TomTom GO 6000 stuck in reboot loop

[RomGoz]

Hi there,

Device Model: 4FL60. It's a second hand freebee. It worked OK, albeit with an old map, which I was trying to update. I connected it with MyDrive Connect to my Win10 PC but the application showed insufficient space on the device. I switched it off to inserted an SD card.

Now it does not start and is not recognised by the PC as an USB device. The cable is OK, the battery is fully charged, the SD slot is empty. On pressing the ON/OFF button It displays the logo screen for a brief moment and plays the sound (the track is curt short), then goes blank for 2-3 sec., reverts to the logo screen and freezes. Keeping the button depressed during startup does not display the configuration screen. The only activity it can perform is switching off after the button is depressed for 20 sec.

I have seen similar threads on various satnav forums but never a working solution to the problem. Perhaps someone can offer one?

Cheers,
RomGoz

 

[Willy875]

Hi

When you inserted the SD card, did the GPS ask you to format the SD?
The SDs accepted in a GPS are 32 GB maximum.

 

[RomGoz]

Hi Willy875,

Thanks. Yes, I put in a 32Gb card and the device told me to format it, but the card wasn't recognised. I formatted it again using an external SD car reader (as FAT32), but still had no luck. Then I thought maybe the system needs to be rebooted with the new card in the slot. Since then it's been in a startup loop.

Cheers,
RomGoz

 

[canderson]

Thanks. Yes, I put in a 32Gb card and the device told me to format it, but the card wasn't recognised.

Help us out here a bit, RG:

You say the device saw the card, asked you to format it, but card wasn't subsequently recognized by what -- by the 6000 or by the MyDrive Connect app? Did MyDrive Connect attempt to do anything with your maps before it declared the inadequate space issue?

You say the device isn't recognized as a USB device, but it don't be fooled. In Device Manager, it won't appear as a USB device. It will appear in the list of Network Adapters as an RNDIS (Remote NDIS Compatible) device. If you check the properties on the device, and look at Details, you'll see TomTom's vendor ID (VID) 1390, and you'll see that it's sneaking in as a USB device.

 

[RomGoz]

Hello canderson,

Thanks for your message. Let me pls offer more details: first, I formatted the memory card internally (Main Menu > Settings > System > Format memory card).

MyDrive Connect did not recognize additional memory as sufficient for a map update and refused to install a new map. Next, I formatted the card using my PC (as FAT32). Same result. I repeated the same steps with another memory card but didn’t have any success, either. Then I restarted the device and tried a soft reset. Instead of showing the “white text” it cut short the drums jingle, went blank for 2 sec. and got stuck on the logo screen, which is as far as it ever got since then.

Regarding the USB connection to MyDrive Connect, there is no Remote NDIS adapter shown in Control Panel> Device Manager > Network Adapters, any other connection or fault pointing to ID (VID) 1390.

I can’t understand why TomTom does not offer an option for a physical system reset through a pinhole and instead relies on a reset using their software. Perhaps having your device bricked is an incentive to upgrade or put you out of the lifetime warranty?

Cheers,
RomGoz

 

[canderson]

Right, then. The no-connect is serious.

They did used to use the pin-hole/switch method years back on the earlier 'Nav2' devices.

Do I understand correctly that you've tried to get to the black & white diag screen subsequent to your first attempt and can't? Holding the power button for a full 30 seconds doesn't produce any change at all? If we need to go to 'Recovery' mode with this device, we're going to have to get past that.

If that's where you are, it might be one those rare cases where it's worth leaving the device on to deplete the battery to force a true cold boot.

 

[RomGoz]

Hi canderson,

> Do I understand correctly ...
Actually it was the last attempt before the catastrophic failure. I was trying to make the device run the diags and tell me if it accepted the new card.

> Holding the power button for a full 30 seconds...
Actually it does, causing the device to switch off, if the button is quickly released as soon as the screen goes blank. But keeping the button depressed for longer causes it to try rebooting again.

> it's worth leaving the device on to deplete the battery ...
I have tried this already. Starting it with the battery almost flat only causes the logo screen to flash for a second (silently) and then it goes blank / logo screen / blank / logo screen ... until the battery is completely discharged.

When put on charge, the device initially draws ca 450m then gradually reduces current consumption. This looks like a normal battery charging cycle.

Cheers,
RomGoz

 

[canderson]

Rats. We need to get to that black and white diag screen to initiate a recovery procedure. If you can't force it to do that, there aren't any 'consumer level' solutions.

 

[RomGoz]

Hi canderson,

Thanks. This is what I thought. It can't be the battery, I suppose, because the device should be able tu run even without a battery, as long as it is connected to a USB port. Any other thoughts on hardware faults causing the problem?

Cheers,
RomGoz

 

[canderson]

Hi canderson,

Thanks. This is what I thought. It can't be the battery, I suppose, because the device should be able tu run even without a battery, as long as it is connected to a USB port. Any other thoughts on hardware faults causing the problem?

Cheers,
RomGoz

Au contraire. These devices are designed to operate only with a functional battery, which is continually charged when the device is connected to an external power source. With a dead or missing battery, the TomTom will not operate.

Of interest, there are vehicles built today that won't run on just alternator power, either, but will run if a battery is detected - even one in poor condition. But pull the battery and they'll shut down!

That said, with your device disconnected from external power, if you can 'successfully' get stuck on the 'logo screen' and that display remains for some minutes on battery power if you leave it be, then your battery is good enough to get the job done for now.

 

[RomGoz]

Thanks, canderson

Agreed as to the battery detection. Now that a faulty battery can be eliminated, is there anything else hardware-side that comes to your mind?

Cheers,
RomGoz

 

[canderson]

Thanks, canderson

Agreed as to the battery detection. Now that a faulty battery can be eliminated, is there anything else hardware-side that comes to your mind?

Cheers,
RomGoz

Wish I had anything else to recommend. Apart from someone back in Amsterdam hooking it up to a JTAG interface and reflashing the thing's firmware and starting anew, I've got nuthin. Wish I could help.

 

[RomGoz]

Hmmm... perhaps I'll keep it for spares. Thanks anyway
Cheers,
RomGoz