All USB cables are not necessarily USB

[johnlt]

After 6 hours of trouble shooting my inability to get my computer to recognize my GPS so I could load my UN routes, I finally resolved the issue. After trying different USB cables, different computer, both Mapsource and Basecamp I discovered that "all USB cables are not necessarily USB". The "USB" cables used to charge batteries on cameras and LED lights etc. only carry "power", they do not carry data lines. I finally tried a third USB cable that I had and all worked well. Beware of the little shorty USB charging cables. They are only for charging. ugh

[sardineone]

I had a similar experience with my Garmin and an older data USB cable. A newer cable cured the problem that caused some heartburn while I was trying to figure out.

[Mrs. Caddis]

Thanks for the tip. I haven't had that problem (yet) but sure could see it happening to me.

[FlyingFinn]

As annoying as those "power only" USB cables can be, when they are not labeled properly to distinguish them from a real USB cable, they are also very handy.

 

Those "power only" cables allow you to keep the GPS unit on a charger while still using it for navigation or route planning.

If you use a normal USB cable to charge the unit, it switches to mass storage mode.

 

There are exceptions and finer details about this, but in general that's how Garmin GPS units behave.

 

Mikko