is there a way to update the maps on my magellan roadmate 1440.....i looked around the site and couldn't find anything.....thanks

Supposing that your software is iGO based (I think it is), it would depend on the license.
Best and easiest is to download the map(s) you need, backup (!!!) your map(s) and copy/paste the new maps in place. If the license permits, it will work. If not you have to replace the (complete) program as well.
For the iGO maps, look in the iGO map section. (here)

how do i know if its igo based ?

Since I do not know the Magellan devices, nor the changes Magellan makes to the software, it is no more than a guess to tell you to look in menu-help-about.
It's possible this way you can't say for sure because that part of the menu shell can be disabled. But when you look for the maps on the device, is the extension .fbl? iGO maps are .fbl.
Your program (the .exe. file) is possibly called mobilenavigator.exe. If you look to that file in Windows you can also check the properties, click on the "Version" tab, select "Product Version" and read the number in the "Value" window. This would be an important clue.

NA_DM.imi is in the map folder.....nothing that shows .fbl......any other ideas ?

Can you explore the device on your PC?
Make some screenshots and publish here so we can see what exactly is on it.

[Please Register or Login to download file]
[Please Register or Login to download file]

hope this is what u wanted. i posted the root of the gps and the map folder

Nominds, Magellans usually have iGO8 software by origine, but + as I found out - this 1440 hasn't. Instead it seems to have MioMaps software. Miomaps is an older iGO2006 based software but nor the Mio software nor the maps aren't updated since long, so that is a no go.
I did some searching and it seems you need to unlock this Magellan first before installing other soft.
It's a MioC310 kind of device, therefor Miopocket seems to work, but I cannot give guarantees. And worse, It's a difficult unlock, it seems, but possible.
I don't do unlocks. Thus ask your question again here: http://www.navitotal.com/forums/forumdisplay.php?175-GPS-Unlock

edit:
Yes, that is what I wanted. You posted while I was typing this

well maybe l'll leave it a lone....l'm not that good with whis stuff......thanks anyways for your time....oh...my sister asked me about her nextar w3g, any ideas on that thing.....thanks again

A nextar? Hmm, That is a old device I believe. 5 Years? 6?
I am no unlocker, so this is with reservation:
I think this one is very hard to unlock, because you have to make changes to the registry to enter WinCE desktop. Also,because it's a older device, you need to get access trough an older version of ActiveSync.
When you don't want to do the Magellan, don't do the Nextar. Unless you can live with the fact that it could be a throw away after all.