Aera 660 slow "Easy Update"

[ShaneWhite]

I have an Aera 660. I also have a 760. I brought them both home today to update their databases. Logged onto home Wi-Fi, hit "Easy Update" - and walked away.

That was at 12:30 this afternoon. The 760 was updated when I got hom at 8:15 PM.

The 660...it's still updating. Sitting on IFR/VFR charts at 29%. I rebooted it, but it's still super slow. It's a good thing I didn't need it for a flight, I wouldn't have been able to go if I relied on this thing for current data.

I tried to use flygarmin.com and the "Garmin Aviation Database manager" update tool...plugged the 660 into my PC via USB...and the PC does not see it. Secreen says plug in your device and make sure it is on. Tried a different USB cable. No joy.

Has anyone else had this issue? I'm wondering if my device is bad and needs replaced, or if there is something else going on. My home WiFi can do 2.4G or 5G and is Gigabit fiber with very strong WiFi.

I'll call Garmin tomorrow and report back, but I'm trying to resolve this tonight if I can since I want to fly tomorrow morning.

Thanks!

Shane

 

[GeorgeC]

Oh lord.

I updated mine recently with for the first times.

Part the first: on my computer.
It took me a while to sift through my collection of Garmin apps, find the right one, log in, pay for stuff. I spend a heck of a time trying to get the highly technical act of plugging in a USB storage device working. Eventually I figure out the random chmod I need to do and get it going. It downloads and updates the device and it does its thing.

Part the second: on the device.
In monkeying with the 660, I realize it has wifi. Great! I'll be able to update it without having it tethered to the computer. I set it going and it starts chugging along. Dinner goes by... kids go to bed... I finally say fuggedaboutit and go to bed. I don't know how long it ultimately took.

tl;dr if it's the night before you're flying, DFWI

 

[ShaneWhite]

I got it unstuck! Here is how:

Power down

Then...

• At boot, hold power button until "READY" appears
• Touch and hold the Garmin logo before releasing the power button
• Unit is held in boot block until finger is lifted from logo

That was some sort of epic reset, and now everything is downloading over WiFi from flygarmin.com

Looks like it will finish soon.

Found that info here:

https://forums.garmin.com/pilots/av...ra-660-05sep24-updates-not-installing/1878271

 

[bbchien]

Mine took abour 4 minutes to update.....(Aera 660). But thanks for the intel!

 

[asicer]

I've got gigabit cable internet service. I also have a 4000Mbps WiFi network. It takes somewhere between 1 and 1.5 hours to update the databases over WiFi. However, if I run Garmin Aviation Database Manager on my computer and connect up the 660 via USB then it takes 12 minutes or so.

I suspect that WiFi slowness is because the 660 is probably using the older 802.11g standard (54Mbps on paper, 20-30Mbps in the real world). I suspect that the wired slowness is probably because using the older eMMC flash memory standard.

 

[ShaneWhite]

I need to get my USB cable updates working. My PC won’t see the Aera. Perhaps I have a bad unit. I just ordered a new USB cable to eliminate the possibility of a bad cable.

 

[ShaneWhite]

More information: My problem still persists...

I bought a new USB cable and now I can get an update via USB cable. So...that's good enough to fly.

My databases are current in the "database information" icon information list. (I updated via USB and Garmin Aviation Database Manager).

If I go to "downloads", the units show that my installed databases are expired, and it shows "downloading" the databases that it thinks are needed (but they are currently the ones I have installed as viewed in the "database information" icon of the units).

Garmin needs to correct the firmware on these devices to sync "Database information" with "Downloads" - as they are out of sync and not talking to each other. I have confirmed this problem exists on both my Aera 660 as well as my Aera 760.

I will report this problem to them and let you know what they say.

Shane

 

[GeorgeC]

I suspect that WiFi slowness is because the 660 is probably using the older 802.11g standard (54Mbps on paper, 20-30Mbps in the real world). I suspect that the wired slowness is probably because using the older eMMC flash memory standard.

Never attribute to bandwidth what can adequately be attributed to shoddy programming and/or a slow af SoC.

 

[farmrjohn]

I need to get my USB cable updates working. My PC won’t see the Aera. Perhaps I have a bad unit. I just ordered a new USB cable to eliminate the possibility of a bad cable.

More information: My problem still persists...

I bought a new USB cable and now I can get an update via USB cable. So...that's good enough to fly.

My databases are current in the "database information" icon information list. (I updated via USB and Garmin Aviation Database Manager).

If I go to "downloads", the units show that my installed databases are expired, and it shows "downloading" the databases that it thinks are needed (but they are currently the ones I have installed as viewed in the "database information" icon of the units).

Garmin needs to correct the firmware on these devices to sync "Database information" with "Downloads" - as they are out of sync and not talking to each other. I have confirmed this problem exists on both my Aera 660 as well as my Aera 760.

I will report this problem to them and let you know what they say.

Shane

I've had a similar issue with my 660 and updating from an iMac. The Mac and Garmin Express will see the 660 but when I use Garmin Database Manager to update the databases Database Manager will state it can't find the 660. Garmin tech support suggested try a different USB cable (I was using a Garmin one). I didn't have another cable on hand but several tries and holding my mouth just right got it to work. Using WIFI seemed like it would take a day or two. Database Manager works just fine to update the GPS175 SD card.

 

[asicer]

My databases are current in the "database information" icon information list. (I updated via USB and Garmin Aviation Database Manager).

If I go to "downloads", the units show that my installed databases are expired, and it shows "downloading" the databases that it thinks are needed (but they are currently the ones I have installed as viewed in the "database information" icon of the units).

Garmin needs to correct the firmware on these devices to sync "Database information" with "Downloads" - as they are out of sync and not talking to each other. I have confirmed this problem exists on both my Aera 660 as well as my Aera 760.

I noticed that too. The actual databases seem to be correct and not really expired, despite what the downloads section says.

 

[asicer]

Never attribute to bandwidth what can adequately be attributed to shoddy programming and/or a slow af SoC.

Not that I have the ability run any actual benchmarks, the SoC seems fairly reasonable.

 

[ShaneWhite]

I paired my Aera 660 and Aera 760 to a different WiFi network (my iPhone personal hotspot / maximize compatibility mode) and I finally got everything to download over Wi-Fi. It was still slow as molasses and took hours.

My home network is an enterprise class Ubiquiti setup with 8 mesh hotspots. I did a lot of Googling and I set up a dedicated 2.4 GHz network set up just for Garmin updates, using only WPA2 security, with nothing fancy turned on such as band steering or data rate control, but it did not help. Next month, maybe I'll just go to a Starbucks and see if their Wi-Fi works to eliminate the possiblity of Ubiquiti / Garmin not playing well together.

Garmin offered me swapping out my Aera 660 for $395 ($422.65 shipped) for a re-certified unit if the problem persits. Not exactly the product support and customer service I was hoping for on a unit like this.

The icing on the cake is now my Sirius XM weather is not downloading to the Aera from my Garmin GDL-51; it says "waiting for multiple products". Ugh. It's hard-wired. I sent an "update" signal via Sirius XM; we'll see if that helps.