Accessing system debug info of Garmin Nuvi 255w

I've just discovered another hidden feature in my Garmin Nuvi 255w GPS, which is the system debug info screen. Here is the trick to get there.

In the map screen, touch the left capsule beside the Menu button to open the Trip Computer screen. You'll be able to see a speedometer on the screen. Press and hold your finger at the center of the speedometer for at least 6 seconds, and you'll be able to see the system debug info screen.



All the information shown in the few pages of the system debug info screen are very technical. Interestingly, you'll be able to find out that the Garmin Nuvi GPS navigator can automatically defrag its storage from time to time.



You can just press the Quit button to quit the system debug info screen.

Hard reset Garmin Nuvi 255w GPS to factory default

In the Quick Start Manual of Garmin Nuvi 255w GPS, it stated that you can reset the unit by pressing the RESET button at its bottom. However, the RESET button is not found in my Nuvi 255w.

Additional information in the Owner's Manual stated that if RESET button is not found, slide the POWER key and hold it for more than 8 seconds will do the same, but I found out doing so will go to the touch screen calibration utility instead.

Another section in the Owner's Manual under the title "Clearing User Data" stated that holding your finger on the lower-right corner of the screen while turning on the unit and keeping the finger pressed until a message appear, that will allow you to delete all user-entered information.

I tried it and a message window pops up asking about "Do you really want to erase all user data?". There are 2 buttons to select, Yes or No. If you want to try this, make sure you've backup the data in your unit before answering to Yes.

So is the Clearing User Data be the same function as performing a hard reset to the unit? I don't have the confirmed answer yet.

Customize the speech of Garmin or TomTom GPS (both TTS and non-TTS)

Boring about hearing "recalculating" from your Garmin GPS and wanted to listen to something else, such as "oops, you don't follow my way"?

TurboCCC has come out with some interesting software tools for Garmin GPS users to easily customize the speech of their unit by hacking/modifying into the *.VPM voice files inside the /Garmin/Voice folder.

The tool to be used on Text-to-speech (TTS) voice file is called TTSVoiceEditor, and it can do the following:

• Change speech phrases like "recalculating" to something more enjoyable
• Control voice volume (level)
• Change voice rate (speed)
• Change the voice screen name
• Import/Export speech phrases from/to text files

Click here for more information and download of TTSVoiceEditor.

And to deal with non-TTS file, another tool called NonTTSVoiceEditor is used. It can:

• Split a Garmin VPM file into a serie of WAV files
• Split a TomTom CHK file into a serie of OGG files (Vorbis audio files)
• Preview and play WAV voice samples and phrases
• Merge them back into a VPM file

Click here for more information and download of NonTTSVoiceEditor.

Beside that, there is also a tool for you to replace some sound effects in Garmin GPS, such as during the picture click, the camera in sight dong-dong, the speed alert, etc. This tool will hack into the /Garmin/GUPDATE.GCD file in the GPS. It is called GUpdateMod.

Click here for more information and download of GUpdateMod.

TurboCCC has also produced some other tools such as the Extra_POI_Editor, TTS_Speech_Doctor, TomTom TTS, etc.