Software update issue with HDS 7

[JoeMac]

So I followed the guidlines to download the latest update from Lowrance, onto a memory card. When I put the card in, and turn on the HDS, the software won't download. If I go to files, I see the card, and can see the update on the card. Any ideas how I can get the update to download from the card? It all seems pretty simple, but the file just won't open and download.
Thanks,
JoeMac

[SAMSAMSAM]

It may not be as straightforward as you think. Lowrance gives you 2 options ... "Install This Update From the Web" and, if you look at the fine print right below, you can also use the stand-alone installer by copying the file onto your system and then generating the update file.

I always choose the latter; the web installer is hit or miss at best.

If you choose to use the stand-alone installer, be aware that the downloaded file on your system it is NOT the update. You must first run the file you downlaoded and tell it where to put the update file that it creates.

[JoeMac]

Thanks for the reply. So are there 2 downloades? I also did the latter. Put it on a puter file, and then trasnsfered it to a SD card. It shows up on the SD card as a exe. file, but it won't download off the card to the fish finder. It says to shut off the HDS, place the card in the slot, start it up and it will download the files. But it won't.

[yarcraft91]

JoeMac:

It still doesn't sound like you are doing exactly what Sam... described. Haven't done an HDS, but for the older Lowrances, there should not be a .exe file on the SD chip. Do you:

1. Download the stand-alone loader from Lowrance to the desktop on your computer. Put a blank SD chip in a chip reader on your computer.
2. Use your computer to run the .exe file you downloaded. When prompted for the place to save the update, specify the SD chip. When the process completes, remove the SD chip. You may have trouble with this step on a PC using Vista- do this step from the administrator account. I usually do this on a PC running XP.
3. Now put the SD chip in your HDS. For my LCX27, an update has 3 files on the SD chip- a .bin, .ldr and .lop file.

If you only have a Vista machine available, I may be able to help you get the .exe file to run. Let me know.

[yarcraft91]

Just ran the HDS update. The files you should find on your SD chip include:

a folder named "Sims"
A file named "update.conf"
a file named "hds-blahblahblah.upd", where -blahblahblah will depend on the version you are loading.

[JoeMac]

Just ran the HDS update. The files you should find on your SD chip include:

a folder named "Sims"
A file named "update.conf"
a file named "hds-blahblahblah.upd", where -blahblahblah will depend on the version you are loading.

OK, I have none of those files. I'll retry. Thanks fellas.