Develop Bugs

Unable to fix satellites for GPS

I've tried a bunch of things from the GPS tweaks provided in the sticky (To help reduce the lag) and also hard resetting twice. I'm still unable to fix onto a single satellite as google maps keeps saying "Seeking GPS Satellites (0)".
After hard resetting (both times) the first thing I did was turn on 'A-GPS' and than ran 'QuickGPS' to downloaded what was needed. Right after I'll open the HTC GPSTool' to open the port before opening up Google Maps to let it run for more than 10 minutes on both hard resets yet it is still unable to lock on to a satellite. Even with the GPS off google maps is unable to triangulate me to the right position (it's always off by two streets or so). It's just very frustrating and making me wonder if it's a hardware fault. The same thing occurred when I was using the stock TMO Rom. Also on 'GPSTest' it stays at "GPS Starting Up" with just all red bars and nothing moving but the numbers on the bottom.
I'm on a T-Mobile US Touch Pro 2 flashed with EnergyRom (Genesis) (23016). I've tried both 2.1 and 2.5 and Google maps just pinpoints me to the same location (two streets off).
Any help would be great as this is my first smart phone and first time introduced into the xda world and have liked the experience thus far.
Thank You!
*Sorry if this is the wrong forum to put this in. You may move this wherever it needs to.

Did the GPS work with the stock ROM?

No, the stock rom did the same thing my current rom is doing. It's just pointing to a location two streets away nor was it able to get any satellites. :l

I used these registry settings on my stock sprint.
http://forum.ppcgeeks.com/showthread.php?t=78592
BTW, if I understand this correctly, you don't need to configure any ports or do anything special to use the internal gps. The only thing needed is to make sure that the location setting is turned on (the emergency locator option in Settings/Phone/[your network]/Location-Get settings.)

[Q] Android GPS Navigation, Long duration while determining current location

I've been testing copilot 8 on my Desire G7 lately. I keep the GPS turned-off, when I'm not planning on using the navigation application and I activate it before i start the navigation app (copilot). At start up, it always takes the app 1-3mins or a longer time to determine it's current location.
Could anyone with off-line GPS experience tell me whether this kind of performance is within the normal boundry? A friend told me that leaving the GPS activated at all time will solve the problem. Is it true? If I do that will the GPS constantly sync satelite signals and causing it to wear out faster than usual?

yrneh122 said:
I've been testing copilot 8 on my Desire G7 lately. I keep the GPS turned-off, when I'm not planning on using the navigation application and I activate it before i start the navigation app (copilot). At start up, it always takes the app 1-3mins or a longer time to determine it's current location.
Could anyone with off-line GPS experience tell me whether this kind of performance is within the normal boundry? A friend told me that leaving the GPS activated at all time will solve the problem. Is it true? If I do that will the GPS constantly sync satelite signals and causing it to wear out faster than usual?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
if you keep your gps enabled, it will already have a satellite fix before you run your gps apps, so there will be no waiting time, the gps dosent constantly sync satellites, it just keeps a fix, it will use more battery, and it will also use the gps for "my location" but it isnt a noticeable battery drain!! try it, if you think it drains your battery you can always disable it

AndroHero said:
if you keep your gps enabled, it will already have a satellite fix before you run your gps apps, so there will be no waiting time, the gps dosent constantly sync satellites, it just keeps a fix, it will use more battery, and it will also use the gps for "my location" but it isnt a noticeable battery drain!! try it, if you think it drains your battery you can always disable it
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm glad to know that keeping the GPS activated will solve the problem. I'm not too worried about battery drain, since I can charge it frequently and the battery is at least replacable. My understanding is that if the GPS can maintain a "fix" on my current location, it should be synchronizing location data with satelites. My location varies throughout a day. It would mean to me that the "fix" on my location a GPS has is dynamic information. For a machine to maintain dynamic information, it must be processing some type of data at a particular frequency, which means that the GPS will be frequently operating. Is there anything wrong with my speculation?(I'm new to these stuff. Sorry if i'm wrong.)
My biggest concern is that whether keeping the GPS activated 24/7 will cause it to wear out at a abnormal rate. Have you had experience in taking such a practice with your mobile phone for a long period of time while your GPS hardwares still function at normal performance.
Thank you for helping me with my questions.

I've been using Co-pilot with my Desire ever since I got it (end of March) and GPS has always 'fixed' in less than 30 secs.
Recently I was trying out different radio ROMs (for non-GPS related issues) and there was one that took an awful long time to obtain a GPX fix. I switched to another one and all was fine again.
NB: My GPS is off and only switched on if and when an app requires it.

sh500 said:
I've been using Co-pilot with my Desire ever since I got it (end of March) and GPS has always 'fixed' in less than 30 secs.
Recently I was trying out different radio ROMs (for non-GPS related issues) and there was one that took an awful long time to obtain a GPX fix. I switched to another one and all was fine again.
NB: My GPS is off and only switched on if and when an app requires it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
May I ask what rom/radio you've been using? Do you still remember which rom/radio didn't work quite well with your copilot? How often do you use your copilot?

I was having the same problem with the stock ROM & radio (2.2 latest OTA). Haven't tried yet with the new ROM (Leedroid 2.2d), but I was wondering if there was an Android application similar to QuickFix, Ephemeris or such on WinMo (downloading some satellite positioning data every few days to keep an approximate mapping of satellites, thus helping for a quick fix).
I also keep my GPS off unless an application requires it (e.g. navigation).

yrneh122 said:
May I ask what rom/radio you've been using? Do you still remember which rom/radio didn't work quite well with your copilot? How often do you use your copilot?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well even with a stock ROM and radio (T-Mobile UK), which I had running for about 1.5 months, Co-Pilot still used to have a fast fix.
Later I upgraded to the earlier MCR ROMs (leaving the stock radio) and it was still fine.
After that I went to Froyo LeeDroid ROM (v2.1a) and upgraded the radio to meet minimum requirement (I forget what version it was). With this same ROM I am now using 32.48.00.32.
I can't remember what radio version didnt work well with GPS, but it was one that many threads stated it had a 'better battery life'.
I don't use Co-pilot that often but whenever I do, the fix is reasonably quick.

[Q] Data turns on by itself

Hi,
I suddenly developed an issue a few weeks ago where the data connection will, apparently randomly, turn itself on. I haven't ever been lucky enough to catch it right when the data comes on, and when I check task manager I don't see any applications running to cause it. I am thinking I either inherited a virus at some point, or an application that is attempting to update itself or something. But I haven't installed anything for months so it could be any old program. I checked scheduled tasks but don't see anything there.
I have done 'the usual' of making sure weather, stocks, email are not causing it.
What I am wondering is if there is an application out there that will log my activity so I can see what services or applications ran that day.
Many thanks in advance for any help or ideas.

Check to see if AGPS is on -- I've noticed with some GPS apps (CoPilot Live, Google Maps) that if AGPS is on, turning on the GPS will initiate a data connection. If that's the issue, turning AGPS off should take care of it.

Thanks for the AGPS suggestion. I do use QuickGPS, but have it set to prompt, not to auto download (but it does start a data connection when I do use it, and it doesn't turn it off when it's done). So, I don't think that's the problem in my case, but I appreciate the reply.

[Q] Nexus won't see GPS satellites

I've had the nexus toro (LTE) for 5 days now and have had issues with the GPS since the start. It simply says 'searching' all the time and will not lock. I've installed GPS status, and it shows that it rarely if every sees a satellite (one might pop up, be gray for a second, then disappear).
Here's a pic comparing my OG droid to the nexus right next to each other:
imgur.com/VFc3s
(sorry i'm not allowed to post links yet)
Anyone have any ideas? I've turned GPS on/off, reset the gps cache using GPS Status, and can't think of anything else.

I have the same problem gps locks less than 50% of the time.
Galaxy nexus s LTE.

Its the same on the GSM version. Not much you can do about it unfortunately.

http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1387263
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1393678

I feel like a dolt because I chatted with Samsung support and they had me soft-restart which fixed the issue.

thespot84 said:
I feel like a dolt because I chatted with Samsung support and they had me soft-restart which fixed the issue.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Don't; that is not a solution. On my Samsung Fascinate soft restarts would help get a lock on, but shortly after the GPS would lose connection to satellites.
Having to restart your phone every time you need to use GPS is a ridiculous inconvenience. This seems to be a major flaw in the chips / radios that Samsung chooses for GPS.

i get gps locks in 2-3 seconds.works fine.

I'm glad to see others are noticing this problem. I posted a thread in another forum complaining about this:
http://www.droidforums.net/forum/ga...ssions/189067-problem-nexus-locating-gps.html
Does anyone know if this is definitely a hardware issue? Is it possible that it's a bug in Google Maps that's causing the problem with ICS?

It doesn't have to be Google Maps it self. I have it in other apps as well which use the GPS.
Might be hardware, might not.

One of the main reasons I upgraded from the Galaxy S (fassy) was that it's GPS chip went from working not very well to not working at all. If I'm paying for a smart phone, I would like a to have GPS and maps.
So far I have not been disappointed with the GNex's GPS at all. Maybe I lucked out. Try downloading GPSfix from the market and see if that helps.

I have the exact same problem here in Sweden, went for a run and it would not lock on to any satellites at all during half an hour. Really disappointing, thinking of returning it due to this...
Has anybody found a solution to the problem maybe???

was having same problem
Hello fellow GNex users having the GPS issue.
I was having a GPS problem as well where when using Google Maps or Navigation, the GPS status would say 'searching for GPS' forever.. maybe after 10 minutes it would get a lock and operate normally after that.
I downloaded an app from the android market called GPS Test to try to get some better idea of what could be going on.
When I ran the app, I noticed my phone would pick up a few satellites (satellites in view) usually 4 or 5 satellites, but it would never use them, they would just appear as in view without being used for a location, and the GPS test app was never able to report my location. From within the GPS app settings I was able to clear aGPS and update aGPS, but the same behavior would reoccur where the satellites would be in view but would not be used for location.
I tried toggling Wi-Fi, clearing out other location methods, and even going into airplane mode to use GPS only, but same behavior.
What I finally did was clear aGPS once more and then immediately power off the phone, pull the battery, wait a couple minutes and then replace battery and power back on.
Upon going back into GPS test, I did an update aGPS, and then I started to immediately pick up satellites and use them for location. Toggling all the same data connectivity settings (Wi-Fi, location using towers, airplane mode etc) I was continuing to get the same positive response.
I have tried to use google maps and google navigation again and am getting near immediate GPS locks. Comparing this to my Nexus One, the lock is much faster and with about the same accuracy.
This seemed to solve my problem for now, I hope it might help anyone else.
Phone information:
Verizon Galaxy Nexus
Stock Android ICS 4.0.2 Build ICL53F

subsonicbug got it right...
I had the same problem of never syncing GPS, I follow the suggested method and voilà 2 secs GPS sync...
You save my day
Thank you

My gnex was having similar issues, after reboot it would lock quickly, but after a while it would take forever and never lock
Been using this to reset / download agps and it helps a ton!
https://market.android.com/details?id=com.eclipsim.gpsstatus2

subsonicbug's method was the only thing that got my GPS back to usability after several very frustrating days during which my GNex could barely see two or three satellites (and not get a fix on any of them) even under an open cloudless sky.
He or she is clearly on to something...now let's hope that we (and by "we" I mean people way more knowledgeable than me) can figure out why a significant number of Galaxy Nexus devices get so far out of whack that only a soft GPS state reset followed by a battery pull can get GPS working again.

there's actually an easier way that doesn't involve a battery pull. download the app "gps status & toolbox", press menu, tools, "manage a-gps state", reset, after a soft reboot go back into the app, follow the same process but instead of pressing "reset" press "download" after the download you should be good to go. hope this helps!

FasterFix works for me, make sure you have busybox installed.

The unit I'm currently using says location unavailable after resets, pulls, wipes. Hardware problem? I do get intermittent flashes of use.

Here is a fix that may work. I had the same problem and this worked for me, got a gps lock with gmaps in less than a minute. I have the VZW GNex, rooted bootloader unlocked, works with any rom.
Conditions needed:
1. Phone needs to be rooted, I believe, if you have success with out root please share.
2.file explorer, I use root explorer
Now follow these steps:
1. Open root explorer, or any other file explorer
2. Navigate to /etc
3. Ensure the system is mounted r/w, if using root explorer press mount r/w
4. Open gps.conf with text editor
5. The first line will say NTP_SERVER=north-america.pool.ntp.org. Where it says north-america it could list a different continent depending on your location.
6. Edit this line by removing the north-america
7. It should now read NTP_SERVER=pool.ntp.org
8. Save the file and exit
Now open open any app requiring GPS and you should get an instant lock, or pretty close to instant.

hmm my issues seems sorta wiered too -.-
http://g.co/maps/apn3k
tracks seem always loosing lock and so does navigation and other tools

gps lock

Can someone recommend a good gps app that doesn't rely on Google Navigation? Google maps wouldn't lock any satellites on 4.1.2 and it works even less in kit kat. My wife had a very important doctors appointment today and we almost missed it because it was the 1st time using the navigation on kit kat and to my dismay, it's still garbage!
And I refuse to play the blame game between AT&T and LG as to who is to blame and needs to fix it.

First, let it do an initial fix. Install GPS Status & Toolbox from Play (or don't, use Maps application you already have), go out, enable High precision location (if using Maps, tap on My location button) and wait for a fix. It takes around 5 minutes, if device's GPS wasn't initialised. If devices GPS was initialised but can't get a fix, I suggest installing GPS Status and check the number of available satelites.
osmand uses OpenStreetMap, so you may try with that.

zamajalo said:
First, let it do an initial fix. Install GPS Status & Toolbox from Play (or don't, use Maps application you already have), go out, enable High precision location (if using Maps, tap on My location button) and wait for a fix. It takes around 5 minutes, if device's GPS wasn't initialised. If devices GPS was initialised but can't get a fix, I suggest installing GPS Status and check the number of available satelites.
osmand uses OpenStreetMap, so you may try with that.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks zamajalo. I think that may have worked but I didn't test it by going for a drive. But I do have to go into town tomorrow so I'll test it on the road then. But so you know, it's connecting to 10 out of 22 satellites. I applied the fix from gps status but also used another app called gps fix so who knows which one did the trick....lol.

cougar214 said:
Thanks zamajalo. I think that may have worked but I didn't test it by going for a drive. But I do have to go into town tomorrow so I'll test it on the road then. But so you know, it's connecting to 10 out of 22 satellites. I applied the fix from gps status but also used another app called gps fix so who knows which one did the trick....lol.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I usually have a lock on 8 to 10 satellites on open, so that's pretty much OK. If you get a location fix, there should be no more problems.

Yeah it did the location fix but it said something about it only lasting a couple days?

What exactly? I've never seen that message on my phone or others.

When it downloads the extra content for the gps fix. it gives some disclaimer about how it may only last a couple days before having to download the content again. But it doesn't matter. It didn't work. It kept dropping the gps signal every two minutes and the screen would hardly refresh and show the direction properly. It just sits on the starting screen(your starting point), tells me how far down the road to go, then drops signal, doesn't give you directions anymore, and when it finally does pick up the gps signal it takes forever for it to "recalculate" your position. Oh and losing the signal again. Did I mention losing the signal?....lol
This happened with 4.1.2 also so it leads me to believe it's not a software issue but rather a hardware issue. I:E LG sucks for gps!