Map Update 1 Series 2013: Utter frustration (UK)

M135i Owner · August 9, 2022

never done map update on the vehicle (M135i 2013). Recently purchased and downloaded map update from BWM Connected Drive store. That in itself was frustratingly non-trivial as no link to the actual download is provided and the instructions under their help is wrong ("known current problem with the website sir").

The instructions say that you need to use a 64Gb FAT32 USB for upload. Slightly naively (I should have known better) I copied the file onto a newly acquired 64Gb USB and followed instructions for update. The car simply ignored the USB drive. Further investigation: the USB is (now was) exFAT format. W11 PC won't offer option of reformatting USB to FAT32. Further investigation reveals this is all as I might have expected as FAT 32 is (generally) limited to 32GB addressable space (and 4GB max file size).

Since the map download is actually showing as only approx. 20GB, I take a separate 32GB FAT format USB which is currently my media USB in the vehicle. Delete contents, and attempt to copy the map file across. Except my PC tells me it can't because the file is too big / not enough space on the drive (can't recall which).

I then find a utility which is meant to be able to format >32GB drives to FAT 32. Reformat the 64GB drive. Then attempt to copy: can't copy because the file is too big [this should not be a surprise as FAT 32 in theory is limited to 4GB max file size].

I feel like I have descended into some form of BMW specific Catch 22 Hell World. From their website: "update your maps comfortably from home with only one click; easy to install in your car using a USB stick...."

What on earth am I doing wrong (apart from having an expectation of BMW which is clearly unreasonable) ?

I know this is doable, so how the hell do I do it ?