# Lowrance HDS 12 Won't Read FMT Chip



## DBStoots (Jul 9, 2011)

Need some help--I'm in Chokoloskee with a buddy, running his boat for a few days. His Lowrance is not reading the FMT chip. We've taken it out, turned the machine on, put it back in and waited but it never loads. Any ideas?


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## Tdant (Jan 17, 2017)

DBStoots said:


> Need some help--I'm in Chokoloskee with a buddy, running his boat for a few days. His Lowrance is not reading the FMT chip. We've taken it out, turned the machine on, put it back in and waited but it never loads. Any ideas?


Go to YouTube and do a complete reinstall/setup


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## Smackdaddy53 (Dec 31, 2012)

Has his unit been updated recently?


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## DBStoots (Jul 9, 2011)

Smackdaddy53 said:


> Has his unit been updated recently?


I asked the same thing--about the software update. He says "no". Should we try to update the software first?


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## SkiffaDeeDooDah (Jan 20, 2020)

DBStoots said:


> Should we try to update the software first?


I would try that first. Is the FMT software a download that you copy to your own SD Card? Or is it a card that comes pre-programmed from FMT?


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## bababouy (Feb 26, 2018)

Setup instructions from the Isla Mapping site: FAQ - Florida Marine Tracks


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## coconutgroves (Sep 23, 2013)

Some devices can only read up to a certain size card. I've loaded maps on a 64gb and it wouldn't load - moved to a 32gb and it was fine. I've also had two units - one couldn't read a card, but the other could.


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## Loogie (Jul 24, 2019)

Does the unit have two slots? If it does and he has a chip in it already, remove it, and try the FMT chip alone.
Do a complete reinstall using the instructions on FMT website as advised. 

The unit may need an update as well.

Take nice pics of your exploration! Good luck!


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## mwolaver (Feb 6, 2014)

Tell him to use the machine that I have on my skiff, problem solved....lol


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## Tilly_Copano (Feb 12, 2017)

You have to follow the set up instructions from FMT, it’s not plug and play.


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## rickc (Nov 7, 2018)

It is a pretty simple setup. Good video to follow.

Don't do a system update with the chip in the machine.

If you have the chip in and it doesn't have the FMT map in the select maps menu then you have a problem.


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## DBStoots (Jul 9, 2011)

Thanks everyone. I'm going to update the Lowrance software tomorrow. He has had the FMT chip for some time and it has worked in the past (was set up correctly). He took it out to use in another MFD recently and now is having problems with the Lowrance. I'll post a report on my findings from tomorrow. I suspect that the FMT chip is damaged. Here are a few pic's from today. @mwolaver I was telling Tom about your simple set up today!


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## DBStoots (Jul 9, 2011)

So, I updated the Lowrance software and that did not help. Put in a call to Isla Mapping/Florida Marine Tracks and spoke with Colby in tech support, who was very helpful. Seems Lowrance units are infecting the FMT chips by adding Genesis folders onto the FMT chip. Overtime, this "overloads" the FMT chip so the machine will no longer read it. They have been in touch with Lowrance, but no fix as of this morning. In the interim, users should check the FMT chip for any Genesis files and delete them. If the chip is no longer working (like my friend's), the only option is to send it back to Isla Mapping for an update--they'll actually send you a brand new, updated chip.


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## SkiffaDeeDooDah (Jan 20, 2020)

DBStoots said:


> So, I updated the Lowrance software and that did not help. Put in a call to Isla Mapping/Florida Marine Tracks and spoke with Colby in tech support, who was very helpful. Seems Lowrance units are infecting the FMT chips by adding Genesis folders onto the FMT chip. Overtime, this "overloads" the FMT chip so the machine will no longer read it. They have been in touch with Lowrance, but no fix as of this morning. In the interim, users should check the FMT chip for any Genesis files and delete them. If the chip is no longer working (like my friend's), the only option is to send it back to Isla Mapping for an update--they'll actually send you a brand new, updated chip.


Sounds like a plan! I learned that buying a brand new SanDisk SD card to copy the Lowrance software update onto, doesn't guarantee a trouble-free installation. My Lowrance would not read the card correctly. Ended up formatting the card with the Rufus Utility (free) on my Windows laptop, and then copying the update to the card again. Worked great! The Rufus utility can be downloaded here: https://rufus.ie/en/#
Also thinking it might be worth a try - if you had the FMT files saved off the original chip, and you could format the chip with Rufus and load the files again, it might fix the problem with reading the FMT chip. Just a hunch


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## fishnpreacher (Jul 28, 2018)

Lowrance electronics are temperamental. I can't download updates directly to my unit, which I am supposedly able to do. I have to download the update to a micro sd card and run the card on the Lowrance. I had to do a total reload once and it took forever. I'm running C-map.


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## iMacattack (Dec 11, 2006)

DBStoots said:


> Seems Lowrance units are infecting the FMT chips by adding Genesis folders onto the FMT chip. Overtime, this "overloads" the FMT chip so the machine will no longer read it. They have been in touch with Lowrance, but no fix as of this morning. In the interim, users should check the FMT chip for any Genesis files and delete them. If the chip is no longer working (like my friend's), the only option is to send it back to Isla Mapping for an update--they'll actually send you a brand new, updated chip.


Great info! Thanks for sharing...


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## DBStoots (Jul 9, 2011)

fishnpreacher said:


> Lowrance electronics are temperamental. I can't download updates directly to my unit, which I am supposedly able to do. I have to download the update to a micro sd card and run the card on the Lowrance. I had to do a total reload once and it took forever. I'm running C-map.


Experienced the same thing yesterday. Not sure why the user can't download the update directly to the machine.


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## finbully (Jan 26, 2013)

Remove that FMT chip (and all others except the chip upgrade files have been downloaded to) before you try any upgrade to the head unit! Best thing is to download the upgrade files to clean chip from a PC then take that to the unit you intend to upgrade. You can download via wi-fi to a chip inserted in the unit, but not directly to the unit without using a chip. Most importantly use a dedicated chip for this, not your mapping chip. The unit has to reboot to install the new files and it does that from the chip.


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## ISLA Mapping (Jan 12, 2020)

DBStoots said:


> Need some help--I'm in Chokoloskee with a buddy, running his boat for a few days. His Lowrance is not reading the FMT chip. We've taken it out, turned the machine on, put it back in and waited but it never loads. Any ideas?


The first thing to get clear is how you define "not reading it". If the chart is loading without photos that is different than "not reading it". Many people call in saying their chip is not working only because they do not see the aerial imagery anymore. The fix for that is to turn it back on in Chart Options (photos to Full) and make sure Shaded Relief is also checked ON. If the chip is working fine and the chip is then removed from the unit and then reinserted, more times than not it will boot up without the Imagery on and it needs to be turned back on. It will stay then stay on until the chip is then removed from the unit again and reinserted. This has to do with the Navico software and nothing to do with the Chip. ISLA cannot change the unit software and how it affects the way the chip loads.

To see if the chip is actually loaded or not check the Chart Source in the Menu and see what charts are listed there. If FMT shows up as an option that means it is loaded and ready but if you don't see it on the display it just may not be selected as the Chart to appear. If the chip has been inserted and fully clicked in it should show up in the Chart Source within about 30 seconds and there should be an hourglass icon moving on the top left of the screen when it is booting. If that does not happen and it appears the Unit will not recognize the Chip to load it the cause is one of a few possible things:

1. The chip Reader is Bad. Try a different slot first. Try to a load a different chip if one is available to see if the other will read. If the reader is confirmed good check the chip for defects.
2. The chip has some corrosion on the contacts preventing it from reading. If it looks dirty or corroded or the contacts do not appear pristine try to clean them with a soft cloth.
3. The unit has saved Genesis Live data to the chip. Usually this is the cause of chip that suddenly will not be recognized. If too many of these Genesis files get saved to the chip it will stop being recognized. Sometimes it will completely corrupt the chip so it cannot be restored. It is typically the Lowrance units with the Genesis Live issue. It happens without the user's knowledge. It is a software unit issue created by Navico. We cannot change that. It has been brought to their attention but it has not been addressed. The way to know if you have Genesis Live files on the chip is take the chip out of the unit and put it in the adapter ISLA provided so the files can be read in a PC. If you don't have the adapter, any adapter will work. You just need to read the files on the chip and see if any folders or files say Genesis Live. Anything that says Genesis Live should be deleted but only those files. No other files should be deleted. That should fix the problem. If the PC can't read the chip at all the chip is fatally corrupted and will have to be replaced. Call ISLA tech support for instructions on getting it replaced.


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## DBStoots (Jul 9, 2011)

ISLA Mapping said:


> The first thing to get clear is how you define "not reading it". If the chart is loading without photos that is different than "not reading it". Many people call in saying their chip is not working only because they do not see the aerial imagery anymore. The fix for that is to turn it back on in Chart Options (photos to Full) and make sure Shaded Relief is also checked ON. If the chip is working fine and the chip is then removed from the unit and then reinserted, more times than not it will boot up without the Imagery on and it needs to be turned back on. It will stay then stay on until the chip is then removed from the unit again and reinserted. This has to do with the Navico software and nothing to do with the Chip. ISLA cannot change the unit software and how it affects the way the chip loads.
> 
> To see if the chip is actually loaded or not check the Chart Source in the Menu and see what charts are listed there. If FMT shows up as an option that means it is loaded and ready but if you don't see it on the display it just may not be selected as the Chart to appear. If the chip has been inserted and fully clicked in it should show up in the Chart Source within about 30 seconds and there should be an hourglass icon moving on the top left of the screen when it is booting. If that does not happen and it appears the Unit will not recognize the Chip to load it the cause is one of a few possible things:
> 
> ...



Thanks, Glen. The FMT chip did not show up in the Chart Source menu at all. I tried options 1 and 2 above ^ even before talking with Colby. So, we're pretty certain the problem is related to the Genesis Live data (#3 above). Tom sent the chip back to you for an update or replacement.


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## Yeticrusher01 (Nov 16, 2021)

DBStoots said:


> So, I updated the Lowrance software and that did not help. Put in a call to Isla Mapping/Florida Marine Tracks and spoke with Colby in tech support, who was very helpful. Seems Lowrance units are infecting the FMT chips by adding Genesis folders onto the FMT chip. Overtime, this "overloads" the FMT chip so the machine will no longer read it. They have been in touch with Lowrance, but no fix as of this morning. In the interim, users should check the FMT chip for any Genesis files and delete them. If the chip is no longer working (like my friend's), the only option is to send it back to Isla Mapping for an update--they'll actually send you a brand new, updated chip.


I'm happy I just read this. I've got a lowrance and have FMT. Thanks for the info. That sucks to hear though


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