TomTom Delete Disable Destroy Files

[tntntn]

Hi,
I have a TomTom 920. I would like to use the TomTom just as a GPS device ONLY. I just need to navigate from point A to point B.

I do not want to know where the nearest 7-11 is, or use the phone or the bluetooth etc.

Could anyone please tell me how I could delete, not just disable, but delete from the drive on the tomtom itself, all of these types of files

-Any file that is related to POI.
-Any File relacted to the phone, connecting to the phone or whatever files TomTom uses to invade people's privacy
-All of the bluetooth device drivers or whatever files the TomTom uses
-Any file that is not related to simply getting from Point A to Point B

I would think all I need is a basic menu, a map file and a voice file and the details associated with that.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[canderson]

Nothing you could delete will change the menu structure, so the items will still be there, though would bomb if you accidentally tried to use them.

TomTom uses no "phone" files to invade anyone's anything.

Unless you own a "Live" unit, not even anonymous data is sent while you are driving.

Honestly, we need a hand here. Is this a minor paranoia issue or a real desire to super-simply the menu structure? If the former, I don't know what to tell you -- your unit isn't spying on you, so I can't imagine what we could delete that would make it any 'safer'.

If it is the latter, then it is possible for you to create your own menus that will cover the simple A to B stuff very nicely. It's not for this purpose that the thread was created, but you can gather a HUGE load of info on how a custom menu can be built by looking at the efforts of some users to regain lost functionality on certain models. You would use the information here to do the opposite, and you can always hook up to your PC and remove the resulting *.mnu file if you don't like your early attempts or want to change things around a bit more.

Link follows:
https://www.tomtomforums.com/t22302-how-get-more-menu-options-models-easymenu.html

 

[tntntn]

I dont think TomTom is spying on anyone. Thanks for implying I was paranoid though.

Selling data is a way for TomTom to make money. A GPS device contains alot of data that could be sold, especially if the GPS has bluetooth and can connect to your phone. A GPS device also makes money from advertisers by putting in thousands of points of interest. The irony is that the POI slow the device so much that it become ineffective. Simply uchecking the POI causes them to not be displayed, but has no effect other than that. In fact they sold users data to the police to make money. Googling the terms below will pull up plenty of examples.

Tom Tom's sleazy way to make up GPS revenue shortfall | ITworld




Here is another article from ConsumerReports.org, past text below into google


Back fire: TomTom sold user data to police, motorists then targeted with speed traps


Your easy menu idea does not solve the GPS speed problem, it simply would clean up the menu. I have configured this same model about 3 years ago. A user on a different forums explained what files to delete. I dont remember the name of the forums, it might have been gpsunderground so I will try those forums later.

 

[canderson]

"Any File relacted to the phone, connecting to the phone or whatever files TomTom uses to invade people's privacy."

Knowing the facts about what is transmitted, even by Live units, might allay your concerns a bit. You start out with a statement like the above, and, well .. you have to appreciate how a reader will take that. I think you're under some misapprehensions about both what is collected on what units, and how it is used. If you're interested in knowing more about this from both a practical and technical perspective, let me know. I've got quite a write-up on it that I prepared a while back on the Live units that really can produce some data.

No individually identifiable data was provided to anyone, including police, and after some mea culpas, the CEO of the company assured that they would be rewriting their terms of use agreement for data that they did collect so as to prevent that kind of use again.

So if I understand, you simply wish to avoid having TomTom know the average speeds on the roads you travel? You do appreciate that one of the best features of their units is IQRoutes, and without real life traffic data (speed on various roads sliced and diced into 15 minute increments by day of week), that feature won't be there to help you or anyone else do their traffic planning?

If you are concerned, the current firmware allows for sending no data at all back to TomTom. It's user selectable after a Factory Reset where your specific permission is requested... assuming you are running up-to-date firmware, of course. Actually it is possible in three different scenarios:

1. After factory reset (assuming current firmware)
2. After a firmware update (assuming it's current firmware)
3. In Home. (if your copy of Home is current - SEE EXAMPLE BELOW)

Simple deletion of one or more files could do the same job for you if you left the data logging enabled, but you would need to access your device WITHOUT permitting a network connection at the same time. The information you are looking for is in the "statdata" folder. If you do NOT provide your consent, the logging data is never built there, so there's nothing there for Home to send back to TomTom to begin with.

 

[tntntn]

I couldnt care less really about TomTom's unethical and sleazy policy towards it's customer's data or my data really.

Its just that I dont like buying a product for up to several hundred dollars, and having what is essentially advertising and data collection slowing that product down to the point where it becomes useless. They should really be giving them away for free or actually paying people to use them.


It has been 3 years since I configured my old TomTom to be useable. I think I found the forums that helped me determine which files to delete so I am sure I will get the issue fixed.

 

[canderson]

Unethical and sleazy? Please - I'd like for you to justify that particular statement in light of the CURRENT state of their firmware and PC applications (or even the older versions, though irrelevant to today's topic).

You'll be surprised how the firmware has changed over 3 years. Not only have they readily accommodated your need for 'privacy', the deletion of files (unless you can prevent a network connection in the process) won't change anything.

Why not just use the simple method I specified in the screen shot above and save yourself the trouble?

 

[Andy_P]

The only connection to your phone is via Bluetooth, and if you don't go through the rigmarole of linking your phone to the TomTom there's no way for them to talk to each other without your knowledge.

If you REALLY feel the need to delete all the Points of interest (which will include things like Railway stations and Hospitals as well as evil advertisers like petrol stations and shops, then just delete the poi.dat file from the map folder.

But if you think that is advertising or is slowing your device down, I think you're mistaken...