Database Users

GPS still doesn't work? Try this.

Greetings all!
Ever since updating from 2.1 to 2.2 my phone (i9000m) has not been able to acquire a GPS signal. I tried everything I could find on xda and online to no avail. While the 'Test GPS' application was able to identify satellites, none of my applications could (not even Google Maps!). Miraculously, I stumbled upon a solution earlier today. Once I turned off my Wifi (and I don't mean 'Use Wireless Networks'), my GPS started working instantly. The signal locked on FAST and was ACCURATE. I don't know why this happens. Maybe the Wifi interferes with the GPS? Anyways, I decided to share this right away in case it could help others with a similar situation.
Jonnie
P.S. My GPS settings are stock settings other than my Accuracy, which is set to 30m.

[Q] Geotag Issue

Hi all,
I own a Samsung Galaxy S (GT-I9000) and I'm running Android 2.3.4, CyanogenMod-7-Nightly-GalaxyS.
There seems to be a problem with my camera geotagging. I have enabled both Wireless networks and GPS satellites and I have turned on the 'Store Location' feature in camera settings. However, whenever I take pictures, the geotag doesn't seem to work and the pics often come out with 'Unknown location'.
Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't, what I've noticed is that, it only works when the GPS is locked on a location, like when I'm running Sygic in the background. When I don't have Sygic running, the pictures always come out with Unknown location.
As far as I know, the camera is supposed to geotag the pics based on two modes, either through wireless network or/and GPS satellite. That means that even if my GPS is turned off, the camera should be able to tag my pics with my network location (even if it's not accurate). However, that's not the case with me, the pics are not geographically tagged at all, despite the fact that the location positioning through wireless network is always turned on.
Has anyone else experienced this problem? I have tried searching for similar problem but I have found no relevant threads with relevant solutions. I hope someone is able to help me with this. Thank you for your time.

AFAIK geotagging has only ever used the gps for location so it will only work when gps is locked.
Sent from my GT-I9000 using XDA App

Hi Mark,
I can't say for sure, I've come across sources saying that both Wireless networks and GPS satellites can be used for geotagging, but the former often gives inaccurate tags. I have tried searching for a definite answer from an official source or something but couldn't find any.
That aside, I usually have my GPS satellite turned on anyway, but the pics still come out untagged. Upon launching the camera app, do I have to wait for the GPS to get a lock first before snapping the pic? I have tried waiting, but the GPS gives no indication whatsoever that it's even trying to get a lock.
If I have to wait like a minute or two before taking a pic before the pic is able to be tagged, I think that's pretty ridiculous cz seriously, who launches the camera app and leave it idle for 2 minutes before taking a pic right?

Ambrosial said:
Hi all,
I own a Samsung Galaxy S (GT-I9000) and I'm running Android 2.3.4, CyanogenMod-7-Nightly-GalaxyS.
There seems to be a problem with my camera geotagging. I have enabled both Wireless networks and GPS satellites and I have turned on the 'Store Location' feature in camera settings. However, whenever I take pictures, the geotag doesn't seem to work and the pics often come out with 'Unknown location'.
Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't, what I've noticed is that, it only works when the GPS is locked on a location, like when I'm running Sygic in the background. When I don't have Sygic running, the pictures always come out with Unknown location.
As far as I know, the camera is supposed to geotag the pics based on two modes, either through wireless network or/and GPS satellite. That means that even if my GPS is turned off, the camera should be able to tag my pics with my network location (even if it's not accurate). However, that's not the case with me, the pics are not geographically tagged at all, despite the fact that the location positioning through wireless network is always turned on.
Has anyone else experienced this problem? I have tried searching for similar problem but I have found no relevant threads with relevant solutions. I hope someone is able to help me with this. Thank you for your time.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
This is how I'm doing it.
When I cannot get a lock on the gps, I turn on the 3G data, and open gmaps.
After I get a relative position through my network antenna, I leave gmaps (not close it!!!) and switch to camera.
Before I used open street maps, and sometimes it didn't require the 3G connection, but now I'm just doing the gmaps workaround.
Afterwards it's picasa, and if I got a geotag position on the first picture, I just use that location for the rest of the album

Hi Cristi,
That's pretty much similar as leaving Sygic running in the background like I've mentioned. That's more like a workaround and not a solution. Besides, running Sygic or any other navigation app will kill the battery quite quickly. I'm trying to look for a permanent solution or at least detect the source of the problem to begin with.

You must have a fix, since you don't know where you are before the fix...
With GPS the first fix can be quite long (cold start) since you have first to downloads the ephemerides. After that if the GPS is well initialised it will reused the previous downloaded ephemerides (hot start) so the fix will come sooner...
With assisted GPS, you can download the ephemerides from the network rather than the satellites, so the first fix is normally quite fast (a few seconds). That's sufficient to tag pics (on many devices it's working quite well).
However if the A-GPS is mis-configured or if the reception is bad (not many satellites - cloudy weather - under a bridge or inside a building) then fix will take longer
So the first thing is to configure correctly the GPS (verify that it doesn't restart always using cold start and, eventually, enable assisted GPS to have a fast 1st fix).
If all is configured correctly, it should improve the time needed to obtain the 1st fix.
However if you have a bad GPS on your Galaxy S, your not lucky !
You can try somel of the many GPS fixes you can find in these forums. For some people it seems to work (but not for everyone...).
You can also try to convince your support to exchange your SGS. If you're lucky you will obtain a good one.

Hi Herbert,
Thanks for the suggestions on fixing the bad GPS, I know a lot of people have been saying that the GPS on Samsung Galaxy S is a bit faulty.
I understand that the GPS needs some time to get a lock on a position, but what I'm more concerned about is the fact that the GPS icon shows no indication whatsoever that it's trying to get a lock upon launching the camera app. So, how long must I wait? 10secs? 20secs? Anything more than that is a bit pointless I think.
Another thing is the wireless networks tagging, the fact that the camera is unable to tag the pics based on the network location puzzles me. Anyway, for the time being, I'm just going to assume that my current telco doesn't support network positioning. I'll try it with a different telco and see how it goes.

I installed Compass from App Market...when the gps has already locked a position that is when I start to use the geotagging.

Hi Darl,
I am using GPS Assist to temporarily workaround this problem, I run GPS Assist before launching the camera app. The GPS Assist locks on a position quite quickly, it usually takes around 5seconds or so, provided I'm in an open area that is.
However, I'm still looking for a permanent solution.

[Q] gps fix lost every hour while in use with tomtom

hello,
i have a dutch galaxy s4 9505 which i have used with joy for over one year.
only consistent problem is with tomtom use.
after one hour of using it, it will lose the gps fix and it will not come back until i restart the gps service and/or tomtom.
when trying to continue with google maps, also no gps fix is found.
the surroundings are always different, open air so reception should be good.
im still running android 4.3, disabling the software update service for the 442 update (im happy with using the application permission manager and do not want to re-install my tomtom.)
what could cause my gps fix to be lost after one hour?

GPS issue- No lock but many satellites

Hi all,
I revived my old xda account I made in 2011 for this I've never had to post on XDA for an issue and usually can just find a solution by searching the threads.
About a month ago, my gps stopped working. It will occasionally triangulate by position via wifi wignal, but the gps does not contribute. On the GPS test app, there are about 20 satellites in view, but no lock. Further, all of these satellites are read as having a weak signal.
Things I've tried:
Regular reset
Wipe and reset
Clearing and redownloading AGPS data
Taking out the sim and rebooting (apparently this has worked for people...no idea why)
Resetting network credentials
Finally I unlocked the bootloaded, flashed TWRP and rooted the phone via Magisk and modified the gps.conf file with the TopNTP app. Tried a generic file and Canada specific file
I am starting to think this might be a hardware issue Maybe some corrosion from all the condensation in my scrubs at work? Probably not great for a non-waterproof phone. Any other ideas would be awesome and appreciated!

airfalco said:
Hi all,
I revived my old xda account I made in 2011 for this I've never had to post on XDA for an issue and usually can just find a solution by searching the threads.
About a month ago, my gps stopped working. It will occasionally triangulate by position via wifi wignal, but the gps does not contribute. On the GPS test app, there are about 20 satellites in view, but no lock. Further, all of these satellites are read as having a weak signal.
Things I've tried:
Regular reset
Wipe and reset
Clearing and redownloading AGPS data
Taking out the sim and rebooting (apparently this has worked for people...no idea why)
Resetting network credentials
Finally I unlocked the bootloaded, flashed TWRP and rooted the phone via Magisk and modified the gps.conf file with the TopNTP app. Tried a generic file and Canada specific file
I am starting to think this might be a hardware issue Maybe some corrosion from all the condensation in my scrubs at work? Probably not great for a non-waterproof phone. Any other ideas would be awesome and appreciated!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Have you checked out this discussion https://forum.xda-developers.com/oneplus-5/how-to/guide-how-to-fix-improve-gps-lock-t3815263 ?

That looks very promising! I'm going to try it tonight after work.

There is an app in the play store. I think it is called GPS Status. It has sensor testing functionality and can tell you if the GPS or other sensors are simply not working.

Can't connect to GPS satellites

From few days ago my phone started to lose GPS signal, now with every GPS test apps I can see the satellites but it didn't connect to any. I tried different ROMs, came back to MIUI but nothing changed. Is there a way to restore connectivity as I think it's a software problem because I can see satellites, so the antennas work but don't connect?

Have a similar issue, started losing connection to GPS satellites, while using in the car.

Please search first
https://forum.xda-developers.com/redmi-note-7-pro/help/redmi-note-7-pro-gps-problem-t3960702

Same thing here .
Tried everything
Going to replace the phone

Update:
After one day GPS started working again without doing anything. Maybe it could be related to Android auto as I'm not using it for 2 days and my problems started when I was using it

I am currently on Atom OS and have that issue of not working GPS every time I reoot. Have to disable location service (in quick settings) and reenable them for it to work, This is probably already solved in an updated version of my ROM, but hey, it's a quick try.

I have a similar problem, but I already have several months with my redmi note 7 and after moving to miui 11, the GPS works irregularly. I have seen many comments about problems with the GPS, but I have not seen any explanation from xiaomi
Enviado desde mi P008 mediante Tapatalk

the GPS stopped working properly as if there was not enough signal,
how did you solve it? I see the satellites but a small signal and disappearing.
hardware repair - how?
or software? (goes downgrade miui?)

After update to Miui 11 i hve similar problem with my gps. I'm using app from Play stone - GPS FIX/OPTIMIZER and work fine. If i have problem with gps, run the app and restart.
Изпратено от моят Redmi Note 7 с помощта на Tapatalk

thank you, the signal is better but still not good. In the woods I used to run when I had my cell phone in my pocket and the signal was OK, now the signal is lost

I had this problem and i ve solved it turning off smart lock

staups said:
I had this problem and i ve solved it turning off smart lock
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm looking for, but I can't find anywhere, even google didn't help me much
I do not have smart lock in setup / password and security
where it should be in RN7, miui 11

I'm on Cdroid and i find smart lock under security. I had MIUI before and i Remember i had Smart lock too. When you connect a new bluetooth device system should ask you about Smart lock. Try ti search in options

Hi guys
I was having the same problem with the gps connection. after changing my region settings from Brazil to Argentina, the gps returned to work correctly. test by changing the region and always restarting with each change.
My rom: V11.0.5.0.PFGMIXM (MIUI11)

I tried everything
also unlocked the bootloader and tried other rom
fix is not a problem, but the signal is still weak (large inaccuracy), with most satellites up to 20snr
a month ago there was no problem, I suspect the gps antenna, but I do not recall any phone crash, etc.
unfortunately I find nowhere manual, video, where the antenna and how to fix it

vejvik said:
I tried everything
also unlocked the bootloader and tried other rom
fix is not a problem, but the signal is still weak (large inaccuracy), with most satellites up to 20snr
a month ago there was no problem, I suspect the gps antenna, but I do not recall any phone crash, etc.
unfortunately I find nowhere manual, video, where the antenna and how to fix it
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
try to change the region, restart your smartphone and check for any improvement in the gps signal.

I tried everything, fix is no problem, I catch 12 sometimes more satellites (in open area), but all with low signal. Just go under the edge of the tree, and the signal is very weak and very inaccurate.