This has happened to me twice now. The thing goes dead, has a blank screen, and becomes totally unresponsive. Each time I have assumed that the battery has given out or it's not connecting properly with the recharger.
BUT! It just needed to be rebooted.
Press the mode and the lap/reset button simultaneously for a few seconds and voila, it comes back to life!
It didn't even lose any data.
I don't know why it occurs, or what prompts it to go dead. This fix is listed in the manual, but it's not obvious to find.
It's become increasingly obvious that I've become addicted to my Garmin, too, since I really don't like to run without it any more and was even thinking of buying a new one when I thought this one was dead. I want to know my current pace, average pace, and distance run. All the time.
28 comments:
Manual?
Yeah, I suppose mine came with one of those....
I've started to hate my Garmin. It needs this reboot all too often and it shuts itself off in the middle of my rides sometimes.
But then when it works I can admire my work on-line. How self absorbed is that?
seems to me when I was having problems with mine (turned out to be a defective battery) I saw something on the motionbased.com blog site about this -- maybe a firmware update. If I have time after my run I'll poke a round and see if I can find it.
You know, I got one recently because I THOUGHT I wanted to know all that stuff...but it kind of just depresses me. I'm thinking about going back to my Polar for a while until I feel like I'm getting faster. :P
I only can use my Garmin at home, since I can't pick up a signal in NYC -- I considered upgrading to the 305 to see if it helped lock in satellites any better. But I do miss it terribly for all the shorter runs I do here in the city. I don't upload to MB as much as I should, though, since i don't have the HR to keep track of. Sigh. Now I miss it even more.
how about after running over it after inadvertantly dropping it in the driveway? Is there a rest button for that? (Sigh) Yes, it's true...I have the world's most expensive Garmin. It's been replaced twice.
I just got one Monday, world's best birthday present from the world's best girlfriend...love it already. It does stuff I know I will never figure out...very cool.
One question, though...when I upload to MB, the maps are very basic. No real detail aside from major roads. Seems to me your maps I've seen you post here have much more detail. Are you using the same program (MB)?
I use and recommend the Sport Tracks software - see:
http://www.zonefivesoftware.com/SportTracks/Downloads/
Much better than the software that comes packaged with the Garmin.
I was setting up my gear for tomorrow morning's run... a 26k run in preparation of my first marathon - in Singapore. Was really upset that my Garmin went dead. Did a google search and ended up in your blog... and guess what you really made my day - it sprang back to life just as you said!! Thanks for putting this info up.
Nancy,
This post and the comments are very useful. Used them in my review of the 305 here.
TT.
Thanks for the post, Nancy...just found this via Google...and it worked for me!! Long after you first wrote it!!
Me too, Nancy! Thank you, as I had the "Dead 305" issue. I don't know where my manual is, but this really helped. Although I've had the unit for 8 months, I just started using it for walking. After 1 week, I'm hooked. And...my body is showing it with less lbs.
Count me in as one of the people who are happy we found you! I googled "garmin is dead" and found you and your lovely assistance. Thanks so much for being a resource.
Thanks very much for your really useful information. I was so disappointed when I thought my 305 was dead.
Thank you, thank you, thank you!!
Thank you for the great tip on the garmin 305 forerunner....mine was dead too and I am TOTALLY motivated by this device and RELY on it like you do too.When I tried your suggestion of holding down the mode and lap/reset button for a few seconds....it worked! thank you for your post. just great.
Worked for me too.
I thought it hadn't, cos the screen was still blank. But once I plugged it in to charge, it got the "charging battery" signal, and all was good.
Thanks.
My 305 just shuts down intermittently during a run. I can turn it back on by pressing the power button and then press the start/stop. But I can be running 10 minutes before I notice. This problem has just started and I have had my 305 for 2 years. The problem coincided with the installation of the latest update. Big pain as I am 7 days from a 1/2 marathon. Advice welcome. Thanks
My Forerunner 305 Display is blank. Tried the suggestions like rebooting, but none have worked. The unit works fine as I record and download my data every day. Any other suggestions or can the Unit be repaired by Garmin?
Someone mentioned Mode-Lap pressed together--didn't work for me. Then I saw an entry, power-start/stop, and that was what worked.
Thanks for your rebooting advice. Just tried your advice on pressing MODE+LAP/RESET and got a display on the formerly blank screen. Too bad I didn't check the web before my 10-miler this morning. I sure hope the screen doesn't go blank in the middle of my upcoming marathons.
Mine was dead this morning before my 62 mile ride...did the power/reset trick and it works now. Thanks for the advice from this website...awesome. Hopefully this will not be an ongoing problem though.
My Garmin ForeRunner 305 was dead this morning after a ride in the rain yesterday. I had almost given up on it and was looking at prices for a replacement. Then I found this blog posting and your tip revived my 305. Thanks!
Thanks very much. This thread came up on the google string of "garmin forerunner 305 died". I'm wondering if my old garmin suffered the same fate. This is the first reboot I've done on the October 2007 purchase. I was shopping for a replacement when it occured to me to search for help. Cheers,
Jim
Thanks, I was a little bit upset my unit was irremediably dead just one week after my warranty expiration... You saved my day...
Saved my day as well! Seems this happened once before, now both times after I downloaded data. THANKS for saving my Hike for tomorrow!
Thanks a million. I was freaking out that my Garmin had died after all of the miles and time spent using it. Your tip helped me out. I cannot even thank you enough
You saved me from lots of grief and anxiety! Ha ha ha! Thank you!
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