I'm on my third G1. The first one died to some strange graphics issue where the screen would go completely pixilated and wacky on me. I think the graphics processor was overheating. On the second one the touch screen died about the same time the speaker in started buzzing during calls.
Luckly because TMobile extends your warranty 90 days every time you get a new phone, I've only had to pay for shipping. I got the latest one, and immediately installed Cyanogen 4.2.5 on it. No problems. Then I followed Michael Mayhew's instructions for the maps update to get Navigation.
I can't get the GPS to work at all. I've since tried going back to RC29, or the base Cyanogen 4.2.5 without the maps hack. I've tried other GPS applications such as the Chartcross GPSTest. I can't get a read at all on any of them. I don't know if it was working before the updates, because I never tried to use maps before I installed the mod.
So I'm wondering somehow a radio update was applied that broke this phone, or if there is anything I can do to change the gps drivers around. Anyone with similar GPS failure issues?
I don't really want to return this one as I've only had it one day!
Yes, similar issues. No solution thus far. I also did not test GPS before flashing. OOPS?!? And now it no longer works, but I can't tell if that was the case to begin with.
I followed the same procedure (CM 4.2.5, Navigation mod), and had the same result--broken GPS. "My Location" not working, "Searching for GPS" forever, etc.
So two possibilities I can see:
1) hardware problem w/GPS
2) one or a combination of CM 4.2.5 + Nav = broken GPS
I have seen a few people on these boards say their GPS doesn't work all of a sudden. In fact, there are stock Droid owners with issues.
Can anybody chime in?
Hmmm
So for about 10 minutes on Friday it started working again. Totally random, I have no idea why. I was at a party and decided to see if it was working. All of a sudden I had signal (using GPSTest) and google maps found my location.
I've since tried it several times, rebooting, and doing a bunch of other stuff. I can't get it working again. Total fluke! So frustrating!
Well now the new version of google maps is in the market. I've successfully installed that one but still no GPS.
Im having the same issue on my G1 right now. Sorry for the Zombie thread, but did this ever get resolved?
I've had the gps fail on my phone and others I know have also. The g1 seems to have issues with the gps antenna strip breaking internally so one minute you'll have reception, the next.. nothing. Only solution is to find a new antenna strip and replace it (good luck!)
Aside from possible hardware failures, the GPS units on these phones tend to be very weak. Sometimes it *IS* impossible to get a strong enough signal to lock on, even when out in the open if there is something nearby that can reflect the GPS signals.
However note that these are AGPS devices, which means that with a cell connection and a data connection, and given that google knows the coordinates of the cell tower you are connected to, it is able to load assistance data (almanac + accurate time synchronization via NTP), and this will *GREATLY* improve your chances of getting a good lock and greatly reduce the time it takes.
Woil said:
I'm on my third G1. The first one died to some strange graphics issue where the screen would go completely pixilated and wacky on me. I think the graphics processor was overheating. On the second one the touch screen died about the same time the speaker in started buzzing during calls.
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Click to collapse
I doubt that it was the GPU overheating. Your phone would burn your hand if it got that hot.
The in-call buzzing could be corrected by shifting the screen a little bit while it is happening. It is related to GSM interference with the speaker. The speaker is literally playing the radio waves emitted by the phone. The touchscreen issue was probably a broken cable... also related to moving the screen.
Luckly because TMobile extends your warranty 90 days every time you get a new phone, I've only had to pay for shipping. I got the latest one, and immediately installed Cyanogen 4.2.5 on it. No problems. Then I followed Michael Mayhew's instructions for the maps update to get Navigation.
I can't get the GPS to work at all. I've since tried going back to RC29, or the base Cyanogen 4.2.5 without the maps hack. I've tried other GPS applications such as the Chartcross GPSTest. I can't get a read at all on any of them. I don't know if it was working before the updates, because I never tried to use maps before I installed the mod.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Note that you are getting refurbs....
So I'm wondering somehow a radio update was applied that broke this phone, or if there is anything I can do to change the gps drivers around. Anyone with similar GPS failure issues?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What radio version are you running?
I've also had no luck getting a GPS signal ever since I installed hacked navigation... I wonder if that's the problem? Has anyone tried removing the hacked navigation, to see if that solves the problem?
BTW, the problem started on CM 4.1 with EBI0 radio (2.22.19.26I), and still persists with CM 5.0.7... Has anyone tried upgrading their radio to 2.22.23.02? How about the folks that have gone back to the Updated Rogers EBI1 Radio (3.22.26.17)?
I have been having the "searching for gps" problem as long as I can remember (although I just got this phone a month or two ago)....I remember trying to install the hacked navigation or something so maybe that messed it up?...this phone was never opened, and I would hate to have to open it up to see if it is a hardware issue because I may not put it back as it was. IDK what to do, I even started a thread about it and tried every solution I could find and nothing worked for me....
I wish someone could chime in here with some insight...but it is also nice to hear others with this issue and their advice/ideas also...
Has anyone tried un-rooting and returning the phone back to complete stock and wiping everything ? has that worked for anyone?
Related
Hello people. Tried to search the forum for this but nothing came up. I have a swedish Xperia and have flashed it a couple of times with different roms but have now returned to stock spl and what I think is the original rom.
Didnt have problems with the GPS in the beginning and it started causing problems when I started flashing, working now and then. Now I have no function what so ever.
Anyone got an idea?
Is it possible to "update" the phone wia the sony ericsson update utility to the original rom, my roms doesnt feel so original, dont even have a calculator.
My GPS doesnt seem to work very well either.. Even with newly downloaded GPS Satellite info, it cant seem to find a lock :\
Nippero said:
My GPS doesnt seem to work very well either.. Even with newly downloaded GPS Satellite info, it cant seem to find a lock :\
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Click to collapse
That's what Im saying. Have you been flashing yours or is it straight from the box?
Sticky a GPS thread?
I propose that one of these GPS problem threads be made sticky since we cannot simply search "GPS" here and the GPS problems seem to be accumulating.
With that said, I would have to say that my GPS performance is pretty terrible. At first, it felt like doing the QuickGPS thing and/or deleting the xtra.bin file helped. For the most part, though, getting a lock has proven quite sporadic. What should the expectation here be? Should I expect the GPS to work reliably indoors? What about if I am near a window? Why would it work in some buildings near a window and not in others?
My personal opinion is that the GPS should work within 15-20 feet of a window. Using Chartcross GPS Test, even when the GPS is locked, I am getting mostly yellow bars. I am not exactly sure what a good reading looks like on Chartcross, but there appears to be a 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100% bar. Maybe the 25% bar is 100%? In any event, I rarely have a satellite that is getting above what I suspect to be 30%.
Is there a thread somewhere that details what the various fields mean and/or should read in Chartcross or a similar utility? I am coming up on my 30 days to return the phone, so if someone thinks that my device may be defective please speak up!
Thanks as always XDA-ers!
got a new phone from tmo today...rooted it, flashed jf1.5, flashed new spl, moved apps and dalvik cache to sd...smooth sailing...redownloaded all my apps from sd and from market, still good...went to google maps and it cant find my location using gps...cellular location still good though...and yes, I did enable gps in the settings...so I reflashed did everything as before and still no go...did I just get a defective G1 or is there something I can fix? Thanks for any help guys!
BTW, my old phone, before it got wet, worked great with all the same settings and same ROM...
GPS can be iffy. Some locations are just prone to bad GPS acquisition. I went to visit my parents last night, real hard to get a fix in their backyard, but eventually it did. Tried at a friend's apartment building, anywhere NEAR it, its impossible to get a fix. Probably something to do with signal reflection. Other times, it'll lock on within a couple of seconds.
Your radio and firmware version are also important. The newer versions seem to lock on to GPS a lot easier. You say that you have jf1.5 -- the latest is 1.51, and can you confirm that you have the latest (official, not the hacked phone killer) radio installed?
lbcoder said:
GPS can be iffy. Some locations are just prone to bad GPS acquisition. I went to visit my parents last night, real hard to get a fix in their backyard, but eventually it did. Tried at a friend's apartment building, anywhere NEAR it, its impossible to get a fix. Probably something to do with signal reflection. Other times, it'll lock on within a couple of seconds.
Your radio and firmware version are also important. The newer versions seem to lock on to GPS a lot easier. You say that you have jf1.5 -- the latest is 1.51, and can you confirm that you have the latest (official, not the hacked phone killer) radio installed?
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I do have jf1.51...and the latest radio...and the latest SPL...my old phone didnt have this problem...I kept all my settings(thank you MYBACKUP PRO) so essentially everything is the same, except for the phone...and the same spots where I used to be able to get a fix with my gps(even indoors) I dont get anything....must be the phone...and if it is...any fixes you guys know about?
just got off the phone with a tmo rep re: my gps issue....I explained to him that I used to be able to get a gps lock on my old phone in seconds indoors and out but not with this replacement phone and he says to me well I have a g1 here with me and Im not able to get a gps lock...I told him that it's probably because he's inside a building with lots of electrical interference and other buildings blocking the reception...i also told him that I was able to use TeleNav with my old phone along with other apps that required gps...and he suggests to me to call TeleNav because it might be a problem with their app...oy...he also suggests to me to go to a tmo store where they have demo phones and we could compare gps signals....oy...I also told him that that I used google maps as a navigation tool before but not anymore since I cant get a gps lock anywhere...and he just tells me to try the tmo store...oy...i might need to unroot this phone and return it to tmo, I guess....
My GPS hasn't been working for a while now, and I always assumed it was a 1software issue. I've tried SBFing to .340, .602, CM7, and am currently on MIUI.. all with no luck. Long story short, it was a hardware issue.
I noticed while holding the phone in a certain way with the battery cover off, I would get a fix on all satellites almost instantly (using GPS Status). After some testing, I found that putting pressure on the piece of plastic between the battery pull tab and SD card was the solution.
With a little MacGyver ingenuity (folded a movie stub in half, placed on that spot, and put the cover back on), I now have perfect GPS reception, indoors and out.
I'm not sure if this is the issue for everyone with a Droid X and GPS problems, but it should at the very least help some.
Please take the poll and spread the word if this is a solution for you. I know I'm not the only one who has thought about tossing my phone out the window over this issue.
It works!
Wow. Just wow.
I have been having GPS problems on my Droid X for months now. I had tried almost everything: Formatting SD card, downloading AGPS data, wiping cache, factory reset, different ROMs, etc.
NOTHING WORKED
I was about to give up, but today I had some free time before work so I thought I would give it another, final, shot. I Googled the problem for the umpteenth time and found your post. "Interesting," I thought to myself, "I've never thought of trying that."
So I popped off my batter cover and with the GPS test app running applied a small amount of pressure on the little plastic peg located below the pull tab.
INSTANTLY GPS test picked up seven different satellites! I jumped out of my chair I was so excited! I instantly decided to create an XDA account (I've been a lurker for about a year now) just so that I could thank you! I loved using my GPS so much because I am horrible when driving in places that I'm not familiar with, it was such a downer to not be able to use it, I felt like my phone was only at 75% without it.
But you changed all of that!
I love you!
I want to hug you!
+1000 Internets/cookies/kudos to you, good sir!
May you have the best Karma for the rest of your life!
Sincerely,
An extremely happy, GPS renewed, Droid X user
interesting. I usually find that GPS problems are rom related 9 out of 10 times.
I like my GPS too I've always known my network and GPS issues to be rom related. I'll have to see how that works next time. Thanks for sharing your discovery.
Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk
I didn't believe it at first... but he's right!
I had my doubts when I read about the "pressure fix" to my DX GPS problem. I did a lot of testing and it works. I was able to get 8-9 satellite fixes in 4-8 seconds. As soon as I let off on the pressure all satellites were lost usually right away but sometimes I had the fix for 15-20 seconds. When I put the battery cover on I also lost satellites right away. I found I could also apply pressure through the battery cover and get a fix within 10 seconds.
I called VZW tech support and after I convinced the first tier script reader that I indeed had a problem that they couldn't fix I went to tier two. He asked a few questions and I told him my woes (but not the pressure fix) and he immediately sent out a replacement phone. The replacement works great... fixes in seconds even inside a steel hulled ferry boat!
Something else you can try is updating your roaming capabilities. dial *228 and press 2. Seemed to help a lot with me. Getting several satellites within 5-10 seconds, vs. 20 minutes before lol
If you are having the gps issue on all roms and pressure makes it work, it's more than likely a cold solder joint an I would get the phone replaced under warranty.
bizarre
I just wanted to say I have this same problem on the same phone. I noticed if I touch the back of my phone in a certain area, the GPS lights up and everything works great. If I take my finger off it, the GPS loses me. It is just bizarre... I am calling them tomorrow for a replacement phone but I wanted to say thanks for posting this because I thought I was going nuts!
edit: I cut off a strip of a thin cardboard price tag from a pair of jeans I bought a few weeks ago and inserted it into the back of the phone like the OP stated, closed the battery case, and now I have eleven satellites. If I take out the piece of cardboard they all go away. I had been looking for a solution for weeks and now, finally, joy!
Yeah I knew that issue for awhile. Atleast 7 or 8 months. It will help with wifi issues too. I remember at one point my friend was going threw droid x's like there nothing. There has to be something loose up there. I wanted to open it up and try to find a real fix but just never cared. I figured if i lose wifi or need gps i know the quick fix.
Thank you!!!
I started having gps issues right around the time I started rooting and roming so I assumed it was the roms. I tried flashing the fixes but nothing worked. I even temporarily went back to stock but it didn't fix the gps problem. I found this today and immediately fixed the problem. I used my gps the whole day and haven't had a problem. If something changes I will be sure to come back and let all of you know.
You know... it might be caused by doing multiple battery pulls which is something you tend to do a lot when first learning to rom your phone.
Me too
My wife and I both have DroidX original flavour, and both have had the GPS stop working after about a year. To call it annoying would be an understatement. Both phones are unrooted, have the latest update on them (4.5.621.MB810).
Our symptoms were they same - you start up GPS and start Navigator or Google Maps, and for the first two minutes, everything was fine. And then the GPS looses the signal and there is nothing you can do to bring it back.
I had read on another board that Weatherbug caused a lot of problems with the GPS, and after uninstalling that (and installing Weather.com's app), the GPS actually did start working better, but it would still loose the signal permanently most of the time.
I actually went through uninstalling everything else on my phone trying to figure out which of the 100 apps I have installed that had messed up the GPS, and still had no signal. And then I read this post.
I'm going to add another variable to this fix, and that would be heat. Taking off the batter cover works for me, but I have also noticed that on hot, sunny days, when the phone is in the car dock, there is almost nothing I can do to get the GPS to work. But at night, when the phone is cool, even without taking the cover off and applying pressure to the knob next to the pull tab, the GPS seems to work almost flawlessly.
I'm going to call Verizon tomorrow to see if I can get replacements for both my wife's and mine phone. I don't know if they will, considering my wife's phone is almost two years old, but we can't wait until July when her replacement discount becomes available for her to have a usable GPS. Considering this seems to be a design flaw in the original DroidX given the sheer number of postings all of the internet describing the exact same problem, I'm thinking they had better replace them for free.
Thank you for this post!! You've solved a problem that has been bugging us for months, and now that I know its an endemic problem, you probably saved us a LOT of money!
I know this is an old post, but I am looking for any suggestions to get my GPS working again. I have tried with the cover pulled and applying pressure to the plastic piece and have had no luck, I get no satellites. I have updated roaming capabilities, I have changes ROMS, still to no avail. I have used GPS Status to reset and download A-GPS state and it will not work. The GPS never finds any satellites indoors or out. I have tried flashing a baseband radio and had no luck doing that either.
Any other ideas would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks
Hi everyone!
I bought a used N4 off ebay and received it last week .. I have yet to get any sat locks. I read about aGPS not working with LTE and since I did the LTE mod. I decided to try the latest radio and I still dont get any locks *aGPS worked*. I went on a hour long drive yesterday and not once did I get a lock with the latest radio. I changed my NTP server to a US based one. I also tried several different kernels *including stock* each with a full wipe in between
Anyone have any ideas for me to try?
I was told the back was replaced so I wonder if that may be causing a issue? also have a issue with my wifi range that I'll make a separate thread for.
Thanks for at least reading!
Ebay listing said this "This phone has a replacement back glass WITHOUT wireless charging or NFC capabilities." which I dont really care about just want to be able to use gps , HTC ONE s and Sensation had awesome GPS maybe im just spoiled
HeXDeMoN said:
Hi everyone!
I bought a used N4 off ebay and received it last week .. I have yet to get any sat locks. I read about aGPS not working with LTE and since I did the LTE mod. I decided to try the latest radio and I still dont get any locks *aGPS worked*. I went on a hour long drive yesterday and not once did I get a lock with the latest radio. I changed my NTP server to a US based one. I also tried several different kernels *including stock* each with a full wipe in between
Anyone have any ideas for me to try?
I was told the back was replaced so I wonder if that may be causing a issue? also have a issue with my wifi range that I'll make a separate thread for.
Thanks for at least reading!
Ebay listing said this "This phone has a replacement back glass WITHOUT wireless charging or NFC capabilities." which I dont really care about just want to be able to use gps , HTC ONE s and Sensation had awesome GPS maybe im just spoiled
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Did you try another rom or even revert to stock to get off of LTE?
Edit: I am on LTE and I get sat locks without an issue. Maybe the you are missing the antennaes for gps as well?
Going back to complete stock
Using this guide : http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=2010312
I'll test the gps on my way home from work in a few minutes.
Hoping it will work.
Using bone stock rom/kernel/ect. I was able to get a lock in at 10 meters in the parking lot but when I started driving it lost gps signal and then was like 120 meters *aGPS*.... so I'm going with my gps chip may be defective or the back that this guy used is interfering with the gps signal.
Also I noticed while running maps all the way home with GPS enabled/running it got real hot on the upper middle back of the phone , right next to the camera. Way hotter then it does if im playing games for a hour+
My regular phone reception is good though its probably a little stronger then my HTC One S.
Anyone have any ideas I should try?
Hey folks. Realized today google maps stuck in one place and i cant navigate. Gps is on but it shows greyed out icon. Other navigation igo nextgen also can't find gps. Well it finds couple towers and maps also show my current position sorta but will not navigate (can't give directions and just sits in one place). It's driving me nuts i can't figure it out. Anybody had ussues like this?
timoshina said:
Hey folks. Realized today google maps stuck in one place and i cant navigate. Gps is on but it shows greyed out icon. Other navigation igo nextgen also can't find gps. Well it finds couple towers and maps also show my current position sorta but will not navigate (can't give directions and just sits in one place). It's driving me nuts i can't figure it out. Anybody had ussues like this?
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Click to collapse
What model do you have? I have the T-Mobile h918 on 10J firmware and I have issues like this on certain ROMs. MEGArom has given me this issue the most times. WETA did this one or twice and I don't remember stock giving me this issue but it's been so long since I've been on stock that I don't remember.
It only gives me an issue if I do power saver or device GPS only. If I do high accuracy then it starts working immediately
I'm beginning to think it's my hardware
KUSOsan said:
What model do you have? I have the T-Mobile h918 on 10J firmware and I have issues like this on certain ROMs. MEGArom has given me this issue the most times. WETA did this one or twice and I don't remember stock giving me this issue but it's been so long since I've been on stock that I don't remember.
It only gives me an issue if I do power saver or device GPS only. If I do high accuracy then it starts working immediately
I'm beginning to think it's my hardware
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Click to collapse
ok after a couple of days going nuts, I've found what the problem was. I bought my phone off ebay. It's almost new but had a ding at the bottom plastic housing (trim). So i bought a new one. While it was coming, i rooted the phone and the very next day got the new housing. I came with the top trim too. so I've replaced both. Done messing around with the phone, set it all up. the end. nope. Until one morning i couldn't navigate anywhere and that's when the crazy days started with flashing, trying different things etc. long story short, this f-ing top housing trim wasn't genuine and so it happens to be a gps ANTENA. So the moment you unscrew those 4 screws and take it off, gps stops working, period. I accidentally found out about it while i was ready to return the phone and putting the old trim back. Now the location locks in 3 seconds, like it used to. So there you have it, in case anybody needs this, i bet this is the cure for any gps signal issues.