XL lost computer voices after Home upgrade

[TWD]

TomTom XL, Home 2.20.4.1267 on Windows 10

I have an XL that I bought several years ago with lifetime map support. While Home has been prompting me for a few months that the hardware is obsolete, and it is no longer to update the device with new software, it has continued to provide map updates.

Before my most recent trip, when I went to update the device, Home wanted to be updated first. After I completed the updated to home, and then to the device, I found that all the voices had been deleted from the device. I selected and installed all the English voices that Home listed, but it wasn't until I was actually on the road that I realized that I was missing the computer voices that would announce street names, and only had the very basic ones.

Now that I am at home, I find that the Voices choice (and all other choices) under "Add Traffic, Voices and other services" is greyed out. If I click it, I am told the hardware is obsolete, and that they'd be happy to sell me a new device.

This is all well and good, but why did the update process break a device that, while old, was still working fine? How do I get those voices back?

 

[dhn]

Did you by chance make a manual backup of your device's contents prior to the update?

 

[TWD]

Not before the update of Home, no.

 

[canderson]

Not before the update of Home, no.

The 'map updates' you may have recently received would be the little interim updates. When was the last time you performed a FULL map update (e.g., one that would take it from a version like 1020 to 1025), or a full firmware update, and do you still have access to the PC where that update was performed? If so, and if memory serves (I am on vacation and memory may not serve!) the voices may be able to be retrieved from your PC from one case or the other.

 

[TWD]

The last full map update before the fateful Home update would have been in August, I think, before I made a trip for work. Yes, I still have the PC in question.

 

[canderson]

Memory doing better now, and I'm fairly confident that you'd need the last *firmware* update, not *map* update to relocate your voices. Sorry about that. I'm still traveling, and if dhn or Arno will point you to the folder where you'll find that update on your PC (or if you poke around, you'll find it in the TomTom download/complete' folder), I'd be grateful. There was one back in April that was no doubt necessary for your XL due to the 'Week Number Rollover' issue. I would imagine you updated then -- or your clock would be quite wonky.

 

[dhn]

Maybe someplace like here?
C:\Users\Owner\Documents\TomTom\HOME\Download\completel\ (I couldn't find anything worthwhile there. Perhaps Arno can step in)

 

[TWD]

Yes, I did apply that April backup.
I only found the free voices in Download\complete\voices. However, I found files in Backup\XL\Backup01\InternalMemory\voices that are about the same size, with names like data07.chk and data07.vif. Could that be them?

There is also a directory under Backup01 named LoquendoTTS with several subdirectories, including voices\Susan that looks promising.

 

[dhn]

Yes, Susan is indeed the computer voice for that model.

 

[Arno]

Late to the dance as I was out but on the 'dhn' tree above I only have the ephemeris folder wit 3 QuickGPSfix updates.

Glad to see that TWD found the voice Susan.

 

[TWD]

Oh, I'll still swirl once or twice around the dance floor with you if you whisper in my ear how to restore Susan to the TomTom.

 

[canderson]

Yes, I did apply that April backup.
I only found the free voices in Download\complete\voices. However, I found files in Backup\XL\Backup01\InternalMemory\voices that are about the same size, with names like data07.chk and data07.vif. Could that be them?

There is also a directory under Backup01 named LoquendoTTS with several subdirectories, including voices\Susan that looks promising.

Sounds like you have a couple of copies to work with. That's fine.
First, check to be sure your unit still has the LoquendoTTS folder resident on it.
Next, and just because I can't recall if it remains after a deletion, check for a file called Susan.tlv in the "Voices" folder of your device.
If both of those conditions are already met, then if there's space on the device, it should be a simple matter of copying all of the content of the backup LoquendoTTS to the same folder on your device.

 

[TWD]

I didn't find Susan in voices on the device, but I did find data12.chk and .vif in the backup copy of voices, and copied those, along with the LoquendoTTS stuff. I now see Susan as a voice on the device, and it tests out fine. I'll give it a try in the car tomorrow, but it's looking good.

Thank you every one of you who helped solve this, and now I'm going to take a backup of the device!

 

[Arno]

If everything works as it should, give yourself a big pat on the shoulder, at the very least for perseverance.

 

[canderson]

Susan (the 'computer' voice) was in the Loquendo folder. The 'recorded' voices are represented by all of the *.chk/*.vif pairs.
Glad we were able to help get that sorted.
Now, which dance floor did you have in mind? Looks like you have a warm weekend coming up, so I guess ice skating will be off the table for now. Wish I could say the same for Colorado. I'm already tired of Winter, and it really hasn't even started yet.

 

[TWD]

One last follow-up. It successfully named all the streets on my way to work, and home again, passing the test. Hurrah!

Thanks again for all the help. You all rock!

As to dancing, I'm not much of an ice skater anyway, but I do plan a 10 mile / 16 km run tomorrow, if you'd like to come along.

 

[canderson]

Would be a lot longer run to get there from here. You'll have to go without me, I'm afraid.