Maccool

I have a meridian marine and i have never updated it until the other day, now the thing won't even turn on i tried to re-update it but no luck. does any one have any idea hoe to fix this. I did just like they said to do after it was updated they said that it should restart by it self and if it didn't then to take out the batteries and put them back in and restart manually will I had to remove batteries and now nothing . Called them and they said that being it is a legacy product there is nothing they can do, and that they would give me a deal on a new one, but I have every thing for this one.
Any help I can get would be much appreciated.

MTalvola

Interesting. I have a similar, older Magellan...a SporTrak Pro. I just did a firmware update the other day and it went fine. Did you clear the memory like they said to do before the update? I remember something about it possibly locking up if everything wasn't done just right.

I'd try leaving the batteries out for several days and then go at it again with fresh batteries. Try holding various buttons down when turning it on. Just mess with it in general. Can't hurt...

Maccool

Yeah, I cleared it like they said. I was trying the whole pushing buttons thing and I got it to go to a screen it says "software upload mode active" but it won't do anything else.

MTalvola

I got the info below from this thread. Try searching for "dead Magellan Meridian".

Magellan Meridian Gold Problems - Groundspeak Forums

Getting back to the original question, I think Embra has it correct. I suspect the contacts inside on the PCB (printed circuit board.) When mine was new, I put the batteries in carelessly and did the same thing. What you need to do when inserting or removing the batteries is push the positive end toward the negative (flat end), compressing the spring, then move the positive end and then release.

The fix is to remove the screws, realign the contacts inside and put back together. I did this once and have not had to do it again in over 2 years. Just take care moving the batteries.

MaggieMagellan

Maccool, Please let us know the current situation. I would also like to try my best to help.

Maccool

I don't think mine is a contacts problem , when I push the power button the screen flashes black like its gonna turn on but it doesn't . I have tried just pushing buttons and it will go to a screen that says "software upload mode active" but it will stay like that till I remove the batteries. I really just need some one that knows how reload the original firmware on it , cause it worked fine till I updated the thing.

MaggieMagellan

Which Meridian are you using and what version were you trying to update to?

Maccool

I have the marine version and was trying to put on the 4.51 update, magellan said they won't repair it and they offered me a new one for a discounted price but when I went online I found the same one that they offered me for the same price and I didn't have to pay to ship mine back. It just stinks because I have a handle bar mount, map send N. America disk, power cord and data cord for it and now it's useless.

zee

Try this.
Magellan home page > Support > Legacy Products > your unit > Manuals, and at the bottom click on Meridian FAQs. Then scroll down to # 13.

I'v never done this. Let us know how this works out.

Maccool

ZEE YOU ROCK!!!!!!!! That worked perfect. Thank you so much you have know idea how stoked I am. Thanks again

zee

Good deal, what a relief that it worked for you! I can relate to the happiness thing, as I recently upgraded my Meri-color to 5.40, that had WAAS included.
Thanks for the feedback. Good news always makes this older guys day go better.

MaggieMagellan

yay!!! good stuff. great job zee!

Bpic

I have the same problem as Macool. I own a Magellan Meridian Platium. Some years ago, while on the road, I pushed the wrong button at the wrong time. The GPS crashed and will not power up anymore. I called Magellan at the time and they would not help except to say that the device needed to be reprogramed. So your problem is the same as mine. How do you reprogram a Magellan Meridian which will not power up? I have the firmware and the computer connection, but I suspect it is some trick that the Thales (Magellan) people know. Does anyone else know? I would like to salvage my Meridian.

zee

Did you cheek everything out on the Meridian FAQ's, like I listed above? I have several more sources that I have to go and check re: your type of problem. Any Meridian is worth saving!

Bpic

Oh, sure. I spoke to the techs on the telephone when the thing crashed. They said I had to send it to them to be reprogramed/fixed. The guy I was talking to knew what was wrong and how to fix it. There was nothing physically wrong with it. No electrical surge, no one hit it with a hammer or dropped it. As I said, I simply pushed the wrong button while it was performing some function.

zee

My other source says the same thing about a dead Meridian, as posted above in # 9, from the FAQ's listed on The Magellan site. That # 13, in the FAQ's starts out about how to cut the unit off, which you are already there. Give that rascal a try, and see what you come up with. Times like this I hate it having to hunt and peck to type.

Bpic

Well, I actually made some progress. When I plug it into the car battery plug and pushed the buttons I got the screen, "Software upload mode active." The most I have seen in years. However, that's as far as I get. I have it connected to the computer, I have the firmware in the disk drive, I have the right Magup program loaded, but it just won't upload anything. It just sits there looking back at me. I get "status: creating link" But it never does. I'm still trying every permutation I can.

Bpic

As best I can figure, it make the connection on Com1 but it won't upload. It just sits there at 0% uploaded. I have the proper hex program in place but it just won't do anything. The unit screen shows the unit is in upload mode, but it won't. I thought it might be the wire connector but then it wouldn't recognize the Com1 link, which it does. Maybe its the firmware. I have two disks for this unit, neither of them work.

zee

Some people use the yahoo groups for Meridians, when all else fails. Suppose to have good trouble shooters. Sorry that I wasn't better help. Good luck with them.

Bpic

How do I get to the Yahoo group you mentioned?
Thanks for trying.

MaggieMagellan

Which firmware are you running? Which disks are you referring to?

zee

Thanks Maggie; it's all I can do to hunt and peck out a suggested place to find help!

Bpic,
Now to see if I can do the cut and paste thing right..... if so, it's a start.

It didn't copy right, shucks, got to go back and find it.

Magellan_Meridian : Magellan Meridian GPS

Try this. It changed the url to this. First time I've ever tried this. Might be how it is suppose to be done.

Bpic

Maggie: I have two "Firmware Update(s)". One is dated 2003 and the other 2004. The 2004 is labeled V1.01b, the 2003 is labeled V1.00c. Of course they Magellan and they are the originals.

Zee: I don't understand "Magellan_Meridian : Magellan Meridian GPS " Thats not a website. Is there a Yahoo site where I can use that?

zee

Bpic,
I am in "strange waters" with this cut and paste try. I copied off of the site and you see what we got. I went back and edited out the first bad address, then typed in what I copied by hand. Ended up with the same results. Me, the PC, or? Search yahoo groups for Magellan Meridian.

MaggieMagellan

Bpic, Can you try installing the newer firmware update from Dec. 2005? See if that works.

Bpic

In response, I have downloaded 5.40 and am attempting to upload it to the unit. It is in the same configuration as the earlier upload. In the dialogue box labled "Upload Status" is says, "uploading code file: MG540 HEX"; "Status: Creating Link"; "Current file: [blank] 0%".
I have left it like that for several minutes with the idea that maybe it is just slow to "create a link". It has a connection port because when I change the port from Com1 to say, Com2, it reports no connection. So it has a connection. It just doesn't do anything.
By the way, the screen on the unit is reading, "Software Upload Mode Active."

Bpic

Is there any way of openning up a Magellan Meridian Platinum and replacing an eprom or something? Has anyone ever heard of doing that?

zee

I had hoped that the instructions from # 13, as described in post # 9 above, would work.
Now for the "Duh me". I just clicked on the underlined Magellan Meridian in post #22, and the said Yahoo page opened up! I am weak in PC use, and that proves it. I should have checked earlier. Good for future use, even if Maggie can get some answers.

MaggieMagellan

Bpic,

If you are interested, the best thing for you to maybe do is to call Magellan Customer Service and see if they will give you a discount for one of our newer Outdoor products. From the sound of things, I no longer believe it to be a software issue you can fix but a hardware issue. I am sorry that you were not able to return it for a full refund when the product was still under warranty.