BIG TomTom Problem

stef · Occasional Visitor Joined: Jan 13, 2004 Posts: 4

I've just installed (re-installed twice) TomTom 2.24.2 (363) on my IPaq 5450 (inc. latest ROM update from HP).

I don't have my GPS unit yet but whenever I navigate the maps (stored on a 256MB SD card from Expansys) or try to choose a location to navigate to it either locks up or the TomTom application just disappears - no errors.

I've tried a reformat of the SD card from Windows and a reinstall of the full map and the problem is exactly the same.

I cannot believe that TomTom have actually tested this application - it is supposed to be supported on the 54xx and yet it is totally unusable.

Is there anything I can do?

Thanks in advance for any help you can offer.

lbendlin · Posted: Wed Jan 14, 2004 12:37 am Post subject:

Make sure you really have the GPS disabled. Otherwise it may try to use the serial keyboard as GPS etc.

Test it with a smaller map, directly in memory (without the SD card inserted). Let us know if that crashes as well.
_________________
Lutz

Report Map Errors here:
TomTom/TeleAtlas NAVTEQ

stef · Occasional Visitor Joined: Jan 13, 2004 Posts: 4

I've also got a CF expansion jacket, so I installed the full map to a 256MB CF card inserted into the jacket and it works absolutely fine.

Do you think there is a compatibility issue with the SD card I've used?

DavidW · Posted: Wed Jan 14, 2004 12:53 am Post subject:

(Note - I initially wrote this reply before seeing Lutz's reply and Stef's further reply - I'll post it as it tells a story - then post a further reply separately).

A few things come to mind.

Firstly, at least some versions of the TomTom GPS driver behave incredibly oddly and make the Pocket PC stall if they happen to select the infrared port (COM3: on many iPAQs) - which can happen if you install them without GPS hardware available and a keyboard driver running on the serial port.

I think this bug has been fixed - but it's probably worth telling TomTom GPS that you have a GPS on COM1: after disabling any keyboard driver you've installed.

Next - if you haven't already done so, soft reset the Pocket PC, by poking the button at the bottom with your stylus without touching any buttons. That'll reboot it and may stabilise things.

You don't say whether your 5450 is running Pocket PC 2002, or has been upgraded to (Windows Mobile for) Pocket PC 2003. If the latter, you may have problems with notifications. There's a known fault in Pocket PC 2003 where entries in the system notifications database are duplicated after a soft reset, and if you haven't got any software installed to counteract that, it can slow the machine down.

All that said, the most likely explanation is that it's down to your memory card. Are things any better if you install a 16MB map segment ideally into RAM (though the iPAQ File Store will probably be big enough on a 5450 if there isn't much in there to start with)?

How are you formatting your SD card? If you can choose, then if you're using FAT16, you could try FAT32 (maybe try either a 2Kbyte or 4Kbyte cluster size). If you're using FAT32, try FAT16 (maybe try a 4Kbyte cluster size).

If there's any markings on your memory card, post them here - and we'll see if they tell a story. That said, I haven't heard of problems with Expansys supplied cards.

There is certainly no generic problem with TomTom Navigator 2 on the 545x - there are several people using that combination successfully.

David

DavidW · Posted: Wed Jan 14, 2004 1:05 am Post subject:

As you'll see from my first reply, I homed in on your SD card, as did Lutz.

Sadly, all SD cards were not made equal. In particularly, those using the Sandisk controller, particularly older Sandisk types can have severe compatibility and performance problems.

A good web site about this is that by Jon Crawford that you can find here. Many brands are relabelled Sandisk - usually recognised by a code on the back that's two letters and four numbers, or two letters, four numbers and two letters.

I believe Expansys offer some kind of lifetime warranty on their cards. If you can get shot of the card you have and get a refund on the basis that it doesn't work properly, one of the best brands out there at the moment is SimpleTech. SimpleTech SD cards have never failed to be one of two Japanese types that both Jon and I rate highly (I worked with Jon on investigating the SD card problems).

The advice used to be to buy from ebuyer.com - but it looks like they may be discontinuing the SimpleTech brand. However, Clove stock SimpleTech cards - see their range here.

David

stef · Occasional Visitor Joined: Jan 13, 2004 Posts: 4

Many, many thanks for the prompt replies.

My 5450 is the original PC 2002, no upgrades to the OS, just the latest ROM update from HP.

The SD card was supplied by expansys UK and is labelled 'integral'. It's 256MB and on the back of the card it reads:

AR0309NC
CHINA

When the map is on the CF card in the expansion jacket I have it works perfectly and re-calculates routes pretty damn quickly.

I tried formatting the SD card via a USB device with FAT32 in Windows 2000 Pro. And TomTom still disappears (even after a soft reset) when I try to access the map.

I wonder if I have a faulty SD card. But, I can format with no errors and copy files to and from it with no problems at all.

stef · Occasional Visitor Joined: Jan 13, 2004 Posts: 4

Many thanks David for such a prompt solution to my problem.

I thought I would be ok with an expansys card. Hopefully, this will help others who consider buying these cards. I shall contact expansys tomorrow and see if they will refund me as the card is unusable for its intended purpose. I write mobile phone games by day - see here - and so I've bought a dozen mobile phones from them in the past so I hope they'll give me a refund. Otherwise, it will go on ebay...

I'll order a replacement SD card from Clove as you suggest.

Do you have experience of performance differences between CF and SD? Will the Clove SD perform as well as a CF in an expansion jacket?

DavidW · Posted: Wed Jan 14, 2004 4:59 pm Post subject:

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