I have an img file for 2014.4 which I got off one of my other GPS units and unlocked it but it's too large for my 855. I read where one guy said he used the map tool and picked what what maps he wanted with MapSource then unlocked what he had selected and loaded it to his 855. My understanding is the maps are already unlocked for MapSource to use them but that doesn't let you load them on any GPS. So to satisfy my curiosity I tried it anyway with the expected results. MapSource did it's thing and created and installed the maps but when I turned the GPS on it couldn't unlock the maps. Is the guy full of hot air or is there a way of doing this.

Thanks for any help

It's a bit confused, what you are writing.
First of all: what map and what download offer you are speaking about?
Second, what do you want to do, do you want to use an unlocked image for your device or do you want to create an own image with Mapsource?
Note that Mapsource is an outdated program for many years. Current software for using on PC and creating own images is Basecamp with Mapinstall.
Sometimes pre-unlocked maps are not working properly on some devices. Use gimgunlock for unlocking an image again.

I'm not having a problem with the image file, I've already unlocked and put it on my handheld GPS. Maybe I'm making a simple problem too complicated sounding. What I want to do is put the maps on my 855 but they are too large for the amount of memory it has. So this guy said he used the original download from Garmin that MapSource uses, City Navigator North America NT 2014.40.GMAP and picked what map tiles he wanted, then unlocked them and sent them to his 855. The problem is I don't know how he so called "unlocked" them. I couldn't get it to work.

To make a long story short what I want to do is leave out everything except the lower 48 states and use them on my 855, by leaving out Canada they should fit on the 855. It seems logically the way to go would be to do it through MapSource because I haven't found a way to do it with the image file. I use MapSource because I've used it for years. I tried Basecamp and didn't like it, but if I have to change so be it.

1. p!xeldealer's advice is spot-on! Don't use MS for compiling images from modern CN NT gmap folders such as NA 2014.40, you could get errors. MS was just not designed to handle them, it processes them in a different way to BaseCamp/MapInstall which you should use. None of us preferred BC over MS at first, but you will get accustomed to using it. BTW, it's not possible to 'leave out' something or use just part of an image file which is why you haven't found a way to do that.

2. When you say the map is 'unlocked', you are probably referring to the gmap folder's status in MS/BC/MI, which simply means it's unlocked for use in the software. To be fully unlocked and generate an unlocked image, the status needs to be 'Not Lockable' in Maps tab>Manage Map Products (in MS it's under Utilities tab).

3.Ideally, redo the image with BC/MI and then unlock it with gimgunlock [http://www.navitotal.com/software-f89/garmin-image-unlock-gimgunlock-t9369.html#p74562] as already said by p!xeldealer, but if you want to take the (admittedly relatively small) risk using your MS generated 'unauthenticated' image just run gimgunlock.exe on it to fully unlock it. Any risk of a freeze or crash while navigating in unfamiliar city traffic is unacceptable imo. For the small inconvenience redoing it, you could save a lot of grief later.

As I said, the img file is unlocked using gimgunlock and loaded into my handheld, so that part is working fine. If I understand you right where I screwed up was not setting the status to "not lockable" under the utilities tab in MS before sending the selected map tiles to my 855? If I do that and send to the 855 it will work, or do I have to somehow save it as a new img file and copy that to the 855? Please bear with me, I'm new to this stuff. I'll take your advice and learn to love BS.

The image file I have I didn't generate with MS I copied it from my new GPS, unlocked it with gimgunlock, and loaded it to my handheld which has a large enough SD card to handle the image file. The problem is I don't know how to create an image file small enough to load into my 855. I can use the map tool in MS to pick just the map tiles I want, eliminating Canada and the file will probably be small enough to load into the 855. I just don't see how to save it out of MS as a smaller image file and unlock it. Don't forget I'm new at this so Keep in mind I need to have a smaller image file for the 855 or be able to install all or part of it on the SD card. I don't know any other way to explain what I'm trying to do. It's probably simple for you guys but I'm kind of lost right now.

Thanks guys, with the tips I got from you and steering me to the right software I figured everything out.

Thanks again