How to use an external memory card (and previous problems with this)

[LSWRArt]

When I tried to update my GO610 it failed to update after hours and I solved the problem by removing the memory card, which up until then had been working. It then updated OK with just the internal memory.

I have now bought a new memory card, but have failed to find clear information how to correctly use this.

After inserting it, do I have to switch from the internal memory to the additional memory (Change device on My Drive Connect)?

When I do an update, should it update both memories?

How do I switch back to the internal memory, if updating does not work with the memory card inserted?

 

[canderson]

When you install the card, the device should ask whether you intend to use it for maps or routes. Most likely, you will say maps, and the device will format the card in its own way to prepare it for use.
MyDrive will show both internal and uSD card used/available memory, and the device will determine the best place to locate any new or updated content. You need do nothing with regard to this.
If updating with the memory card is an issue, just remove it, and the device will then operate solely with internal memory.

 

[LSWRArt]

Thanks - I will try that as soon as the new card arrives

 

[Arno]

Make sure to make a full format of the new card to FAT32 with you PC before inserting it in your GO 610.

 

[John E]

Dear Arno, My GO 600 has stopped "working" after a few minutes when I am traveling towards my destination, and I only have 189 MB left in Memory available (after the latest map update). Should I install a Memory Card, and if so, how large should it be? I understand that the new Memory Card needs to have me make a full format of the new Memory Card to FAT32 on my Personal Computer (from your message above) before I insert it into my GO 600. How do I ensure that this "formatting" is properly done? Thank you. John E

 

[Willy875]

Class 10 SD card up to 32 GB
After formatting via your computer, you must insert the SD again into your GPS for the GPS to format it again
If the formatting worked well, your SD card should be recognized by your GPS.

 

[LSWRArt]

I did this just yesterday.
I completely failed to do a software update in my TomTom GO610 with my old memory card in place, so took it out and bought a new Kingston 32GB Micro SD for £4.89 on EBay.
I then did the update without the memory card in place and it went well. I then found you must re-start both the TomTom and MyDrive before plugging in the new memory card and trying to update your maps.
TomTom asked me what I wanted to use the SD card for and I selected Maps. When I then connected the TomTom to MyDrive I was able to select the maps I wanted and the download worked really well.
N.B. If you have free lifetime maps, these are under Updates. Do not go to Maps as that is to purchase maps.
Hope that helps
Arthur

 

[LSWRArt]

One more thought, you must uninstall the existing maps in your main memory and then install them fresh on the SD card. If you just do update maps it leaves it on the internal memory
Arthur

 

[Arno]

Dear Arno, My GO 600 has stopped "working" after a few minutes when I am traveling towards my destination, and I only have 189 MB left in Memory available (after the latest map update). Should I install a Memory Card, and if so, how large should it be? I understand that the new Memory Card needs to have me make a full format of the new Memory Card to FAT32 on my Personal Computer (from your message above) before I insert it into my GO 600. How do I ensure that this "formatting" is properly done? Thank you. John E

John, Follow Willy's advice about the card. Your PC will give you the option between a Quick and a Full update, select the latter.
I am a little bothered by the size of your free memory. I think it should be around 600 MB [ALL: correction requested].
Do you have additional smaller maps that you could first delete from memory before inserting that PC formatted card? (The deletion is from your device, not your account and you can reinstall it with MyDrive Connect later on.)

 

[John E]

Dear Arno, Thank you for your reply. The only Map I have installed on my GO600 is United States/Canada (without Buildings (i.e., no 3D)). I look forward to receiving any advice that may be helpful. Thank you. John E

 

[Arno]

John, since 3 years I no longer have a GO 600, replaced it with a GO 620.
I was hoping that some of the heavy hitters would chime in here about the Tree Memory need and am somewhat disappointed.
Please connect your device with a USB cable to the PC where you have MyDrive Connect running
__________________________________________________
At this point I was going to open MDC to give you the proper heading under which you can see what is installed on your device but it seems to be buggered as "Empty download folder" is greyed out.

 

[canderson]

Dear Arno, My GO 600 has stopped "working" after a few minutes when I am traveling towards my destination, and I only have 189 MB left in Memory available (after the latest map update). Should I install a Memory Card, and if so, how large should it be? I understand that the new Memory Card needs to have me make a full format of the new Memory Card to FAT32 on my Personal Computer (from your message above) before I insert it into my GO 600. How do I ensure that this "formatting" is properly done? Thank you. John E

I doubt a memory card will help - that's not the sort of issue you're reporting.

Let's first sort out what you mean by "has stopped 'working'"
That doesn't give us much to work with.
Does the screen freeze? Does the screen go black? Does the device cease to know where you are (gray chevron)? Does it just stop giving spoken directions? I can think of a few more, but if you can tell us instead, that would be someplace to start.

 

[John E]

A few days ago I determined (by disconnecting my TomTom GO 600 Window Suction Mount Car Dock Cradle and finding that my TOMTOM RDS Traffic Receiver Car Charger Vehicle Power Cable Cord worked just fine with my TomTom GO 600) that my TomTom GO 600 Window Suction Mount Car Dock Cradle was what was preventing my GO 600 from receiving power and staying operable (my "old" internal battery does not "last long"). I purchased a new TomTom GO 600 Window Suction Mount Car Dock Cradle on EBay (https://www.ebay.com/itm/361861222268) (I did not find this "part" on Amazon) and now my GO 600 works as it did before.

I am now ready to install a new 32GB Card which I understand needs to have me make a full format of the new 32GB Card to FAT32 on my Personal Computer before I insert it into my GO 600. How do I ensure that this "formatting" is done properly?

Once that is done, I understand from Willy875 (above) that I "must insert the SD again into [my] GPS for the GPS to format it again[.]
If the formatting worked well, [my] SD card should be recognized by [my] GPS."

Is there anything else which I should do?

 

[canderson]

Once you've performed the FAT32 format, it's just a matter if inserting the card. If your 600 recognizes it, you'll know you're good to go.

The GPS will indeed ask for format the card in its own fashion. I assume you want to place maps on it at some point in the future? If so, let your device know as it will ask whether you want to use the card for storage of routes or maps.

 

[John E]

Thank you for your prompt reply! After I insert my FAT32 formatted SD card into mt TomTom GO 600, I will let my TomTom 600 know that I want to use the "card" for the storage of "maps" (versus "routes"). Let us hope this works!

 

[John E]

I successfully installed my new 32GB SD card (FAT32 formatted) into my TomTom GO 600. I let my TomTom GO 600 "know" that I wanted to use my 32GB SD card for "maps"; this worked fine as the March 25, 2023 Map Update was installed on my new Memory Card (leaving 31.85 GB in "Free space" on that Memory Card). I now have 361 MB in "Free space" on my Internal Memory on my TomTom Go 600 (I did not uninstall any Maps from my TomTom GO 600 which had been installed prior to March 25, 2023) (I did uninstall "Non-English" languages, none of which I need, which resulted in my increase of 172 MB in "Free Space" on my Internal Memory to 361 MB).

However, from "time to time" while driving and using my TomTom GO 600 (and being "connected" to "My Drive" on my Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra Cell Phone), my TomTom GO 600 "on its own" "restarts" and then proceeds to continue to "work" as it should (although many times it does not "talk" to me except generally to announce at the beginning of my "trip" at what "time" I should "arrive" at my destination).

In the distant past I used a form of "hard restart" (more than one holding down the "power" button until one hears the sound of "tom tom drums") which I had found on the "old" TomTom discussions forum and which solved my "back then" problems. Of course, I do not remember the specific "steps" for this form of "hard restart," but I hope someone in this Forum can tell me how to do this (my recollection is that it was a specific series of "long" and "short" taps done in a specified "order").

If I should uninstall the "USA Canada without buildings" map (version 11.05), size 5917MB on my Internal Memory, and then install it on my new 32GB SD Memory Card in my TomTom GO 600, I would be glad to do that if that would be helpful. I would rather not do a "factory reset" of my TomTom GO 600.

I look forward to a reply. Thank you. John E