Old-style TomTom Acting Up? - Part 2 - How To reinstall *fresh* Software using Home

Status
Not open for further replies.
Joined
Feb 10, 2011
Messages
4,683
Location
London, UK.
TomTom Model(s)
Go520,720,XL Live, Start60,Go940,950,1000,1005,New500,New5000
(The following only applies to "traditional" TomTom models that use the "Home" utility to connect to your computer. Newer models that use "MyTomTom" SHOULD be able to re-install software, but the process is normally automatic and begins as soon as you connect to MyTomTom. If that fails, see our article here instead).

----------------------------------

If you have proper backups (made with Windows Explorer NOT TT Home) then you should have no problems returning to an earlier version if your software gets corrupted somehow, simply by restoring one of your backups back onto the device.

But if you haven't, you can re-install the software using Home.
Unfortunately Home will not give you a fresh download of the program files if it sees one already in it's download cache on your PC.

Here's how to FORCE Home to download a new copy of the latest software....

1. Make a full backup with Windows Explorer. See another topic in these articles for instructions (its HERE)

2. With Windows Explorer, check the root directory of the TomTom. If you have very old maps (v660 or earlier) there will be one or more files with a name based on the map name and a .MAC or .MDS extension. This is your activation code for the map. It is especially important that this file or files are backed up.

3. Now, with the unit still connected to the computer, run the HOME support program.
i. Go to "Manage my device" on screen 2 (tap "More" to get there). Wait for the contents to load(it may take some time!) and then on the "Items on device" tab, find "Applications". Tick the box to select it and then tap on "Remove items from device" at the bottom.
ii. Go to the "Remove items from Computer" tab. Again, wait for it to load and then find "Applications". Click on the "+" sign to open up the list and tick the lines that mention actual application versions and then tap on "Remove items from computer" at the bottom.

4. CLOSE Home completely and then re-start it from the Start menu. Home SHOULD immediately offer a new version of the application software, or if not, it should do so when you go to "Update my Device" on screen #1. Install the application offered.

5. Click on 'Device - Disconnect Device' in the top menu (or use the "Eject" button in the bottom right corner of the screen), wait for it to re-boot and ask if you want to connect to the computer, select "No" and when you see the normal navigation screen, turn off and disconnect.
Check the device is now working OK.

6. Finally connect to Home again and see if anything else is offered in "update my Device"


----------------------------------------------------

Note:. If yours is a VERY old model, you may need to run the update process in Home v1.x several times first and then install home v2.x and run it several times again.

Both versions of Home can be downloaded from the same page HERE (v1.x is an easily missed text link BELOW the large one for v2.x)

-----------------------------------------------------

If however you want to roll back to a PREVIOUS software, having your own collection of backups made with Windows Explorer is even more important. Home will only offer you their latest one.
There are SOME versions archived HERE

-----------------------------------------------------

Similar techniques also work for other sorts of download from Home.
For example, if you are not receiving GPSQuickFix updates, you can delete the contents of the "ephemeris" folder in your Home\Downloads and also the contents of the "ephem" folder on the TomTom itself (using Windows Explorer to delete the relevant files) That should trigger the downloads in Home again.


EDITED 10 May 2013 to reflect new thinking about using Windows Explorer vs. 'Home' to remove the old application files.
 
Last edited:
Status
Not open for further replies.

Ask a Question

Want to reply to this thread or ask your own question?

You'll need to choose a username for the site, which only take a couple of moments. After that, you can post your question and our members will help you out.

Ask a Question

Members online

No members online now.

Latest resources

Forum statistics

Threads
28,822
Messages
194,347
Members
67,755
Latest member
TomTom VIA 220 from Oz

Latest Threads

Back
Top