G3X + Mac Database Update Redux

Tango Mike · #1 06-22-2016, 04:40 PM

RV-7 with two G3X screens and a totally Garmin IFR stack.

Here we go again. I'm resurrecting this issue in a new thread to announce that I own an airplane that's kind of like a boat, because sitting in the cockpit I'm staring at the equivalent of two boat anchors.

I've tried everything suggested by Garmin, been told they are aware of the problem trying to update databases with a Mac, an alternate update method is in the works, and once again I cannot get the Flitecharts database to download successfully.

Even waiting overnight, the next morning the spinning wheel of death greets me, and when I leave the page because that's the only thing I can do, sure enough, that one database update is not installed.

And I'm supposed to pay Garmin for a yearly subscription for out-of-date flight charts?

I think not.

ColoCardinal · #2 06-23-2016, 05:17 AM

Mike,
Do you suspect it's an issue of incompatibility with the Mac, the operating system or with the browser? Just wondering what you've tried. Would it be worthwhile to install windows in Boot Camp for $100 or so and run everything off of that?
Sorry if I'm rehashing what you've already been told but I haven't seen the previous post.

Tango Mike · #3 06-23-2016, 06:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ColoCardinal

Mike,
Do you suspect it's an issue of incompatibility with the Mac, the operating system or with the browser? Just wondering what you've tried. Would it be worthwhile to install windows in Boot Camp for $100 or so and run everything off of that?
Sorry if I'm rehashing what you've already been told but I haven't seen the previous post.

I've had this problem both with an earlier version of OS X and the most current one, two different browsers, and spent a good deal of time with tech support running through diagnostics checking the computer, Internet connection, etc.

Garmin says they're aware of the problem, and the last time we talked, I was told that the method for updating the databases for both Windows and Mac was being updated, but the Windows effort would be first. The fact that an alternate method for updating databases is provided for Windows indicates that the basic method can have issues for that operating system as well.

Another forum member suggested purchasing a Windows machine just for this, but both that and installing boot camp to solve a problem Garmin acknowledges and hasn't done anything about is aggravating, to say the least.

I'm fully aware that others might consider me stubborn, but there's a principle involved. I spent a lot of hard-earned money to install what is supposed to be the best. I saw nothing in the sales literature about a caution that if I use a Mac, I might not be able to reliably update the databases. Then after the fact the problem shows up, Garmin has no solution, and I'm supposed to spend more to solve it on my own?

This has been going on since mid-2013. None of the experts can explain why all the databases update smooth as glass until Flitecharts. It's obviously the largest single database, and the individual parts of the update take longer than the others, but something happens when the process enters the "Preparing" stage that prevents it from completing successfully.

I've had update intermittently occur without a hitch. I've had the failure occur the first time I tried and not the second. I've left it overnight and found it updated in the morning. I thought this was the answer, but the latest update failed even after leaving it for hours.

On once occasion I had to leave the page before the update was complete, but when I went to check the status, Flitecharts showed that it had been updated. Garmin told me that could happen and didn't mean that the SD card had the revision on it. But when I updated the screens, the Flitecharts did indicate currency.

All of this indicates to me that Garmin isn't very interested in solving a problem. I've done everything they've suggested without success. And frankly, it gives the impression that as a Mac user I'm treated as a 2nd-class customer.

End of rant.

Brantel · #4 06-23-2016, 06:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tango Mike

Garmin says they're aware of the problem, and the last time we talked, I was told that the method for updating the databases for both Windows and Mac was being updated, but the Windows effort would be first. The fact that an alternate method for updating databases is provided for Windows indicates that the basic method can have issues for that operating system as well.

This does not address your issue but I can tell you the original version of updating worked fine on multiple Windows PC's and laptops and OS's.
The new version works fine as well on the same. I imagine the new version was written to keep up with Microsoft's ever changing OS models.

Skyflyer · #5 06-23-2016, 03:08 PM

I have a dual screen original G3X installation in my 8. I have always used an Apple computer to update the databases and system software without problems.

On my 2008 MacBook I had installed Parallels and ran Microsoft XP SP3 since I had other aviation related software not written for the Mac. Updates with this arrangement were the same as on any Windows machine.

Now that I have an iMac running OS X 10.11.5 and no longer use any non Apple software I use the Mac au naturel with similar results. Updating Flight Charts does take a few minutes but it always did. Updating a single SD card is as fast with one system as the other. The latest Windows agent did allow for faster updating of multiple SD cards as only a single download was required. This saved a few minutes when I choose to use two cards.

maus92 · #6 06-23-2016, 05:34 PM

IDK, I just updated my navigation data using my Macbook Pro running El Capitan 10.11.5 and Safari 9.1.1. Garmin Communicator version 4.2.0.0. No problems, but your Garmin Communicator is an earlier version. Is it just Flite Charts that has the issue?

PixelWorker · #7 06-23-2016, 10:53 PM

I do updates with a mac and don't have any issues. Flight Charts can be slow to download but it works.

Tango Mike · #8 06-24-2016, 06:47 AM

My MacBook Pro is brand new with upgrades in RAM and processor speed, the update screen indicates I have the latest version of the Communicator, I get speedy, successful downloads of all the databases up to Flitecharts, and then it takes a while to get to the last step with the message about "preparing . . . this may take a few minutes . . ." and it hangs up as long as overnight.

From that point, when leaving the page I've found that the Flitcharts did update when I got back to the databases page, and also that it didn't. Like now, when it hasn't updated successfully in multiple tries.

At one point I thought it might be a problem with the browser. I switched from Firefox to Safari, and although it still took hours, when I checked the status it had updated successfully.

I thought I'd discovered the problem and used Safari the next time and it failed again.

At this point, I'm stranded with no solution in sight.

maus92 · #9 06-24-2016, 07:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tango Mike

My MacBook Pro is brand new with upgrades in RAM and processor speed, the update screen indicates I have the latest version of the Communicator,

The screenshot in your original post shows Garmin Communicator version 4.1.0.0 - the version on my machine is 4.2.0.0.

I'm curious if you migrated data from your old Mac, or installed everything fresh...

Tango Mike · #10 06-24-2016, 07:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by maus92

The screenshot in your original post shows Garmin Communicator version 4.1.0.0 - the version on my machine is 4.2.0.0.

I'm curious if you migrated data from your old Mac, or installed everything fresh...

Uh . . . Good catch. I'll check that now. I migrated the data, and if I had any indication that corruption or other problem with the previous Mac had anything to do with it, I might have done it differently.

Thanks.