GO750 Reboot Loop

[stef_204]

My model: TomTom GO 750 with micro-SDHC memory and it updates through TomTom HOME.
sdcard seleted as device to store the map.
HOME application Version 2.10.3.900 on Windows.


The above model which has worked just fine for several years recently (and most likely due to an upgrade [map or otherwise] done via the "HOME" application) started to go into a boot loop (with drum roll!) giving me the "command line screen" (black background with white lines.)

It is a rare occasion when I can get out of this boot loop and get the device running normally; I cannot isolate what exact actions are needed to get it to work, besides just holding power switch down for a few seconds; or power off, power on, etc.

As many users here know, this is a very frustrating issue.

I DO notice that on the command line boot screen, it either says: "startup mode: power down" or "startup mode: sleep" when the device is in the reboot loop (approx. 95% of the time.) So that is definitely not a good sign.

Remedies I have tried:

1) Delete mapsettings.cfg and let device recreate it automatically.

1a) My device and "HOME" application combination does NOT let me (re)create a Favorite or POI using the "HOME" application.

2) Device has no reset "hole" to use for hard reset; so tried the "hold power switch down for 20 seconds until drum roll", etc.

3) Tried using the clearflash tool

4) Used "reset preferences" from inside device (NOT from HOME since that does not seem possible.)

5) Reformatted (as FAT32) BOTH internal device AND sdcard using Windows (not quick format but full format.)
Before the full re-format, I even used "dd" in Linux first to zero out sdcard--but did not zero out device HDD--not sure it would make a difference anyway.

First backed up both using HOME and "manual"
Then removed everything from device using HOME application.
Then using Windows, reformatted both.

5a) After 5) above, connected device to computer, fired up HOME and it reinstalled everything. Not sure if I first had removed/renamed TomTom folder or not (probably not) so cannot be sure if it installed fresh from TomTom's website via internet or looked into TomTom folder locally and used that.

I am completely stuck and can't get this resolved.

I would be happy to reverse whatever update created this (I believe it was a recent map update, perhaps 2 or 3 months back?).

My computer skills are fairly adequate and I can use and have available both Linux and Windows. Not shy in needing to "hack" into device and "fix" anything needed using command line, etc. (Mentioning this just in case.)

Would greatly appreciate feedback on how to recover this device which is my only GPS system.

(Lastly, I am unable to use "recovery mode"--possibly because I do not understand how to get into this mode on y specific device.)

Thanks.

 

[Arno]

Welcome to TopmTomForums.

I am not the one to give you proper advise but but wonder If you made all your back ups through HOME instead of directly, using Internal and SD as the external drives on your PC.

It is your 4a) that makes me wonder as you were using HOME for re-installation instead a PC drag and drop.

 

[dhn]

Curious. What are the first two characters of your device's serial number? See here:
http://us.support.tomtom.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/9521/c/2355

 

[stef_204]

Curious. What are the first two characters of your device's serial number? See here:
http://us.support.tomtom.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/9521/c/2355

W7

 

[stef_204]

Welcome to TopmTomForums.

I am not the one to give you proper advise but but wonder If you made all your back ups through HOME instead of directly, using Internal and SD as the external drives on your PC.

It is your 4a) that makes me wonder as you were using HOME for re-installation instead a PC drag and drop.

Edit: I modified the number sequence, so 4a) is really 5a). See edited original post which corrects the sequence (although I do not think this makes much difference.)

Well, You're right, I did that in the hopes HOME would re-download fresh software, assuming the one I HAD backed up manually was corrupt (for sure it was the one giving he problem. I just could not see a good reason to try to reinstall software which I thought was causing the problem back onto device after re-formatting.

I can still do so, if it would be the right step (still have that manual backup available.)

What I actually did was to follow this procedure (to no avail, unfortunately.)

 

[dhn]

W7

I'm afraid your device has been deemed End of Life by Tomtom (no more map updates, disabling many Home functions, etc.

See here:
https://www.tomtom.com/en_us/obsolete-products/

 

[stef_204]

I'm afraid your device has been deemed End of Life by Tomtom (no more map updates, disabling many Home functions, etc.

See here:
https://www.tomtom.com/en_us/obsolete-products/

I have seen that but that is NOT a reason to kill the product with wrong/incorrect updates via HOME.

The product has always been working properly until whichever "critical" update messed it up.

Quoting TT:
"Your device will continue to function as it does now, but your map will become out-of-date and as such navigation will be less accurate."

Fine on the second part but what about the first part? "Your device will continue to function as it does now [...]"

 

[dhn]

Check this link:
https://en.discussions.tomtom.com/g...ted-by-tomtom-home-update-1015636/index2.html

Scroll down to the post by user jrjorlado. Might give you a workaround to get back to a functioning Home version.

 

[stef_204]

Check this link:
https://en.discussions.tomtom.com/g...ted-by-tomtom-home-update-1015636/index2.html

Scroll down to the post by user jrjorlado. Might give you a workaround to get back to a functioning Home version.

Thanks for that link BUT that is not really the problem. HOME does work although yes it has disabled some feature.

The problem is the boot loop likely caused by the most recent map upgrade....

 

[canderson]

The above model which has worked just fine for several years recently (and most likely due to an upgrade [map or otherwise] done via the "HOME" application) started to go into a boot loop (with drum roll!) giving me the "command line screen" (black background with white lines.)

Sounds like the system diag screen to me. That screen can be accessed manually if you hold down the power button past the drum roll for a while. Is there any chance your power button (or the switch underneath, at any rate) is sticking down? I ask, because if it's stuck down, that's exactly where you'll wind up.

 

[stef_204]

Is there any chance your power button (or the switch underneath, at any rate) is sticking down? I ask, because if it's stuck down, that's exactly where you'll wind up.

It COULD be, I have sort of pressed some many times and hard; let me check.

Edit: I looked at it and it is really hard to tell. But I can tell you one thing for sure: device was working perfectly prior to this update and no "damage" occurred (that had not occurred prior to that upgrade, if any).

The boot loop is probably into the diagnostic screen you refer to. It basically lists the various parameters, etc.

It's the screen you see in this youtube video.

It drum rolls, boots into that screen then powers off and reboots into that screen with the drum roll, on a continuous loop. It is very hard to get it to exit that loop and boot normally, into the actual GUI.

 

[stef_204]

Thanks for that link BUT that is not really the problem. HOME does work although yes it has disabled some feature.

The problem is the boot loop likely caused by the most recent map upgrade....

Edit: Before I complain to much, let me just sat that I have followed the link you referenced and applied to "fix" for HOME (earlier version) and that DOES work, Thanks for that. I am now able to use "Operate my GO" from inside HOME and am now trying to apply the "create new Favorite" trick from inside HOME. Fingers crossed....

Edit 2: no joy. Still goes into reboot loop intermittently even after having used HOME|Operate my GO|Add Favorites, etc....

Edit 3: I think that definitely the new map and application on the device is not compatible; for example, after having downgraded to a HOME version from June 2016, I am able to "operate my GO" and download more voices, etc. The 2 computerized ones (Simon and Jane) no longer worked. I can download and install them on device but they no longer seem compatible.

Edit 4: I called TomTom to ask if they could at least authorize or push a maps download pre-dating the most recent update; the reaction was, "the update is not responsible for the problem", "we cannot push a previous update", "we can give you a discount on a new product".

I proceeded to explain I was not interested in allocating additional funds towards a new TT product since in all likelihood TT had pushed an update which caused the product to stop working properly and the support rep., just hung up on me..... Great service. Next device probably will be a Garmin. For the time being I still need to fix this GO 750.

NOTE: I really would need to downgrade maps and application ON DEVICE which created this mess. Any ideas where I could find those?

 

[canderson]

Hmmm... I am wondering if somehow, you wound up with some system files on your uSD card during the update.
Give it a try with the uSD card removed and see how it behaves.

 

[stef_204]

Hmmm... I am wondering if somehow, you wound up with some system files on your uSD card during the update.
Give it a try with the uSD card removed and see how it behaves.

Hi, thanks for not giving up.

I have already tried to remove the sdcard but same boot loop.

However, I have NOT done a full reinstall to device without using the sdcard at all. I could try that I guess. I also still have an "old TT account"--the one I used originally just after purchasing device. I then registered a different TT account (on advice of TT Tech Support) as TT had messed up some updates.

I could also try to use that original account to see if the original map is offered. But if ANYONE here can tell me where to find the names of the most recent (last 6 months) TT maps, I might be able to extrapolate the url to get a previous version from TTs website--if the maps are still on the site. (I am fairly sure this would resolve any issues. Unless it is a problem with the power switch like you mentioned but I do not believe it is hardware related.)

 

[canderson]

The maps would have to be delivered to you by the TT server. It is not possible to go to any URL to get them. They are built specifically for your unit and keyed to your unit's serial number.

 

[stef_204]

The maps would have to be delivered to you by the TT server. It is not possible to go to any URL to get them. They are built specifically for your unit and keyed to your unit's serial number.

OK, so they are NOT like the different versions of the "HOME" application which seem to be on TT's servers.

I guess I "could" try to log in with my old (original account) and see what happens (but I doubt the previous map update [or some other older version] will be offered). Will try that and reinstalling everything on device itself, no sdcard, and post back.

PS. I had to start using the sdcard soon after purchasing it, once the updates became larger and larger and the internal HDD of the device ran out of space.

 

[canderson]

That is correct. The Home app can be used on any of the older "Nav2" devices like your 750 when downloaded from TT. The maps are not interchangeable between units with different serial numbers. Any map you may have previously received for your device will work on your specific device since it was 'built' specifically for it.

Don't know if it matters at this point after the wipe out of Home, but on your old XP box, if you look in folder C:\Documents and Settings\{username}\My Documents\TomTom\HOME\Download\complete\map
you may well still find a folder there containing a complete map set if needed in the future. That folder should contain one or more folders called 'USA__Canada' or similar. In turn, that folder should contain 2 zip files and two 'loose' files. The date of the most recent 'USA__Canada' folder will be the date you last downloaded a full map set for your device.

That may help at some point.

Since you say you have been running on uSD card for a while, it would be good to check to make sure there aren't any old fragments of map info in the unit's own memory. Check to see if the device itself has a folder called North_America_2GB or USA_Canada on it.

 

[canderson]

Hmm... last, I'd be curious to know the dates of a particular file on your device AND on the uSD card, wherever it exists.

Look for file 'ttsystem' on both internal and uSD. What are the file dates for any you find?

 

[stef_204]

Hmm... last, I'd be curious to know the dates of a particular file on your device AND on the uSD card, wherever it exists.

Look for file 'ttsystem' on both internal and uSD. What are the file dates for any you find?

On the device itself, it is 01/21/2018. On he sdcard it is gone as I have just reformatted it FAT32 to, yet again, try to install from scratch, using the old TT account; and see what happens.

Will post results here.

 

[stef_204]

OK, this is what I have tried today.

Zero out sdcard using dd, format as FAT32--but leave out of device for now.
Reformat device FAT32.

I no longer have the "old" or "original" TT account available--I guess it has been deleted by TT.

So I had to use most recent account. Updated device using HOME (without the sdcard) and it installed both the TT Application + map, voices, etc. All of it fits on device without sdcard.

Rebooted, etc.

Looks good for a while.

Added custom POI's and enabled them.

Rebooted.

Starts up fine but all of a sudden, with what seems no rhyme or reason, it gives he drum roll and starts to boot loop into diagnostic (DOS-like) screen again.

I tried removing the custom POI's. No change, boot loop again.

I tried "operate my device" from HOME, added a Favorite and created an itinerary.

Rebooted. It looks fine for a while, then on next power on, goes into boot loop.

Have now renamed the "Documents\TomTom" folder so HOME does not see it on next update.

And reformatting device yet again (for last time.)

NOTE: My power switch is fine, it does not seem broken/seems to operate normally, so I will set aside the "hardware" troubleshooting path for now.

It could be that the internal battery is too old and no longer holding that much charge; I have noticed over the last few months (years) a decreasing battery life. But I don't see why this would cause a boot loop, there is still at least 45mns to 1 hour of battery life when fully charged.

Will reinstall everything again, using sdcard. But honestly, the only "logical" cause for this (if I look at what changed just before the boot loop issue appeared) is the latest map update (approx. 2 or 3 months ago); and IMHO, that is the cause.

It would seem that either I can somehow recover a version of the map dating prior to that update and install it; OR this unit is toast.

Will post again once last attempt is complete.