Lowrance updates

[cabin boy]

Does anyone know of a store that will update your unit for free? Just looking to save on the cost of buying a card and card reader.

[Ralph Wiggum]

I think if you call Lowrance, they will send you a chip with the update on it and you send it back when you are done.

[Central Bassman]

Thorn Bros will do it but it's NOT free... Im not sure what it cost call them and they will let you know.

[pascooter94]

hey guys new to this just got the Lms-480 last fall use one time last year do i need to get the updates? and do you need to do this every year? thanks for the help

[PerchJerker]

Look in your unit to see which version of the software you're running, and look on the lowrance webpage to see what the current version is in the software updates.

You should update your unit AND your gps module.

[Central Bassman]

Pascooter94 i can almost grantee you that your unit needs to be updated. Like Perch Jerker was saying u need to go and look at the website... But where did you buy it form??

[gofishingtom]

cabin boy..if you close to a scheels i know the one in st. cloud does updates for free..its just a matter of going in with unit and they'll power it up and put chip in and it takes like 2 minutes to do..Can't believe someone would charge for this..it should be a customer service..because once in the store you are going to look around and probably find something that you are going to buy if you are like me and fishing stuff!! always need more...

[pascooter94]

central bassman, I got it from cables in owatonna.

[Central Bassman]

Yea then im guessing they didnt do the updates for you so you will need to do them!!!

[pascooter94]

central bassman thanks for the help better get it done.

[PerchJerker]

I said it before but I'll say it again. You need to update your gps module (puck) too, not just your head unit. Not sure how you're going to do the puck if you bring just the head unit in to a store.

[Central Bassman]

pascooter94 No problem im always more then willing to help.

PerchJerker thats a great point!!!

[Iceseeker]

I asked this question at Scheel's and was told to contact Lowrance and they would send out a chip. They did not say anything about doing it at the store. This was 2 weeks ago in St. Cloud.

Iceseeker

[pascooter94]

perchjerher, does the puck get the update from lowrance to?

[PerchJerker]

Yes, the puck is called LGC2000 module (or something like that). It's listed in their list of available updates.

[Ringo]

What is the purpose of these updates and what will happen if they are not done?

[Central Bassman]

The Purpose of these updates is to get ride of all the bugs and make sure that the hard drives are working right. It makes the units work better and make it so any bugs that are in the system go away. If you ask me the UPDATE ARE A MUST!!!! It is only going to make your unit better and work correctly

[PerchJerker]

The updates correct bugs, they also add additional features and functionality. The newest updates improve some networking features, plus other things. The page for each update gives you a brief synopsis of what the updates do.

[cabin boy]

How does one go about updating the gps module? Anyone know?

[iffwalleyes]

I was wondering the same thing for updating of the head. I don't see it on the list of updates. Also I load the update onto my MMC card and then I am suppose to just be able to put it in the unit and turn it on and it is to update automatically it says. Well I do that and then go look at the software info and on my LCX20C it still is v1.4 and I am suppose to be updating to v1.8 then on my LMS 332 it is running with v1.6 and it is to be updated to v1.8. Anyone run into what it might be doing this. It is like it isn't recognizing the chip. I have other info on the chip though. Can the update be the only thing on the chip?

[PerchJerker]

The gps module is in the list of updates, it is LGC-2000.

For the LGC-2000 update (after it's on the chip), you need to Browse MMC Files and select the update file from the list that appears on the screen. Then press Update if it comes up, or press the WPT button 5 times to kick off the update. The instructions are laid out on the Lowrance site.

All of my GPS units have updated automatically (ie. when the chip is in and you turn on the unit, I've never had to Browse MMC Files to find them and kick them off like you do with the gps module). But if they don't start automatically you can Browse MMC Files and select the update and kick it off that way. I don't know why it wouldn't be updating your units, I've never run into that before. Have you looked on your chip to verify that the update file is on there?

[iffwalleyes]

Yes I open it up and the files are there. But when I do go into the transfer data it does not show up when it is in the unit. But on the computer it shows up so I don't know what the heck is going on. It sounds like a Sat. afternoon project .

[PerchJerker]

A card reader I had a year ago wouldn't take the files directly from the update process. To get it to work I loaded the update files to my hard drive, then dragged/dropped them onto my card. That worked It's kind of a spit and bubblegum fix, but maybe that will work for you too????

If that doesn't work I would follow the java link off the lowrance site and try updating your java installer.

[iffwalleyes]

I think that might be part of it. I loaded Java the other day and I can find it on the computer and I verify it is the current version which it says it is. But then when I click on the install now button it comes up and says that I don't have it on my computer.

Really I should just be able to save the windows link that is on the updates and put it on the chip I would think. Well I will keep trying.

[uglystick007]

Java has to be ver 1.5.0. I had to go back to that level to get it to work. The latest 1.6.0 did not work. I had to search around the Sun website to find 1.5.0 update 11.

[iffwalleyes]

Thanks guys i have everything updated know. Yes you need Java version 1.5 as the newest version will not work. Thanks for the help guys.

[PerchJerker]

Quote:

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the newest version will not work

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So much for the leading edge of technology

[MasterClear]

I encountered another issue with the updates to my son's Lowrance 332C. I used a PNY brand memory card. The unit would not accept the update from that card. I brought the unit into Thorn Bros. and was told they had found the same problem and it was solved by using SanDisk brand cards.