No maps found ...

[bik3rd00d]

I've been reading several threads about TT devices with the ... no maps found error. I've got a brand new TT XL 335-T and after installing TT Home I tried to upgrade it as suggested. However, after the install my device says ... no maps found.

The map that Home downloaded is like 1.6g but Home shows I only have 1.3g free. How is this even possible. Doesn't it check if there is sufficient space first.

Facts:

- I have a new TT XL 335-T
- Installed TT Home on my iMac
- Home suggested I upgrade to a map (NA+Canada) and application (gps fix)
- Home -> Manage Device -> says both are found on my computer
- Home --> Manage Device --> lists voices, applications and such but no maps on the device.
- I have a North_America_P folder on my device
- My device says ... no map found
- Home doesn't list any maps on the device
- I've 1.245 gig free space on the device
- The only map I've got in Home is 1.6 gig

So, at face value I'd say that the upgrade deleted a smaller map and then tried to load a map that is too big for the device, leaving me with no map.

This is a brand new unit. I've saved nothing on it. I wouldn't mind defaulting to factory settings.

Return to store ?
Is is possible to fix ?
Is there such a thing as complete reinstall ?


Thanks, Bik3rd00d

 

[dhn]

If the following steps don't work, return it:

1. Use the Finder to look for your updated map in the following location (path may be slightly different on a Mac):
C:\Documents and Settings\yourname\My Documents\TomTom\HOME\Downloads\complete\maps\

If it's there, also use Finder to look at the contents of the North_America map folder on the unit. Do you see a file called something like North_America.meta.dct? (the last part is IMPORTANT). If not there, go back where the compressed map is and use Stuffit to extract the contents of the activation.cab file found in the cab folder to the North_America map folder on the unit. Disconnect the unit properly from the computer and restart. Any better?

If none of the above applies (the .meta.dct file IS in the map folder on the unit), download and run the Clear Flash tool 3 times from here: Clear Flash tool with the unit connected to the computer. Any better?

If you've gotten this far, uninstall the application and reinstall.

If none of the above works, return it.

 

[canderson]

One additional question before you get to the "return" point. By any chance are you using a Mac?

STRIKE THAT. I see that you are.

OK - give me a minute or two to do some typing, and I'll be back to you.

 

[canderson]

OK - Mac tutorial time.

The bright boys back in California think it's a great idea to keep a LOCAL trash can on USB connected disk-type devices (thumb drives, TomTom units, etc.). As an application fiddles files, old copies relegated to the trash via OS call wind up disappearing from active use on these devices, only to be moved over to the LOCAL trash can. For no apparent reason, available space starts to disappear.

Your first step will be to EMPTY the local trash can on your TomTom "drive". That will likely free up enough space to install the new map.

Once you've emptied the trash, confirm that you've got the space. I think you will.

Next, use the instructions that dhn provided above on how to take that map out on your Mac's hard drive and manually get it extracted/loaded onto your TomTom.

After you're up and running, investigate one of the utilities that keeps OSx from creating those stupid local trash cans on removable drives. It'll probably save you some grief on other devices as well over time.

 

[bik3rd00d]

1. Found the map. Its located at: Documents/Tom Tom/Home/Download/complete/map/North_America/

activation.zip
North_America_P-261.meta.dct
North_America_P-261.meta.dct 2
North_America_P-IQR-1.gif
North_America_P-IQR.gif
North_America_P.toc
North_America_P.zip


2.Unit has a folder called North_America_P

borders.dat
> brand
citymap.dat
citymap.met
cline.dat
FuelStations.bmp
FuelStations.fpf
FuelStations.ov2
FuelStations.ov2.dct
FuelStationsOv2.ver
mapsettings.cfg
North_America_P-261.meta
North_America_P.pna

So, there are files on the device but filenames are not exactly the same for comparison purposes.

 

[bik3rd00d]

I've no idea how I'd find a local device trash can. Nothing I have heard of and nothing I can find on my Mac. I've been mounting and unmounting as I check on things.


Just sorted device drive by date and only modifications were done to the North_American_P folder. Everything else is dated 2010. One file dated 1/2/11.

Ok ... there was a couple of hiden files on the TT volume. Emptied the trash but no change to free space on the TT device.

 

[canderson]

I've no idea how I'd find a local device trash can. Nothing I have heard of and nothing I can find on my Mac.

Just like your 'regular' hard drive on your Mac, your TomTom has been allocated a trash can by the OS. It gets emptied just like your 'regular' trash can.

Ctrl-click your trash when your TomTom 'drive' is open in Finder and select "Empty Trash".

Here's a classic thread on the topic that will lead you not only to the likely solution of the moment, but how to avoid this down the road:

Annoyed USB flash drive problem, please help! - Mac-Forums.com

As often as this keeps coming up for Mac users, I'm thinking we may need a 'sticky' tutorial on this one of these days.

 

[bik3rd00d]

Yep, I mounted the device ... then ran a non secure trash empty ... afterward TT Home showed that I now had 1.8g freespace.

Trying to install a map now.

 

[bik3rd00d]

The device seems to be up and running. Woohoo !

Loaded the map and it then went to a settings/preference menu.

So, now I am backing it up and I'll look at it again tomorrow to go through settings.


Thanks everyone!

 

[canderson]

Good deal.

Say what you want about OSX and Windows, at least the idiots in Redmond recognized the need for a centralized trash can on the primary storage device!

 

[bik3rd00d]

Hmm ... actually I'd disagree. I think the trash can belongs with the file system ... that seems to be what Mac OS is doing. Why should I burden another FS with keeping track of the trash from another? Could it even?

A file system lives within a logical device that lives within a physical volume that is allocated from one or more physical devices. The volume manger is responsible for managing all of this and can even grow/shrink/move/copy/snapshot ... said volumes. But if you ask me ... the volume manager is most definitely NOT responsible for file system data including trash.

I personally think the TT Home application should be aware of platform differences as it seems to have been purposely built for two different platforms.

 

[canderson]

Hmm ... actually I'd disagree. I think the trash can belongs with the file system ... that seems to be what Mac OS is doing. Why should I burden another FS with keeping track of the trash from another? Could it even?

Yes. Understanding the issue of smaller mountable 'external drive' devices, Windows retains the trash (and it's not hidden, like the secret .trash folders on small Mac mountable devices) on what is presumed to be the larger storage device for all devices from which files were deleted while mounted. The problem that many Mac OS users run into is "vanishing space" on external devices. They don't see a separate trash can on those devices, but they're there, and eating up space. It's just not intuitive (bit you, didn't it?), and it's not just applications like Home that cause issues. Users deleting files from thumb drives and the like run into the same issue -- the available space on the device just starts to disappear. Many users wouldn't consider widgets that open up hidden files to view, and would never realize where the space was going.

I personally think the TT Home application should be aware of platform differences as it seems to have been purposely built for two different platforms.

Not being a big OSx type, I cannot tell whether the normal call to delete a file can be accomplished without the OS referring the results to a trash can. But on a limited storage device like a USB drive (OK, they're bigger than they used to be, but still...) the trash content can swallow huge amounts of available space in no time. It was for that reason that Microsoft manages the deleted files on the primary storage device where it is expected there will be far more room for deleted file storage and recovery.