- Joined
- Dec 20, 2007
- Messages
- 2
I just purchased a 720 and I'm looking for any recommendations that may make my life eaiser regarding the use of this unit. Any advise????
Brand New 720
- Thread starter grillstogo
- Start date
dhn
Moderator
1. Make a full backup of the unit's contents to some location on your hard drive. Use Windows Explorer or some other file manager, not TT Home's backup option.
2. Upgrade the firmware for your unit using TTHome software.
3. Use the Map Guarantee option in TT Home to get the newest map.
4. Buy a sd card of at least 2 gigs for the unit.
5. Read threads in this and other TomTom forums about your unit and users' experiences/problems/questions, etc.
I've seen this advice more than one time and am curious as to the reason? My windows PC died shortly after I got my TomTom, so I had to switch to the Mac version of HOME, and maybe it's different. But when I browse to the directory which HOME uses for its backups, I don't really see anything that's missing. Is there something less than obvious which I'm not seeing there?
The backup of my 920T is 3.55GB so there can't be a whole lot that's missing. On the Mac you will find that the TomTom directory structure has been duplicated file-by-file in your documents folder using the following path:
~/Documents/TomTom/HOME/Backups/GO/Backup01/Storage/
dhn
Moderator
Make sure that Windows is set to unhide all files. There are documented cases where TT Home's backup has missed some of the unit's files, especially regarding the Loquendo folder.
I'm just repeating the warning I've seen here and elsewhere.
- Joined
- Dec 9, 2007
- Messages
- 82
You're not "just repeating", you're actually giving sound advice. I've been a computer professional for nearly 20 years and, trust me, if something can go wrong, it will. Having a (good/working) backup is essential: maybe TomTom will push a bad firmware/map one day; maybe your file system will be damaged (you unplugged the device rather carelessly, without sync-ing it first via "Disconnect device" or "Safely unplug hardware"); maybe an electronic part of your GPS (memory, processor etc) will go belly up when you need your TomTom most - the unfortunate possibilities are not few, nor infrequent. Hence, the importance of a good backup.
I'd suggest a weekly (complete) backup and a library of at least one previous known good backup. Yes, it takes space on your disk; yes, it takes time - but, hey! on a lazy Sunday, when you're sipping your favourite beer, watching some hockey, you can dedicate an hour of your time to copying files between your TomTom and the disk of your choice. The moment will surely come when you'll be happy to have made a backup!
dhn
Moderator
Thanks. Something else I should have added (called learning a lesson the hard way...)
After an update from TomTom, whether it be a map, software update, anything....make sure the unit is working properly, including removing from the dock (properly), powering off and on, BEFORE making your next full backup.
I think you need to read what I said again. I never suggested that you shouldn't backup your unit. I questioned whether the "wisdom" that the backups which you do using the TomTom HOME software are any worse than a "manual" backup.
I just used the unix shell to compare the contents of my Loquendo folder on the actual TomTom - showing all the hidden files and recursive subdirectories.
Looks like the forum software won't let me put this all in one post, so here's the listing from the TomTom itself:
And here's the backup which HOME did on my computer:
Maybe I'm missing something, but they look the same to me. The only difference I can discern comes from the different capacities of my computer's hard drive and the TomTom internal flash drive.
Look - there's nothing wrong with doing a backup the manual way, and I don't object to that advice. But I would like to understand the origin of the advice. Is it just superstition? Should I also stand on one leg in the corner facing North when I do a backup
Maybe there's a sound reason for doing this on the PC versus the Mac? Can someone explain the reasons, or is everybody just repeating something they read elsewhere?
Maybe I'm missing something, but they look the same to me. The only difference I can discern comes from the different capacities of my computer's hard drive and the TomTom internal flash drive.
Look - there's nothing wrong with doing a backup the manual way, and I don't object to that advice. But I would like to understand the origin of the advice. Is it just superstition? Should I also stand on one leg in the corner facing North when I do a backup
Maybe there's a sound reason for doing this on the PC versus the Mac? Can someone explain the reasons, or is everybody just repeating something they read elsewhere?
It's not scientific, but if you read thru the forum, you will see a large number of posts from people who have had unsuccessful backups using Home. So the suggestion to use Explorer to backup is just being prudent. Hardly any posts from people who backed up this way.
EXACTLY !!
I experienced first hand the results of a bad "HOME" day.
Let those doubters find out the hard way then....sheeeeeeesh
One would also assume that doing a backup on a Mac using Finder would result in the same backup as Exlplore on a PC would do.
Counting the minutes till my GO920 get here. It's on the UPS truck but I don't know if it will come this morning or this afternoon. Since it's coming to a business address I hope this morning.
Counting the minutes till my GO920 get here. It's on the UPS truck but I don't know if it will come this morning or this afternoon. Since it's coming to a business address I hope this morning.
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