Garmin Database Manager

[T. Peterson]

I have a Garmin card reader which I recently used with an inexpensive Windows computer to update my 430W through the Garmin Database Manager. Don’t ask how, but I recently managed to break the screen on my computer. I am not a PC guy and only used the computer to update my navigator database. Since I now have to buy a new computer, I would like to purchase the Mac Air 13 or 15, but I want to make sure it is compatible. Garmin lists the OS requirements, but I can’t find that information listed for the computer. Furthermore, the Mac only has usb c, and the card reader is usb a requiring an adapter. I’m wondering if any of you would advise on two fronts: 

1) Even though I am much more comfortable with Apple, is it a better or equal platform for Garmin database manager and Garmin card reader? I do realize that my IPad is NOT compatible, and I don’t want to spend a thousand bucks or more to find out that neither is an Apple laptop.

2) Is an inexpensive PC the better way to go? My experience with the PC has been mixed over the past 3 years. Every time I did a Garmin update I would lose the whole program and have to download it again. Probably not a big deal for someone well acquainted with PC’s but for me it could be a a pain.

 In a nutshell, I just want the easiest and quickest solution to get my 28 day updates on to my card.

[LANCECASPER]

25 minutes ago, T. Peterson said:

I have a Garmin card reader which I recently used with an inexpensive Windows computer to update my 430W through the Garmin Database Manager. Don’t ask how, but I recently managed to break the screen on my computer. I am not a PC guy and only used the computer to update my navigator database. Since I now have to buy a new computer, I would like to purchase the Mac Air 13 or 15, but I want to make sure it is compatible. Garmin lists the OS requirements, but I can’t find that information listed for the computer. Furthermore, the Mac only has usb c, and the card reader is usb a requiring an adapter. I’m wondering if any of you would advise on two fronts: 

1) Even though I am much more comfortable with Apple, is it a better or equal platform for Garmin database manager and Garmin card reader? I do realize that my IPad is NOT compatible, and I don’t want to spend a thousand bucks or more to find out that neither is an Apple laptop.

2) Is an inexpensive PC the better way to go? My experience with the PC has been mixed over the past 3 years. Every time I did a Garmin update I would lose the whole program and have to download it again. Probably not a big deal for someone well acquainted with PC’s but for me it could be a a pain.

 In a nutshell, I just want the easiest and quickest solution to get my 28 day updates on to my card.

I use Garmin Database Manager on a Macbook Pro and plug in a usb-c hub that has a usb-a in the hub (actually its SD slot is what I use).

similar to this: 

https://www.amazon.com/Ethernet-Hiearcool-Adapter-Multiport-Compatible/dp/B09T9PXW35/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?crid=2Q69E6MQTRWCC&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.t5_2wGbV2TIKEUY6PB4myZeXY_bSeMS2CJB8eBGvgDWpO_Swob8Cyj200Af9GuPF5En3Rr9wGd1IBf-eMkZkgz7oBBEIWIUQ_kVXqnlayCJ6Hj0xdigERtL5a44mnasBb6P4x-q7ap9zIU6AOBEtfNtqCgxs3lvHR7q6ga4FSoZ2A0AYBdxMYHq8Wd9ra33k9LQ7fiG7vXbvksKOvpkBsCS30sK6DcXbtf2mSoyza9w.RyJXmQjrCCzBTcVETa3GgoXsgE8QQTSAYFOeEtrqOEE&dib_tag=se&keywords=usb-c%2Bhub&qid=1746485670&sprefix=usb-c%2Bhub%2Caps%2C173&sr=8-1-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9hdGY&th=1

[T. Peterson]

20 minutes ago, LANCECASPER said:

I use Garmin Database Manager on a Macbook Pro and plug in a usb-c hub that has a usb-a in the hub (actually its SD slot is what I use).

similar to this: 

https://www.amazon.com/Ethernet-Hiearcool-Adapter-Multiport-Compatible/dp/B09T9PXW35/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?crid=2Q69E6MQTRWCC&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.t5_2wGbV2TIKEUY6PB4myZeXY_bSeMS2CJB8eBGvgDWpO_Swob8Cyj200Af9GuPF5En3Rr9wGd1IBf-eMkZkgz7oBBEIWIUQ_kVXqnlayCJ6Hj0xdigERtL5a44mnasBb6P4x-q7ap9zIU6AOBEtfNtqCgxs3lvHR7q6ga4FSoZ2A0AYBdxMYHq8Wd9ra33k9LQ7fiG7vXbvksKOvpkBsCS30sK6DcXbtf2mSoyza9w.RyJXmQjrCCzBTcVETa3GgoXsgE8QQTSAYFOeEtrqOEE&dib_tag=se&keywords=usb-c%2Bhub&qid=1746485670&sprefix=usb-c%2Bhub%2Caps%2C173&sr=8-1-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9hdGY&th=1

Thank you very much! You struck a chord of curiosity; Am I to understand that you can skip the Garmin card reader altogether by using the sd slot in the hub? 

[Ragsf15e]

10 minutes ago, T. Peterson said:

Thank you very much! You struck a chord of curiosity; Am I to understand that you can skip the Garmin card reader altogether by using the sd slot in the hub? 

Not for a 430 card im guessing.  Newer avionics use a sd card, but the 430 needs the garmin or jepp reader.

[T. Peterson]

14 minutes ago, Ragsf15e said:

Not for a 430 card im guessing.  Newer avionics use a sd card, but the 430 needs the garmin or jepp reader.

I am not surprised. I have the reader, it was a question of curiosity.

On a more important note, do you think the Mac Air is compatible? I know Lance uses a Mac Pro, but those are a thousand bucks more and I don’t even use a laptop. The PC I have was only used for the 430 updates. Of course if I buy an Apple laptop I will most likely use it for a variety of things, but the PC only got plugged in for updates.
Thank you for putting up with my elementary questions as most folks reading this are probably saying, “DUH”!

[LANCECASPER]

45 minutes ago, T. Peterson said:

Thank you very much! You struck a chord of curiosity; Am I to understand that you can skip the Garmin card reader altogether by using the sd slot in the hub? 

The 430W doesn't have an SD card so you'd need to used the USB-A that's on the Garmin Card reader for that unit

The Macbook Air would do everything the Macbook Pro does in this example.

[T. Peterson]

1 minute ago, LANCECASPER said:

The 430W doesn't have an SD card so you'd need to used the USB-A that's on the Garmin Card reader for that unit

The Mac Air would do everything the Macbook Pro does in this example.

 

1 minute ago, LANCECASPER said:

The 430W doesn't have an SD card so you'd need to used the USB-A that's on the Garmin Card reader for that unit

The Mac Air would do everything the Macbook Pro does in this example.

Bingo!! Thank you!!

There is a MacAir in my future!

[toto]

1 hour ago, T. Peterson said:

On a more important note, do you think the Mac Air is compatible?

Depending on the day, I use a Mac Mini, a MacBook Pro, or a MacBook Air. They all work interchangeably for db updates. 

[DCarlton]

It looks like some people have had success with MACs.  However, I attempted to update my 430 card using my IMAC and a Garmin card reader and data base manager and corrupted the data card.  Ended up spending hours on the phone with Garmin during multiple calls attempting to identify the problem.  One of the calls was while I was in a local avionics shop (premier Garmin dealer) with their expert techs on the line too.   Every help desk rep I talked to at Garmin gave me a different excuse for the problem.  I was finally told by a higher tier tech rep that the MAC OS over-rights the data card with a file that the card can't handle.  The 430 cards are hard to come by now and they're not cheap.   I'm thinking about buying a PC just for aircraft related software updates.  I'll never attempt another 430 update using my IMAC.  With that said, mine is non-WAAS; the 430 card may have a smaller capacity than the 430W.  

[Greg Ellis]

I have used both a MacBook and a desktop PC to update the cards for my 530W and my GNC355.  The GNC355 uses an SD card and there never seems to be a problem updating that card.

However, I had heard about the Mac causing issues with the card for the 530 (although it is the only platform that updates the card with no issue so far) so I switched to just trying to update it with the desktop PC.  I did not want to buy another card for the 530W.  The issue is that the Garmin software for the desktop seems unstable.  Every time they do an update to it, I cringe.  It seems that after every update the card will not update and I have to call Garmin to reset everything.  The last time they could not get it to work and had me uninstall and re-install the Garmin software.  This was right after a software update.  It has always been quite unstable for me and I just expect to have to call them every time I do an update.  No one at Garmin can give me a reason why.

[Pinecone]

One trick with Garmin Database Manager and a PC is DO NOT UPDATE THE PROGRAM.

When it asks if you want to update do the latest, SAY NO.

I am running the April 2024 version.  It works fine.  I did update to the June or July version and had to delete it an reinstall April to get things to work.

[M20F]

I run Garmin updater in a virtual machine I wrote in CPM for my Osborne One (which I also use as a Charlie weight).  It takes about 12 days for the update to process but I am not giving big tech anymore money. 

[Justin Schmidt]

On 5/6/2025 at 9:41 AM, Pinecone said:

One trick with Garmin Database Manager and a PC is DO NOT UPDATE THE PROGRAM.

When it asks if you want to update do the latest, SAY NO.

I am running the April 2024 version.  It works fine.  I did update to the June or July version and had to delete it an reinstall April to get things to work.

You probably need to install the 32 bit c++ redistributables

[DCarlton]

13 hours ago, M20F said:

I run Garmin updater in a virtual machine I wrote in CPM for my Osborne One (which I also use as a Charlie weight).  It takes about 12 days for the update to process but I am not giving big tech anymore money. 

I still have my Osborne too and it powers up.  

[MikeOH]

58 minutes ago, DCarlton said:

I still have my Osborne too and it powers up.  

I'm using my DEC PDP-8 (with real core memory!)....only issue I haven't worked around is that by the time the update is finished it's time for the next one

[201Mooniac]

17 minutes ago, MikeOH said:

I'm using my DEC PDP-8 (with real core memory!)....only issue I haven't worked around is that by the time the update is finished it's time for the next one

I had a PDP-8 in my basement many years ago, I got it from the university as surplus around 1986 or so.  Took me about a year to get it all working again.  I think I might still remember how to toggle the boot sequence in on the front panel switches.  I do still have the last OS tape I made along with a tic-tac-toe game on paper tape.

[Pinecone]

2 hours ago, Justin Schmidt said:

You probably need to install the 32 bit c++ redistributables

This is something I learned over on BT.  A LOT of people have trouble when they install the newest version.  So I am happy with one that works.

The installer should install or update all those background things needed.

[Fly Boomer]

1 hour ago, MikeOH said:

I'm using my DEC PDP-8 (with real core memory!)....only issue I haven't worked around is that by the time the update is finished it's time for the next one

Upgrade to PDP-11.

[EricJ]

1 hour ago, Fly Boomer said:

Upgrade to PDP-11.

Somewhere I still have my 8" floppy disks with my PDP-11 assembly language assignments on them. 

[Fly Boomer]

1 hour ago, EricJ said:

Somewhere I still have my 8" floppy disks with my PDP-11 assembly language assignments on them. 

I have some 8-inch floppy disks, but at this point in life, I have no idea what was on them.

[Justin Schmidt]

The irony of old guys talking about floppy disks haha.

[MikeOH]

3 hours ago, Justin Schmidt said:

The irony of old guys talking about floppy disks haha.

HAH!  High tech 8" 48K floppies!  I still have the punched paper tapes from my first program back in 1972

[DCarlton]

4 hours ago, MikeOH said:

HAH!  High tech 8" 48K floppies!  I still have the punched paper tapes from my first program back in 1972

Paper tape?  That must have preceded the punch card decks !  

[DCarlton]

7 hours ago, Justin Schmidt said:

The irony of old guys talking about floppy disks haha.

The irony is flying an airplane that’s older than floppy disks.  Who would have thought they would still be great airplanes … 

[M20F]

12 hours ago, Justin Schmidt said:

The irony of old guys talking about floppy disks haha.

Floppy disk, haha that’s what she said.