Home installed a wrong map version on my Tom Tom Start 2 and now it is unusable

[dsswoosh]

If anyone can help with my problem it would be much appreciated.

Here goes. Going to list in number order for ease of reading -

1) My work bought me a Tom Tom XL for my job and i took it home so i could update it.
2) I created a new account for it with the email address being ************@virginmedia.com.
2) I installed Tom Tom home and updated the Tom Tom XL with no problems at all. Everything fine.

So far so good.

3) About a month later i got a Tom Tom Start bought for me for Christmas (today).
4) I plugged my Tom Tom Start 2 into my PC and connected it to Tom Tom Home.
5) I found out that only one account can contain one Tom Tom machine, so using the options provided in Tom Tom Home i removed the Tom Tom XL from the account ************@virginmedia.com.
6) I added the Tom Tom Start 2 to the account ************@virginmedia.com.
7) I then created a new account for the Tom Tom XL called ************@btinternet.com

So far so good. I now have two Tom Tom's with each of them in their seperate accounts.

8) I connected the Tom Tom Start 2 to my PC and proceeded to update everything by clicking on update.
9) Tom Tom Home told me that a new version of a United Kingdom and ROI map was available to me which i chose to upgrade.
10) Tom Tom Hom installed the upgraded map and deleted the old one (the one that came with the Tom Tom Start 2 preloaded).


NOW FOR THE PROBLEM.

The map that Tom Tom Home used to upgrade to my Tom Tom Start was the one it found on my PC which i originally downloaded for the Tom Tom XL.

Unbeknown to me, i have been led to believe that map files are locked to a specific Tom Tom device (which i assume is so people can't freely distribute them to their friends etc).

I am now stuck with an error message on my Tom Tom Start 2 saying this -

PROBLEM WITH MAP
YOU CANNOT USE THIS MAP ON THIS DEVICE:
UNITED_KINGDOM_AND_REPUBLIC_OF_IRELAND-254

(which i assume is locked to my works Tom Tom XL)


OK simple fix i think. Simply delete this map from my Tom Tom start 2 and load up Tom Tom Home, click update and download a map that works with my Tom Tom Start 2.
WRONG.
The Tom Tom Home software simply puts a message on the screen saying "Your Tom Tom is up to date".


I am bascially stuck with a brand new Tom Tom Start 2 with no map file and nowhere to get a new map file from, all because Tom Tom Home automatically installed a wrong, non-working map, and refuses to download anything that does work for me.

If anyone has any ideas how to resolve this would be much appreciated. If not, and Tom Tom can't fix it, unfortunately it is going back to the shop for a refund.

 

[dhn]

Make an Explorer, not home, backup of your unit's contents. Then remove the specific map folder from your unit. Use Explorer.

Now

Go here:
C:\Documents and Settings\yourname\My Documents\TomTom\HOME\Downloads\complete

and rename \Downloads\ to Downloadsold\

Should get offered the map again.

 

[dsswoosh]

Ok i tried that.

Tom Tom Home still refuses to offer me any map downloads though.

All i got offered was -

1) 9 voices
2) Quick GPS Fix

Then it installed them to internal memory.


When i turn my Tom Tom on i just get "No Maps Found!" message.

If i copy the map files from my Tom Tom XL i get the message "PROBLEM WITH MAP
YOU CANNOT USE THIS MAP ON THIS DEVICE:UNITED_KINGDOM_AND_REPUBLIC_OF_IRELAND-254"

Tom Tom Home seems to firstly have installed the map which was on my hard drive (originally from the Tom Tom XL), as described in my original post.

Then it refused to work on my Tom Tom Start 2 (which i guess is for copyright reasons).

Now it completely refuses to download any new map at all.

Is it possible Tom Tom Home has simply bricked my Tom Tom Start 2 and i will have to take it back to the shop i bought it from for a refund?

I'm really annoyed as this was an Xmas present i got today !

All help is appreciated

 

[dsswoosh]

Edit -

Needless to say i didn't make a Windows Explorer copy of the original pre-loaded map that came with my Tom Tom Start 2.

And Tom Tom Home kindly deleted this file for me after it decided to upgrade to a map that doesn't work.

I guess all that i need is the working map file that was preloaded in my Tom Tom Start 2.

Unfortunately this is proving near impossible to obtain :/

 

[dhn]

You can't use a map from one device on another unit. The easiest thing might be to return the unit

 

[dsswoosh]

Ok. Thanks for the help.

If Tom Tom get back to me in the email i sent to customer help ill post the solution here.

 

[MerleB]

I had a similar problem with a replacement TT XL 340-TM Live. The box on the first unit I received had been opened, and I discovered that the activation code for the lifetine map updates had already been used. I returned the unit (postage paid by vendor), and the vendor shipped a new one very quickly. Then I had problems similar to yours. I contacted TT support, and they suggested the solution of renaming the Downloads folder. This didn't help. They asked me to fax the purchase and other documentation to them, and they quickly activated the replacement unit for my email address. Problem solved, and now I'm happy.

The person at TomTom was Rachel, and she was helpful and prompt. As a result, I'm extremely pleased with their customer service. I hope you can get such good service.

 

[mvl]

HOME gets confused when you reassign email addresses.

I'd recommend calling Tomtom phone support with your problem. They can correct the map activation on the server realtime, and have your Start fixed by the end of the call.

 

[jerry2]

Hi disswosh,

We also had problems with downloading maps. We had a battle with Halfords and Tom Tom to get satisfaction. It turned out that our device was faulty; but, Tom Tom wanted us to pay to get it fixed, even though it was only a few months old....otherwise, they didn't want to know.

Also, if you call Tom Tom on the phone, it's chargeable. So, even if it's a problem with the device, you have to pay to sort it out.

We went back to Halfords numerous times. We found that they have no responsibility for sorting your problems or even an exchange, without Tom Tom's agreement. You still have to send your device away, for which you will be charged!

We went to Trading Standards, who told us that there is only one trading standards in the country who can deal with Halfords. That means that any case you would have, would need to be transferred to this particular trading standards office, which can take a long time and could lead to a close relationship (too close) between trading standards and Halfords.

In our case, the fact that the local trading standards rang up Halfords, did help. Halfords then got someone to attempt to download the maps, but they were unable to do so. They reported the device to be faulty, so we were given a replacement.

If we had it to do over, we would not buy a Tom Tom....ANY TOM TOM.

If you want some satisfaction, try going to your local trading standards. Don't let Tom Tom fob you off by saying whatever is happening is your fault.

Good Luck!

 

[Andy_P]

We went back to Halfords numerous times. We found that they have no responsibility for sorting your problems or even an exchange, without Tom Tom's agreement.

Not true!
It's just that Halfords (and other companies such as Comet) will do their damndest to stop you exercising your legal rights. It's not even really the shop manager's fault as they are commanded from head office to do so.
Remember that your contract is with the shop, not TomTom.

We went to Trading Standards, who told us that there is only one trading standards in the country who can deal with Halfords. That means that any case you would have, would need to be transferred to this particular trading standards office, which can take a long time and could lead to a close relationship (too close) between trading standards and Halfords.

What? That's crazy! Someone should be taking Trading Standards to Trading Standards, if that's the case!

 

[canderson]

Could be that Halford's is such a PITA that they have one office specializing in dealing with them!