Help please to unbrick a TT XL IQ Routes Edition

Using intelligence derived from this forum, I've previously succesfully updated Navcores and maps on TT Ones (two different generations), a TT 510 and a Smartphone and therefore felt confident enough to offer to update my brother-in-laws (then fully operational!!) TT XL IQ Routes Edition AK*** DA*** App 9.056. 542741.2 OS 541764 W&CE 2GB 835.2419.
I copied (backed up) the device contents and then connected to TomTom Home which recommended an update of the Navcore to 9.061 which I downloaded and installed and removed the device from the PC and attempted to restart.....It wouldn't.
There is no reset on this model other than holding down the ON/OFF button for an extended period. After holding it down for 15 seconds, the screen first lights dimly with nothing displayed and then switches off and if I continue to hold about 5 seconds later it gives the "drum roll" sound accompanied by a dimly lit screen blank screen. If I switch off and then quickly switch on again, I get the drum roll after a second or two but it doesn't start. If I reconnect to the computer, it takes lots of on/ off attempts (5 to 30+) before it reconnects to TomTom Home.
I've deleted everything on the device and recopied the backup to the device but it still doesn't restart.
I've been in touch with Tomtom Technical who were very helpful but were not able to get it operational again. Their main advice/approach was to delete any and all Navcores from both the device and the computer, repetetively reconnecting to Tomtom Home and following instructions. This basicly found, downloaded and installed Navcore 9.061 lots of times until Tomtom Home indicated everything was up to date. Tomtom could offer no more suggestions and ended offering me 20% off a new device if I traded in the bricked one.

I'm sure the there are persons reading this with more hands-on expertise than the Tomtom Technical helpline personnel.

Please help me avoid having to fork out to buy my brother-in-law a replacement!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

jokskot wrote:Please help me avoid having to fork out to buy my brother-in-law a replacement

Have you tried the Clear Flash tool?

Thanks Tendriver for the response. I hadn't tried the TT Clear Flash tool, but I have now and unfortunately it didn't help. I also checked for errors and none were found. Fwiw - it may be relevant - I do seem to be able to operate the device through TT Home on the attached computer, albeit apparently rather slowly.
Any further ideas/direction, please?
Regards

jokskot wrote:I do seem to be able to operate the device through TT Home on the attached computer

TT Home "Operate my device" is a emulation/simulation & is not good for problem solving.
Take a look at this post. http://www.navitotal.com/forums/showthread.php?7577-Go-700-Will-Not-Boot&p=57715#post57715

Thanks for that.
So the Operate my device all occurs on the computer or does it access maps etc on the device?
I had actually read the thread, to which you point, earlier today but before peebee had posted about the miraculous revival!!
It will be tomorrow before I can check for a possible resurrection but will report back then!!
Regards etc.

jokskot wrote:Thanks for that.
So the Operate my device all occurs on the computer or does it access maps etc on the device?
I had actually read the thread, to which you point, earlier today but before peebee had posted about the miraculous revival!!
It will be tomorrow before I can check for a possible resurrection but will report back then!!
Regards etc.

It accesses maps on the device.

Unfortunately connecting to a vehicle based charger did not work the magic!
Is there anything else I can try before I discard it?

eg again delete evrything on the hard disk and install an alternate Navcore and new maps?

Would formatting the device remove only the Navcore and maps or would it delete the the embedded firmware which identifies the device and which has presumably got corrupted on my device? Is there any way to reinstall the firmware?

Kind regards J

J

jokskot wrote:Unfortunately connecting to a vehicle based charger did not work the magic!
Is there anything else I can try before I discard it?

1. eg again delete evrything on the hard disk and install an alternate Navcore and new maps?
2. Would formatting the device remove only the Navcore and maps or
3. would it delete the the embedded firmware which identifies the device and which has presumably got corrupted on my device?
4. Is there any way to reinstall the firmware?

Kind regards J

J

1. At this point try anything.
2. Yes.
3. No.
4. No.

Hi Tendriver

Your response to point 1 "At this point try anything" above seems pretty desperate and I think the situation is.
Generally playing the tunes on the navcores and maps all afternoon hasn't achieved anything.

Although I'm reluctant to junk it, it seems like this might be the best plan at this point.....unless you have any further (final?) thoughts...

J

Hi Jokskot,

You say you tried connecting to the vehicle powerpoint (cigarette Lighter) with no joy, did you have the engine running at the time ?, just a final longshot. It seems to me that the device can be 'woken up' with a 12v burst for some reason !.

Thanks for the suggestion peebee.
I have now tried with the engine revving and without joy.
(Its pretty hard to envisage how the slightly greater voltage that might be produced with the alternator running fast would find its way through the car voltage regulator and Tomtom charger circuits anyway, and perhaps your good foryune was coincidence, rather than cause and effect! Nonetheless thanks for the suggestion.)

I think I've now reached the end of the road unless there are any further (final) ideas out there before the thread is closed. Let's give it a day or two Tendriver, please.

Since it is a regulated charger higher voltage from the alternator does not give more for the TT.
The main difference is that most TT car chargers provide more Amps than the usb connection to the PC or the charger for the power outlet.
A dead battery can be "jumpstarted" this way and often it helps for other boot problems too.
I assume 2 possiblities for your device:
1. during the update there was a problem that corrupted you internal memory
2. you have manually installed an unsuited Bootloader, which don't really think ;)

As a last resort you can try to open the TT, remove the battery, check the voltage and if necessary charge the battery manually.
After that I'm afraid there is only the walk to the TT service left...

I think an additional post from me and a response from Downunder 35m somehow got deleted in the recent brown out.

The upshot is that I have junked the device as the firmware seemed somehow to have corrupted,

Thanks to Downunder 35m and Tendriver for their valiant, but ultimately unsucessful, attempts to help.