XL330s refurbished disconnecting on map update

[Akira71]

Hello,

I have a 9 month old refurbished XL330S that has worked flawlessly since I purchased it. I have the map update service from Tom Tom so yesterday when I went to update my map in Tom Tom Home, after it started to install on the device Home stated that my Tom Tom was ejected unexpectedly and the update did not take. Of course it was plugged in and I did not eject it. I looked on the Tom Tom support and tried to even follow the directions for manual map installation but same thing.

I am on Mac OS/X 10.6 and even though I have several updates I never had an issue with this GPS. What concerns me is that I am moving to Atlanta and driving there tomorrow (3/11/11) morning and need my GPS. I didn't think that updating it would kill it. Even when I follow manual process I watch the files copying over and at totally random intervals the device appears to disconnect and files stop copying. My Tom Tom never disconnects unless I am copying a large file.

Right now I am at a loss on what to do. I would love to entertain any ideas. This device has had 3 map updates and worked without a problem since I got it and this only just started. I was referred to this forum so please. Any ideas?

 

[canderson]

I'm almost surprised you haven't run into another problem related to Home claiming your TomTom doesn't have enough memory to deal with the map update.

First - understand that any leftover files from the failed map update attempt may be "stuck" in an invisible local .Trash folder (trash can) on your TomTom. I have no idea why Apple thinks a small external drive should have to carry it's own trash, but there you have it. So empty your trash (ALL of it) and be sure you have enough space on your TomTom to successfully complete the update process.

Once you have your trash cleared on the TomTom, be certain that you have your Mac set up so that it will not "hibernate" or "sleep" (or whatever it might be called in the power management settings - I'm having to think and type really fast right now) in the absence of human activity. The 'disconnect' may be the result of your PC dropping down to a 'sleep' low power mode.

I've gotta boogie here - the next steps are going to be to determine if the download itself was successful and that possibly the map already resides on your Mac such that it can be loaded manually to your 330S. dhn or others her can help you manually load it if so. If you don't have a clean map, it will require another pass at the download. You'll need to actually have a look in the Home folder under Downloads/complete/map to see whether that's the case. dhn can take you there, too.

 

[dhn]

See here how to manually add a map without Home. For a Mac, Finder = Explorer and Stuffit = WinRar:
https://www.tomtomforums.com/genera...nstall-downloaded-map-without-using-home.html

 

[Akira71]

Thank you for your kind replies.

I am using a program called caffeine makes sure my laptop never sleeps. I also have the program downloaded and the keys set. The issue is whether home does the update or I manually it randomly shuts off between 2-200mb covered. It is random each time.

I agree with the silly Mac trash can for each folder. I have made sure that I am free space. It is currently set at 921mb of the gig free.

 

[canderson]

The issue is whether home does the update or I manually it randomly shuts off between 2-200mb covered. It is random each time.

I'm having a bit of trouble parsing that sentence, so I'm not sure where you are in the process right now.

What's important now is to determine whether you were able to get the map onto your PC, and unable to get it onto your TomTom, or unable to successfully get the map to your PC due to download issues. I can't tell which, because Home would likely abort if the unit was unplugged (virtually or physically) in the middle of the process anyway. It *sounds* as though you're saying the problem occurs part way through the install of the map from your PC to your TomTom after the download is complete, but I can't tell for certain.

I don't recall there being any major issues with downloading the 865 map - people have been reporting reasonable times and success with the map server.

 

[Akira71]

Ah, yes I am packing and moving so I was rushed and my English wasn't so good. Yes I have the map on my laptop (Macbook Pro) and when copying either through Home or manually it fails. The failure is the GPS unit actually randomly disconnects as if I unplugged it from the computer. It never disconnects unless I am writing to the unit. It is very strange. I am thinking it is a loss at this point.

 

[dhn]

Do you have this problem writing to any usb sevice on your Mac?

 

[canderson]

Ah, yes I am packing and moving so I was rushed and my English wasn't so good.

Looks very good from here. Is Japanese your first language? (I know a couple of folks with the family name Akira there).

Yes I have the map on my laptop (Macbook Pro) and when copying either through Home or manually it fails. The failure is the GPS unit actually randomly disconnects as if I unplugged it from the computer. It never disconnects unless I am writing to the unit. It is very strange. I am thinking it is a loss at this point.

I like dhn's idea. Problem is, it could get a little ugly to prove the point in one direction.

You need to have done this anyway, but please try to make a copy of your entire TomTom to a separate folder of your choice on your Mac using Finder. The method is outlined here: https://www.tomtomforums.com/genera...4-how-backup-contents-your-unit-computer.html Find out if the TomTom appears to remain connected through the course of that backup to your Mac.

Now for the ugly part. Try to restore that data to your TomTom by copying it back from the Mac to your TomTom using finder. If things blow up during the restore, you will likely have one corrupt file (be sure you can tell which one if/when the copy stops working). Find out if the TomTom appears to remain connected through the course of that restore to your TomTom.

If things do not go well during that copy and restore, your TomTom may be toast. Alternately, it may be that your USB dock for your TomTom is goofy. It's fairly inexpensive to buy a simple USB A to miniB cable. In fact, a lot of devices use these - you may even have one around.

 

[Akira71]

Do you have this problem writing to any usb sevice on your Mac?

No, this only happens on the Tom Tom. Everything else works reading and writing just fine. A good example is I am using Time Machine to regularly backup data and I am often using USB 2.0 1TB external drive and moving large images back and forth with few errors

 

[canderson]

No, this only happens on the Tom Tom. Everything else works reading and writing just fine. A good example is I am using Time Machine to regularly backup data and I am often using USB 2.0 1TB external drive and moving large images back and forth with few errors

We weren't questioning whether the USB on your computer was working well (although it's good to know that as well) -- we would like to know what happens if you create a folder on your PC and try to copy files back and forth to your TomTom (NOT using Home - just using your PC's native copying ability). We're trying to isolate if there's a general malfunction in moving data back and forth between your PC and TomTom, or whether there might be an issue with the TomTom Home application. We don't want to dive into TomTom Home issues if the basic ability to move data back and forth isn't already established.

 

[Akira71]

Ah yes. I see. I can copy off of Tom Tom it appears, but not back on to it. When it is starting it's writing to the Tom Tom anywhere randomly from 2-200mb gets copied it fails and disconnects. I can clean trash no problem, and copy off of device no problem. It is all very strange. I am thinking it must be something corrupt as was mentioned.

Also yes, my family is Japanese and we are from kyushu area of Japan in Saga so not directly affected by tragedy there but we are affected as is the entire world to some extent. This happened as I was doing my move and so I am sorry if I have not been as responsive on this forum as I would normally have been. We do have lots of family and friends in Tokyo and Aomori areas of Japan and they are all accounted for thank God. They are deeply affected in that region though.

 

[canderson]

Ah yes. I see. I can copy off of Tom Tom it appears, but not back on to it. When it is starting it's writing to the Tom Tom anywhere randomly from 2-200mb gets copied it fails and disconnects.

Unfortunately, that explains why Home fails to create the map on your unit. Since this is causing problems even for manual copying, we cannot use the "manual" copy mode for your map, either.

One thing we have not yet tried (if I remember correctly what was on the previous "page") is a reset of your unit. Hold the power button down for at least 15 seconds until you hear the TomTom drums start, then release the button. This will cause your TomTom to reset. After that, try to copy files to/from your TomTom to see whether the problem continues.

If it does continue, the only solutions left are problems - it will either work or you probably won't have an operable TomTom - not like it is working well now, of course. Delete all of the "loose" files from the root directory of your TomTom. DO NOT delete any of the folders. That will erase the current firmware on your unit (except for some very low level stuff). Disconnect your unit properly afterward. Plug your unit back in and allow Home to start. It will tell you that you need to "update" your firmware. Accept that update and hope like crazy that it completes before any disconnect occurs.

If that does not work, and if the warranty is still good, you will want to return that unit immediately.

Also yes, my family is Japanese and we are from kyushu area of Japan in Saga so not directly affected by tragedy there but we are affected as is the entire world to some extent. This happened as I was doing my move and so I am sorry if I have not been as responsive on this forum as I would normally have been. We do have lots of family and friends in Tokyo and Aomori areas of Japan and they are all accounted for thank God. They are deeply affected in that region though.

All of my friends are in Tokyo or not far west of Tokyo (half way to Yokohama), and up in Nagano, so except for the rolling power blackouts, they are not yet experiencing big problems. I hope your friends up on Aomori are able to stay warm. It's really cold up there now. In lots of pieces, I have spent a year of my life somewhere in Japan, and everyone is surprised that in those 52 various weeks, I never experienced a single earthquake - not even a little one. I guess I was lucky. I hope NEVER to see a 津波 in person. The video from the news coverage of 仙台 area was impossible to imagine, and it appears that the trouble is not over yet.

 

[Akira71]

canderson

It has been a while since I posted due to no internet, new job business and the issues in Japan, but I wanted to inform you that moving everything off and then back on somehow worked. Thank you for all your help!

 

[canderson]

Good to hear that your problem is resolved. Best wishes to your friends in Japan. For many people, it is going to take a long time to clean things up and start again.

 

[mvl]

What specifically did you do to get it working? There is a widespread bug with MacOS 10.6, and you seem to be the only person who got it working?

It seems that with Tomtom maps, and other mlti-gig files transfers to USB drives, OS 10.6 tends to dismount the drive after copying thet first gig. This doesn't happen on OS 10.5 nor on PC's. No one else ever got it working so any specifics on how you fixed will be very helpful to other forum members.

 

[arwaiynewarr]

How did you do it?

I still can't update maps using my MacBook. I've tried everything, but i keeps 'unexpectedly ejecting' the TomTom.

Pain in the ass!