GPS Fix (revised)

[cmgeek]

Well, if your Charge is anything like mind, the GPS seems to take FOREVER to lock (find your location). The issue is that Samsung (and many other vendors) use a slower satellite location setting. Piizzadude posted a program in another thread that is suppose to fix this, but the problem is it doesn't work for many people with or without the newest leak. With the help of Piizzadude we found a way around that program and achieve the same results. So I decided to start a thread on how to speed up the GPS lock if you are having problems.


First, you must be rooted. You can download a program to double check to make sure you are rooted and have busybox installed.

https://market.android.com/details?id=com.joeykrim.rootcheck&feature=search_result


Now on to fixing the issue. I would try this program first, as it is much easier to use than the next method I'm going to describe.
FasterFix is a program that will speed up the lock on your GPS. Just install it (again, you must be rooted and have busybox installed) and the rest is self explanatory.

https://market.android.com/details?id=com.Double.FasterFix&feature=search_result


Ok, now if that program didn't work (you just got a blank screen), then try this new method.

First, download Root Explorer (not the free version)

https://market.android.com/details?id=com.speedsoftware.rootexplorer&feature=search_result

Or you can go to the amazon app store and get it for only $0.99

Amazon.com: Root Explorer: Appstore for Android


Second, download this file hosted by Piizzadude to your SD Card. It's the same file that Fasterfix would create, but you are just doing this manually.

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/17789768/gps.conf


Next, go into Root explorer and navigate to your SD card, copy and paste the GPS.conf file to your /etc folder.
This might sound confusing, but it's not.

1. Just open root explorer
2. find 'SDCard'
3. Long press on the file 'gps.conf' and select 'copy' (you will notice a little bar comes up with paste)
4. Now click back
5. find the folder called 'etc"
6. Once inside that folder click "mount R/W" at the top of the screen
7. Now click the past button at the bottom of the screen. The program will prompt you to overwite and click YES


Last but not least, you must reboot your phone.

This is an awesome fix, and again a big thanks to Piizzadude for hosting the file. My GPS now locks in under 30 seconds.

 

[anon(94115)]

Nice writeup, TY

The only other thing I want to add is not only the lock quicker, it is more accurate as well. I went from being within 20 yards to within 20 feet of my house.

 

[Halo]

Well I'm heading out to my deer stand today to check my trail cam and replenish my bait pile. I just followed these steps and I'll give it a try today. I'll report back tomorrow with my results. I also plan on using MyTracks to record my route while I'm walking through the woods. We'll see how accurate it is.

 

[Kopter]

Second, download this file hosted by Piizzadude to your SD Card. It's the same file that Fasterfix would create, but you are just doing this manually.

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/17789768/gps.conf

This looks great and I would like to try the fix. However, the link above seems to be broken. Or is it just me; pre coffee??
Thanks! AND keep up the great work!

 

[Halo]

Well it performed fantastic yesterday. I recorded my route with MyTracks and it was spot on.

 

[cmgeek]

Kopter, the link is working for me. Make sure you right-click, save as, to download the file. Then put it on your SD card.

 

[Halo]

This looks great and I would like to try the fix. However, the link above seems to be broken. Or is it just me; pre coffee??
Thanks! AND keep up the great work!

I opened it up with Dolphin Browser. Then I went to More > Save Page > Save As: gps.conf

 

[Kopter]

Kopter, the link is working for me. Make sure you right-click, save as, to download the file. Then put it on your SD card.

Thanks. Didn't work the first few times with my stock browser. Used Skyfire and poof! DONE!

THANK you for being patient with me --an over-caffeinated (finally)-- NOOB Android newb.

(why didn't I dump my Blackberry months ago????? Things are so much easier now!!)

 

[cmgeek]

Cool. Sorry, haven't made the leap to dolphin yet. Been pretty happy with the GB browser. Glad you got it downloaded and saved. Let me know if you have any other questions.

 

[shobuddy]

Piizzadude posted a program in another thread that is suppose to fix this

Got a link? I'm not rooted and would love to find the gps fix.

 

[cmgeek]

Got a link? I'm not rooted and would love to find the gps fix.

FasterFix is the program, but you must be rooted to fix the GPS issue with either this program, or the manual way.

https://market.android.com/details?id=com.Double.FasterFix&feature=search_result

 

[anon(94115)]

hey sorry I havent participated much in this thread but I will not move that file (I have plenty of space and only a few things up there) so if the link doesnt work, drop me a PM or something and I will try to get it to you direct.

 

[cmgeek]

Sorry Piizzadude, I didn't even ask if I could keep using your dropbox link. Thanks for sharing.

 

[anon(94115)]

no issue, like I said I got nothing up there so it isnt a big deal. it is one of those things that I have just to have, and for an emergency reflash.

 

[Anderain]

Awesome, definitely a noticeable improvement! Thanks!!!

 

[ups2525]

Im a UPS cover driver and daily in a new set of area codes. I rely heavily on my DC and Google maps. I came from Droid X 2 and gps via Google maps was spot on witihin seconds. I immediately noticed going to the DC that getting gps to locate me took forever and man with as much as I needed it I was frustrated to say the least. I manually saved the file in the etc file via Root Explorer and I tested it out and it took a whopping 12 seconds to get a lock on my location. This works! Thank you very much for sharing...as I mentioned previously I depend heavily on getting a quick gps lock on my location therefore you have made getting my job done a heck of a lot easier. THX AGAIN!

 

[anon(94115)]

Hey no problem and this time I am gonna say that I speak for CM and say you are welcome and glad it helped

 

[TourATL]

I'm not rooted, otherwise I'd love to try this. I'll just add though that my GPS went from a reasonable lock time ~ seconds to basically broken ~minutes to lock, about 2 weeks or so ago.
Googling around a bit suggested disabling "VZW location services" in the GPS settings. I tried that and it helped a lot, got me back to at least where the phone was from the factory. Not sure how they got enabled, maybe an accidental swipe, maybe it was the recent Google maps update or something.

Anyway, I'm still probably slower than you rooted guys, but just thought I'd share. Hope this isn't a threadjack.

 

[anon(94115)]

no not a thread jack at all, if you go into settings---> location and security you will see three seperate settings. Google services, VZW services and Standalone. If you check all three, the upside is that you will get a better and faster lock, the downside is that you will drain the battery faster, the worst part is that if you are not rooted this is the only route to go.....

 

[cmgeek]

From what I've read the GPS is the best by far (location within a few meters). Google Services will find you best if you are on WiFi since Google gathers this information when they do their street view (they capture surrounding WiFi signals and GPS location). The VZW Service will attempt to triangulate your location based on cell towers (known as A-GPS). This is far from accurate (within a mile). You will need VZW service if you use VZ Navigator. Hope this helps.