Very long startup-time [Bug 41]

Discussion related to the Garmin Montana 7x0 series GPSr
bonstetten
Posts: 78
Joined: Sun Oct 28, 2018 12:57 pm

Very long startup-time [Bug 41]

Unread post by bonstetten »

I've a quite new Montana 750i.
I just registred the device for GeocachingLive and installed one .ggz-file with geocaches.
--> Worked.

Today I wanted do to some tests without loaded geocaches. I removed the one and only .ggz-File.
--> The Montana does not started. It hanged while displaying the white progress bar "Loading waypoints, tracks and routes..."
--> "Forced USB Mass Storage Mode" --> ggz-file was really deleted. Also now deleted all files in /gpx
--> The Montana does not started. It hanged while displaying the white progress bar "Loading waypoints, tracks and routes..."
waited, waited, waited (ca. 6...12 Min) --> GPS started.

What takes so long to start if no file exists to load!

Montana 750i
FW-Version: 5.3
GPS: 2.80
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GPSrChive
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Joined: Fri Jan 20, 2017 11:29 pm

Re: Very long startup-time [Bug 41]

Unread post by GPSrChive »

The GPX or GGZ file is just for 'reference'.

Each time the GPSr powers on, it checks for any file additions, deletions, or modifications in both internal and external memory.

For every change in every file added, removed, or edited, the GPSr must find the original entry in the device internal database and update as required.

If you add a GGZ file with 30K geocache entries, the next power on will require time to update the internal database for each and every geocache from that GGZ file.

Similarly, if you remove a GGZ file with 30K geocache entries, the next power cycle will also require time to remove all of those entries from the internal database.

For smaller files, this process is almost imperceptible.

For larger files, this can require a substantial period of time to complete.

My suggestion is to connect the device to external power (when available) and find something else to do while the tasks are performed.

One alternative option, when making large database changes, is to delete the \Garmin\SQL\ directory, which can speed the process up at the risk of potential data loss. The GPSr will rebuild a new SQL directory for all data currently loaded at the next power on event.
bonstetten
Posts: 78
Joined: Sun Oct 28, 2018 12:57 pm

Re: Very long startup-time [Bug 41]

Unread post by bonstetten »

Thanks for the detailed explanation. Yes, there are about 30k Geocaches in the file. I just was suprised, because loading the new file was much faster.
What could be improved is the progess bar: Because it was remaining a "zero" (no progress visible), you can have the impression that the device freezed.
rgschmidt
Posts: 26
Joined: Sat Sep 05, 2020 1:08 pm

Re: Very long startup-time [Bug 41]

Unread post by rgschmidt »

The quickest way is to remove /SQL/userdata.sqlite3 file after removing and/or adding GPX/GGZ files. Then restart the device. This speeds up the reboot significantly.
Garmin GPSMAP 65S | Garmin GPSMAP 66SR | Garmin GPSMAP 66ST | Garmin Extrex 30
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GPSrChive
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Re: Very long startup-time [Bug 41]

Unread post by GPSrChive »

rgschmidt wrote: Wed Sep 30, 2020 8:31 pm The quickest way is to remove /SQL/userdata.sqlite3 file after removing and/or adding GPX/GGZ files. Then restart the device. This speeds up the reboot significantly.
The user should be aware this process can result in semi-permanent data loss in some scenarios.

For example, GCLive data previously loaded to the device will no longer be available and must be manually downloaded again.

:?
rgschmidt
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Joined: Sat Sep 05, 2020 1:08 pm

Re: Very long startup-time [Bug 41]

Unread post by rgschmidt »

You are right, always use this with care! I’ve done so with all my Garmin GPSrs in de past years.

On the 750i I noticed every now and then ‘empty’ Geoaches in the Geocache list (there is an entry for the Geocache but the description is missing). Removing the sqlite database solves this issue too.
Garmin GPSMAP 65S | Garmin GPSMAP 66SR | Garmin GPSMAP 66ST | Garmin Extrex 30
Catch
Posts: 29
Joined: Mon Oct 05, 2020 12:47 pm

Re: Very long startup-time [Bug 41]

Unread post by Catch »

I have noticed that every two or three times I load an updated GPX file to the unit, during startup, the message Loading waypoint, routes and tracks, the green progress bar goes from "0 to 100" several times, before some more messages flashes and finally the map are shown.
FW 6.40
rgschmidt
Posts: 26
Joined: Sat Sep 05, 2020 1:08 pm

Re: Very long startup-time [Bug 41]

Unread post by rgschmidt »

I noticed the same effect since FW 6.30. The progress bar seems to restart more that 4 times for a pocket query. Don't know what is going on but everythings loads ok with Geocaches.

Not sure if the load times differ from FW 5.30
Last edited by rgschmidt on Fri Oct 23, 2020 3:30 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Garmin GPSMAP 65S | Garmin GPSMAP 66SR | Garmin GPSMAP 66ST | Garmin Extrex 30
Catch
Posts: 29
Joined: Mon Oct 05, 2020 12:47 pm

Re: Very long startup-time [Bug 41]

Unread post by Catch »

After updating the GGZ/GPX files twice today, I counted the number of cycles: "Loading waypoints, tracks, and routes...", before the Montana 700 started up:
19 and 20 cycles each apx 64 seconds.

GGZ: 22K Geocaches 31,5 MB
GPX: 3,2K Child waypoints 1,2 MB
POI: 29,1 MB
POI_Stash: 1,5 MB

I have a feeling that the number of cycles increases each time I am updating the GGZ/GPX files.

I also tested the Oregon 700 once with the same updated files, and it started up after 3 cycles each apx 45 seconds.
Catch
Posts: 29
Joined: Mon Oct 05, 2020 12:47 pm

Re: Very long startup-time [Bug 41]

Unread post by Catch »

Catch wrote: Tue Nov 03, 2020 2:26 pm After updating the GGZ/GPX files twice today, I counted the number of cycles: "Loading waypoints, tracks, and routes...", before the Montana 700 started up:
19 and 20 cycles each apx 64 seconds.

GGZ: 22K Geocaches 31,5 MB
GPX: 3,2K Child waypoints 1,2 MB
POI: 29,1 MB
POI_Stash: 1,5 MB

I have a feeling that the number of cycles increases each time I am updating the GGZ/GPX files.

I also tested the Oregon 700 once with the same updated files, and it started up after 3 cycles each apx 45 seconds.
One additional test:
Deleting all GGZ, GPX and POI files and start up again. Equal number of cycles (apx 20)
Loaded updated GGZ, GPX and POI files: The GPS started up after 1 cycle.
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