TomTom XL Unknown Device

[Olsrey]

Recently my TomTom XL was used by a rough handed mate and he managed to damage the USB socket so that it would'nt charge etc. Today I replaced the USB socket, it now charges, but when I try to connect it to my laptop/PC I get a message from Windows saying that the USB device wasn't recognised.

Is there anything obvious to check or has the unit itself been damaged in the process?

Thanks in advance

Oliver

 

[dhn]

The easiest thing to try is to reset the unit by holding the power button about 10 seconds till you hear the drum sound (unless your unit has a dedicated reset hole).

Also:
-- Are you using the cable that came with the unit?
-- Can you try a usb port on the back of the computer, not the front or a hub.

 

[Olsrey]

It has a dedicated reset button, the unit turns on fine from a cold boot or a warm boot. I don't remember getting a USB cable with the unit but I'm using a decent USB 2.0 cable I got with my Sony HandyCam. I'm also using the back USB ports.

 

[dhn]

Hopefully, supermod canderson will pop into this thread at some point. Amongst other things, he's a wiz at anything usb related and may have some suggestions for you. Check back.

(I'll also draw his attention to this thread).

 

[Olsrey]

Thank you for that, having just held my power button down on a cold boot (after pressing the reset button), in the info it displays, the units "SubID" is full of zeros. Not sure if that's normal or not but as I might not reply for some time it might be useful for anyone else that replies.

 

[canderson]

Let's see what your PC actually sees there. Could be we've lost a data pin or something during the attempt to deal with the physical USB issue. Did you pick up a new connector entirely, or attempt to re-use the one that was there? Did any of the pads or traces get ripped from the board during the abuse?

Grab and unzip the attached program (USBDeview) in the folder of your choice. It's a handy little utility, runs in and occupies almost no space at all, and confines itself to its own folder.

With your unit turned plugged in and turned on, and 'unappreciated' by Windows, run this utility and report on what you see in the following columns (you will have to scroll right to see everything) related to your TomTom device:

Description, Device Type, Connected, Serial Number, Vendor ID, Product ID, Service Name

 

[Olsrey]

I have ordered a new USB connector but they haven't turned up in time (needed to use the unit today) so unsoldered one from a USB memory card reader. Two of the big pads were ripped off completely, then one of them is almost off but the other one seems fine. I'll check what the pc says shortly.

 

[Olsrey]

USBDeview doesn't display anything about the TomTom. Is this because I've never plugged it into his laptop before? The only thing "connected" at the moment is the on-board memory card reader.

 

[canderson]

Nope. USBDeview will detect whatever is plugged in .. indicating that Windows clearly doesn't see the device at all. Once in a while, you'll get a 'something is there, but I have no idea what' from Windows, typically with nil values for VID, PID and serial number.

If we're talking about the same thing, the two 'big pads' are to anchor the thing and provide a ground to the connector case. I'm worried that one of the data pins pulled a trace or pad loose from the board (hence the inability to charge the unit). If it got yanked hard enough to pull a power trace loose, that's indication enough that a more careful inspection is in order. You'll want to ohm out between the actual pins of the USB connector and downstream on the trace somewhere nearby.

 

[Olsrey]

Is the USB connector casing ground then? If the earth trace has been damaged where would be best to create a new earth from? The battery negative?

 

[canderson]

The power ground is a separate pin from the shell. It sounds like the only way you will know for certain is to trace back the two power and two data pins from the USB connector back to nearby vias or components on the board to see what still has continuity and what doesn't. Got that meter?