Should of left well enough alone--XL340s question

[Tektronik]

Greetings everyone,

This is my first time here.

I bought FOUR "XL340s" units on Black Friday because the deal was too sweet and wanted to give to relatives for gifts. I picked up one for myself, of course.

Everything was working fine until I hooked it up to my computer! I downloaded the latest version of HOME (i think it's HOME 2) and installed it on Windows 7.

The program told me to back up right away, so being a naive and obedient consumer, I backed it up. I realized that it would take a long time, so I walked away.

I came back a little later, and something went wrong--something timed out. Now all I get is a flashing "X". Used the company support forums to delete all files except the map folder, hooked it up to HOME--it put all of the files back on there and wanted to give me a new map for free, so I let it, but again the thing timed out after about half an hour (or thereabouts). This time the xl340s says "no maps found".

Something happened to the map file itself. It's much smaller in size; it's only 919 MB, when it used to be over 1.6 or so.

Searched for your forums and browsed around. You guys are certainly the subject matter experts!

I thought about just opening another unit (one of the gift units) and copying the map off it and pasting it to mine.......will that work, or do more harm for both units?

Any advice/solutions would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks.

 

[mikealder]

Do you have another PC available to use that isn't running Windows 7 as its known to crash the TT Home application? - Mike

 

[mgfiest]

According to TomTom website... Window 7 is not supported....

 

[mikealder]

I wouldn't believe everything you read on there to be honest, the easy thing to try is another PC that isn't Windows 7 as I know that quite a few others have reported crashes in TT Home when using Windows 7 but when they try XP or Vista it works fine - Mike

 

[alwayslost]

This is something you can try to do if you don't have another PC. - run TomTom Home in compatibility mode It should work. Let us know if it works.

(Edit: Found this link for a better explanation
http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/316-compatibility-mode.html)

(Blah, blah, my earlier explanation)
If you have TomTom Home installed, right click on the shortcut to home, or the .exe file
Select properties.
Click on the tab called "compatability". Then check "run this program in compatability mode", select Windows Vista or XP (I have vista, not 7, so it only shows XP and earlier for me).

Your TomTom Home should now work properly.

 

[PSJ]

I'm running the latest version of HOME 2.7.3.1894

on windows 7 and it runs very fast and stable.

 

[theparson]

I agree. I also am running the latest version of Home and Windows 7 with no problems whatsoever.

 

[Tektronik]

Thanks for your replies

Hey folks, after reading your replies, I'd have to say that HOME appears to be running just fine on windows 7, but I'll try compatibility mode when I am finished here.

After messing with it more, it seems like there was a few errors in the memory of the unit itself, because the tomtom website said to check for memory errors, and it apparently fixed a few. I re-installed the HOME last night and it loaded the OS files, voices and stuff back on it. The problem is still with the map. Even with the remains of the file that was my original map, it still says "no maps found".

It seems strange, but even the folder size of one of the other units (yes, I had to open one more box-- the gift units) is larger than what can fit on my unit. I'm scared to buy another new map off the HOME program, because I don't know if it will get corrupted just like the original map.

OK I will try doing everything just like before in compatibility mode just to be completely sure, but I still don't know what to do about my bum map files

 

[some_cs_student]

Whatever you do, do a full backup with Windows Explorer of the devices before you play with them.

TomTom home has broken my TomTom a couple of times and restoring the windows explorer backup has saved it

 

[theparson]

Do you have the latest version of the application installed on your unit? If not, it might not recognize the latest version of the map.

 

[rupter]

I have no problems with Windows 7 also. If I was you, I would just open one of your other units, copy everything on it using " windows explorer"..no Home involved.. and paste into a folder on your desktop. Then delete all the files on your messed up unit, and copy the files you saved from the new unit onto the messed up unit.

It's going to make things alot easier than troubleshooting your current unit. You have nothing to lose by doing this, and your troubled unit should work just like it originally did. Also, make sure your computer does not hibernate or go to sleep, while you are doing all this.

 

[dhn]

The application will work but, importantly, a copied map from one unit to another will not.

 

[rupter]

The application will work but, importantly, a copied map from one unit to another will not.

So each "Map" is tied to a specific unit then?

 

[Tektronik]

Yeah, last night i did exactly what rupter suggested. I opened another unit, copied everything in explorer, made sure all files (including hidden) was removed from my messed up unit, then did a full drive scan and fix/repair (for errors), then copied all contents on to my unit.

It booted just like a normal, working unit, but said something about the map not able to be used with this unit.

so now all i'm down to is the map issue again.......I still have the receipt, but I can only return within 14 days, and tomorrow is the 14th day! I need to either get this unit working, or return it. I'm leaving for california next tuesday for a month long vacation and will be driving round trip from san francisco to san diego with my family. I really need this to work. Any suggestions on what I could try, before I move over to the "darkside"?

 

[mikealder]

If you have a copy of the original data from the bricked device just use Windows Explorer to copy the original file ending .meta.dct from your backup to the map folder on the bricked unit - Mike

 

[mvl]

Application 8.4 on the XL340S has issues with USB connectivity. There are frequent IO errors that HOME (at least on XP) learns to ignore. Perhaps Home on Windows 7 isn't as forgiving.

Try this.

1) use winrar to extract this file onto your 340S (will install ap 9.0 that fixes the USB)
2) turn off / on the tomtom so the update sticks (it may still not start up properly)
3) format the Tomtom with quickformat disabled, this should be quick now that USB is working
4) on your computer rename mydocuments\tomtom\home\download to mydocuments\tomtom\home\downloadOLD
5) power off/on the Tomtom again
6) in HOME, use Update my XL and keep updating the application until you get 9.022 (click info in each offerred update
7) then go to add maps and you should be able to get usa/can/mex map 840 for free. If not, call Tomtom support and ask them to give it to you.
8) then add one computer voice under "add traffic/voices" and you're ready to go

On the other Tomtoms, make sure you update the application to 9.x before attempting to update anything else. Then remove all computer voices except one before attempting to update to a newer/larger map

 

[rupter]

Sorry that did not work for you. I don't know where you bought these units, but you may have a extended holiday return period with them. For instance, with Walmart, you have 14 days AFTER Christmas to return a GPS device. So I would check the extended holiday return policy for the retailer where you purchased them.

You CAN get your issue resolved, either by the generous help of all here, or thru TT support. If the suggestions here don't help, you can also try this posted by dhn in another thread. It's the post above mine. Good Luck!

 

[Tektronik]

mvl,
this certainly sounds like a great method; i'm in the process of doing it now. I've completed steps 1 & 2 and i'm on step 3 now. I'm not sure how you define "this should be quick now" -- it seems to be taking a long time.

I've got a question for you-- in step 2, after I've safely removed USB connection and re-cycled power, does the update in step 1 actually do something to the firmware? I ask this because you're having me full format in step 3.

I've messed with HOME so many times, I went ahead and uninstalled it, deleted the TOMTOM folder in my documents, and will re-install once the format is done. Hopefully, The free map will be offered once again. Do you know if there are specific registry entries that I need to fix to make it appear as if HOME was never installed in the first place?

Yup, the format is taking a very long time. I'll wait on it, so I can finish your steps. Thank you for your help. I'll let you know if this works for me.

 

[Tektronik]

I bought the four units at the BX, base exchange. They normally run $249, bu that day, they were on sale for $99! I actually returned the one I bought for my father-in-law for christmas and ended up buying four! I don't believe the BX has extended return policies, but I'll ask this weekend, that is, if I still can't get it to work after mvl's process.

My biggest issue is time. I'm flying out to CA on Tuesday, and don't want to spend $249 for a new one, and work with a tomtom csr to possibly return this one for a replacement because, well, the time crunch. If I had the time, I'd buy a different model and keep this one to play around with. Thanks for the help.

 

[mvl]

App 9.x installs an update to firmware, and also updates the 340's internal bootloader (BIOS).

The tomtom needs to be turned on with the tomtom disconnected from the computer for this "BIOS" upgrade to stick. It's this upgrade that fixes the usb I/O process.

Even after all this, it's still possible that you happened to get a unit with bad flash ram. If so then a warranty or store exchange/return would be you only option.

Latest map guarantee status is preserved after a format. I'm not sure where the Tomtom "birthday" log resides, it probably sits in a hidden partition that isn't shown to windows via USB.