tomtom turns on by itself?

[swingset]

I've experienced this issue with my Go720 and read the thread, tried everything suggested and nothing really worked. Like clockwork, it would reboot itself after a few minutes of being turned off.

But, something happened that has led me to some interesting experiments. I received a 2nd 720 from a friend who upgraded to another unit and by a fluke he had the same Navcore & map that my 720 has (Navcore 8.010.936, Map 8.50-2782). What's strange is, this 720 doesn't turn itself on. Ever. Mine only started with the 8.01x Navcore, or at least that's when I noticed it.

My unit reboots itself, running the same software, his doesn't. So, is it a software bug or at the heart of it is there a relationship between the softare and an individual unit? Or, is it hardware alone that seems to cause this?

The only way to know is to run my software & map on his unit and see what happens. To do that, I have to trick his unit into accepting my map. That can be done, via nefarious means and I neither advocate or suggest anyone use these, but in our case both his software & map and mine are paid for and I'm certainly not using a map activator to gain anything but knowlege about why one works and one doesn't.

So, I've now installed my entire TT's directory onto his unit, activated my map on his 720 and kept his directory in back up just in case. If his unit starts to reboot itself we know that it's software. If his unit remains working without rebooting itself we know that it's not software alone...perhaps hardware problem or a combination of certain software and a certain unit that causes this problem.

The only variable is if the map activator, but that shouldn't come into play as far as I'm understanding what it does.

Anyway....day one and so far the friend's 720 is not rebooting itself. I'll report back when I know more.

 

[SenorFunkyPants]

This is the reply I received from Tomtom for this problem:


I understand that your TomTom device switches itself on and off
automatically. There might be some corruption in your application.
Please be assured we will try our best to help you.

To resolve the issue can I ask you carry out the steps below :

STEP 1 Create a Manual backup of your TomTom device

- Charge your unit for at least two hours (preferably via the home
charger) - Perform a reset on your device (see:
How to soft-reset my navigation device) - Make a manual backup as shown on
Backing up my TomTom device
(Please scroll to the bottom of the page to make a manual back up)

IMPORTANT: We advise you to follow the next steps ONLY if you have made
a successful backup of your device.

If you are unable to complete step 1, please reply back with any error
messages that you receive at this point.

STEP 2 - Format the hard-disk

? Open 'My Computer'
? Right click on the TomTom drive (the device should be seen in drive
E,F,G,H,I etc) and select 'Format' ? Please make sure that quick format
is not selected ? Click on Start ? Once the format is complete, use the
?Safely Remove Hardware? icon in the bottom right hand corner of your
computer to disconnect your TomTom device from the computer
? Once disconnected, it will show a red cross
? Reset the TomTom unit again

STEP 3 - Restore the Folders to the TomTom ONE 30 Series

? Connect your TomTom device back to the computer and switch it on ? Go
to your backup folder in My Documents, double left click into it ? Copy
the following folder back onto your device:

1- Your map folder(usually labeled Western and Central Europe or United
Kingdom and Republic of Ireland)
2- The folder named 'zip'(United Kingdom and Netherlands only)
3- The folder named 'raster'(applicable on only some devices)
4- The folder named 'loqendotts' (applicable on only some devices)
5- The folder named 'ASR' (applicable on only some devices)
6- The folder named 'Vocalizer' (applicable on only some devices)

? Now disconnect your TomTom device by using the ?Safely Remove
Hardware? icon again ? Once disconnected, it will show a red cross

STEP 4 - Now we need to delete the application files from your PC so
that HOME will offer them as an update

? Click on the Start button in the bottom left of your PC ? Now select
My documents -> TomTom -> HOME -> Downloads -> Complete ? Please delete
the yellow Program folder

STEP 5 - Update your device

? Reset your unit again
? Connect your device to the PC and turn it on ? Open TomTom HOME:
Start->All Programs->TomTom->TomTom HOME 2 ? HOME will now load your
updates (If this does not happen automatically, click on Update My ONE
on the main menu of HOME) ? Make sure that only the application is
marked with a green tick
? Click on Update and Install
? Once Installed, click on Done
? You will now be prompted by HOME to restart your Device, just click ok
? In the Top left of HOME, click on 'Device -> Disconnect Device' ? Now
please disconnect your TomTom device from the computer and allow it to
start up normally. ? Connect again and download a voice of your choice
using Home by clicking on Add Traffic, Voices, Safety Cameras etc and
then on Voices.

If you get ?No Maps Found? on your TomTom, please repeat Step 5.

STEP 6 - Run the Clear Flash Tool Twice

? Close HOME (make sure you close TomTom HOME from the system tray in
the bottom right hand corner of your screen) ? Connect your TomTom
device to the computer. If it asks if you want to connect, please
select yes. ? Download and run the clear flash tool from : http://www.to
mtom.com/updates/clear_flash/clear_flash.exe ? Now disconnect your
TomTom (Safely Remove Hardware in the bottom right hand corner)

The Application is now installed, all corruption will have been removed
and your TomTom device will now be working normally again."


On completing the above I reconnected the unit to Tomtom home 2 and received another application update.
So far so good but its only been a couple of days. The unit does behave differently though...on switch on there is no boot picture, just a white screen and then quickly straight to the map, the reverse on shutdown.

 

[mikealder]

...on switch on there is no boot picture, just a white screen and then quickly straight to the map, the reverse on shutdown.

The splash screen and suspend screen images are not included in the Navcore downloaded by Home and put on your device which explains the white screens. If you have a backup of the device from prior to the format you can simply copy:

suspendw.bmp
low_batteryw.bmp
splashw.bmp

From the backup to the root of the your device (the drive letter associated with the PND when its connected to the PC using Windows Explorer - Mike

 

[SenorFunkyPants]

Just a quick update to say that my Tomtom One has been fine since I reinstalled the application as above. Not one random switch on and the battery is fully charged whenever I go to use it.

 

[kurgbe]

Somme additional info concerning the instructions to re-install a TomTom One (reported by SenorFunkyPants).

STEP4: The path given for the download directory is the default one. If you don't find it, check the TomTom HOME preferences to locate it:

In your TomTom HOME, click on Tools > Home preferences

Click on the Folders tab. The first edit box gives you the path to the Downloads folder.

 

[thetalk]

Hi Swingset,
From your previous post a couple of months ago (quoted below) have you discovered anything? Very interested to know. Thanks!
ST

I've experienced this issue with my Go720 and read the thread, tried everything suggested and nothing really worked. Like clockwork, it would reboot itself after a few minutes of being turned off.

But, something happened that has led me to some interesting experiments. I received a 2nd 720 from a friend who upgraded to another unit and by a fluke he had the same Navcore & map that my 720 has (Navcore 8.010.936, Map 8.50-2782). What's strange is, this 720 doesn't turn itself on. Ever. Mine only started with the 8.01x Navcore, or at least that's when I noticed it.

My unit reboots itself, running the same software, his doesn't. So, is it a software bug or at the heart of it is there a relationship between the softare and an individual unit? Or, is it hardware alone that seems to cause this?

The only way to know is to run my software & map on his unit and see what happens. To do that, I have to trick his unit into accepting my map. That can be done, via nefarious means and I neither advocate or suggest anyone use these, but in our case both his software & map and mine are paid for and I'm certainly not using a map activator to gain anything but knowlege about why one works and one doesn't.

So, I've now installed my entire TT's directory onto his unit, activated my map on his 720 and kept his directory in back up just in case. If his unit starts to reboot itself we know that it's software. If his unit remains working without rebooting itself we know that it's not software alone...perhaps hardware problem or a combination of certain software and a certain unit that causes this problem.

The only variable is if the map activator, but that shouldn't come into play as far as I'm understanding what it does.

Anyway....day one and so far the friend's 720 is not rebooting itself. I'll report back when I know more.

 

[mvl]

he had the same Navcore & map that my 720 has (Navcore 8.010.936, Map 8.50-2782).

Navcore 8.010 on a GO 720 cannot read map 850, so you must have a typo or otherwise hacked maps.

Navcore 8.01x has this reboot bug on most (if not all) devices. If you update to Navcore 8.351 (the latest for the 720) or Navcore 8.302 (more bug-free than 8.351), the problem should go away.

 

[lindros2]

I reinstalled using the instructions above and everything is perfect.

After one week (since 19 October 2010), my ONE v3 has 85-90% of its battery life.

Only minor issue (if not described above) - you have to copy the startup and "security" images back over (along with any car icons, voices, and/or color schemes).

 

[john.woody]

This is the reply I received from Tomtom for this problem:


I understand that your TomTom device switches itself on and off
automatically. There might be some corruption in your application.
Please be assured we will try our best to help you.

To resolve the issue can I ask you carry out the steps below :

STEP 1 Create a Manual backup of your TomTom device

- Charge your unit for at least two hours (preferably via the home
charger) - Perform a reset on your device (see:
How to soft-reset my navigation device) - Make a manual backup as shown on
Backing up my TomTom device
(Please scroll to the bottom of the page to make a manual back up)

IMPORTANT: We advise you to follow the next steps ONLY if you have made
a successful backup of your device.

If you are unable to complete step 1, please reply back with any error
messages that you receive at this point.

STEP 2 - Format the hard-disk

? Open 'My Computer'
? Right click on the TomTom drive (the device should be seen in drive
E,F,G,H,I etc) and select 'Format' ? Please make sure that quick format
is not selected ? Click on Start ? Once the format is complete, use the
?Safely Remove Hardware? icon in the bottom right hand corner of your
computer to disconnect your TomTom device from the computer
? Once disconnected, it will show a red cross
? Reset the TomTom unit again

STEP 3 - Restore the Folders to the TomTom ONE 30 Series

? Connect your TomTom device back to the computer and switch it on ? Go
to your backup folder in My Documents, double left click into it ? Copy
the following folder back onto your device:

1- Your map folder(usually labeled Western and Central Europe or United
Kingdom and Republic of Ireland)
2- The folder named 'zip'(United Kingdom and Netherlands only)
3- The folder named 'raster'(applicable on only some devices)
4- The folder named 'loqendotts' (applicable on only some devices)
5- The folder named 'ASR' (applicable on only some devices)
6- The folder named 'Vocalizer' (applicable on only some devices)

? Now disconnect your TomTom device by using the ?Safely Remove
Hardware? icon again ? Once disconnected, it will show a red cross

STEP 4 - Now we need to delete the application files from your PC so
that HOME will offer them as an update

? Click on the Start button in the bottom left of your PC ? Now select
My documents -> TomTom -> HOME -> Downloads -> Complete ? Please delete
the yellow Program folder

STEP 5 - Update your device

? Reset your unit again
? Connect your device to the PC and turn it on ? Open TomTom HOME:
Start->All Programs->TomTom->TomTom HOME 2 ? HOME will now load your
updates (If this does not happen automatically, click on Update My ONE
on the main menu of HOME) ? Make sure that only the application is
marked with a green tick
? Click on Update and Install
? Once Installed, click on Done
? You will now be prompted by HOME to restart your Device, just click ok
? In the Top left of HOME, click on 'Device -> Disconnect Device' ? Now
please disconnect your TomTom device from the computer and allow it to
start up normally. ? Connect again and download a voice of your choice
using Home by clicking on Add Traffic, Voices, Safety Cameras etc and
then on Voices.

If you get ?No Maps Found? on your TomTom, please repeat Step 5.

STEP 6 - Run the Clear Flash Tool Twice

? Close HOME (make sure you close TomTom HOME from the system tray in
the bottom right hand corner of your screen) ? Connect your TomTom
device to the computer. If it asks if you want to connect, please
select yes. ? Download and run the clear flash tool from : http://www.to
mtom.com/updates/clear_flash/clear_flash.exe ? Now disconnect your
TomTom (Safely Remove Hardware in the bottom right hand corner)

The Application is now installed, all corruption will have been removed
and your TomTom device will now be working normally again."


On completing the above I reconnected the unit to Tomtom home 2 and received another application update.
So far so good but its only been a couple of days. The unit does behave differently though...on switch on there is no boot picture, just a white screen and then quickly straight to the map, the reverse on shutdown.

Art these instructions good for all Tomtoms? in particular my XL v2

 

[dhn]

Yep. Instructions are pretty generic.

Make sure your backups are done using Explorer, not Home.

 

[texasDoug]

mine too

My XL does the same, first time I left it in a corner for a couple of weeks, when I needed it ,it had no charge. the next time I was working alone in my office when suddenly I hear next to me:" Turn right , then turn right", I jumped! then I came into the office and it was sitting there turned on. .. It's the craziest thing! I have NEVER seen anything turn itself on without a timer! Is this the Govm't's way of spying on us?? turn on the TT and listen in??

 

[Rick F.]

Is this the Govm't's way of spying on us?? turn on the TT and listen in??

Ha ha. Maybe so.

This is the first time I've heard of this happening on an XL model. Since you're hearing "turn instructions", make sure you "clear route" before turning it off. This should help.

 

[cmccarthy]

Any fix for this yet? I have a ONE 3rd and a XL and both of them do it.

 

[eldorado]

I have a one XL that used to do that, then it quit for a long time and now I've noticed it doing it again everyonce in awhile, I leave mine plugged into the computer so when not using it I can keep an eye on it...............:rant:

 

[PSJ]

No fix yet and probably never will be


THEY HAVE HAD " THREE YEARS AND ONE MONTH " TO FIND AND ISSUE A FIX !

That's really pretty sad....Such a large and popular company and they can't even take the time to address this problem.


This bug showed up with....Navcore 8.010 and that version was released around June of 2008.


Well it's now July of 2011 and the bug is still alive and well.

My 930 still acts up....as a matter of fact it turned itself on twice tonight after being shut off.

It did the same last night also.


I still use the GPRS functions....Traffic and Fuel Prices....so I have not experimented with some of the Version 9 Navcores to see if they will help with my GO 930.


I haven't read or heard anyone complaining about this problem with any of the new units....but the odds of me buying another TomTom are VERY slim.

Just like the 930 it ran PERFECT at first then TomTom decided to issue an update and look what happened.


With their track record of NEVER fixing this problem....I really don't want to take the chance of buying one of their new units and then they issue another buggy update and NEVER fix it.


You know what's really sad....if they would assign one of their software engineers to correct this problem....I bet he/she could go through the code and have this fixed in just a few hours.

 

[Andy_P]

Maybe you need to send YOUR unit to them for investigation, PSJ?
There must be tens of thousands of units out there that have never exhibited this problem, so who's to say it's purely a software fault?

I'm not denying for a moment that there seems to be a problem out there, but I know from experience how hard it is to fix something when the one you have in front of you never goes wrong.

 

[Rick F.]

I'm pretty sure this is a software issue. I've stuck with version 7 firmware on my 3rd edition to keep from having this problem. Plus... I turn it off completely by pressing the reset in the bottom of the unit (unfortunately all units don't have the reset now).

I have an XL-335TM that doesn't do this. But like other posters, I think my next GPS (or PND) will be by another company. :sad:

 

[PSJ]

Maybe you need to send YOUR unit to them for investigation, PSJ?

I would love too....but TomTom will not even look at anything out of warranty ....at least here in the States.

Just ask them to change your battery ( even if you tell them your willing to pay....they tell you the battery is not serviceable.

Ask them to replace your cracked screen or burnt out backlight....I don't really need to tell you what they will say


They don't even offer service work on their products after the warranty is up....And that's really sad considering what some of these units cost....the 930 was right at 500 USD when first released.


Over the YEARS I've complained about this problem a few times....they have NEVER acted like they were really interested in getting to the bottom of this issue.


And knowing that there is NO TomTom service center for out of warranty service or repair....I'm not really wanting to get involved with another TomTom product.


And for the record....See my post in this same thread on page 1....07-20-2008, 09:22 AM



I can load the old Navcore 8.002 and the device NEVER turns itself on....but as we all know the old Navcore will not run the new maps.

I'll use the 930 till it quits and then who knows
.

 

[eldorado]

I have a one XL that used to do that, then it quit for a long time and now I've noticed it doing it again everyonce in awhile, I leave mine plugged into the computer so when not using it I can keep an eye on it...............:rant:

8-30-11 Just thought I'd add an update to this, noticing now that even with the TT connected to the computer or if left plugged in the vehicle that after a few days this unit will still turn it's self on, I know it's the older OneXL so evidently they have never fixed the problem, just for anybody's info........

 

[snoking]

Just Happen

I was just sitting here at the computer and my One 3rd Ed just turned on. It was not connected to anything. No route is active. I have found it many times turned on in the truck or car over the years with many different verison of the operating system firmware. Space people must do it to bug us!!!

:rant::rant::rant:

SNOKING