I have an edge 800 that came with UK maps on an SD card (trail pack or something like that) and I want to add some OSM maps for a trip to Spain. Does anyone know whether I can add the OSM maps to the Garmin SD card? I am concerned that if I corrupt those Garmin maps in any way I won’t be getting them back.

Short answer is you should be able to do that, but some people do experience problems with multiple maps on a single card. Hasn’t been a problem on my 810. Here’s a link for how to switch between maps:

http://ridewithgps.com/edge_810

Shirley you should back the maps up rather than rely on SD cards which can often just fail for no reason?
I think if the maps are registered with you from Garmin, that you can re-download them. Don’t quote me though.

Yes, it should work fine, assuming you have enough free space on the SD card. Just give the OSM map a different filename (but still ending with .img), and copy it to the “Garmin” directory.

Though yes, it would be a good idea to backup your original map first.

Note if you buy Garmin maps on SD card, then they are locked to that card. So they won’t work if you copy them onto another card.
If you buy the maps as a download, then they are locked to your device, so will work on any SD card, but not on another Garmin.

You could just buy a new sd card with osm maps on it. There are some on ebay with all of western Europe on one card. We’ve got one in a 810 and it works well. Then when you go to Spain you could just swap cards over.

+1

Why does it have to be any more complicated than that?

Yes you can. Just copy over but with a different name. You can then choose the map you want in the map settings be touching the map name the choose enable or disable

Thanks all. OSM maps are good and now I know about them I wouldn’t pay for the Garmin ones again. But the Garmin maps are just like the OS maps and having paid for them I don’t want to lose them so I’m a little wary especially as I know Garmin can be a right pain in the arse about these things.

Another option if you aren’t sure – purchase a spare cheap microSD card for your OSM maps, and swap between SD cards. No risk of losing the Garmin maps there?

Note if you buy Garmin maps on SD card, then they are locked to that card. So they won’t work if you copy them onto another card.
If you buy the maps as a download, then they are locked to your device, so will work on any SD card, but not on another Garmin.

See, this is the thing that annoys me and why I’d not buy them again. I wouldn’t be surprised if it was OS causing the problem rather than Garmin though. OS strike me as very greedy.

And whilst I’m ranting don’t think I’m trying to dodge paying a fair price. I’ve bought the Garmin maps, same thing from memory map twice over the years and many, many paper maps. Just irks me to pay for the same thing several times over.

I bought Garmin OS maps on an SD card and have used them on multiple devices. What’s more, I can use them on the PC if the device is attached (via USB). I’m failing to see an issue.

Have you copied them to somewhere other than the original SD card (say as a back up) and been able to use them from there? You are sure that if you lost the original SD card you’d be able to use your backup OK?

Well, I copied them off the supplied SD Card and onto a USB stick that now lives permanently attached to my PC so that I can use Basecamp without plugging the GPS in. I also copied the Garmin City Navigator files off the SD card in my Edge 705 onto the same USB stick and they both work OK. I just select whichever one I want to use in the Basecamp drop-down.

You are giving me some faith everything will be OK, I will try a copy on another card. I read about restrictions on the internet and just trusted it was true 🙂

If anyone is interested

Note if you buy Garmin maps on SD card, then they are locked to that card. So they won’t work if you copy them onto another card

is what I have found to be true. You need an additional file with a key that unlocks the maps and whilst I believe someone has created software to generate a code for you my attempts to find it have only led to malware so far.

I’ve resorted to sticking all the OSM maps I want on another SD card as pete68 suggested and crossed Garmin off my Christmas card list. I will just have to swap cards as needed.

Genuine Garmin OS maps are locked to the card as stated above. Non-genuine ones can be copied just like any other file.