact

Subscribe via Email

Garmin Nuvi 200 Track Hack

Posted by Marc
November 15, 2007

If you're new here, you may want to subscribe to my RSS feed. Or else you can follow me on my Twitter Feed Thanks for visiting!

After having the Garmin Nuvi 200 for just over a week, I have come across a really handy feature. The feature allows you track your routes on your Garmin Nuvi 200. This is a hidden feature, so it is still relatively unknown.

YOU NEED TO ENSURE YOU HAVE FIRMWARE VERSION 3.40 OTHERWISE THIS WON’T WORK

UPDATE (20/11/07): Garmin have released a new firmware version which disables the hidden tracking feature. To check what version you have, go to: Menu->Settings->System->About. Here it will show you the version number. If the version number is not 3.40 it will not work. If you would like to roll back to version 3.40 to enable track logs, download the firmware HERE

To get to the track feature on the Garmin Nuvi 200, do the following:

  1. Select a destination you want to drive to.
  2. On your view map screen, press the Arrival time button in the bottom left corner
    173.jpg
  3. This will bring you to the Speedometer Screen. Once in this scree, press and hold the screen for 8-10 seconds over the speedometer.
    1641.jpg
  4. This will bring you into the Garmin Diagnostic Menu. DO NOT change anything here. Click the Next button at the bottom.
  5. At the next screen, you will see the “Logging Control” screen. Press “START RECORDING” to start recording your track
    1571.jpg
  6. Once you have completed the trip, press the STOP button on the main map screen.
  7. Connect your Garmin Nuvi 200 up to your computer via a USB cable.
  8. Go to the Garmin Nuvi 200 drive, and browse to the X:\Garmin\Logs (Where X:\ is the disk drive of the Garmin)
  9. Go into the latest created folder, and download the gps.bin file.
  10. Download Nutrak from this site. Extract the contents of the zip file to a folder on your Computer
  11. Go to the command prompt (Start-> Run-> “cmd”) and go to the folder where you extraced Nutrak.
  12. In the command prompt type “nutrak.exe gps.bin”. This will create a .gpx file.
  13. Open Google Earth
  14. In Google Earth, click File, Open and browse to the .gpx file that was created.
  15. You will now be able to see where you have driven in the track you have created.
    ge.jpg
    This is an example of a track I created.

If you would like anymore info go to this GpsPasSionForums post, and there is some more info on this great feature

If you enjoyed reading this post, and found the above info helpful, please consider helping me, by donating something towards server hosting and upkeep

UPDATE: I have also posted about how to view location coordinates on your Garmin Nuvi GPS - http://www.marcforrest.com/2008/01/08/garmin-nuvi-200-view-favorite-location-coordinates/

Popularity: 100% [?]

GPS

If you enjoyed this post, please consider to leave a comment or subscribe to the feed and get future articles delivered to your feed reader.

Comments
Comment by Fanus Rautenbach on December 18, 2007 @ 11:59 am

can this tracking work on later versions, my software version is 5.00

Comment by plasmabstract MALAYSIA on December 19, 2007 @ 8:27 am

Thanks for the tip.

Comment by Braam Snyman on December 21, 2007 @ 9:35 pm

Hi Marc!

I have downloaded the 340 updater and plugged up my nuvi 200W which shows the software version as 2.40. After the update I don’t get any error messages, but the software version stays the same. Is this update exclusive to the 200 or should it work on the 200W?

Thanks!

Braam.

Comment by WILLEM MULLER on December 23, 2007 @ 12:36 pm

bAIE DANKIE

Comment by Pete Bran UNITED STATES on December 23, 2007 @ 7:03 pm

Does this really work on the plain ole nuvi 200?? Or is it for the other 2xx series models??

Reason I ask is that my screens don’t come up as show in the example above.

Comment by Pete Bran UNITED STATES on December 23, 2007 @ 7:07 pm

Does this really work on the plain ole nuvi 200?? Reason I ask is that I don’t get the same screens as above.

Thanks,
Pete

Comment by Ungie UNITED STATES on December 25, 2007 @ 2:54 am

Works perfectly on my 200. My ver was 2.4, loaded 340 rebooted and made a track, loaded nutrak and done.

Comment by Pete Bran UNITED STATES on December 25, 2007 @ 6:20 pm

Hey that sounds great! Any chance in hurting original stuff on the nuvi 200 if it doesn’t work???
How about a really good step by step process on how to do this as I am not very good at computers.

Again, thanks for the great information…..

Pete

Comment by Fennec UNITED STATES on December 26, 2007 @ 12:19 am

I have a Garmin Nuvi 200 with software version 3.40 and this does not work. The buttons for Record and Play Track are grayed out and cannot be selected.

Thank you though for pointing me to the debug menu. :) Always good to know where things are!

Comment by Bart UNITED STATES on December 31, 2007 @ 7:30 pm

No go on the 200w. It takes a different software package all together.

Comment by Max DENMARK on January 3, 2008 @ 1:26 am

Hi
FYI, I tried this on my Nuvi 310, and it gave all sorts of interesting diagnostics info, My firmware is 3.90

Comment by Joel UNITED STATES on January 6, 2008 @ 3:10 am

Any chance we will see Track Hack for the Garmin 200W. I use mine on a motorcycle and would love to record a ride and save it for later use.

Comment by rangers MALAYSIA on January 9, 2008 @ 10:22 am

i have nuvi200 Indonesia. my current firmware is 3.20 but i cannot update the firmware to 3.40. already try many times but still not success. anyone have same experience..?

Comment by Kjeld DENMARK on January 12, 2008 @ 3:42 pm

Hi

Is this some how possible on the Nüvi 360? I have updated the firmware to 4.40 and able to enter the mentioned menu. But I dont have the Logging menu, only shutdowns,stacks,TSk mem.,Nonvol info,Mes. Banners,Bluetooth status, Gtm Status, FN table.

No sign of Logging.

Do you have any idea where it is hidden on the N360 - I guess it should be able to do the same as the littlebrother, N200?

Cheers,
Kjeld

Comment by Marc on January 14, 2008 @ 10:39 am

Thanks for all the coments. Unfortunetley I don’t have any other models to test the hack on. But if you do manage to get it to work, let me know via the comments, and I will try and add it to this post.

Comment by lance UNITED STATES on January 19, 2008 @ 5:44 pm

Works like a charm! Thanks!

Comment by Steve UNITED STATES on January 20, 2008 @ 10:53 pm

Same here, worked perfect! I backed up my entire GPS software (almost 1GB) before just in case.

Comment by Rue Matthiessen UNITED STATES on January 23, 2008 @ 3:05 am

Help! I’m a realtor in New York and want a GPS that I can put ten local addresses into, with a starting point, that will then MAKE A ROUTE, the shortest way, between the start point and the end point. All the GPS’s that I’ve looked into just take it address by address. I can’t believe that this technology wouldn’t be available now. Is there one that will do this?
Thank you

Comment by Troels Lund (Denmark) DENMARK on January 26, 2008 @ 12:07 pm

Thank you Marc, this worked perfectly on my Nüvi 270.
I had installed the latest SW version 3.6 from Garmin, when i found this. No problem in going back til SW version 3.4 with your link.

The trackin feature is handy, i use it to prove to my customers how much time i spend at them, and how much i drive to get to them. With this hard evidence, i no longer have any complaints or discussions regarding these issues.

Strange that Germin doesn’t want to support this feature.

Comment by Willie Jansen van Niuwenhuizen on January 28, 2008 @ 7:36 pm

Thanks for the esay axcess to Nuvi 270. It was so easy that even a 6 yr old could do it.
I can now with confidence say for the first time that your assitance with the down load help me a lot.
It’s a pitty that Garmin can not do the same.

Comment by Hans on February 6, 2008 @ 5:39 pm

Hi there,

the racking feature is smething very useful - I use it a lot in aviation.

I live in Cape Town. Just bought the nüvi 200 with firmware version 2.80 installed. Can I also “roll forward” to version 3.40?

Thanks
Hans

Comment by Marc on February 6, 2008 @ 5:48 pm

@Hans
Yip you can roll forward to 3.40 worked 100% on mine.

Comment by lechozo VENEZUELA on February 9, 2008 @ 12:40 am

maybe i’m not used to command line, but i can’t figure out how to make work step 12 of your guide

Thanks

ivo

Comment by Rol INDONESIA on March 19, 2008 @ 6:04 pm

I have nuvi 200 Indonesia, it’s already installed 3.20 firmware, and cannot upgrade to 3.40. It’s look like nothing happened when update file was copied into internal memory and when the device was restart the firmware still 3.20. What when wrong?

Comment by Mike UNITED STATES on April 13, 2008 @ 5:40 pm

The file transferred onto my Nuvi 200 but the version number did not change. Any thoughts?

Comment by Roberto VENEZUELA on April 15, 2008 @ 5:25 am

Marc,
Is it possible that Nuvi shipped with version 3.80 doesn’t allow to be downgraded. I found some people having this trouble.

Comment by Mike UNITED STATES on April 26, 2008 @ 4:23 pm

Bump for previous comment. I would like to know if there is anyone who has been able to downgrade from 3.80 to 3.40 and, if so, how was it accomplished?

Comment by nate UNITED STATES on April 29, 2008 @ 11:47 pm

I was able to successfully go from software version 3.8 to 3.4 (in the system settings about it says version 3.4) Everything worked as it should, but the logging controls are greyed out?

We use lots of the passive tracking units (LandAirSea) and would love to be able to use a nuvi (something with a screen showing you where you are).

Comment by lechozo VENEZUELA on April 30, 2008 @ 1:54 am

Nate,

try again, but with the Nuvi receiving satellites or while navigating. Don’t do it while indoors.

Comment by Mike UNITED STATES on April 30, 2008 @ 1:58 am

Nate, you stared with 3.8 and followed the directions above and ended up with 3.4? Can you tell us what your exact steps were to do the update?

Thanks.

Comment by Nate UNITED STATES on April 30, 2008 @ 2:31 am

I just tried it on porch, it received the satellites, and boom, it appears to be tracking (these were no longer gray, and it began running a timer upward on the main map screen. I think it is working! Will need to get other piece of software to see what I can now do with this data.

We really would love to get rid of our passive tracking units, as they don’t have a screen.

If I can get downloadable tracks from this that I can create maps and reports from, I will buy 6-8 of these Nuvi 200s right away!

I had the nuvi connected to the PC. I then opened the 3.4 file. It began downloading. Then disconnected Nuvi. It asked me if I wanted to go back to a previous version. I said yes. Thats it.

Comment by lechozo VENEZUELA on April 30, 2008 @ 2:47 am

nice to hear that, Nate.

yes you can create maps with the Nuvi 200 track log.

you have a very detailed track:
-a point is taken each second, even if you don’t move.
-the point is not “snapped to road”, so you have the real position.
-there is no size limit besides the available memory on the Nuvi (you can delete language files you don’t need)

the gps.bin file also contains speed data of the track, but most programs can’t handle that.

After you convert it to gpx file, GPSmapedit (even its free version) is very helpful in order to create maps.

Comment by nate UNITED STATES on May 1, 2008 @ 5:43 pm

I took several 1-3 hour tracks yesterday (5-6 I think) and went to play them back (”Start Playback”) on my Nuvi 200, and it has shut down each time I have tried. It literally turned off.

How in the world do I extract this data. I will not only need maps, but I need some kind of report showing the total time driven.

I am willing to spend money on software if needed. Whatever can give me the most robust features to work with this data.

I don’t have a clue how to use command prompt (or whatever). Need something that is powerful, yet easy to use.

I am used to LandAirSea’s Past-Track software that lets you play back, create reports, show stops, etc. I also use Google Earth, but that doesn’t create any reports either, and its playback function doesn’t work well…as all it does is skip from one stop to next…it doesn’t really show driving.

We deliver flyers door to door. So seeing every little street and culdesac is important.

Thanks all!

Comment by lechozo VENEZUELA on May 1, 2008 @ 11:25 pm

I hate command line too, but it is easy:

download and unzip Nutrak in a folder of your PC.
http://www.anpo.republika.pl/download.html

put the “Gps.bin” log you’ve extracted from the nuvi in the same folder

Open Notepad, write “nutrak gps.bin” and save the file as “Nate.bat” careful, NOT Nate.bat.txt Put it in the same folder

double click the bat file. wait a second and a gpx file will appear in your folder.

And there you go.

taka another gps.bin, souble click the nate.bat file and a second gopx, with different name will appear.

I use the gpx files in Mapsource, where i can see day, time, speed, location and direction. Maybe there are better programs if you need a report.

Comment by Roberto VENEZUELA on May 2, 2008 @ 10:58 pm

Nate, Lechoso, Mike,

I still haven’t downgraded my Nuvi. I’ve checked in the gps’s memory and the GUPDATE.GCD file were installed, but the gps doesn’t use it. I haven’t notice any notice given by gps about install or downgrade the firmware.

Any idea?

02/10/2007 12:12 p.m. .
02/10/2007 12:12 p.m. ..
The parameter is incorrect.
02/10/2007 12:12 p.m. RemoteSW
The parameter is incorrect.
02/10/2007 12:12 p.m. Help
The parameter is incorrect.
02/10/2007 12:12 p.m. 25.214 nuvi_drive.ico
25/04/2008 10:38 p.m. Voice
The parameter is incorrect.
25/04/2008 10:38 p.m. Text
The parameter is incorrect.
25/04/2008 10:38 p.m. Vehicle
The parameter is incorrect.
25/04/2008 10:38 p.m. ExtData
21/08/1999 06:59 p.m. Diag
02/05/2008 04:46 p.m. 19.026 GarminDevice.xml
The parameter is incorrect.
02/05/2008 04:46 p.m. POI
The parameter is incorrect.
02/05/2008 04:46 p.m. 6.762.496 gmapbmap.img
The parameter is incorrect.
02/05/2008 04:46 p.m. 213.716.992 gmapprom.img
02/05/2008 04:47 p.m. gpx
23/03/2008 05:37 a.m. 25 gmapsupp.unl
13/04/2008 10:47 a.m. 44.825.600 gmapsupp.img
02/05/2008 04:07 p.m. 5.936.064 GUPDATE.GCD
7 File(s) 271.285.417 bytes
11 Dir(s) 156.549.120 bytes free

Comment by nate UNITED STATES on May 7, 2008 @ 12:10 am

Roberto-maybe did you download it onto your GPS unit first? I didn’t do that. I simply connected unit to PC via USB, waited for the little bar to stop on the unit, then opened the install file….it seemed to work for me…

Well, finally got the gps.bin thang to work.

Man, would someone make some software to make all of this work smoother…please Garmin!

Comment by nate UNITED STATES on May 7, 2008 @ 12:20 am

Everytime I go to “playback” in the menu on the Nuvi, it shuts down?

How much data should I worry about this baby holding?

Should I erase after I download?

Would a memory card help?

Comment by num THAILAND on May 8, 2008 @ 12:03 pm

I have v3.6 I want to rollback to v3.4, I download nuvi200_340.exe and run it copy file to gps when i restart gps it nothing happend!, please help me I want to use tracklog feature. Thank you.

Comment by jc UNITED STATES on May 21, 2008 @ 1:30 am

I just got a new Nuvi 260. It came with v4.0 firmware. I ran the nuvi260_340.exe, it downloaded to the GPS. It rebooted, but did nothing. I still have v4.0 firmware. I then tried the WebUpdater and got v4.1 firmware. Reran the nuvi260_340.exe, it did the same thing. In the end, got nothing. It will has v4.10 firmware. Garmin must have done something to lock out the downgrade of firmware.

Comment by nate UNITED STATES on May 27, 2008 @ 6:10 pm

OK guys…have been tracking with a Nuvi 200 and a Nuvi 750 for several weeks now…it has been working great.

We print and deliver flyers–and must prove that we are driving down every street, speed, etc. With Mappoint I have been able to achieve this.

The Nuvi 200 has been working, but we really like the ability that the Nuvi 750 has that highlights the streets you have already been down on the screen.

Anyway, just purchased my second Nuvi 750 unit (3rd on the way), and it has software version 2.4 on it. I guess I need version 2.2 to track log.

Can someone send me the file for 2.2?

I went on Garmin’s website, and it only gave me access to the newest version.

We honestly don’t care if we have an older software version…as long as we have the logging feature.

Thanks Guys!

Comment by nate UNITED STATES on May 29, 2008 @ 1:46 am

I really need to get this…willing to make it worth someone’s while…purchase them a case for their nuvi on ebay or something like that.

Please help!

Comment by lechozo VENEZUELA on May 29, 2008 @ 11:11 pm

there you go

http://gpsinformation.org/perry/nuvi/nuvi750_220.exe

Comment by nate UNITED STATES on May 29, 2008 @ 11:27 pm

Thanks, yes I had found this yesterday in another blog.

My other Nuvi is now tracking…thank God!

Comment by Nana on May 30, 2008 @ 11:08 pm

hello guys
I’m in trouble. i bought nuvi 200w, as u all already know , there is no tracking system. so after searching i knew i had to update the software to 3.40, and that’s what i did, but no use, i got nothing. can anyone help me, plzzzzzzzzzzzzz :((

Comment by Mike UNITED STATES on May 31, 2008 @ 2:18 am

did you read the previous posts? the newer version does not allow the downgrade.

Comment by Nana on May 31, 2008 @ 11:57 pm

hi mike
i read it carefully several times, and it says “if the version number is not 3.40 it will not work”.
if i misunderstood something, plz can u clarify?
thank u
note:: i want the track log to show, using nuvi 200w

Comment by Mike UNITED STATES on June 1, 2008 @ 2:13 am

Basically there is the 3.4 firmware that you need and likely the 3.8 you currently have. The problem is that there is a hardware version on the Nuvi 200 that Garmin has also come out with recently that prevents rolling back the firmware to a previous version. In other words, the above fix will only work with the older Nuvi200 series not the new one (W too). I am in the same situation. I guess Garmin really does not like the idea of us using the track function if they went to this much trouble of first changing the firmware and now the actual hadware version to inhibit it.

Comment by Nana on June 3, 2008 @ 1:07 pm

their must be something we can try isn’t there a cracking code anything that we install or uninstall to fix this. i can’t afford another garmin, and without the tracking its soooo hard to reach anywhere.

Comment by Mike UNITED STATES on June 4, 2008 @ 2:38 am

I wish. As soon as you come across something that works please let us know. I would love to have that info!!!

Comment by trev on June 14, 2008 @ 12:00 am

my nuvi 200 came with firwamre version 3.0 and I rolled back to the 3.4 and traclog works.

Perhaps upgrading to 3.9 then downgrading to 3.4 will work?

trev

Comment by Joel UNITED STATES on June 18, 2008 @ 5:38 pm

I know this should work for the Nuvi 200 and not the 200W, but this just ticks me off completely. Garmin knows good and well this capability is wanted, needed, and can be done. I guess they only want me to buy a more expensive device. Okay… which Garmin GPS will create a track log out of the box?

Comment by Nana on June 18, 2008 @ 9:50 pm

hi Joel
i’m having the same problem, i have the nuvi 200w. i’ve been trying for monthes know, but nothing
i belive that there is a way to unlock the track log, if u find anything plz let me know.
thank u and good luck

Comment by Alan UNITED STATES on June 20, 2008 @ 4:43 am

It works on my Nuvi 200. I downgraded the firmware from 3.8 to 3.4. Everything works just like what in the post. By the way, nutrak now has GUI version calls wNutrak. It works great! And thanks for this great post!

Comment by Yuki INDONESIA on June 24, 2008 @ 7:12 pm

Hi,

I have Nuvi 200, software version 4.10.
I put the nuvi200_340.exe in my laptop. Execute it, Then Finis.

When I rebooted my Nuvi, it gave me a notice that the older software is available and I am asked whether I want to continue to install the older software. It run. My Nuvi rebooted and it asked again the same question. I tried several time and same question poped up.

It seems, I am not allowed to downgrade from 4.10 to 3.40….. :(

Any suggestion.

Thanks…

Yuki

Comment by Mike UNITED STATES on June 24, 2008 @ 8:15 pm

I don’t want to sound like a jerk but it really helps to read the previous posts before posting something that has already been discussed many times over.

Comment by aucobalt UNITED STATES on July 1, 2008 @ 4:35 am

I have tried this on my 200W and I can’t get it to work. I upgraded from 3.1 to 3.4, then downgraded to 2.6 to only upgrade to 3.4 again… still nothing… following instructions very carefully.

Comment by Felix VENEZUELA on July 1, 2008 @ 4:48 pm

Guys y had the 3,3 version and 3.4 upgrade worked prolerly on my N200.

Issue: it turns off when playback prompted!!.

Playback worked just the first time I tried, but no other time before.

Track files are very rich (active mode kind) and usefull, still.

Leave a comment

(required)

(required)


Popular

  • Garmin Nuvi 200 Track Hack
  • A new kinda fun
  • Biggest Loser South Africa Winner
  • I'm a wannabe Gadget Geek
  • SA Blog Awards 2008
  • Buy and Sell CO.ZA domain names - www.selldomains.co.za
  • Welcome to the Twecosystem

Search

Archives

  • June 2008
  • May 2008
  • April 2008
  • March 2008
  • February 2008
  • January 2008
  • December 2007
  • November 2007
  • October 2007
  • September 2007
  • August 2007
  • July 2007
  • June 2007
  • May 2007
  • April 2007
  • March 2007
  • February 2007
  • January 2007
  • October 2006
  • September 2006
  • August 2006
  • July 2006
  • April 2006
  • March 2006
  • February 2006
  • January 2006
  • December 2005
  • November 2005
  • October 2005
  • September 2005
  • August 2005
  • July 2005
  • June 2005
  • May 2005
  • April 2005
  • March 2005
  • February 2005
  • January 2005
  • December 2004

Categories

  • 27Dinner
  • Advertising
  • Books
  • Domians
  • Facebook
  • fatblogging
  • Firefox
  • Gadgets
  • Geocahing
  • google
  • Google Earth
  • GPS
  • idols
  • NerdBoys
  • Personal
  • Pro20
  • Ramblings
  • Rant
  • Rugby
  • SA Blog Awards
  • South African Blogs
  • Toyota Auris
  • TV
  • twitter
  • Uncategorized
  • Wii
  • Wordpress
Click Here for THE BEST HOME LOAN DEAL EVER!
Over 1 Million Songs to Download

  • Drop me your card

  • Recent Visitors

  • Sorted bru, tagged by Amatomu.com

    Afrigator






  • Blogroll

    • adii - Wordpress Rockstar
    • Cherryflava
    • Christopher Mills
    • Colin Daniels
    • Darren Gorton
    • Dave Duarte
    • Dave Gale
    • Eric Edelstein
    • Gino Cosme
    • Glad to be a Girl
    • Groogle
    • Justin Hartman
    • Mark Forrester
    • Max Kaizen
    • Media in Africa
    • Mike Stopforth
    • NerdBoys
    • Nic Haralambous
    • Paul Jacobson
    • SA Rocks
    • Seeking Serenity
    • So Close - Tertia
    • The Bagley
    • Tyler Reed
    • Vincent Maher
  • Archives

  • Profile for MarcForrest

Powered by Wordpress | WP Premium theme by WP Remix
Copyright 2007. Marc Forrest.com. All rights reserved

  • Home
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Contact