What do I need to do to update a TomTom One GPS?
 

I've searched these forums and found nothing concrete on how to update TomTom One GPS. I recently converted my brother to Linux - Fedora 18 - and he wants to update his GPS. What programs do I need to get that working for him? Thanks ahead of time.

Have you looked at TomTom's website?

It shows that TomTom Home is the correct software to use but there is no linux support. I would also guess that the latest version will not work with wine but I have not checked the database. Even if it did work with wine I would be hesitant to use it for fear the receiver could be bricked.

Thank you very much, michaelk. Did not know about TomTom's website. Judging from your reputation I'll take your word it's not supported, don't want to risk bricking my brother's TomTom! Thanks again, rep added.

Member Response
 

Hi,

Look at product family: http://www.opentom.org/ & http://www.opentom.org/TomTom_ONE_4th_Edition

Not knowing your edition you should be able to identify by using the above links.

HTH!

What GPS would either of you recommend as compatible with Linux? Thanks, advice much appreciated, I don't want my brother going back to Windows.

Member Response
 

Hi,

From discussion;

A TomTom One is a simpler proposition than one of the later devices than one of the later devices that uses My TomTom (ie, it uses TomTom Home and not my TomTom).

That does make things more difficult. The TomTom software itself (no Wine, no unconventional things, no messing about) does sometimes brick the GPS units. I think that's because it does not always check that there is enough memory for the things that it is about to install, and having overrun the amount of memory, some things won't work. Maybe those are critical things, maybe they aren't.

Having said that the TomTom One is simpler, the advantage of that is that you plug it into a computer and it mounts like a USB drive. (And, when it does, if you explore your way around the filesystem on the TomTom, it should look quite familiar to you.)

The first thing that you should do is to back it up. Given a decent back up, you should have a decent shot at recovery if something does go wrong (...and, given that is a possibility that can't be completely ruled out...). Now, I don't know what you'd use under a different system, but with Konqueror and K3B you will have everything you need to write a backup DVD. If you are a Gnome user, you'd probably be trying something like Brasero, for example.

If, for example, you want to add colo(u)r schemes and POIs, you can do that just by copying them across from Linux to the appropriate place in the file hierarchy on the TomTom. For map updates, you could probably do the same trick of just copying the new map over the old one, but I haven't tried this so I don't know (that probably should have been in upper case and red, just to be sure that it doesn't get ignored).

You can, by the way, create colo(u)r schemes with a plain text editor (eg, kate, vi, etc, etc), but you probably shouldn't. There is a (windows) program called Color Scheme editor that does it, makes it easier to see the results immediately (and, therefore, you can work much more quickly) and it mostly works under Wine.

If I was doing this, my first thing to do would be to back up, however you choose to do it, then fire up Windows and use TomTom Home for the maps (keeping fingers firmly crossed) and then do any further fiddling about under Linux, but you could do everything under Windows, if that was more convenient. Updating the maps under Linux is a risk, but then updating the maps the 'correct' way is also a risk, although probably a smaller one and a closer to quantifiable one.

You update it by installing the TomTom software on a Windows computer and just plugging it in. It will tell you if there is an update and whether you are eligible (or have to pay for it). You cannot just copy map files from one machine to another. There is DRM attached to them, and they are authenticated through the PC software, which requires that your device be registered to an account, something you should have done when you bought it. TomTom is not the most generous company regarding updates, you have to be sure to buy a unit that has lifetime updates, or else they're going to insist you pay for them (and the price is way too high). I told myself I wasn't going to buy another TomTom unit, but this last one I got was such a good deal, and works so well, I don't feel bad about it. The interface was just so much better than the Garmin or Magellan units I looked at.

Update: I downloaded and installed the TomTom application with Wine on my Fedora 18 system. I can confirm that while it installs with no errors, it does not work, and will not connect to my TomTom unit. It doesn't seem to do anything.

At this point I want to know if there's another brand that's compatible with Linux.

What do you mean "compatible" with Linux? They all run Linux. If you mean one that has update/utility software that runs on Linux, none. There is no reason for TomTom or any other company to develop that because the user base is tiny compared to Windows and Mac. Same old story.

Thank you.

It depends on what type of system they use. If they use DRM, then it may be difficult or impossible. If they don't, then you could update it manually by coping the files onto the device yourself. I remember doing this with a TomTom, but I don't remember if it worked. I think it might have worked.