Acer Aspire One / Garmin Mobile PC Problem

I'm new to this forum and new to the world of laptop GPS but have run into a problem before I've even got started. Have an Aspire One running Win XP which I thought would be ideal to run a mobile GPS program on. However, it doesn't have a DVD/CD drive which could be used to load programs.

Since Mobile PC is my program of choice, I called Garmin tech support to find out if there was any other way to load the program (ie, directly online or down load to my desktop and then transfer to a thumb drive for loading to the Aspire). Was told I would need an external DVD/CD drive connected to the Aspire to load the program - nothing else would work. Since I don't have an external drive, I'd sure like to find a work-around solution.

Would appreciate hearing if, and how, anyone has been able to load Mobile PC onto an Aspire one.

That sounds just plain silly. I don't have a lot of faith in some of the things Garmin support tells me lately, especially if they don't offer a reasonable technical explanation.

If you have the DVD why not just try copying it to a thumb drive of the appropriate size and give it a shot? That's if you've already purchased it, of course.

...ken...

Garmin tech said they had several calls from folks with problem like mine, but he didn't offer any hope that they intended to solve it. Fortunately, I haven't bought the product yet, but would if I could make it work.

"... Garmin tech said they had several calls from folks with problem like mine, but he didn't offer any hope that they intended to solve it ..."

At least he could have suggested to you to look for a work-around solution in one of many online communities (e.g. Laptop GPS World).

"... Fortunately, I haven't bought the product yet, but would if I could make it work ..."

Garmin Mobile PC is great software. Not having a DVD drive in your laptop should not deter you from buying it.

One possible way to install it would be via a home network. If you have another computer at home, which does have a DVD drive, you could use the DVD drive via network.

Thanks for the suggestion. I may give it a try.

Now a days not having a dvd drive makes you miss a lot of things...maybe you have an usb socket...if it is so you can copy Garmin's Mobile PC dvd to an usb pendrive on any computer and install to yours laptop via usb...
GMPC's dvd, the one that came with GPS 20x is about 1.179.910.144 bytes...about 1.09 GB...

Hope it helps

Juan Carlos

Frustrated by Garmins reply yesterday, I decided to call again to find out if I would get same answer to my question today. I spoke to another tech support guy who absolutely assured me it was possible to use DVD drive on my desktop to load Mobile PC onto a thumb drive and then load on the Aspire One.

So, I'm buying the program and giving it a try and will advise how/if it works. Stay tuned.

Sounds like you finally got someone who knows something about computers. There's really no reason it should not work to copy it to a flash drive and install from there.

Let us know how you like it and holler if you need any help.

...ken...

I have Aspire one as well. Either you get an ext dvd or you may make use of your int dvd of your computer via this (cost Can$20)

http://www.tigerdirect.ca/applications/SearchTools/item-details.asp?EdpNo=1871517&CatId=3770

It is not quite simple to copy content of a DVD/CD to a thumb drive for installing software given the built in anti-piracy feature of all softwares. Afterall the cost is really little.


Daniel

I would like to use google earth with my gamin 18. Is there a best case set up for software that anyone knows?

If you are located in the US, you can do that with S&T . Right click a location you can see from your browser msn virtual earth image (very close to google earth)

I have not done that as I do not have garmin 18 just yet. You can have a driver from Garmin to use the usb gps for 3 rd party software which in this case would be S&T.

Daniel

Thanks for that dtong
I am wondering what config. would look like (V Earth and Garmin 18 and and and ? ) I just want to use G 18 as antenna. Maybe not the best choice?
I don't have a lot invested yet! I can get whatever antenna makes most sense. As you might have guessed I am very new to this and would like to set up bullet proof kinda deal. But, with some good quality graghics. I don't have a clue if V Earth or google will work as primary or if I need to layer.

If you don't have a GPS18 yet, don't buy it. It is older technology and only works directly with Garmin software. All other mapping software wants NMEA data which the USB version of the GPS18 doesn't provide. There are inexpensive USB GPS receivers available which will better meet your needs. If you are considering S&T 2009 it can be purchased with a GPS (Pharos 500 in US) which is a very good receiver. Otherwise the GlobalSat BU-353 is fine as a standalone USB GPS receiver.

If you already have a GPS18, get Spanner from the Garmin site. It will provide standard GPS output (NMEA) from the GPS18 suitable for other navigation programs. It is only supported in XP though.

Terry

Terry

Garmin has provided the driver for using the usb gps 18 for 3rd party software. Something entirely new for Garmin indeed.
Likely I have made mistake. I have another GlobalSat BT GPS Receiver BT-328-SP which works flawlessly with iGuidance 3.
I should have researched that before ordering. Maybe I am not going to open that until I have sorted that out with gpscity.ca

Daniel

I would suggest your BT 328 is 2 or 3 generations newer technology than the GPS18 and will work with all standard navigation programs provided you have BT capabilities.

If you add Bluetooth to your netbook, the BT 328 should meet all of your requirements.

Terry

Thanks for all that folks. I have alot to learn indeed. The BT thing sounds like 1st order of biz. And replace this G 18 thing with much more compatible unit. Thanks again
I am sure I will be back asking one dumb question after the other.

It worked! We bought Mobile PC, downloaded the program to a thumb drive using our desktop PC dvd drive and then transferred it to the Aspire One USB port. It worked like a charm and we were never even asked for a product key at any time in the process. I've used the GPS to navigate around town for a couple of days and it seems to track perfectly. Now to really learn how to use it. For example, I haven't figured out how to get elevation to display.

Elevation is not available on the map display page. Click on the satellite indicator in the top right corner of the main screen and click the 'GPS Info' button.

Terry

Attached Images

GMPC Elevation-1.jpg (113.2 KB)

GMPC Elevation-2.jpg (86.4 KB)

GMPC Elevation-3.jpg (107.1 KB)

Great.Thanks Terry.

To: Steel...
Can you tell me how to install GMPC at Aspire One? because till this day while I have install GMPC at my Aspire One, I still can't open it.
I don't understand when you said: "downloaded the program to a thumb drive using our desktop PC dvd drive and then transferred it to the Aspire One USB port"

Thanks

If you have a PC with a DVD drive and if you have a USB flash memory drive, you can put the Mobile PC DVD into the DVD drive and copy everything .. all of the files and folders .. from the Mobile PC DVD to the USB flash memory drive.

When you are done, the folders and files on the USB flash memory drive should be exactly the same as the folders and files on the Mobile PC DVD.

When you plug the USB flash memory drive into the Aspire One, it might autorun the Mobile PC installer. If not, you will need to run it yourself (it's a program named SETUP.EXE.

If you don't already have a USB flash memory drive you can buy one large enough (4GB) for very cheap (I just got a new one for Canadian$14). If you don't have a PC with a DVD drive, maybe you have a friend with one who will let you copy the files. It will only take a few minutes.

...ken...

You can also share the DVD drive from a PC over the network and then directly install from the shared DVD drive.

It's worked, thanks for all of you...

Marvin & "Ken in Regina"
I've learned a couple of things here:
USB Flash memory sticks are what you call thumb drives; i had to look that one up on google.
Installation programmes on DVD and CD, viz Autoroute can be can be copied to a "Thumb Drive" for installation on a computer with USB ports only.
You wouldn't believe the number of companies selling this software that couldn't answer how to get install from a DVD to a USB onlu computer.
Thanks guys, you are good.
Ken in Long Sault

Salut Ken,

Thanks for the feedback. It's always good to hear when something works.

I would absolutely believe how many stores have no idea about installing without a DVD drive. That's why there are so many sites like this on the internet, so people can help each other with these problems.

...ken...

OK, but it seems like a simple solution would just be to buy an external USB DVD player. Some day you'll need one for something anyway and they're not that expensive (usually less than $50)! Just make sure you get one that has dual USB cables that doesn't require an external power source!
I always copy my installation disks to a 500GB USB HD anyway for easy installation of my apps after a reformat, but I HAVE to have my DVD player for movies, etc!

BestBuy sales person told me a few months ago it was ILLEGAL to use the WIN7 Upgrade DVD to upgrade from WINXP to WIN7. Huh? I bought it anyway. Guess he didn't know how to do a clean install of WIN7 from the upgrade DVD.
Which, BTW, presents an even better reason to purchase a DVD player. Sooner or later you will want to upgrade to WIN7 and believe me, you don't want to attemp this with a flash drive!!!

utoRI've had a DVD +/- drive for a long time and it works fine. The real problem relates back to getting Autoroute Europe 2010, not sold in Canada. Available in the U.K. and U.S.A. but they won't sell to Canada; it's crazy. AutoRoute 2010 comes on a DVD and having overlooked my DVD drive (seldom used these days) I didn't know if DVD could be copied to a Flash drive. Marvin and Ken/Regina resolved that issue.
P.S. Problem of buying from U.S.A. is also resolved if one has friends in the U.S.A.
Ken-Long Sault

Gotta go with Gadget Girl on this one! A small DVD drive can be had for around $40 CAN, and I saw a few in Seattle last week for about $30 US... Only slightly larger than the jewel case that the DVD came in....

I've got a Dell Mini netbook that has three USB ports, one of them is a "power" port and it drives the power requirements of the DVD drive just fine, but it does have a dual cable so that you can use two "regular" USB ports if you need to. This tiny netbook is so handy for toting around, that it goes with me almost everywhere. (BTW, it was cool clocking the trip back from Seattle at 800 and some-odd K...)

I have an AspireOne 751H (aprox. 11.3 in. screen). I use an external sata 160gb hard drive via one of the USB ports. I copied the DVD to the HD on another computer. Works fine! Now, if some one could tell me how to open CN NA NT 2010.3 in Mapsource, I would be a happy camper.

Hi dave1515,

I have an eMachine (Acer) without CD drive. Tried copying AutoRoute from desktop CD drive to flash memory, but it didn't work. I have an HP DVD external RW, and that worked fine. Most pleasing was eMachine with XP didn't ask for installation CD for HP unit, it just plugged and played.

Sorry I can't help with Mapsource question, I have Autoroute.

I'll take this opportunity to mention (Marvin note) I finally acquired AutoRoute Europe 2010 installed and working very well. I also bought Streets and Trips with GPS locator on eBay, again, the GPS locator is plug n play, no installation required.

It's good to have friends in the U.S.A.

Did you copy the DVD into its own folder on the portable hard drive? If so, there should be a SETUP.EXE program in the folder. If there is, you should be able to run it and that should get you going.

...ken...

I think dave1515 wants to open the map files that came with Mobile PC in MapSource. Unfortunately, that is not possible. The map files on the Mobile PC DVD are precompiled. MapSource can not open those image files nor uncompile them for its own use.

Terry