Move Garmin BaseMap From C:/ To Elsewhere including Thumb Drive

[DANCINDAVE]

If you want to move the Garmin basemap from the C:/ partition where Garmin Express auto installs it so you can use it off a thumb drive or just hate having it in the C:/ partition and want it somewhere else on your hard drive, here are the definitive instructions

https://www.raidersporttouring.com/MoveGarminMap.htm

 

[lkraus]

Garmin used to have those instructions on their website, but my bookmarked link is now broken. Express also used to offer the option to pick a folder or drive, but it usually ignored my choice. I condensed the procedure and then made a couple tweaks:

To move the map files to an alternate location:
Press the Windows key + R
Type %programdata% and press Enter
Open the Garmin folder
Open the Maps folder
Right-click the desired map to move
Click Cut
Browse to the desired alternate location
Right-click a blank area in the directory, click Paste
Browse back to the Maps folder on the C: drive (%programdata%\Garmin\Maps)
Right-click a blank area in the directory
Select New
Select Shortcut
Click Browse and browse to the location of the relocated map
Click Next
Click Finish

My modified version which I find easier to remember:

In File Explorer, click the View tab, check the Hidden Items box.
Open C:\ProgramData\Garmin\Maps
Select the City Navigator folder
Right-click and Cut.
Browse to the desired alternate location
Right-click a blank area in the folder, click Paste
Right-click the map file, select Create Shortcut
Right-click the new shortcut, select Cut
Browse back to C:\ProgramData\Garmin\Maps
Paste the Shortcut
Done.

I carry a Windows netbook on trips, basically a Windows tablet with an attached keyboard. It has only 48Gb of space on the C:\ drive after the OS is installed, so I use this procedure to put my Basecamp maps on the 500Gb D:\ drive in the keyboard. I suspect saving space on the main drive is the primary reason anyone moves the maps. Know that when Express installs maps or updates itself, it leaves copies of the files in C:\ProgramData\Garmin\CoreService\Downloads. I have never found a use for these files or seen any indication that they are used for any purpose after their initial installation. They can be safely deleted to recover an additional 5 or 6 Gb of storage. At times, I've found copies of several outdated maps here, at 3 or 4 Gb each.