[Landshark]

***ATTENTION, FOR CLARIFICATION. I DID NOT COME UP WITH THIS METHOD OR DEVELOP IT. I AM SIMPLY SHARING THE INFORMATION HERE AT ANDROID CENTRAL. ALL CREDIT FOR THIS GOES TO CALEBV2 OVER AT XDA FOR THE ORIGINAL SCRIPT FOR THIS GPS FIX, IMNUTS FOR THE ZIP FILE VERSION FLASHABLE IN CWM, AND SYN ACK FOR THE EASY TO COPY AND PASTE SCRIPT. I HAVE INCLUDED EACH OF THEIR OP'S FROM XDA SO EVERYONE HERE GETS THE RESPECTIVE ORIGINAL INSTRUCTIONS.***

Hacking is done at your own risk. Neither I nor Android Central are
responsible for anything that users do to their phones. That being said, have fun and I hope this helps everyone
the way it has helped me.

Hey everyone,
As you know I spend a ton of time just scouring the AC Fascinate forums trying to help whoever I can. Well I've also been scouring the XDA Fascinate forums and happened upon this gem which, surprisingly, hasn't gotten a whole lot of attention over there. For anyone who still has GPS problems or doesn't really have any GPS problems, but still wouldn't mind seeing an improvement, this is for you. I'm not guaranteeing this will work for everyone, I just know I thought I had outstanding GPS performance until I came upon this MOD, and now I KNOW for a fact I have outstanding GPS performance. The original script modification was discovered by calebv2 and posted over at XDA, so once again full credit goes to him, I am just sharing it with everyone here at AC. I sent calebv2 a PM at XDA asking him if it was OK for me to post his info over here at AC. If he has a problem with it I will ask the Mods to remove this thread, but I will also ask calebv2 to post a thread here at AC with the same info. So here it is:

OP can be found here:

For those of us that are not getting better gps on EC01 or various ROMs like me this fix is for you.

Instructions:
With Root Explorer (or similar app)

go to /etc/gps.conf

In Root Explorer long press on the file and select open in text editor

Change the first line from:

NTP_SERVER=north-america.pool.ntp.org to NTP_SERVER=us.pool.ntp.org

Then Download GPS aids from the market and run that for even better results

Save changes and reboot

GPS aids:(Click or use QR code)



ENJOY

Later in caleb's thread, one of the outstanding devs imnuts posted this zip file flashable through CWM:

Just so people know, the /etc directory is just a symlink to /system/etc. Also, here is a CWM flashable zip that will put the gps.conf file in place with the edit to us.pool.ntp.org

GPS_FIX.zip:


Then even further in the thread, Syn Ack posted the following with a script you download then copy and paste into the appropriate location:

Instanfrickingtaneously locked!

I did a small favor and decided to upload the edited file.

All you do is download this and copy it to your /etc folder using your choice of a Root Explorer method, or ADB or whatever you do.

OP you may place this in your original post if you want.



*Oh and also you can now use the dropdown status bar GPS icon to ACTUALLY turn the GPS on. You used to have to go to Settings in recent Froyo releases.

EDIT - Sorry everyone I was pretty tired when I finally posted this. All three methods are essentially the same thing. The instructions calebv2 posted in his OP was the first method posted. Imnuts then packaged the script change and the process into a flashable zip file. Then Syn Ack packaged the script into file you can copy and paste into place. If you use method 1 or 2 through Root Explorer, you will need to toggle the R/O, R/W tab at the top of the page in Root Explorer to allow you to paste the file where it needs to go. With method 2 all you need to do is flash the zip file in clockworkmod recovery (cwm.) If you use methods 2 or 3, don't forget to download GPS Aids from the market after doing either method then saving the changes in GPS Aids. It's pretty self explanatory once you open GPS Aids. Sorry for any confusion.

As I said above, I did not come up with any of this and am not trying to claim credit for any of it or pass it off as my own work. I just want everyone here at AC to have a chance to benefit from this. I have only used the method in calebv2's OP, but based upon what I have seen from imnuts and Syn Ack at XDA, I kind of get the feeling they know what they are talking about. I will be trying the other methods once I get some sleep and can coherently tell if there is a difference among them then update this OP. You can also try the different methods and see what works best for you. No matter which method you use, make sure you download GPS Aids from the market and you reboot your phone after saving the settings changes.

Make sure if you use any of these and see an improvement to head over to XDA and thank these three, as this was one of the last major bugs and annoyances keeping everyone from fully enjoying their Fascinates.

[piizzadude]

Quickie question before you crash, what are you using to measure performance? Is there an app that measures lock times?

[Landshark]

Quickie question before you crash, what are you using to measure performance? Is there an app that measures lock times?

GPS test plus, I paid for the plus version. Shows how many satellites are in view, how many are in use, and accuracy in feet to the nearest tenth of a foot. Don't know if there is an app that measures lock times. I measure lock time by counting to myself when I open google maps to the time the blue triangle no longer has the circle around it.

[JOrtenzi]

Thank you for sharing this...

I used the .zip file (flashed in CWM)... I was unable to manually edit the information, but the zip worked fine.

Outside GPS locked almost instantly... indside still takes some time (depending on my signal)

[sfobrien]

Just tried this and my device locks faster inside my house than before. Thanks for the fix (tried to say thanks over at XDA but not enough posts yet).

[Clak]

I'll try this later, I seem to get a fast lock in larger cities, but not the 'burbs where I live. Kind of weird since you'd think the taller buildings in large cities would make it harder to get a lock, but they don't seem to.

[BigSwoe]

Wow. That is fast. Thanks to all.

[Bad Bimr]

Stupid question, are all there procedures/links all the same thing just a different way to do them or do you need to do all three?


Thanks

[piizzadude]

Stupid question, are all there procedures/links all the same thing just a different way to do them or do you need to do all three?


Thanks

No just the one, I recommend the one in the middle if you are familiar with clockwork.

[JOrtenzi]

No just the one, I recommend the one in the middle if you are familiar with clockwork.

+1 on this

[Landshark]

I will be monitoring the OP at XDA for any updates. If you encounter any problems and are unable to post in the development forum at XDA just post whatever problems or questions you have here, and I will post them over at XDA for you.

[NOsquid]

This doesn't do anything for me. I messed with the gps.conf file back on Eclair when the gps actually did suck and it didn't do much back then either. This idea was developed on some Euro Galaxy S forum where they found putting their country's ntp server helped.

There is a lot of placebo effect in gps testing because once the gps gets an initial lock it stays in memory for several hours despite reboots etc..

[Landshark]

This doesn't do anything for me. I messed with the gps.conf file back on Eclair when the gps actually did suck and it didn't do much back then either. This idea was developed on some Euro Galaxy S forum where they found putting their country's ntp server helped.

There is a lot of placebo effect in gps testing because once the gps gets an initial lock it stays in memory for several hours despite reboots etc..

Well, thanks for raining on everyone's parade. J/K Thanks for the info NOsquid

[NOsquid]

It might have an effect for some people, but not where I live, not on my phone. Just encouraging skepticism

[sfobrien]

Well, thanks for raining on everyone's parade. J/K Thanks for the info NOsquid

I really think it worked on mine. I could almost never connect from my basement and after the change was made I connected in four seconds!

Thought I would put up an umbrella at this parade!

[JOrtenzi]

Yea.... mine is absolutely better. I have used my gps in the same way I have always used it prior to making this modification, and it is considerably better than it has ever been.

[NOsquid]

I really think it worked on mine. I could almost never connect from my basement and after the change was made I connected in four seconds!

Thought I would put up an umbrella at this parade!

I'd be shocked if you got a 4sec cold lock outside in a field. Toggle your gps off overnight and try in the morning.

[Landshark]

It might have an effect for some people, but not where I live, not on my phone. Just encouraging skepticism

You don't have to do anything to encourage that from me. I'm a born skeptic

I really think it worked on mine. I could almost never connect from my basement and after the change was made I connected in four seconds!

Thought I would put up an umbrella at this parade!

Thanks for the umbrella. We haven't even seen the big Underdog balloon yet.

[Landshark]

I'd be shocked if you got a 4sec cold lock outside in a field. Toggle your gps off overnight and try in the morning.

I've had my GPS off all night since I first tried this. I just toggled it on, I'm indoors in a spot where it used to take over 30 seconds to get a lock to within 20 meters before, and it just took 10 seconds to get a lock to 10 meters. Even before this fix when Adrynalyne put the verizon location framework back into 2.9, then his own GPS fixes into 2.92, I got a lock in three seconds accurate to 1 meter while driving my car.

[NOsquid]

Well, yesterday with "us" a lock inside my house took 40 sec, today back on "north-america" it took 30sec in the same spot.

Which is why I encourage skepticism with gps "fixes." I've tried them all, and they're mostly placebo for me. My gps has been pretty much the same since dj05, that was the only real fix in my case. Some people had better luck with newer modems. Some swear their gps worked on di01.

[atomD21]

Just flashed the CWM file and the difference for me is amazing. Google maps found me in roughly three seconds. Thank you for the info landshark!

[Landshark]

Just flashed the CWM file and the difference for me is amazing. Google maps found me in roughly three seconds. Thank you for the info landshark!

You're welcome. If you have an XDA username, don't forget to thank the real sources.

[ckrenek23]

Once again Landshark, thanks for your hard work and dedication to make everyones devices that much better. Just Flashed (cause since i own a fascinate i have become a flashaholic) and works like a charm, Inside where i never get a gps lock, gonna head over to XDA and thank to the original source.

[DroidXcon]

Good job bro

[JOrtenzi]

outside... the lock for me is almost immediately, insdie however, i havent really seen much improvement.

Anyone else having these results?