Go 720 does not recognize internal drive?

[dario]

Hi,

I have a TomTom Go 720 and I use Mac OS 10.6.2. I also have the latest version of TomTom Home for Macintosh. Notice that I do not have an SD card (the slot is filled by a plastic placeholder).

3 weeks ago I bought the map of Western & Central Europe from TomTom Home to replace my factory-installed map of Western Europe. During installation, TomTom Home complained that there was not enough space on disk.

I contacted TomTom support. After many exchanges where they suggested different manual backups and re-installations of the map, they recommended to format the internal drive of my TomTom with Apple Disk Utility using the DOS FAT format, restart TomTom Home, and let the software install everything as needed. This time, the installation was successful. Indeed, I could see all files mounted on the TomTom drive that appears on the Desktop.

However, when I restarted the TomTom Go, I saw an animation of the SD card with a red cross (I do not have and never had an SD card!).

I contacted again TomTom support and they started over again with the same recommendation of manual backups and installation. Unfortunately, the problem persisted. I informed them and they told me to connect and disconnect the Tom Tom device many times until there is no longer need for update. This makes no sense because the TomTom Home always reports that there is no need for updates.

I have the feeling that something happened during the formatting so that the operating system stored in the EEPROM of the TomTom no longer recognizes the internal drive of the device and attempts to boot from the SD card (which does not exist). Perhaps, it is because the name of the partition in the drive of the TomTom is now named Untitled? I think it had a different name before formatting.

Can somebody help please? I spent 3 weeks in e-mail exchanges with TomTom support and it is now clear that they have no clue and entered in an automatic loop where they repeat what they already suggested at the very beginning.

Thanks a lot,

Dario

PS: I checked a few forums and somebody mentioned the need to clear the flash of the TomTom device. However, when I downloaded the Clear Flash tool for Mac by TomTom, the software complains that it needs "Rosetta" because it is an old software. When I click on the download of Rosetta, the installation process stops (probably because Rosetta software is no longer valid for the latest version of Mac OS X that I have on my computer).

 

[dhn]

Suggestions:

• Buy a 4-gig sdhc card and a card reader
• Download and install the latest application for your model (using Stuffit) from here
• Your downloaded map will be found here: C:\Documents and Settings\yourname\My Documents\TomTom\HOME\Downloads\complete\maps (or similar path on a Mac)
• install the map (using Stuffit) on the card
• Insert the card in the 720 and boot up

Does that work??

 

[dario]

Hi DHN,

thank you for the hint to buy an SD memory card. However, I would prefer to find a solution that does not require buying additional hardware to run a software that was sold to me by TomTom as appropriate for my device.

Best,

Dario

 

[dhn]

I would hardly consider a sdhc card as 'hardware'. I use a 4-gig card in my 720 and have my NA (and New Zealand) map on it.

It will save you a bunch of grief. Trust me............

 

[ttfluke]

I had the same issue on my 720. Tomtom support walked me through the same procedure of using Disk Utility to format the internal memory but that still didn't work.

The only way I was able to fix this is using a Windows computer to do a full format of the internal drive and then use TomTom Home on the PC to install the software back on to it. It works fine now.

 

[stumpy87]

I've had the problem of a memory card being removed from my device (750 GO Live) being animated on the screen when I never actually put a memory card in. This is apparently a universal animation showing that the device can't find an OS or software to run and it has nothing to do with an external memory card.

I'm sorry to say that TT finally resolved the issue as being a hardware issue and I had my TT replaced. Do try formatting the device from a windows PC and if you can at least borrow an SD card (rather than buying one that you may not then be able to use) and try the install onto the SD card as suggested by DHN.

Ollie

 

[mvl]

You need to format the drive as "MS-DOS" as the file type. The linux firmware can't read the Macintosh default drive format. See here.

If you already did that, try using stuffit to extract the contents of this file onto the Tomtom. Hopefully that will fix it.

If all else fails find someone with Windows XP or Vista to format the drive as fat32, then plug it into your mac to install everything.

 

[mikecwest]

I have had this problem

I had this problem. I had it for almost 2 years. I have never found a solution.


I suddenly had a moment of boredom. I was not even trying anymore. I solved the problem. To check if you can be helped by this, follow through to step 2.

You must:

1. launch DISK UTILITY on your mac
2. Click on the device on the left... you will see the device with a list of partiions. click the MAIN portion of the drive. (if you look at DRIVE DESCRIPTION at the bottom, you MIGHT see GUID Partition Table) if you DO see GUID, then you are about to get a resolution!!)


3. Click PARTITIONS
4. From the drop down menu click CURRENT and select "1 Partition."

CRITICAL STEP!!!!! CRITICAL STEP!!!!! CRITICAL STEP!!!!! CRITICAL STEP!!!!!

5. CLICK OPTIONS

CRITICAL STEP!!!!! CRITICAL STEP!!!!! CRITICAL STEP!!!!! CRITICAL STEP!!!!!

6. CLICK MASTER BOOT RECORD

7. Click APPLY

8. Install whatever firmware you choose and copy your maps on to the device!

 

[bzozula]

tomtom go 730

I,ve had the red cross on sd card problem for some time.
The unit would not work from the hard drive without the sd card.
Tomtom support finally told me to send to unit to Sydney to be repaired at my cost ($120 - $150.00 aprox)
And now I came across your post....
Did exactly what you suggested and my tom tom works like new
again.
Thank a lot mikecwest...

 

[skotek27]

dhn Need help..TomTom Home does not recognize 4GB SDHC

I would hardly consider a sdhc card as 'hardware'. I use a 4-gig card in my 720 and have my NA (and New Zealand) map on it.

It will save you a bunch of grief. Trust me............

Everyone is writing that they are using SDHC over 2GB. I am 100% confident my GO 730 CAN read my Kingston 4GB SD HC card but my "TomTom Home" software does not recognize the GPS has a card inserted and so I cannot download the map I purchased (Western and Central Europe >2GB). To test the GPS ability to read the card I copied a map format file to the card and the GPS does show me the test map as a selection. Despite knowing the card could be read I spent 4 hours trying to “initialize” the card per the help instructions before phoning customer service.

When I called technical service the answers were technically flawed and because, if what I was told was true, Tomtom was artificially preventing something I knew was technically possible.

Tech support told me that TomTom does not support anything over standard SD card and then proceeded to tell me the only way I could download the map was to buy a 2GB standard card and download in halves. When I asked if it could be downloaded directly to my computer she danced around the issue (I wanted to download to the computer and copy to my card). She finally told me I would need to download each time I needed to use the other portion of the map implying I could not save to my computer.

Is it possible to download to the computer? Is that what the link you listed earlier was for? It seemed everyone else writing COULD get it to the computer and I am not that far yet.

Thanks,
Scott
Windows Vista PC

 

[dhn]

All maps first do get downloaded to the computer and then installed on the unit. What class (speed) is your sdhc card (yes, your model with the current app of 8.351 can handle 32 gig sdhc cards quite well).

 

[skotek27]

Problem fixed but now there is a new issue

Today I powered on my computer and planned to try to access the SD card without going through TomTom Home and creating a directory as one of the moderators had suggested. That was the plan but Tomtom Home automatically started.

To my surprise the option for using the SD HC 4GB card was there today!!

So I started the download and things were going slow but well. After getting 70% into the download I received an error that the TomTom Server timed out. When I tried to restart the download I could see it planned to let me continue from where I left off but before it started it realized there was a previous timeout error and it will not let me proceed

So far I have spent the better part of 2 days on this...any suggestions? Can we reset the timeout ourselves?

Thanks,
Error:
The connection to the TomTom server timed out.
Error code: 2152398862 (NS_ERROR_NET_TIMEOUT)

I am running an HP with Windows Vista

 

[dhn]

I replied in your other thread.

I would try again later...............

 

[skotek27]

Thanks dhn. I will try again later possibly after shutting down and restarting. I will let you know how it goes.

 

[tosh]

Hi dhn - can I please get your help?

I too have this issue and have stuffit and an 8GB HD card.

I installed the software to the SD card as per your previous instructions but I installed only the tomtom application software to the card i.e. maps and stuff are still on the unit itself.

I've followed your instructions but can't get the unit to load. Well I have started it up but I just have the flashing disk and tomtom icons.

My mum does have a windows laptop so I can format the internal drive as per some other suggestions if necessary. Would this solution delete any maps etc?

Regards

Tosh

 

[dhn]

Use Finder on a Mac wherever Explorer is mentioned if using a PC. See here:

https://www.tomtomforums.com/t17864-how-backup-contents-your-unit-computer-how-restore.html

 

[Andy_P]

Could be the internal memory is strating to die (mine has).

Try installing everything onto the SD card.

(Note to the others, is a Go720 OK with SDHC? I need to go to work now!)

 

[dhn]

My 720 works with a SDHC card, not SD card.

 

[canderson]

(Note to the others, is a Go720 OK with SDHC?

Since firmware 8.302 as I recall.

 

[Andy_P]

Thanks, I knew that really, but my mind went blank as I was running out the door.