Updating a TomTom Go 300 in 2024 ...

Hello,

Can anyone tell me if it would be possible to update a Go 300 with GB mainland maps from 2024?

Unit is running software and maps from when it was bought back in 2005. Has the original memory card. Would be a shame to throw it away. It still works and the UI is responsive.

I found this thread but the links don't work any more.
~https://www.navitotal.com/general-discussions-about-tomtom/tomtom-300-updating-t3105.html

Information from the unit I have:
Device: AK9SG
APP 5.201
O\S: 908
GPS: v1.21
BOOT: 2.18
MAP GB 562

Free maps would be better. I've used openmapchest for an old Garmin (free), and that worked fine. Not sure if there is anything like openmapchest for TomTom.

Thanks.

Yes you can, read up on FastActivate and/or TTActivator tools and all will be revealed

Thanks for the reply.

I've read up on FastActivate and the help file that comes with it. The process seems simple. Then I came across the thread below, from a guy that has my model of nav.

general-discussions-about-tomtom/tomtom-300-news-maps-and-navcore-help-t15305.html

It looks as though it failed for him and left him with an unusable nav.

Is there any way to check that it's going to work for my device before I start, or does FastActivate warn you before hand?

What about free space for the new map and software. Does it warn you on that as well? Only has the original memory card.

That was a 10 year old thread!
As long as you do a FULL Windows backup of your SD card first then it's always recoverable if you brick it!
PS you can use bigger SD cards too and I quote from a post I made on another forum:-
Virtually all larger capacity SD cards and microSD cards are now classified as SDHC and will not run in older devices without changing the system (bootloader) file.

This applies to all pre x20 models like the x00's, x10's (510/710), Ones & One XL's (that have not previously seen/booted from an SDHC card).

To check what bootloader you're currently using tap bottom/right of your screen then tap the "version" box where you will see the Boot number. If this is lower than 5.5120 then you need to change it. If you're already running an SE or other "special" navcore you've most likely got a suitable bootloader (5.5120 or higher) already so you can ignore these instructions.

The easiest way for you to change the bootloader is to copy/paste/overwrite the "system" file to version 5.5120 (easily found under "search") or the even newer 5.5128 from [Please Register or Login to download file] to your current standard SD card or internal memory and boot up once with that new system file then it will read your new SDHC card.

DO NOT just add this bootloader system file to your SDHC card and expect it to run. You MUST first load it to your original SD card or internal memory and start your device. THEN it can read SDHC's.

Thanks for the info biggerdave.

OK. Connected the Go300 to a computer and it has 1.5MB free space. 119MB total space on the card.

That's not enough free space to copy the .exe over....

I did manage to overwrite the bootloader system file though as you suggested, and the nav still works after a re-boot.

I'm assuming that 119MB isn't enough to store a new map. Can't find any info on new GB map sizes for a TomTom. The last map I installed for a Garmin was well over 1GB, so deleting files from the Go300 to free up space isn't going to work.

Q: If I buy a new micro SD card, can I just copy all the files over? Is it that simple. No special boot sectors?
Existing has a FAT16 file system, so that limits my card size to 2GB.

The post below says the Go 300 will work with 16GB microSD cards on Bootloader version: 5.5128 however, it seems to be picky about the cards it uses. 2GB cars the only ones officially supported.

[Please Register or Login to download file]
Thanks.

Tried using an 8GB MicroSD HC card and it fails.

Formatted the full 8GB with FAT32 and copied all the files over.
Formatted a 2GB partiton with FAT16 and copied all the files over.

I can see the progress bar moving left to right on boot. Then I get the Red hands logo. Then a black screen.

So the new bootloader didn't work for me. It looks like I need a 2GB card, or the manual file copy method doesn't work.

OK,

Ran the .exe from the root of the flash card as admin in the TomTom. Followed the instructions. Update Meta \ Patch Maps \ Patch Navcore \ Update QuickGPSfix. Rebooted. No errors that I could see.

The maps have not been touched (2005). Not a free space problem on the flash card.

Any ideas what's gone wrong, or where I would look to find out?

The Meta file screen reports a successful update to 2024, and the date stamp on the file confirms this.It actually creates the file.
The Patch Maps screen shows blanks for Voices \ Complete Maps \ Speed Cameras. Should these have an value?

Thanks.

--EDIT--

I think I might have found the problem.

Option 8 on the exe reports my navcore as 5201 (5.201).
The exe tells me I'm already at the latest navcore version and cannot update to anything newer.
On the map compatibility chart below, I see the NCs start at 7.8 and don't go any lower.
topic19485.html
So this is perhaps why the exe is not coming back with any maps.

Does that mean there are no 2024 maps for my device?

qwerty101 wrote:Option 8 on the exe reports my navcore as 5201 (5.201).
The exe tells me I'm already at the latest navcore version and cannot update to anything newer.
On the map compatibility chart below, I see the NCs start at 7.8 and don't go any lower.
topic19485.html

Incorrect, the latest official navcore for your device is 7.903 which was released many years ago.
You can download it directly from TomTom [Please Register or Login to download file]

As biggerdave has already said...make sure you do a backup before you proceed in case you want to revert it

Hello fredderf,

Thanks for the info on Navcore.

I've copied over the unpacked navcore files and re-run the exe (as amin, and after updating the exe to the latest version from the menu and re-starting and dl the latest meta.txt).

The maps are still unchanged.

The update maps screen now doesn't report the device name, bootloader or device ID and it did before.

One thing is becoming quite clear. Fastactivate just doesn't work properly. It doesn't even install the correct navcore.

I'm reading the help file that comes with it and following all the instructions.

If anyone has a procedure that will install working 2024 maps on a Go 300 then I would be grateful.

I've got no idea what you're talking about...FastActivate does not update the maps for you or the navcore either for that matter. What it's primary job is to patch the system and activate maps/speedcams that you've previously downloaded and copied to the device independantly (providing there's a meta code for it).

So are we to assume the new 7.903 navcore and bootloader are working correctly?

If so, you can now research which map is suitable for you > download it > unpack and copy to your device > activate it.

>>FastActivate does not update the maps for you or the navcore either for that matter.

OK. Learned something new there.

It doesn't tell you that anywhere in the help file, or in any of the internet posts I've read over the last 7 days. All of the howto guides just tell you to download it and how to run it. I just assumed 'patch maps' meant it updated them - my mistake. Nowhere does it tell you to download maps and a navcore before hand. Might be an idea to put the on the 1st line in the help file.

I suppose you've just got to 'know'.

Anyway, at least I know where I'm going wrong now, so thank you for the clarification.

>>So are we to assume the new 7.903 navcore and bootloader are working correctly?

Unfortunately not. It hangs on boot at the green screen (before the progress bar) and needs to be reset from the switch behind a hole in the base of the unit. Even a 20 second press of the power button doesn't cure it. Thought I'd bricked the unit until I found the reset switch. It's not the card as I'm using the 120MB one that it came with.

Using the new navcore posted above and the old map for now until I can find a new one.

The steps I've taken so far;

1. Start with a copy of the SD card from 2005 that works.
2. Delete the zip folder to free space.
2. Over write the system file from biggerdave.
3. Copy all navecore files over from fredderf, overwriting where necessary.
4. Copy the .exe to the root of SD card. Connect to Windows and run the exe from there as admin. Connect to internet.
5. Update the .exe to the latest version using the menu.
6. Update the meta file to the latest version using the menu.
7. Patch the navcore.
8. Reboot.

As for the map, the table at the 1st link below for nc 7.9xx shows 7 map files. UK & ROI is 1135_12401 but the meta code for this map isn't in the list on the look up page posted by fredderf on the 2nd link below. So the map will not activate if I've understood the instructions correctly.

Map Table: topic19485.html
Meta page: maps-v1xxx/meta-codes-1135-t23887.html

There are other UK & ROI meta codes but not for my navcore.

A search for '1135_12401 meta' o this site doesn't bring anything back either.

So if I can't activate the UK map, are there any other options?

Thanks.

You CAN use the latest UK map 1135_12405 (which is actually a NAV3 map but at least it has the all-important meta) and as long as you have the space, then all you need to do is either use TTActivator to download/activate & patch the navcore (search around for "TTActivator") or use the still good FastActivate but you would then firstly need to download/install the map manually before activating it.

qwerty101 wrote:>>So are we to assume the new 7.903 navcore and bootloader are working correctly?

Unfortunately not. It hangs on boot at the green screen (before the progress bar) and needs to be reset from the switch behind a hole in the base of the unit. Even a 20 second press of the power button doesn't cure it. Thought I'd bricked the unit until I found the reset switch. It's not the card as I'm using the 120MB one that it came with.

Using the new navcore posted above and the old map for now until I can find a new one.

I don't understand the above...you say 'unfortunately not' but then say 'using the new navcore'

For info, the bootloader is a one time flash...once it's flashed the device, you can discard the file.

FastActivate can tell us the relevant info...with a working system, put FastActivate.exe into the root of the device and select option 8: My Device Info and post the details up here so we know what we're working with. I'm also interested in what is on the SD card and how big is it?

I would go for the latest NAV1 UK & ROI map that WE DO have a meta code for which is the 1110 series. It's not 2024 but it's a lot newer than you have at the moment. I've downloaded it for you [Please Register or Login to download file]

After that is running correctly with the 7.903 navcore, you can look into the 1135 map that biggerdave is talking about

>> I don't understand the above...you say 'unfortunately not' but then say 'using the new navcore'

The bootloader (a file titled 'system') worked. I copied it over to the working flash card with the old map. Nav ran like normal.

When I copied over the 7.903 navcore unpacked files it just hangs on boot and needs hard reset.

See steps 1-8 on my above post for the exact actions I took before it hung. I assume these steps are correct.

>>I'm also interested in what is on the SD card and how big is it?

It's 120MB. A larger 2GB card is on its way but has not arrived yet. I don't know how much free space is needed as I can't find that info anywhere.

>>put FastActivate.exe into the root of the device and select option 8: My Device Info and post the details up here so we know what we're working with.

Details below. This was from the 120MB card after steps 1-8 in my post above.

[Please Register or Login to download file]

This shows the file versions as well.

Hmmm...it's interesting as I've never seen anything that old before.

You really can't do anything without the new SD card as ANY newer map will not fit on your current SD card. The map I downloaded for you is 266MB without the navcore.

When the new card arrives, it should be formatted at FAT32 which I would leave alone and extract the new 7.903 navcore to it as a fresh install together with the map (in it's own seperate folder called anything you like but no special characters or spaces) and go from there