Garmin GPSr Backup

 
It is highly recommended that you make a complete backup of your Garmin GPSr before you change, add or remove any files from the unit. It is not uncommon to accidentally delete or overwrite important files you may need to recover later, and having an archived copy of your Garmin GPSr as you received it from Garmin may save you a lot of headache in the future.

Making additional backup archives any time you add or delete data from the unit will reduce the amount of time required to restore your Garmin GPSr to a more recent configuration should something ever go wrong. The Garmin GPSr is a small computer, after all.

Manual Archive


Simple

The quickest and easiest way to create an archive of your Garmin GPSr:
  1. Connect the Garmin GPSr to your computer via USB
  2. If the Garmin GPSr asks "Do you want to enter Mass Storage Mode?", select [Yes]
  3. Wait for the Garmin GPSr to enter Mass Storage Mode
  4. Create a new folder on your desktop named 'Garmin GPSr Archive' or something similar
  5. Open Windows Explorer (WIN+E) and position the window so the 'Garmin GPSr Archive' folder is still visible
  6. Find your Garmin Garmin GPSr in the 'My Computer' window
  7. Left click and drag the Garmin GPSr to your 'Garmin GPSr Archive' folder and release the left mouse button
  8. Wait for the computer to completely finish the copy process
  9. Right click the 'Garmin GPSr Archive' folder, select Properties | General | Attributes: and tick Read-only then Apply and OK
  10. Save the 'Garmin GPSr Archive' folder in a safe location, such as on an external USB drive
 

Advanced

Once you have become intimately familiar with the files and folders stored on your Garmin GPSr, you may decide that you wish to archive only specific files and/or folders each time you make changes to your Garmin GPSr. We recommend keeping the original archive as 'Read Only' while maintaining a separate archive for frequent synchronization.

Automated Archive
 

Simple

The quickest and easiest method to create an automated archive of your Garmin GPSr is accomplished by using the 'Backup' and 'Restore' functions within the JaVaWa Device Manager application, available for both Mac and PC.

Advanced

Advanced users desiring a fully automated archive process with precise controls can install SyncBack (for PC) for making regularly synchronized backups of your Garmin GPSr.