HELP! My Mio Moov device won't boot or connect to USB!

[Fatboyfun]

Here are a collection of procedures you can try if you've renamed AppStartupSec.exe or edited Paths.xml and your device no longer boots and/or doesn't connect via USB to your PC!
ie, Stuck on orange screen, etc

Turn the device off and, while it's off, connect the USB cable (which, on the other end, is connected to your computer), then turn the device on. If a USB connection is not established, repeat this many, many times by turning the device off and back on; eventually, it may connect. If it connects, undo the file & folder changes that you did to the flash drive. It appears that timing is critical.
SOURCE: Miopocket Readme.txt

Another thing to try is to get an SD card and create a "Cobia" folder on it that corresponds to the list below. Next, copy [Only Registered Users Can See Links. Click Here To Register] to that folder and rename it to Auto.exe. Finally, put the device's power switch in the reset position, then in the on position, and as soon as the "USB connection" screen is shown (if it's shown), insert the SD card. If it works, the FileMan file browser will launch. At that point, undo the file & folder changes that you did to the flash drive.

Cobia folders

* Moov 150 - European: Cobia_300L_32, North American: Cobia_300L_32_NA, Australian: Cobia_300L_32_AU
* Moov 200 - European: Cobia_300_32, North American: Cobia_300_64_NA, Australian: Cobia_300_32_AU
* Moov 200u - European: Cobia_300_64, North American: Cobia_300_64_NA, Australian: Cobia_300_64_AU
* Moov 210 - European: Cobia_T300_32, North American: Cobia_T300_64_NA, Australian: Cobia_T300_32_AU
* Moov 300 - European: Cobia_400_64, North American: Cobia_400_64_NA, Australian: Cobia_400_64_AU
* Moov 310 - European: Cobia_T400_64, North American: Cobia_T400_64_NA, Australian: Cobia_T400_64_AU
* Moov 330 - European: Cobia_410_64, North American: Cobia_410_64_NA, Australian: Cobia_410_64_AU
* Moov 360 - European: Cobia_420_64, North American: Cobia_420_64_NA, Australian: Cobia_420_64_AU
* Moov 370 - European: Cobia_T420_64, North American: Cobia_T420_64_NA, Australian: Cobia_T420_64_AU
* Moov 500 - European: Cobia_500_64, North American: Cobia_500_64_NA, Australian: Cobia_500_64_AU
* Moov 500 R2 - European: Cobia500R2, North American: Cobia500R2_NA, Australian: Cobia500R2_AU
* Moov 510 - European: Cobia_T500_64, North American: Cobia_T500_64_NA, Australian: Cobia_T500_64_AU
* Moov 560 - European: Cobia_520_64, North American: Cobia_520_64_NA, Australian: Cobia_520_64_AU
* Moov 580 - European: Cobia_T550_64, North American: Cobia_T550_64_NA, Australian: Cobia_T550_64_AU
* Knight Rider: KITT_USA
* Spirit models: Default
* Spirit S400/S410: SEEKER_400 or Default
* Spirit S500/S505: SEEKER_T500 or Default
* Spirit S555: SEEKER_T520 or Default
Example: \Storage Card\Cobia_400_64_NA

If the above does not help you to find the correct folder to use, Look within your backup (You do have a backup, Don't you?) and find the file AppStartup.txt...
Open it, scroll down to the very bottom and look for the line that starts with RunSDCardExecutable. That line will look something like this...
RunSDCardExecutable(SmartST_CE - Run()): CreateProcess(\Storage card\<folder>\auto.exe) failed, error 2
...with "<folder>" being the folder name that your device requires. Create that folder on your SD card.

Most modern Mio devices seem to use the folder Default as well as the Cobia folder
SOURCE: Miopocket Readme.txt

This next procedure requires you to open the device!

If both of those tricks don't work, there *may* be a way to establish a USB connection by opening up the Moov and shorting two pins. Poster "al13lea" came up with this. Here is my interpretation of his instructions:
1. Open the Moov's case by removing two little screws.
2. Notice 4 pins near the RESET/OFF/ON switch in which pins 1 & 2 form a pair and, slightly further away, pins 3 & 4 form a pair (ex. "|| ||" or "1 2 3 4").
3. Connect the Moov through the USB cable to your computer.
4. Take a piece of conductive medal (such as a coin) and touch both of (and only) the middle two pins (pins 2 & 3) with it. If nothing happens after a few seconds, try doing the same with the two left-most pins (pins 1 & 2).
5. If successful, you should have the device recognized in Windows. At that point, undo the file & folder changes that you made earlier and which caused the problem.
SOURCE: Miopocket Readme.txt

1. I emptied battery completely (If device is working you may turn on route simulation)
2. Connect Mio with USB cable with PC, with switch on RESET position
3. Now comes a series of fast switching ON/OFF, do it couple of times but make sure the screen is on during your switch is off, it takes about a second then turn the switch ON, then OFF, then ON ....
4. Why? Well I am not sure in this but it behaves similar as you turn your PC on and then hit the brake button.
5. How long? Well, in my case, until you reach the point when your PC recognize the device. The moment takes a second and disappears, but if you are lucky and catch the moment, your Mio screen will be frozen but you'll see the device mounted!!! Then you may fix paths.xml or whatever you did before...
SOURCE: Unknown

This procedure below is "Kill or Cure" You do it at your own risk!
This involves opening the unit and grounding a pin on the flash chip to get to the service/upgrade menu where there are several options...



You will need to find the right firmware for your device, Google is your friend here!
Select Format before Upgrade, After flashing restart the device and it should go to the USB connection screen, Restore your backup, Disconnect and restart your device!

If you don't have a backup you can use a backup from another Mio Moov device, the original GPS app (SmartST_CE) will fail the licence check and won't work, but you can unlock and run something else as normal.

Do NOT select any of the other options listed within the upgrade screen as you may delete the bootloader, This will permanently brick the device!!!

This is a collection of procedures that i've found online to recover Mio devices, Some users have had success with them, But they're not guaranteed to work!

[Robi-tim]

I have the same problem on Mio moov m610 and VDODayton PN4000!!! Any help??? Please!!!

[Fatboyfun]

I have the same problem on Mio moov m610 and VDODayton PN4000!!! Any help??? Please!!!

What did you do to get these devices into this state?

And describe the boot sequence of each device, where do they stop? etc...

[Robi-tim]

Mio stuck on orange screen with text "mio explore more" that is device from my friend and he did something but don't know what. 45 years old man that i preety bored and loves to think zhat he is smart by clicking on PC (I think that he changed something in AppStartupSec.ini/paths.xml or renamed or even deleted AppStartupSec.exe). VDO Daytona just freezed by himself and dont want to boot.

[Fatboyfun]

For the Mio, did you try the procedures above? Some users report success.

If AppstartupSec.exe is missing or the app path in Appstartup.txt is invalid then the device goes to USB mode when booted, so it's likely it's been replaced with something that either fails to load or runs in the background.

The VDO may just need a reflash.

[Robi-tim]

I'm searching for screwdriver to open device to try to enter to boot recovery mode. Is there any way to enter to boot mode without opening the device? Any combination of pwr button, rst button and usb cable? When I connect the device my PC try to install the driver but cannot. On down right corner i see the message Mio Digi Walker USB Sync and USB Mass Storage Device but then message about Error installing driver appears and I see device in Device manager (as storage device with yellow "!") bun not in windows explorer! Can this help? Could Linux read the devica as mass storage???

[Fatboyfun]

No as the drivers INSIDE the device are not loaded, so the PC can see 'something' on the USB line, but cannot communicate with it, that's why it shows up as a problem, The same thing will happen under Linux!

It is possible to put some files on a SD card to enter service mode, but as the device doesn't boot, this won't work!

Using the service mode to reflash will wipe the flash drive (My Flash Disk) so you need to have a backup from a working device handy, You can use a backup from any Moov device although the SmartST_CE software will fail the licence check unless it's from the device itself, Just unlock and run something else as normal.

[Robi-tim]

M610 dont have SD card slot so I cant do anything with SD card! How to enter the service mode? I have backups from m300 and m400!

[Fatboyfun]

You'll have to open the device up and short pin 9 to ground, how you would get the updated firmware onto the device is the next issue, There is a WINCE by USB option...

[Robi-tim]

WINCE uo USB is other option or next step in making my device work? How to make that? I would like to avoid possibility to burn the device. pin9 to gnd!? How? Are you sure about that?