Database Users

[BUG] Refurb Phones, GPS, and AOSP ROMs

I love AOSP ROMs. They are the bomb-diggity. I only have one problem with them:
GPS does not work for everybody.
Let me explain the problem. When doing a long navigation, after about 20 - 30 minutes, Maps will lose the GPS signal and stay at "Searching for GPS..." until toggling GPS OFF and then ON. After it loses the signal the first time, it loses it again and again in the same fashion in about 5 minutes intervals.
Now, this is not a problem for everybody. For some people it works fine, and for the rest, we seem to be stuck with this rather irritating bug.
I do have a theory, though - I believe that there are two (or more) hardware revisions for our phones. I believe that a lot of refurbs have an older hardware revision, that run into these problems, and the newer phones have a newer hardware revision that do NOT have these issues.
What I need is someone that has reported this issue to take a logcat during a navigation and to get the results onto this thread so we can get them to a dev that may be able to fix this issue. I would do this myself, but I am out of money and only have enough gas in my car to make it back home tonight after work.
So, please, if there is anyone running an AOSP ROM (CELB and WW both have the issue) on a refurb or near launch phone, if you have the time and the resources, take a logcat of a failed navigation. It may get us closer to a cure for this bug.
DEVS: If any of you read this thread, I have an idea - if it is possible, you may want to pull apart your kernels and take a look at the part that interacts with the GPS and compare that to another kernel like zanfur's or the HTC kernel, which both have nary a problem with the GPS.
I have already tried fussing with the *.so files that are for the GPS, and they either made the problem worse or completely broke GPS.
Let's see if we can find a cure.
-SSJ

I dont think its the hardware at all. I have run into this problems are certain versions of roms but once I flash another its fine. CLB2.7 gps worked great used it from Arkansas to Florida but the gps from the Cyanogen 1.1 the gps constantly lost signal.

edgeupgx said:
I dont think its the hardware at all. I have run into this problems are certain versions of roms but once I flash another its fine. CLB2.7 gps worked great used it from Arkansas to Florida but the gps from the Cyanogen 1.1 the gps constantly lost signal.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I don't think it's a hardware problem, I think it's a problem with the way that some kernels interact with different (read: older) hardware revisions.

I'm Hardware Revision 0002 according to Home > Menu > Settings > About Phone > Hardware Information.
I usually just use Google Maps to get the directions, then peek at them every once in a while to save battery.
Once I get a car mount for my phone (soon), I'm sure I'll use GPS more often though.
No troubles with any GPS I've ever done. It may be all Eris's, at random. Like when the 3g disappears and reappears and starts cycling (until you reboot the phone).
Same idea.

I have a refurb phone and while using CELB 2.7 I drop GPS signal every 20 minutes or so. When using Ivan's rom, I never drop signal.

GPS Issues on Desire HD - Considerations, tools and tips

I'd like to make a unique single thread with all the issues related to gps on DHD and the procedures/tips to make it work better.
MY EXPERIENCE
I was ready to go to dinner to my girlfriend's uncle (50km far away). I bought my DHD two days before. Ok, let's try gps. Google navigator. Started driving and my phone didn't get a lock. After five minutes of driving, i needed some help from navigator. Nope, still no gps lock. I stopped the car, got out with DHD in hand and lock again in two minutes with the sky in sight. No problem until destination. At the end of the dinner, on the road again. For the first 3 minutes, gps lock. Then lock lost, gps icon blinking and nothing. Tried to reload the phone. Fast boot first time and complete reboot the second time. I didn't stop the car this time, tried while driving (my girlfriend handled telephone while i was driving ).
It took 45 minutes to get lock again. Thanks god, i learned the route on the journey there.
The same thing happened again three times in the next days.
I thought that some software installed corrupted my phone.....(sorry, i was used to the windows mobile whims!!!!).
Hard resetted, but the problem was always there. Without logic, sometimes i had gps lock, sometimes not. Sometimes my DHD was keeping the lock until destination, other times gps lock was lost while moving.
GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS
Not all the people complaints about gps on DHD. I don't know why but there are many people who have problems using it. I think that, except for the faulty devices with defective gps chip, the behaviour is the same for all devices. Only the people perception about the performances of gps are different, and their behaviours of use. I had different expectations about gps. I was used to start driving without gps lock, my HtcHD would have always found lock in one minute anyway. Even if moving, even if many clouds or raining.
People who arrived to Android coming from Windows Mobile do experience a general lack of speed in locking gps position and a very different way about gps is handled by the OS.
My DesireHD hardly locks gps where my previous HtcHD locked gps in few seconds.
The same difficulties I have now with DesireHD, I had them too when I installed Android on my HtcHD. But I thought it was the unstable Android SD ROM's fault.
Another issue is the speed of hot start: DHD seem to have a very very short term memory in fact of gps. Hot start is really hot only if you reconnect within short time.
My HtcHD was able to reconnect in few seconds even if hours passed from the previous lock, if not moved.
My new DHD needs more time to lock, even if the previous lock was 30 minutes before. It happens to take 45 seconds or more to lock again if the sky is not completely in sight.
Even if I get lock with GPS Status, shutdown the program and I reopen it few seconds after, gps lock is not immediate. It takes almost ten seconds to lock.
I think I have to forget the Winmo performances in fact of gps, on Android.
(I think it's the only thing i'm gonna be missing, anyway......)
I think i'll have to wait for the lock before start driving from now.
ISSUES EXPERIENCED BY USERS
- DHD locks gps but when moving it loses the lock and it stays for minutes (from 10 to 60) looking for it again. -
Let DHD get an outdoor strong gps lock for some minutes before starting to move.
- DHD is unable to find a lock. Phone never ever locked gps, whether indoor or outdoor, with the whole sky in sight.
Try resetting AGPS data and let your phone get a lock without data connection, outdoor with the sky in sight on a plain stable surface
If you never ever succeed to get a lock, you should consider to have a faulty chip on your device. I think it's better to contact HTC Repair service.
- DHD behaves with no logic. Sometimes it finds a lock in seconds, sometimes it takes ages to find a lock.
Let DHD get an outdoor strong gps lock for some minutes before starting to move.
- DHD is unable to find a lock if any data connection is available.
Try resetting AGPS data e let your phone get a lock without data connection, outdoor with the sky in sight on a plain stable surface
TIPS
Do all of these steps. And, except for the first, try to do them all the times you use gps. And evaluate the improvements, if there are.
One time procedure:
- Force the phone to lock gps without any data connection and check APN type (see below for the link to step-by-step procedure).
It is important to put the phone outdoor on a stable and straight surface in order to get a strong lock, with a complete view of the sky.
My advice is to empty a-gps data BEFORE doing this operation (this can be done with GPS Status - Menu => Tools => MAnage Agps state => Empty data - The program is free and doesn't need root permissions)
Before every use of gps:
- Use FasterFix (needs root permissions) to change NTP server zone. The system/etc/gps.conf file contains parameters for NTP server and AGPS data. In mine i find that the ntp server used is located in northamerica. I live in Rome so I use Fasterfix to change it, forcing to use european ntp server. I don't know why but Android changes by itself this file, putting again north america server, so i have to change it more than once in a day to keep it using european server.
NOTE: Fasterfix gives back an error the first time you open it, choose the seerver and try to apply it. Only the second or the third attempt, it returns an ok result. Don't mind error. Don't worry about it. Even if returned error, it did its job anyway.
- Synch Device clock with atomic time. I use ClockSynch (needs root permissions), but every program capable of doing the same thing can be used. This is intended to help device in calculating your position. More accurate time means less corrections by the software, faster position calculating and a more accurate position.
- Let the phone get a strong lock BEFORE starting to move with your car. A couple of minutes before, you should let your phone on a stable surface, with sky in sight. Outdoor, obviously. Better if outside the car.
This thing could seem stupid, i know. But let your DHD get the lock in a place where it has a good view to the satellites. Let it acquire precision (you can see it in the left middle part of the screen, using GPS Status). Start moving only when precision has reached a minimum value (expressed in meters/feets - lower value, more accurate). You will see that gps lock will be more and more stable than before.
- Use a task killer program to kill all the processes which may use gps. I noticed that if one or more program able to use gps have been left opened in background, sometimes, without logic, something goes wrong and Gps receiver is no longer reachable by software.
In this situation if I open GPS Status, I see gps icon blinking, but in fact no satellites are seen by the program. I mean that on the screen is not shown 0/3 or 0/5 satellites. On the screen i see nothing about the number of sats, neither 0/0, empty. And in some situations this thing cannot be true (i.e. if i am completely outdoor with a perfect sky view).
RESOURCES
Gps lock without data connection: http://wccftech.com/2010/09/09/solving-gps-nofix-problem-cyanogenmod-6-nexus/
Gps Status: http://www.appbrain.com/app/gps-status-toolbox/com.eclipsim.gpsstatus2
FasterFix: http://www.appbrain.com/app/fasterfix/com.Double.FasterFix
ClockSync: http://www.appbrain.com/app/clocksync/ru.org.amip.ClockSync
Advanced Task Killer: http://www.appbrain.com/app/advanced-task-killer/com.rechild.advancedtaskkiller
EDIT: I have a stock ROM. Nothing upgraded. The only modification is the root access permissions granted with visionary.

Good thread, helpful and insightful.
I am going to download all those applications as I too have been experiencing Slow GPS lock.
Just 1 possible solution for you, have you tried to upgrade your radio? This may sometimes help solve GPS problems.
Sent from my Desire HD using XDA App

No, I didn't upgrade my radio.
I'd like to do it but i'm very hesitant to mess around with my phone like this.
P.S. Let me know if you had some improvements.

giegi_dc said:
No, I didn't upgrade my radio.
I'd like to do it but i'm very hesitant to mess around with my phone like this.
P.S. Let me know if you had some improvements.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Updated radio can make a MASSIVE difference. One of the best things you can do to your phone if you're having any kind of GPS / 3G / Wifi issues.
Go to:
Menu > Settings > About Phone > Software Info
Where it says Baseband Version, this is your radio version.

For me the most annoything that happens with GPS is that when playing a music and using at the same time an offline map gps program, when a voice or some ding dong sound happens, the music played stops and resumes after those gps sounds ends...
I think this is due to Android sys... even WinMobile it's better on this...

Thanks for the tips. My GPS is locking on very quickly now and even inside buildings. I used clocksync + GPS status + Fasterfix. Fixing to around 8 - 9 satellites indoors and 12/12 outdoors.

Done.
Great.
It Works!!!!
initially it would take me a good minute or two to acquire a precise location INDOORS, now it does it in 10-15 secs!!!!!!
i was already using GPS Status, this is with FasterFix.
Thanks.

so strange I never had problem with GPS, always fixes in less than 10 second and never loses as well.
I use iGO and it never let me down.

I had problem with gps-lock from the beginning.
Tried the link above "gps-lock without dataconnection"
Now it locks within seconds
Sent from my Desire HD using XDA App

Personally, I've had no problem with gps for apps such as Google navigation where the screen stays on.
It's a different story, however, for apps like cardio trainer where the phone loses gps lock when the screen is off. I understand this is a known issue with Android 2.2 and has been fixed for 2.3+. I don't know if anyone else has problems with this.
Sent from my Desire HD using XDA App

magnus66 said:
I had problem with gps-lock from the beginning.
Tried the link above "gps-lock without dataconnection"
Now it locks within seconds
Sent from my Desire HD using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
but mine desire didnt work? first when take out the sim card ,reset and download data ..it work like charm..lock around 10 sec..then put sim card back it took age cant find satelite to lock..
anyone know what wrong?

On my DHD, indoors, GPS sucks badly.. apps such as "aroundme" its pretty useless, just hangs finding a signal. but outdoors when I use navigation, etc it works okay. I dont use GPS that much anyway, so cant complain. It is a tad annoying when your indoors and cant find stuff though.

I've had really big problems with my GPS.
Could not get a lock so I rooted my phone and upgraded the radio. Changed the gps.conf file and reset A-GPS settings and tried GPS without a dataconnection. None of the suggested things above did work, so I downgraded the radio to stock and unrooted my phone and sent it to a repair center.
Hopefully they will fix it.
I have a Hero (root) and a Desire (stock) and they get a lock on within seconds and works flawless even indoors.
I guess HTC has a lot of faulty GPS modules in their Desire HD mobiles, but not all are using GPS so therefore we only hear about some of the problems.

Trying the Nexus one fix as in the first post, after taking SIM out, I do not get any GPS signals on GPS Status, if I put SIM back in I get fixes but GPS unusable as it keeps losing connection whilst in journey. The steps I have taken so far are as follows:
* Take your SIM out of the Nexus One
* Power on the device
* Turn WiFi on
* Turn GPS on
* Open application: GPS Status (ver 3.4)
* Go into its Settings menu
* Click on GPS and Sensors
* Click Manage A-GPS state
* Click Reset
* Click Manage A-GPS state again
* Click Download [You'll see a message telling you that a data connection is needed, ignore it]
* Now put your phone on a stable, straight surface in order to enable the phone to get a lock, within GPS Status. This time, you’ll see your phone get the lock way faster than before.
Any help will be appreciated.

onesolo said:
For me the most annoything that happens with GPS is that when playing a music and using at the same time an offline map gps program, when a voice or some ding dong sound happens, the music played stops and resumes after those gps sounds ends...
I think this is due to Android sys... even WinMobile it's better on this...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
quoting my self...
There's some developments about this issue...
Or one use the nice HTC Gps Software (at least the version that cames with gingerbread) or use the iGO Amigo.
I tried the iGO Amigo and I finally can listen to music at same time when the voice from iGo speaks!!! There's no interruptions at all like on the majority of GPS softwares that I tried on my DHD (don't know how it works on another devices)
I think that this issue is something that is only developers fault cause initially I thought it was due android design, maybe it was only possible to play something only from one app at a time. (ie. not play two things from two different apps simultaneous) but I figure that after all that is possible.
Bad developers!!!!

GPS Problems: finally the solution
Hi all,
Here I want to tell my experience with HD Desire GPS to help all those who were (like me) desperate.
The way to solve exists ! Read to the end to know how.
I bought my HD Desire in January 2011 (from Euronics in Rome - Italy) and after one week of use the problems began with the GPS.
It did not fix more ... but above all there were more than 1 or 2 visible satellites ... even in open sky, in good conditions, even outside for 30 minutes.
The phone was obviously still immaculate (without root and with the original ROM and RADIO) then I went back to the shop where I bought ... and using GPS-Status the seller has found that actually did not work.
Very kindly he changed my on the flight the phone ... I installed GPS-Status on the new phone just replaced and now everything works fine (fix in less than 10sec and 7 / 8 satellites visible).
I came at home and for 2/3 days it worked wonders but soon it began again with the same GPS problems.
No more fix and at maximum 2/3 satellites visible.
Building on the fact that the phone had been replaced and ... GPS Status actually had made a fix in less than 10 seconds ... (When I had replaced) ... I said, Sure ... is certainly a software problem and not an hardware one ... because the phone is a new one.
So I did a factory reset ... reset all settings as the original ... and retried. Nothing.
The GPS was dead for the second time in two weeks.
Then, I began a careful search on various forums (both Italian and international).
I've tried everything ... really everything ... but nothing. It does not work !
Tried GPS-Status (A-GPS Reset, Download), then fasterfix (it.pool.ntp.org) then I started to change ROM (root, S-Off and ENF S-Off), then I tried all possible Radio and RIL in all combinations. Sometimes happen that the fix was very fast and this gave me the illusion (temporary) of having finally found the solution. However, on time (sometimes even after a few minutes) the problem returns back!
I also tried to clean the contacts of the GPS as shown in this video on youTube(h**p:/*w*wdotyoutubedotcom/watch?v=7qm_z65LA8k).
At the end ... after 4 months of trying all... I sent back in warranty the phone to the HTC service (S-ON and leave to unroot because it was under warranty).
After 10 days of impatient waiting, HTC gave me back the phone and say that the GPS was faulty and had been replaced.
I redid a restore using Titanium Backup Pro ... restoring back all in the exact same conditions I had when the GPS was not working.
Now everything works wonderfully !!!
Im using the original ROM (RUU 2.36.405.8), original Radio (12.54.60.25U_26.09.04.11_M2) and the original Kernel (2.6.35.10-g0956377).
Fix in 10/20 sec (everytime), with at least 7 / 8 satellites (tested for several days now).
Moral of the story ... There are lots of HTC Desire HD phones (probably the first stock) that today are still in the form of stocks and inventories in some shopping malls / shops with the GPS module that is broken !!! (it works for a few days and then no longer works).
The only way is to send back your phone in warranty and ensure that GPS module is replaced (having first restored with all unroot and S-OFF as otherwise the warranty does not apply).
Believe me ... if you have tried everything ... this is the only way!
Now I'm an happy HTC Desire HD owner (with Gingerbread) with a GPS which is a splinter.
Im currently using Navigator, Google Maps, CoPilot and everything works great !
I hope this post may help and comfort those who are desperate and can not run the GPS on the Desire HD.
Greetings to all.
Andrea.

[Q] GPS freezes phone (w osmand,maverick)

Hello wise xda guys.
Any ideas why my hd2 freezes after some time, when I use gps with osmand or maverick (or a couple of other software I tried before and unistall). It freezes completely, and I have to remove the battery. While it is working (before freezing) everything works fine.
[Another symptom (maybe irelevant) is the very slow gps fix (the first time), which deosn't really bothers me (I'm a patient person). I'm just writing it here because maybe there is a relation]
I use: Froyo 2.2.1, mod: Cleandroid 2.55, MAGLDR 1.13.
Otherwise the telephone is more or less stable
thnx

Same issue it seems...
Going to re-flash WinMo and test there.

I'm having the exact same issue lately and it is not funny/safe at all.
I first had it happening in google navigation all the time and now in iGO and Waze.
Can this be from Rafpigna's undervoltaged kernel or be a hardware issue?
Unfortunately the device freezes completely and doesn't give any error.
Does a log exist somewhere?
Any help is more than appreciated!

Yeap, still the same problem and I can't figure out why.
I've tried more than 10 different apps, but allways the same. After some time the phone freezes. I remove the battery, start the app and after a while, the same.
I tried working with battery only or with car charger only, still the same.
I removed and brought back all my apps with titanium backup, still the same.
I have a suspicion that when it stacks and after rebooting, if I leave it in peace (I mean don't do anything with the phone, just keep it without running any app), for some time (10-20 minutes), then it starts and keeps the gps app more time, than the time of the initial freezing. Maybe this is a symptom that could ring a bell to an experienced guy...
Anybody, any ideas?

I think mine is related to heat.
Left it in my pouch and placed iGO in demo on a long roadtrip. After 15 minutes the phone was warm and the screen was frozen so I had to get the batt out again.
More than frustrating since I have a 700km trip to do on Thursday.

Not sure about the heat
I had the same suspicion, that the heat was causing the freezing ) funny language ah?).
So I tested it while keeping it cool (I protect it from the sun and remove the car charger), but still the same happened. After some time it froze again. (the phone was cold)
I have a suspicion that a possible reason is the rendering of the maps. I've noticed that I have the problem, mainly when driving a car, where the maps images should change more often. I kept it in my pocket and made a few hours trekking, with no problems. Though in my pocket I had the app running in the background and I only open it a few times, just to add some points on the map.

Another sister thread
There is also this thread, by Crash-nl, with the same subject (more or less) so we can combine powers.
Check it out
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=12391898

I'm also having GPS freezing issues, but probably way worse than you guys. I just got my phone from service center, but the issue still exists. I just quote my comments from an another topic:
I've now got back my HD2 from the service center. The GPS is now working, but not in Android. When I was using WinMo 6.5 with WWE 3.14 and 2.15.50.14, the GPS worked great. Fast lock, TomTom worked well and Google Maps worked fine. Then I decided to get Android again and after I installed everything, I discovered, that I had the same exact issue like prior the repair. The GPS starts looking the signal, if it doesn't find it, nothing bad happens, but when it does find the signal, it causes the phone to freeze. Instantly after the signal is found, it causes instant freeze. Screen stays on, nothing happens. What can cause this? I haven't yet tampered with the gps.conf settings, but I don't even think that it could fix the issue. I'm really going crazy with this.
Yeah, I'm thinking also its a driver issue. My current Android build is RAFDROID 4.0.2. And since this issue seems to be exatly the same, like before the repair, the GPS probably doesn't work in the earlier versions of RAFDROID. However something has changed in my phone, because the GPS has worked with nand Android builds in the past and even with RAFDROID 3.0. Now however, it doesn't matter which build I use, the issue always exists. Could it be caused because of the GPS module? I mean, does the WinMo 6.5 QuickGPS app save the AGPS data directly to the GPS module? So could there be some kind of corruption in the GPS module? I was having some sudden reboots, while using Google Maps and TomTom in the WinMo, but I was able to fix them, by hard resetting the device.
First time I started having this issue was, when I updated from RAFDROID 3.0 to 3.1. After that, the GPS has always caused instant freezing, when using GPS in the Android. Even downgrading back to 3.0, didn't solve the issue. Now I'm having this issue with all Android builds.
It's possible that my GPS module or "chip" could be somehow broken physically, but it's no point sending the device back for repair, because they send it back and say, "there's nothig wrong with the GPS". I'm really hoping it's not a hardware issue, because if it is, there's really nothing that can be done. I have still about a year left from the warranty and changing the module myself, will void the warranty. I just cannot understand why does the GPS still work in WinMo, but not in Android? Because if the module was somehow broken, should the GPS be defective also in WinMo?
I have tried flight mode, Wifi and 3G off etc. and the GPS DOES WORK. So the chip is not dead.

Just did some more testing on mine to try to find the issue.
I have always had a freez when I used google navigation with the sat image from the start in Android. But last week it happened in iGO and Waze which scared me a bit.
As a matter of test I installed WinMo again last night. Fantastic OS btw! and installed iGO.
Everything was up and running at 2am and I decided to let it do a demotrip of about a 1000km. The demo also sets the GPS receiver active.
I placed the HD2 it next to the fan of my laptop which is always on to generate some extra heat.
This morning at 10am the demo was still running perfectly.
Just reinstalled Android on it again. After 3km's in iGO 'gps signal lost' . I cannot get it back in any way. The GPS symbol is stuck in the bar above even if you disable GPS in the settings. So reboot is the only way.
This is getting very frustrating for me since my phone needs to work as GPS and may not fail.
Also a funny one is that it doesn't seem to matter on mine if the gps.conf file is on there or not ;-) lock time when the hd2 works is approx 1min

lukesan said:
Just reinstalled Android on it again. After 3km's in iGO 'gps signal lost' . I cannot get it back in any way. The GPS symbol is stuck in the bar above even if you disable GPS in the settings. So reboot is the only way.
This is getting very frustrating for me since my phone needs to work as GPS and may not fail.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm having this same exact issue! However I just discovered that the local service center did not change the GPS module or antenna. So this might be the reason why my GPS doesn't work. The service center was fooled that the GPS works, because they didn't test the GPS thoroughly. YOU HAVE TO ENABLE FLIGHT MODE OR TAKE THE SIM CARD AWAY TO TEST THE GPS!. If you don't do this, you are being fooled believing, that your GPS is working, but it's not.
You guys should test your GPS, by going back to WinMo 6.5 and leave your sim card away from the phone. If your GPS can find the signal even without the sim card, congrats, your GPS is working. If you want to be double sure, enable flight mode and try again. If your GPS cannot find signal, your GPS module and/or antenna is broken and needs to be replaced.

Well my module is working.
Easy way to test it and no need to take out your sim or so.
Just use the cab file attached to this post. If you will start it the first time it will scan the ports so you can end up with a small error in regards to BT but it not a real error.
The tool will continue to com port 4 where the gps mod is active on.
Go stand outside and voila, mine starts to show bars like it should be.
I'm taking a different approach now.
Ckeared everything and also took a fully fresh formated sd-card .... (as I type now not working)

lukesan said:
Well my module is working.
Easy way to test it and no need to take out your sim or so.
Just use the cab file attached to this post. If you will start it the first time it will scan the ports so you can end up with a small error in regards to BT but it not a real error.
The tool will continue to com port 4 where the gps mod is active on.
Go stand outside and voila, mine starts to show bars like it should be.
I'm taking a different approach now.
Ckeared everything and also took a fully fresh formated sd-card .... (as I type now not working)
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks! You just saved my time a lot! I downloaded and installed that app and I was able to get a succesfull GPS connection and now I can even get GPS lock, when flight mode enabled or sim card removed. This was impossible before installing this app.
However it seems that we are both suffering from the same issue. GPS does not work for me in Android. It has worked in the past, but nowadays, it doesn't matter, which Android build I use, it either freezes the phone and only way to fix this, is by removing the battery or it doesn't find the signal at all. Sometimes the GPS stays on, even if I turn it off. The blinking GPS icon goes away only by restarting the device.

If you are using gps navigation software on sd card, try format micro sd card with FAT32 and DEFAULT ALLOCATION SIZE option, do not choose allocation size such as 32,64 or any other except DEFAULT.
Try it and GL.

colosos said:
If you are using gps navigation software on sd card, try format micro sd card with FAT32 and DEFAULT ALLOCATION SIZE option, do not choose allocation size such as 32,64 or any other except DEFAULT.
Try it and GL.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Did anyone try this method? Looking at other threads I see people saying that only a warranty repair will fix the issue.

freezes
Hi. I had the same problem, i try everything formating sd, different builds and kernels. I disable "use wireless networks" and GPS work with no freeze.
Do you have a freezes on games?

did any one found the answer ?
is it a hardware problem ?
or a software ?

Thought I'd throw in that I'm having the same problem running hyperdroid rom on a telstra hd2. GPS finds a lock, works for about 2 mins then freezes requiring battery to be taken out to restart. I'm leaning away from a hardware issue as copilot worked perfectly on the same phone when I was running windows 6.5...

Just an update, after installing the new GPS fix from this link http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1100114
[28.May.2011][Dev] GPS Libraries v1.0 for HD2 Gingerbread the GPS freezing problem is fixed. Full credit to the developer
Sent from my GT-P1000 using XDA Premium App

But the problem still occurs when using Google maps, Google navigation is now fixed
Sent from my GT-P1000 using XDA Premium App

Hi all,
I'm facing the same issue reported in post #12. I'm actually using latest Rafdroid HD (Froyo Sense) build on SD. Do you think I can try the fix in post 18, also if it is for Gingerbread builds? Please advise.
Thank you.

[Q] Inaccurate Gps on Focus

I am getting very inaccurate gps positioning on my samsung focus. It almost never finds me correctly. I am running Mango 7720, but this happened in 7712 also. Not sure if it happened in NoDo or not.. Any thoughts?

wilcoholic5 said:
I am getting very inaccurate gps positioning on my samsung focus. It almost never finds me correctly. I am running Mango 7720, but this happened in 7712 also. Not sure if it happened in NoDo or not.. Any thoughts?
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Define inaccurate. Meters, positioning, weak signal...

Positioning. When I open maps, it rarely ever shows my correct location. Sometimes it will get relatively close, but it will stay stuck in a location even if I'm moving. If it does find me, there is the large circle around my location, indicating that its not 100% sure of my location.
Sent from my SGH-i917 using XDA Windows Phone 7 App

There's a "GPS App| in Marketplace, can tou check with that?
After getting a green signal I check with Bing the location, it usually puts me right within 1-2 minutes (sometimes less).
Hopefully you don't have a faulty GPS.

wilcoholic5 said:
I am getting very inaccurate gps positioning on my samsung focus. It almost never finds me correctly. I am running Mango 7720, but this happened in 7712 also. Not sure if it happened in NoDo or not.. Any thoughts?
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I'm getting the same thing with my Focus as well after updating to Mango. Just like you, its the same on 7712 and 7720. Didn't have this problem before. I'm guessing its a driver issues. I wish there was a way to resolve this.

wheelerk said:
I'm getting the same thing with my Focus as well after updating to Mango. Just like you, its the same on 7712 and 7720. Didn't have this problem before. I'm guessing its a driver issues. I wish there was a way to resolve this.
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If it is a driver issue, you should wait for the official Mango release from the carrier. Those releases typically come with new ROM and driver updates from Samsung.

The Garmin app on marketplace is accurate even though bing takes forever to find me just to lose lock. I haven't bought the full version garmin app (it's pricey) waiting a bit but the trial works for gps mapping and finding local things (food, gas, hotels, etc)

GPS working even after Tango update
I own samsung focus 1.3 (AT&T). I purchased it in the beginning of Sep. 2012 (quite late). As soon as I got the phone, I connected it to Zune for updates. After having updated to 7.10.7720.68, I started using the phone. The GPS did not work. I then updated it to 7.10.8773.98 with the hope that updates may make GPS working. I tried all possible tricks available on XDA as well as other forums. I tried following tricks with various permutation & combination:
(i) Pulling out the battery for 30 minutes.
(ii) Changing the MOLR CP/UP setting in GPS diagnostic to UP and CP (one by one),
(iii) Rebooting the phone with location off & again rebotting with location on
(iv) Apps like GPS info & others
& few more which I do not recall now.
After having tried for about a month, I reverted back to original OS version 7.0.7004.0 just to ascertain the availability/ functionality of GPS hardware as on some of the forums I read that their GPS stopped working after No-Do updates. The GPS did not work even after trying all above tricks on 7.0.7004.0 version of OS.
GPS did not work means - It never locked on Bing, Gmaps, etc. GPSinfo shows Mode as 'A-GPS' go to open sky. The location I used to get was based on Cell towers.
Finally I accepted my GPS to be faulty or not being there and again updated to latest OS version.
One day I read on some forum that putting off the location service & then switching on makes GPS working. Wow, I tried it today, IT WORKED. On bing map it locked, initially with a bigger circle & then reducing down to a dot. In areas covered with thick trees or high-rise buildings, the circle used to become bigger but again in clear sky area it used to reduce down to dot. I am keeping my fingers crossed. Let me observe for some more days to ascertain that this trick actually works.
Those who have not been able to make their GPS working with other tricks, please try this & let us have your feedback on this forum/ thread.

In continuation to my previous post, the working of GPS is not reliable. It sometimes works very fine & some times doesn't work at all during the entire journey of 15 Km. You cannot depend on this GPS for navigational aid. It appears to be some software issue. But anyway, I am happy that my GPS is not faulty. Hoping for some fix in future which will make GPS work reliably.

High Fidelity Position
wilcoholic5 said:
I am getting very inaccurate gps positioning on my samsung focus. It almost never finds me correctly. I am running Mango 7720, but this happened in 7712 also. Not sure if it happened in NoDo or not.. Any thoughts?
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Click to collapse
I'd also recommend checking out Samsung's high fidelity position app (explanation here: http://www.wpcentral.com/new-samsung-high-fidelity-position-enhances-gps-modifies-settings-mango) in the Samsung Zone in the marketplace. Might help. It made a big difference for me.

GPS not working on 2.3 ROMs

hi.
It seems now that every 2.3 based ROM supports GPS, and people say they get a very fast lock.
But I was never able to get a lock with any ROM, I have tried several versions of MIUI and several versions of CM7.
The only ROMs I am able to use GPS in, are Froyo based.
Even there, it takes around 5 minuted to get a lock.
I did the hardware fix half a year ago, it helped very much because I was using Froyo then (it took only 5 minutes vs 15 minutes to lock) but now it doesn't lock at all.
Any solution?
Thanks.

http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1370910

i applied that fix and noticed no improvement, unfortunately. i had great hopes for it from reading the comments others had left about success using it.
the gps on my vibrant (running CM7) is quite odd.. it seems to 'know' where i am, but won't ever get off of the 'searching for gps' message, and of course, won't switch gears to the point where it actually tells me where to go. but if i want to look at my location on my phone and follow the 'map' it displays, or read the directions, it sort of works, in a hinky sort of way.

Try a program called GPS Aids from the market - Ive had mixed results with it.

the gps on my vibrant (running CM7) is quite odd.. it seems to 'know' where i am, but won't ever get off of the 'searching for gps' message, and of course, won't switch gears to the point where it actually tells me where to go. but if i want to look at my location on my phone and follow the 'map' it displays, or read the directions, it sort of works, in a hinky sort of way.
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I think that you are using the AGPS function, which uses the WiFi and mobile network to determine your location. It is much less accurate than GPS, which doesn't work.
About the GPS fix and GPS AIDS, I will try later and post the results, thanks!

romitkin said:
I think that you are using the AGPS function, which uses the WiFi and mobile network to determine your location. It is much less accurate than GPS, which doesn't work.
About the GPS fix and GPS AIDS, I will try later and post the results, thanks!
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that makes sense.. its just getting rough position with the mobile network.. (i usually have wifi antennae off)
last night i downloaded a gps test tool from the market... ZERO satellites... and mine worked perfectly when i was running Axura. i'll probably be going back there very soon.