Garmin GPS 12 wrong date

[Dollywaggon]

My much used GPS 12 has developed the. 'Date problem'. Before I try a factory reset I would like to try the GpsEow software fix outlined by Alistair in a 13 October 2015 post on this site. Have looked on the Garmin site but as yet have been unable to find a link to the software. Can anyone help please?

 

[Nuvi-Nebie]

Yes, I've created a help page for this problem in the Garrmin FAQs here :-

https://www.gps-forums.com/threads/garmin-faqs.46082/#post-225554

You will probably find that your GPS 12 failed because the internal battery failed, it is a backup for the main batteries, if this is the case, you will need to keep working batteries in the GPS 12 to stop this happening again (or replace the internal battery), see link here :-
https://www.gps-forums.com/threads/garmin-gps-12-battery-usage-power-consumption.46179/

 

[Dollywaggon]

Thanks for the help. Have got myself all geared up to try and fix the problem using the software but my PC (running Windows XP) connects to the GPS 12 via a virtual serial port plugged into one of my USB ports. It's a long time since I set it up so I can't remember how it's port was decided but it's COMM port 5. The Garmin date change software only gives the opportunity to select ports 1 to 4. Does anyone know of a way round this? At the moment the GPS 12 interfaces happily with Memory Map software and MapSource Trip and Waypoint manager.

 

[Dollywaggon]

Hi again. Sorry, I should have more confidence in my ability to suss things out. After a bit of digging, discovered COMM 2 was available. Changed the virtual serial port to that and uploaded the time to the GPS. Turned the GPS off , took it outside and turned it on again. Once it had acquired 3d nav, checked the date and bingo, problem fixed. Thank you so much for your help.

 

[Nuvi-Nebie]

I have added some info. into the Garmin FAQs on how to reallocate a COM port (in Windows XP) so that COM 1 - 4 can be used

 

[AndyTate]

Yes, I've created a help page for this problem in the Garrmin FAQs here :-

https://www.gps-forums.com/threads/garmin-faqs.46082/#post-225554

You will probably find that your GPS 12 failed because the internal battery failed, it is a backup for the main batteries, if this is the case, you will need to keep working batteries in the GPS 12 to stop this happening again (or replace the internal battery), see link here :-
https://www.gps-forums.com/threads/garmin-gps-12-battery-usage-power-consumption.46179/

Thanks ever so much. My 1998 vintage GPS 12 with v3.53 software had been left in a drawer without batteries for some while and on re-starting had the date stuck at 31Aug97. Cold Resets did not fix it, but following your helpful FAQ I found my old usb>RS232 converter with FTDI chipset driver CD. Installation on my 64bit Windows10 laptop went okay to COM3. Then installed GPSEOW from your links and ran it as admin and success the update went okay and GPSEOW reported the model and software revision of my Garmin so that was promising. Next the Garmin powered up with Date set to 1Apr18 and then once it found the satellites it switched to today's date. Great for another 20yrs now I guess and I will leave batteries in it and check them every few months this time.

 

[Nuvi-Nebie]

Glad to see the GPS12 is back to a working state, my GPS38 (a couple years older), suffered from the date problem which was fixed with GPSEOW, however it now fails to get a satellite fix, I think the internal oscillator has drifted too out to be used

BTW
Your internal battery can be replaced to avoid having to keep working main batteries in the device, however, you wil have to be o.k. with opening the unit and doing some soldering