Go 720 not connecting_deleted files

[pdamianidis]

Hi,

Been having a connectivity problem to TT Home. I read on many threads to delete files (not folders) on my GO 720. However, I did not back up like a fool. Thought I could go to recycle bin and restore, but no files in recycle. Anyway, now my GO 720 does not boot up and just shows a display of the GPS on the screen. Any suggestions much appreciated. I'm sure the files I deleted are somewhere on my PC. Thanks.

Pete

 

[canderson]

Please first describe your connectivity problem. What happened when you plugged your unit into your PC's USB port? The computer obviously recognized your 720, or you would not have been able to delete files. What did Home do?

Are you sure that you deleted ONLY the loose files on your 720? NO folders? If so, the problem can probably be resolved. If you deleted everything, then we've got another problem altogether. Please advise, because the solution path we take will be VERY different.

 

[pdamianidis]

Canderson,

Thanks. Initially, when unit was plugged to port, TT Home would "blink." Something happened but no device was showing. When I deleted the files, I sorted by "type" then deleted all non folders. Of course a mistake could have been made a a folder could have been deleted, however, I was careful. Folders are still visible on my 720.

 

[canderson]

OK - that's good. What we REALLY want to be sure about is that you still have a folder called North_America_2GB on your unit, and that it's loaded with files, some of them quite large. If so, we may be able to recover this, but FIRST, I want you to back up all that remains of your unit to a folder on your PC using the following procedure. Get back, to me when that's complete, and we'll move on from there

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

Let me know if you see the folder mentioned above and whether it still appears to be pretty heavily populated with files.

 

[pdamianidis]

North_America_2GB is there. Back up of all folders is done. Standing by. Thanks.

 

[canderson]

OK - so far, so good. Sounds like your map is safe. We can deal with this.

I will assume that there are now NO loose files in the root directory of your unit, only folders. You obviously don't have a genuine connectivity problem since you are fully able to communicate with your device as though it was an external drive, which is how it should behave. So the question comes down to why Home is misbehaving, which I suspect was all the problem was to begin with.

Let's start by uninstalling Home entirely - and I do mean entirely! I'll assume for the moment that you're on Windows. If not - stop and let me know!

The best tool we have found for this is the Revo uninstaller. Get a copy of the free version of that utility here and use it to remove all traces of the Home application: http://www.revouninstaller.com/revo_uninstaller_free_download.html

Once Home has been cleaned off your machine, get a fresh copy of it here from TomTom and install it (the left hand link is for Windows users): http://www.tomtom.com/services/service.php?id=16&tab=87

Now connect your unit with that new version of Home running. It should offer to install the application that is missing from your unit (the loose files). With any luck, your map folder is intact (sounds like it), and your unit will be up and running again. The TT site may offer you an application more than once to bring you up to the current level (9.430). If so, you'll discover that after a proper disconnect/reconnect of your unit, it's offering yet another. Be patient with it if this occurs.

 

[pdamianidis]

I suspected Home myself. Now, I already uninstalled the Home using Cleanse and Smarty uninstall programs suspecting Home was the culprit. However, I will follow your instructions and get back to you. Thanks for helping!

 

[pdamianidis]

OK. Did all you instructed. Nothing has changed. When I plug the USB connection, the TT Home display blinks as if it sees something yet it displays "No device connected" at the bottom right of TT Home. However, I noticed that on my PC's tray, TT Home logo is displayed. When I point my mouse over the logo , it says "Navigation device connected." But, when I double click to open TT Home, "No device connected." is displayed. Thank you.

Pete

 

[canderson]

Before we deal with Home, let's get your unit working the way it should again. It is possible to reload the application without using Home at all. Trick is finding the 'current' version out there. I have it here on my PC, but do not have the TT link for 9.430. The package is 42MB, so I could email it to you. You do not have enough posts to do "PM" here, so I'll have to look at your profile and hope your email address there is valid.

So I will try to email a copy of the package to you. Place the cab file into a folder on your PC, and then unzip it (*.cab files are in *.zip format) onto your unit being certain that all path information is retained. Some of us use Winrar, but you can also use Winzip.

 

[canderson]

Crap. Comcast is limiting me to 35MB per attached file, and the original *.cab file is about 42MB. I will have to split it into two files. You must now unzip BOTH files into your 720. Give me a few to arrange for this, and the email will be on its way.

 

[pdamianidis]

OK. Just in case:

(e-mail address removed) or

(e-mail address removed)

 

[canderson]

Just so the rest of the world doesn't have your email, I blocked those out. Had found the first one in your profile already, and used that.

 

[pdamianidis]

OK. All files extracted into my 720. Standing by.

 

[pdamianidis]

OK. Here is what happened so far:

1. My Go 720 booted up, was able to use as before

2. Connected it to PC, same thing: Home would blink, but display no device connected

3. Went to another laptop, installed home and connected. This time it saw my 720 but could not link with it. Apparently, my Home account was linked with a previous model 510 I owned

4. I created a new Home account and connected again. This time it connected and synced. Got all my map share also

5. Went back to my main PC, uninstalled Home, again, then re-installed. Result-same as before. Something to do with my PC (Win 7, 32 bit). I noticed that I get some type of error after each install when asked to open the program (at the completion of the install). Not savvy enough to figure it out

Good news is, I can use the laptop

 

[canderson]

Good. Well, at least you're back where you started. I'm just glad you have a functional unit. That's the latest and greatest firmware, so you won't be updating that again - perhaps ever, but who knows with TT?

There's nothing wrong with the unit now, so let's not fiddle with that. Instead we need to focus on Home. But FIRST, let's get a full backup made of your unit. Please follow the procedure at the link below -- it's more reliable than using Home:

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

Now let's address items 2/3/4. You did the right thing there both with regard to the troubleshooting and understanding the mix up with your old 510 login. Demonstrates further that the device is happy and that we need to focus exclusively on that first PC. Would be nice to know what that error was that Win7 is generating at the end of the install, but we'll work around that.

Are you 'savvy' enough to reinstall your new copy of Home in XP compatibility mode (literally running the Home installer in that mode), and to run Home in XP compatibility mode? If so, please do that and let's see if that resolves the errors you were getting.

 

[pdamianidis]

Sorry for the delay.

Not sure how to install in the XP compatibility mode.

Here is the error message at TT Home install:

"TomTom HOMERuntime.exe failed with error 1058. This service cannot be started, either because it is disabled or because it has no enabled devices associated with it"

However, I can start TT Home from my start menu.

 

[canderson]

Programs can be run in "Compatibility Mode" that makes Win7 behave more like XP. Run both the installer for the Home application and Home itself in that mode to see how that works out.

Here's some info from Microsoft on how that is accomplished:

http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows-vista/Make-older-programs-run-in-this-version-of-Windows

 

[pdamianidis]

Thanks for your help! Decided to just use the laptop for now. I got a good deal on another TomTom, works fine on my PC, go figure.