920T hangs on splash screen after new battery fitted

[lime_bear]

Hello,
I have a 920T with latest western and central europe map, recent backup done through TomTom home.
I have changed the battery using the detailed instructions available online. Everything works normally with the unit in the cradle, and I did a traffic cameras update succesfully through home, but when I use the device standalone it boots as far as the first splash screen and hangs. Only way to turn it off is with the recessed reset button.

I have tried removing Mapsettings.cfg from the map folder using Windows Explorer as recommended elsewhere, no effect.

Please can you tell me whether this is a software issue, or could it be related to the flex connector. The flex connector appears to be seated correctly, the flex sits ON TOP of the plastic bar before you press the end levers down?

Advice much appreciated please.
Thanks

 

[dhn]

Welcome to TTF.

Was the backup done after the map update?

As reluctant as I am to ever tell anyone to use Home's backup/restore option (we always suggest Explorer for the backups), in this case, if you have the new map in the backup, perhaps try Home's Restore and see if that helps.

 

[lime_bear]

Thanks for your reply.
Yes the backup was done after installing the latest map. So do you believe the hardware's OK and it's nothing to do with the flex connector?
I will try the backup suggestion after taking a full backup of the current state using Windows Explorer. Is there anything else I should do first?
regards

 

[dhn]

I don't know for sure whether it's hardware or software related. A unit hanging on startup usually is s/w realted.

When you connect to Home, does the unit function properly in the emulator (Operate my Unit)???

 

[lime_bear]

Thanks for your prompt reply.
Yes, on the emulator it brought up a map OK and showed me a location near where I live. I didn't try to go any further than that. If that's not sufficient info I can try again when I get home in a few hours.
regards

 

[dhn]

OK, then restore your Home backup to the unit when you get a chance & try again.

 

[lime_bear]

There is one other point I have realised that may be relevant.
Since the battery change, and after a number of reset-button resets, the unit when in the cradle has never presented the usual screen saying 'Do you want to connect to computer?' where you have to touch YES.
It always goes straight in and fires up Tom Tom home.

Does this suggest a HW fault, or could this also be boot software related?
thanks

 

[canderson]

There is one other point I have realised that may be relevant.
Since the battery change, and after a number of reset-button resets, the unit when in the cradle has never presented the usual screen saying 'Do you want to connect to computer?' where you have to touch YES.
It always goes straight in and fires up Tom Tom home.

Does this suggest a HW fault, or could this also be boot software related?
thanks

That describes a problem that is fairly common, although in reverse. It is far more common for these units to decline to ask if you want to hook to the computer -- and just boot to the normal operating screen (a pin reset resolves that) without making the connection. Yours is rather backwards from that, assuming the connection instead of forgetting to ask. That sounds very much like a firmware issue. If you had really misplaced the flex cable, you wouldn't even get a display. As long as it was seated squarely during the install, you should be OK.

Did your unit boot normally between the time of the battery change and the time of the update you did, or did you have a chance to use it during that period?

 

[lime_bear]

Hi, thanks for your response.
The unit was working perfectly before the battery swap yesterday, and the backup I did was maybe a month before that, and the latest map was added before the backup.
After the battery swap, it has never booted standalone, but has always behaved apparently correctly on the cradle, albeit without the connect screen appearing.

I tend to agree that the flex cable seems to be OK, and that somehow the hardware tinkering has affected some stored data.
regards

 

[lime_bear]

Sorry I misunderstood your 'update' for backup in my previous response. The update on the cradle was unfortunately the first thing I did after the battery swap (becasue I wanted to charge it straight away) so I don't know whetehr it would have booted beore the last update. Updates have never caused an issue for me before though.
THanks

 

[canderson]

Sorry I misunderstood your 'update' for backup in my previous response. The update on the cradle was unfortunately the first thing I did after the battery swap (becasue I wanted to charge it straight away) so I don't know whetehr it would have booted beore the last update. Updates have never caused an issue for me before though.
THanks

OK - just need to clarify a couple of things before we get radical here

On that last update, it was just the usual minor gpsquickfix/mapshare/camera kind of stuff. No update to either application or map? And your most recent Home backup was from a point where things were working correctly, but before the battery swap?

 

[lime_bear]

Correct on both counts. Normal simple update, which took a few minutes, no home or application update. This was offered as soon as I put the reassembled unit onto the cradle, so I accepted.
The backup was taken at a good point about a month ago, and I'm 95% sure it was after the latest map upgrade, but I'm on a quaterly map swap contract, so I don't really care if the map goes back one quarter becasue it will get updated again soon anyway.
regards

 

[canderson]

OK - let's start with DHN's recommendation to restore from the Home version of the backup.

Connect your unit and let Home fire up.
If it offers to provide you with any MORE updates, click on "Back"!
Move forward in Home to page 2 until you get to a "Back up and restore" option and click on that. Go ahead and let 'er rip on the restore. Let us know how you make out from there.

 

[lime_bear]

Hi again,
OK, I took a full backup of the current TomTom content using Windows explorer, and then did a restore using home of my previous good home backup.
No joy, the unit behaves exactly the same, unfortunately.

Press reset, then power up on cradle. Connects to PC immediately without connect screen. Appears to operate in emulator correctly, though it's flashing DEMO top right in the main screen.
Remove from cradle, reboots, hangs at splash screen
Press reset, power up out of cradle, hangs at splash screen

thanks for you assistance.

 

[dhn]

Okay, you have the Explorer backup, correct?

Connect to the computer. Reformat the unit's drive. Don't use quickformat.

Restore the EXPLORER backup (NOT the Home one you had).

See if that helps........

 

[lime_bear]

No change I'm afraid.
I formatted the TomTom drive in Windows Explorer, renamed it back to TomTom, copied the backed up files and folders back, and rebooted. Same behaviour as before.
regards

 

[lime_bear]

Hello again, is that the end of the line for things to try please?

If I end up having to replace it with the new equivalent, a 930 or a 950 say, then will my 18 mo0nth map subscription that I have just renewed by transferable to the new device?

Your advice appreciated as always.
regards

 

[dhn]

Call customer support and explain you are replacing a broken unit with a newer model and would like your map subscription transferred to the newer unit (register it with a different email address than the first unit).

They are pretty good about that, as I understand..........

 

[mvl]

Last thing to try (assuming you have old backups):

1) close HOME
2) rename mydocuments\tomtom\home\download to mydocuments\tomtom\downloadOLD
3) format the Tomtom (quickformat disabled)
4) open Tomtom HOME, keep running "update my GO" until there is nothing left to update
5) run a clearflash from here
6) disconnect using the blue button and see if the Tomtom works

This is about as thorough a reinstall as you can do software-wise. If that doesn't work, it's probably hardware related.

 

[lime_bear]

Thank you for that.
I followed your suggested actions, but the unit still hangs on boot, so I guess there's a hardware fault, so it's destined for the bin.
Thanks for your assistance.
regards.