Suddenly does not recognize Map subscription

[Terrell]

I subscribed to a year's worth of map updates, and my credit card was billed accordingly. I received several updates, but just recently, when I connect, I get the message in HOME:

"Newer versions of your map are available. Get them for as little as US$ 11.95 per quarter with our new Map Update Service"

What's going on?

 

[eldorado]

A new quartely map just came out near the end of November, I had heard/read here on the forum that it was coming, so one evening when I plugged in the TT it started loading the new map (takes awhile)...so you might double check..........

 

[Terrell]

I have North America 2GB map 840.2562, which the TT site says is the latest. Yet HOME's pesky message says "Newer versions of your map are available." Plus it doesn't recognize that I already signed up for the Map Update Service in March, 2009.

 

[mikealder]

The v840 map is the current latest so at least thats correct, as for the stupid warning messages I have seen this before when Home gets confused (it does that when you start the program, to be honest its a crap bit of software that should have never been released, but lets not go there or my blood pressure will start to climb).

If it thinks you have more than one device possibly an old device no loger in use it can pop these silly warning messages up and often the only way to cure the annoying pop up is to let it download whatever it wants as once the file is on your PC it won't do it again - Quite often its a very old v660 map that for some stupid reason it wants to offer you - Mike

 

[Terrell]

HOME is so messed up, I hope it is able to download the new map when it comes out. I got an email from TT dated Dec 2, saying that there is a new map, and that HOME will download it for me. Nope.

 

[mikealder]

I am not too sure what you expect TT Home to download for you as you have the latest map installed, there isn't a newer map than v840 for your device and I wouldn't expect the next map to be released until around late Febuary - Mike

 

[mvl]

The "new maps are available" email goes to all map subscription customers. It's always a few weeks after the maps are made available, and is typical of Tomtom "just released" type of emails. My guess is that Tomtom releases things without much fanfare at first so early adopters are the only ones overloading their servers, then a few weeks later they send reminder emails so people who don't connect to HOME often don't forget.

Regarding the "new maps are available" message in HOME, that isn't normal. My 720 doesn't say that. I saw in earlier posts that you use a memory card, maybe that's confusing HOME. Are all your maps and apps all on the card, all on the internal, or mixed?

 

[Terrell]

I do have a memory card. That message did not come up for the last several months, and I thought they had finally resolved the issue, because it did pop up in the past. In order to get rid of any confusion HOME was having, I moved my map to the memory card, but that didn't help.

I didn't move ALL apps, but most of them. So it's mixed now. Before everything was internal.

 

[Terrell]

TomTom just now replied to my question about this with the following:

"Thank you for taking the time to contact TomTom Customer Support regarding Map Update Service. We are always happy to help.

"We do understand your concern about TomTom HOME not recognizing the latest map you do have installed. We would like to inform this is a new feature in HOME that shows an advertisement of the Map Update Service. It's available to aware our customer's about what the service is and how much it costs. We do apologize for any frustration and confusion this may have caused."

So TT seems to be saying that this bug is intended.

What's also funny is that the email started with:

"This incident will remain open for the next 72 hours and will close automatically if we do not hear back."

Then 9 minutes later they sent another email saying:

"We have not heard back from you and the incident is now closed."

The clocks at TT must run on a different time than mine.

 

[mvl]

try renaming your "maps" folder to "mapsold" on the internal and memory card (wherever present). See if that get's the red dot to disappear.

 

[Terrell]

I connected my GO 730 to my computer to try it, and before I changed anything, there is no more message about maps. I wonder if that message is put into HOME externally? Maybe TT realized it's buggy and pulled it to fix it?

 

[mvl]

There were a few problems with the Home servers not "knowing" about map 840 properly for LMG, new subsciptions, etc. Could have been your issue, and Tomtom can fix all that server-side (and may have).

Also, whenever you install new apps/maps, etc, sometimes HOME won't recognize stuff properly until you disconnect and turn the Tomtom off/on. The "poweron" cycle updates internal identification files that Home uses.

In any case, glad to hear things are back to normal.

 

[Terrell]

I spoke too soon. It's doing it again.

I have been in touch with TT Support, and they are grasping at straws, telling me to do all sorts of things, which works for one time, but the next time I connect to the computer the red dot re-appears with the message about my map.

I have now deleted every file that was in the internal memory and moved everything to the SD card. But now when I connect to HOME, it thinks I need the whole map, application, etc. because HOME doesn't see my SD card, and the option to change devices is grayed out.

Fortunately the GO 730 is smart enough that everything on the GO works just fine. It's HOME that is giving fits.

 

[dhn]

You have tried to reset the unit with the sd card in it, right? And is it a sdhc card (should be) and, if so, what brand and class?

 

[mvl]

Fortunately the GO 730 is smart enough that everything on the GO works just fine. It's HOME that is giving fits.

Home seems to get confused often if you have an SD card loaded. I recommend installing everything to the same place (all on SD or all on internal). That confuses Home less.

Home may still install new things in the wrong place from where you ask it to put them, so check after every major map/app update.

 

[sageuvagony]

Strange stuff.. I haven't connected my device in over a week, and just decided to connect it today to update it, and now it's bugging me like crazy to download the latest map (which I already have) and it keeps bugging me to purchase the map update subscription service. I was confused because it seemed like time flew. I went and checked my order history and it shows that I purchased my subscription on March 17th. Have we all already received 4 updates already? I highly doubt that

Edit : Just want to clarify, it wants me to extend my service because it's finished. Err?

Edit again : When I purchased my subscription, I not only purchased the 1 year sub, but I also had to purchase the latest map at a deeply discounted rate, so with that order, I was supposed to get 1 + 4 maps, and I doubt I have downloaded 5 maps since March 17.

 

[dhn]

Call support at 866-486-6866 in the morning to clarify the situation but it's likely another example of the crappy (can I say that here? ) Home program.

 

[sageuvagony]

Thanks for the quick reply. Aside from the subscription going wacky on me and the battery barely lasting 15 minutes now, the 720 is great!

By the way, any idea how many updates we have had since March 17?

 

[dhn]

Of maps? 830 in May. 835 in August and 840 in November.

 

[mvl]

Strange stuff.. I haven't connected my device in over a week, and just decided to connect it today to update it, and now it's bugging me like crazy to download the latest map (which I already have) and it keeps bugging me to purchase the map update subscription service. I was confused because it seemed like time flew. I went and checked my order history and it shows that I purchased my subscription on March 17th. Have we all already received 4 updates already? I highly doubt that

Edit : Just want to clarify, it wants me to extend my service because it's finished. Err?

Edit again : When I purchased my subscription, I not only purchased the 1 year sub, but I also had to purchase the latest map at a deeply discounted rate, so with that order, I was supposed to get 1 + 4 maps, and I doubt I have downloaded 5 maps since March 17.

You should have one more map in February.

If I remember right you use SD for everything - are you sure you don't have any files lingering on your internal that could be confusing the Tomtom? As I mentioned earlier HOME likes to put stuff in the wrong place without asking.

Also, delete your "maps" folder (not "North America") and your ttgo.bif file and restart. That sometimes cleans up what HOME thinks is on your device.