Preparing for the recipe

Okay!! Assuming that you have all the downloads from the previous post, its time to prepare the microSD with all the ingredients. GMXT will run from the microSD card, although a little installation routine will be performed on the Shadow. However, all other data (including maps) will reside on the microSD.

The following lines up all the steps that you would perform to get GMXT on the Shadow.

Things you would need - Everything from the previous post - Getting everything (almost) for FREE!! .

What you would have by the end of this post - GMXT on the Shadow, functional but without GPS Receiver support.

Don't worry, the steps to enable the GPS Receiver will come in the next post.

1. Installing Garmin MapSource

Garmin MapSource lets you transfer maps, waypoints, routes, and tracks between your PC and nearly all Garmin GPS units. You get the software for free when you buy a Garmin GPS unit. Another way to install the software on your PC is shown here. The trick is to first install Training Center from Garmin and then apply the MapSource update.

The Training Center installer I have is TrainingCenterForWindows_332.exe. Double click to install the software. When it says "Your USB drivers are ready to be installed", click on Exit to terminate the installation.

Once the setup is complete, run the MapSource update. The installer I have for it is MapSource_6136.exe. Download links for the two files are in the previous post. That should get you started with MapSource, although currently there is only the World basemap at your disposal. Here is what you see when you run MapSource for the first time.


Lets add the detailed map for North America.

2. Installing the maps for North America

Assuming that you downloaded using the same torrent as I did, look for the directory instal dir in the downloaded files. The file named CNNANT2008Update_ENU.msi installs City Navigator North America NT 2008 with the English language settting. The installation would require around 1.5GB, so make sure your installation drive has that much space available.

Now, Garmin maps are not all that readily usable. First you shall have to unlock it for use with MapSource. The torrent includes the file Installation & Unlock with the key to unlock the map. However, that would unlock it in DEMO mode...not of much use. Instead, do this.

a. Go to the directory where you installed MapSource (C:/Garmin for me). Open UnlockWizard.exe.

b. Check "Yes, I have a 25-character unlock code." Click Next.

c. Check "I have a 25-character Unlock code, I will type it in". Click Next.

d. Type (or copy/paste) this as the unlock code: VE76V-AXVLW-9CQTA-4ADB8-8DQZ9

e. Check "No, I will register later". Click Next. Say Yes. Check "No, I am done." Click Next and then Finish.

Fire up MapSource again. You should now see the North American map. If not make sure the "City Navigator North America NT 2008" item is selected on the drop down list on the top-left corner.


Moving the mouse over the map shows a region that can be selected (indicated by a yellow polygon). Click on it to select. You can also do drag select to add multiple regions. Note the size of the selected regions. Make sure your microSD card has enough space for that. If you are just trying out to see if it works, then choose a region with a small file size (How about Wyoming at 4.32MB?). A full user manual of the software is available here.

3. Building gmapsupp.img

So, you know what you need from the map. How to get them into a single file for GMXT? Easy! Choose everything you need. Give a name to the mapset, if you wish - GMXT will display this name when looking for map information on the Shadow. Then we are ready to transfer.

The file that MapSource will create is gmapsupp.img and this is the same file that GMXT will read maps from. However, MapSource will not create the file to your hard drive. Ideally, you should have a Garmin GPS unit plugged in and MapSource would happily dump the file there. Here is what you can do.

a. Use the SD adapter that came with your microSD card and plug it on to your PC USB.

b. In MapSource do Tranfers > Send to Device...

c. MapSource should detect your USB connected microSD and let you save the map file there. I did not experiment to see if MapSource deletes any existing data on the card before the transfer. So please backup!! Sit through as the transfer completes. If you chose the entire US region, then go and grab a cup of coffee.

Once the transfer is completed, the card would have a directory called Garmin and under it will be gmapsupp.img.

4. Preparing Garmin Mobile XT

Time to prepare the real beast! I presume you have already extracted the Garmin Mobile XT for Windows Mobile from the appropriate rar file. You should have a folder called GarminMobileXTforWindowsMobile_41040w after that. Go in there and run Setup.exe. Select the microSD USB as the destination drive and click on "Install". Piece of cake!!! Once again, the extracted files from the rar must have a directory called _Crack...without this we are not going anywhere. More on how to use it later.

At the top level, you would now have a 2577 directory with the executable autorun.exe. This is what will run to install GMXT on the Shadow when you put the microSD in there the first time. Inside the Garmin directory on the card, there will be Apps, EULA and the gmapsupp.img file. No voice files!!! Lets get those.

5. Adding the voice files

This is easy! The voice files are part of the Garmin Support Files you downloaded - something like GarminMobileXTSupportFiles_4xxxx.exe. Run it!! Click "Setup". Once again, choose the microSD USB and click "Install". When its done, the card will have additional directories called Voice, Help and Firmware inside the Garmin directory.

We are all set to take the game to the Shadow.

6. Installing Garmin Mobile XT on the Shadow

Take out the microSD from the PC USB and put it in the Shadow. The Shadow should autodetect the card and run autorun.exe from the 2577 folder. If not, use Start > File Explorer to browse the card and run the file manually. Once done, you would have an icon named Garmin Mobile XT in the start menu. The User Manual for GMXT is here.

Looks like we are ready to go!! Not yet...open up Garmin Mobile XT and you shall see. The second phase of unlocking is due. JetMouse to the rescue!!!

7. Unlocking the maps on the Shadow

Remember the _Crack folder I haver been cribbing about!! Go in there and fire up garmin_kgen.exe.

Start GMXT. Agree to the terms. Skip scanning. It will also complain that unlocked maps were found...ignore them. Once you are at the main screen, go to Menu > Setting > About. Note down the Card ID. Exit out of GMXT. Shut down your Shadow and take out the microSD. Put it back on to a PC USB. You can also do the following steps using ActiveSync...you will know how once you know what is being done. For now, lets do it like this.


a. On the keygen, enter the Card ID. Select "City Navigator North America NT 2008" under "Select Map Product". Hit "Generate" to get the device unlock code and then the map unlock code. Keep the window open!!

b. Open up Notepad. Copy the device unlock code from the keygen window. Paste it on the notepad. Save the file in the Garmin folder on the microSD. Name it SW.UNL . Open another file and this time copy the map unlock code and save it as GMAPSUPP.UNL at the same place. Something you should check - make sure that the file names are exactly as what is given here. Notepad might affix a .txt at the end. Make sure that does not happen. To be certain, go to My Computer > Tools > Folder Options > View and uncheck "Hide extensions for known file types". Make sure the .txt is not there for the two files we created. If yes, remove the .txt part.

c. Something you might want to do - remove the 2577 folder from the microSD. Otherwise, autorun.exe will run everytime you turn your Shadow on. We don't need it since GMXT is already installed on the Shadow.

c. Once done, eject the microSD from the USB, and put it back on the Shadow. Turn it on. Open up GMXT from the Start menu. Agree to the terms. If all went well...this time there will be no complaint about the maps. To verify go to Menu > Tools > Manage My Data > Map Sets. Choose the map and see the information. If you see "City Navigator North America NT 2008" at the top, then the map has been unlocked. Well anyways, GMXT would complain about it in the very beginning if the map is still locked.

Now, go ahead and play with it!! Refer to the GMXT manual if necessary. At this point, although there is no live tracking, you can still search for POIs.

I shall soon post a tutorial to do a test run of the installation without the GPS receiver. Right after that, adding live tracking using a bluetooth GPS receiver. If you can't wait, then read Mike Benton's "How to Connect Your Bluetooth GPS?" at AllShadow.com.