O2 XDA Exec, TomTom Navigator 5 and Windows Mobile 5 compatibility issues fixed!
Goodness, getting TomTom 5.0 to work with an O2 XDA Exec running Windows Mobile 5.0 is a bit of a task! After a couple of hours trawling the Internet I came across several articles and, buried deep in the undergrowth (literally!) was a really helpful chap’s instructions on getting the XDA Exec running Windows Mobile 5 (often referred to as Windows Mobile 2005) to work with TomTom Navigator 5.0.
It involves some registry editing on the Pocket PC so acquire yourself a registry editor before you sit down and attempt this feat.
Though I’m not going to tell where I got them from, I used the following instructions to get it working for my brother on his new XDA Exec. I also notice that there’s some guy selling similar information on eBay for £5 a pop! Anyone stupid enough to pay that needs their heads checking, I hate people making money off something they should be giving away for free! It’s only INFORMATION anyway so here’s the information.
Installing TomTom Navigator 5.1
15. Using File Explorer, navigate to the .CAB file you copied to your SD card and install R-Edit on your Pocket PC. R-Edit can be acquired from http://www.pocketfleet.homeunix.com/REGEDIT.htm but you can also Google for any other Windows Mobile 5 Registry Editor.
16. Run R-Edit from the Programs Menu.
17. Within R-Edit, navigate to the registry key "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\ControlPanel\GPS Settings"
18. Within the registry key, delete the DWORD entry marked "Hide"
19. Add a DWORD entry called "Group" and give it a Value of "2"
20. Soft reset your Pocket PC.
21. On your Pocket PC, go to Settings > Connections to ensure that the GPS icon is there. If it is not then I can only apologise but it may not be possible to get TomTom working with your GPS device. It is necessary for TomTom to see a specific GPS serial port that can (as far as I can tell) only be set by this GPS connection program. After you have paired with your Bluetooth GPS device you could try setting an Outgoing port to COM7: as that is a default COM port that TomTom Navigator can connect to. Do step 22 then skip to step 26.
22. Turn on your Bluetooth GPS and stick it in a location that it's likely to get a signal. On your Pocket PC, enable Bluetooth and search for new devices. Establish a bond (pair) with your GPS device and ensure you check the "Serial Port" option.
23. Go to Settings > Connections > Bluetooth. Create a new Incoming COM Port. I chose COM8 for this.
24. Other guides on the Internet tell you to also create an Outgoing port and setting it as COM7 but doing this would not work on the PPC that I was using so I had to create the Outgoing COM port on COM0. Either way you need an Outgoing COM port to be set. If you can set it as COM7: then you should do so, if not, use COM0:
25. Go to Settings > Connections > GPS. Set the GPS communication port to the same Outgoing COM port that you set above. For the PPC I was using, I had to set it as COM0: above so will set it here as COM0: also. The "Manage GPS Automatically" checkbox should already be checked but if it isn't, check it and OK out.
26. Start up TomTom Navigator using the Programs menu and run through the setup procedure as normal but select "Other Bluetooth GPS" when asked to select a GPS device.
27. TomTom will ask you to now pair your GPS device with your Pocket PC. We've already done that so click Continue.
28. You will be given a list of ports that your GPS device is likely to be on. Remember that this is the Outgoing port that we created earlier in steps 24 and 25. Basically the COM port you set here must be the same as the one you set in step 24 and 25.
29. Select the relevant COM port and then click Next. You will likely be taken straight in to the map view and with any luck your Pocket PC and GPS device will start communicating and your Pocket PC will show your position on the map.
30. If you made a mistake in setting the COM port that your GPS device lives on, simply tap anywhere on the screen. Tap Preferences, tap Next three times until you see an icon that looks like a satellite labelled GPS status. Tap that icon and then tap configure to change the COM port.
Interesting read about the XDA EXEC and Tomtom 5. I too have problems with this as does I imagine all who have the Exec. You would think that perhaps the powers that be who charge so much for their products would test them thoroughly before marketing them and taking our ‘hard-earned’.
I’ve tried the fix above but still can’t get the COM ports to match or to appear on TT5 config GPS screen.
So far cost of XDA EXEC (£370), BT GPS (£75) + TT5 (£120); all down the tube. Should have bought an A-Z for a couple of quid.
I’ve been using TT2 and then TT3 on a HP Jornada 928 now for the last couple of years and it’s been great. I’ve now upgraded to the EXEC to be on 3G and have had a nightmare.
Any ideas other than a bin-bag?
Hi Oaks, have you created both an Incoming and Outgoing ports to the BT GPS? This seems to be the crux of the problem for most people. If you have enabled the GPS connection “applet” as described above, the Outgoing COM port should be shown and selectable by TomTom.
Hi ya, I wonder if I was that helpfull chap, I was sending people info how to do that, anyway, I have a prop that my tomtom 5 now, it shuts down when it feels like it, it just seems to reset, then I lose all my settings and Im back to square 1. Is there a patch or anyone knows where I can get it? Cheers jason
I didn’t need to bother with any of the above. The latest TomTom update (5.20) worked fine on my XDA Exec with Bluetooth BlueLogger!
http://www.tomtom.com/support/index.php?Language=1&FID=3571
I have just bought the XDA Exec having previously used the HP Ipaq h4100 series….oh! I wish I had not changed….the reason I did this so called upgrade of PDA’s was to have a 1 off unit that provided me with a phone, sat nav, e-mail, calendar, media player….i.e. a one stop shop, the “dog’s bollocks”…. however, I am unable to work out how to install TomTom Navigator 5 (which I had installed on my ipaq). Having contacted o2 & Tom Tom both could not help at present… I then came across this page of very helpful info but cannot work out what the hell to do….I am not that technical can anyone help or do I just wait until Tom Tom have sorted it out for the XDA Exec ? Thanks for any help. Graham
I had the same problem on my XDA Exec but with Navteq software (ie, Dell satellite navigation which I previously had on a Axim V50). Thanks to your help I now have it working with the Nokia ld-1w bluetooth gps receiver.
Please change the V50 to X50, oops
Hi LJR,
thank you very much for the information you’ve given us. it has been really helpful and ive learnt an awefull lot from it.
i am having some problem setting up COM ports. for outgoing ports, i can only choose 0, 4 or 8, all the other ports give me the following error msg ‘the COM port could not be created. Please check your settings and try again’. dnt have a clue on that. My Incoming port seems to be fine,currently set on COM8.
And TOM TOM Nav 5 on my XDA EXEC only give me the following options for connectivity:
QCT DATA INTERFACE
RIL ON COM6
COM7
SERIAL CABLE ON COM1
INFRARED PORT
IR ON COM3.
Not sure how to resolve this problem, if you have experienced or have an idea on this problem, please email me on zishanahmad@hotmail.com
thank you very much
Hey Lewis,
Just a quick thanks for posting the TT5 MDA Exec fix. I was about to pay that Ebayer a fiver for the info but a quick Google and I found this page. The fix works a treat. Very generous of you to post it freely. Ta, Aero
Hi there, i have found a solution to the problem i had. it is available on the following link.
http://www.modaco.com/lofiversion/index.php/t232638.html
Is it just me bur I cannot find a Dword entry marked HIDE therefore I can’t get a GPS icon in settings
HELP !!!!
Thank you so much – It worked a treat 🙂
hi mate i had same prob but thanks to you it works ok now i have it workin perfect every time great piece of kit
Note that TomTom will not detect an external GPS signal if the XDA is set to flight mode.
Turn off flight mode and it will work. I spent a day trying to get the above to work, and I had flight mode on to save batteries. As soon as I switched off flight mode it all worked.
I also got memory map to work by telling it to use com 0 (BT was actually set to com 8 outgoing for TomTom). So now Tomtom and memorymap work with no fiddling about.
Just a few other points that might help. After editing the XDA registry I set the incoming com
to 8 and the outgoing com to 0 inthe Bluetooth setup. Then set the program com port to 8 then the GPS hardware port to com to 0, checked the Manage GPS automatically, then reset the soft reset on the PDA.
When I got to the config page in TomTom I was then able to select COM8: which did the trick.
Thanks for your help , Barry.
Installed TomTom 5.2 update and followed instructions to edit reg for GPS settings, some comm port fiddling following the link from Zishan above for BT GPS reciever. Works great, thanks for publishing info.
Wow, thanks !!! The info here plus the links with extra info about changing the com ports back and forth (dont understand what I was actually doing) and it all works a treat now.
Many thanks, very clearly explained and saved me hours of frustration. Very much appreciated.
nearly thanks to this most helpful advice.
last problem is that tomtom says there are no maps to select other than GB. I am from London but at present in the US. I have various US states (Texas, Nevada etc) but tomtom doesn’t see them.
have tried editing currentmap, looking in the registry and copying Virginia map directory to various folders.
I’m using a Vodafone V1640 (Has windows mobile 5)
Any clues?
Thanks – Maurice
sorry – first line should have read –
“nearly there thanks to …”
regards,
maurice
Absolutely fantastic tutorial!!! I’ve never used Sat Nav before, and with your info I have successfully setup a mini sat nav with my mda compact phone. Thank you very much for this info! 😀
Hi I am trying to load tomtom 5 on my xda exec following the aboce intructions but it won’t allow me to delete or rename the dword or anything in the registry Please help
i can not pair bluetooh with my 02 xda exe the software i am using is version 5.00 i have done all the procuder which are mentioned above if any one can i would be grate full
thanks
sheikh
Hi,
all, fantastic advice and i have followed it much of the way. however….
does anyone have any experience of using wired tomtom gps reciever?
I have this with a vodafone v1640. along with the tomtom5 carkit from pda mods.
I have emailed tomtom and pda mods, no luck as yet though.
any thoughts will be gratefully received.
regards
Simon
Dunno what all the fuss is about.
TomTom installed and ran first time with no registry hacks whatsoever on my exec.
Bluetooth receiver and hands-free both paired up and working simultaneously.
Hi same problems with my exec..
anyone know how to delete the dword??? it just says access denied read only file etc
reply to jena:rubbish:@triple-k.co.uk (don\’t want you getting spammed too much jena 😉 – Lewis )
Thanks very much – worked a treat on my Orange M5000 (jasjar) as well, Might be clear to point out that GPS icon is not there until you’ve made the reg fix.
You rock =)
Works great for TomTom 6 aswell – on Qtek 9000.
Thanks.
Dean
Orange M600 – cannot edit registry to enable GPS icon … but not necessary: TomTom 5.2 upgrade seems to sort out ports and enable port 7 which is one of only two offered to GPS BT unit. So maybe better not to hack around in registry (in case it screws something up and invalidates warranty) but try upgrading instead.
I was having the same problem with TomTom6 on the XDA Exec (not particularly user friendly) and spent hours tearing my hair out… found your site which sorted everything. I saw Justin’s post re flight mode which was my mistake (though I still don’t think I would have gotten the Com In and Com Out stuff right). Thanks, saved my day!
I have an XDA Orbit and TomTom Nav 5. The tomTom will not work – I have tried all different com port settings to try to get it to pick up the inbuilt gps receiver but with no success. Can anyone help??
Ivor, it will be a limitation within the TomTom software not being able to interface with the internal GPS. This is exactly the same with the Nokia N95 which has an internal GPS but even the latest version of TomTom 6.0 cannot interface with the internal GPS and as such still requires the use of an external Bluetooth GPS.
There is probably no answer to your question I’m afraid.
Hi Ivor I have an XDA Orbit and TT5 works fine on com port 4. I picked up ‘different gps receiver’ and all ok. the reason why I’m here is looking for some software to locate gps position quicker, now is about 2min till is right signal. can anyone advice some?
thanks
On the whole I’m a real fan of Microsoft, but oh dear – perhaps the team who produced Windows Mobile should find a different jobs?
This is just a mess, musical Com ports and registry changes are not how software should be designed. How did this ever get past bug testing?
My set up is bog standard, Qtec 9000, Tom Tom N and bluetooth GPS. Will it work…no chance. Even with all the great advice here TT can’t see the GPS.
1 Can we have somthing that tells us if a Bluetooth device is connected, like wireless.
2 Just set the Com ports, some sort of auto detect…
3 Set the software in stone and don’t allow the vendor to mess with it. All smartphones or PDA’s should run the same thing. Would you let a vendor remove random parts of Visa, perhaps ‘Add or Remove programs’ – no chance.
The huge amount of discussion here on what should ‘just work’ is a poor reflection on Microsoft.
The COM port could not be created. Please check your settings and try again – Solution: http://yopablo.blogspot.es/