Four Ways to Fix GPS Problems in Froyo

[tomburns]

My GPS has also totally bonked on me. I am rooted and made the jump to EXT4. The only way I can do options #1 and #3 is to change back to the old file format, right? I am hesitant to do that, so wonder if this new option is best for me. If I do the factory reset, I can just restore with titanium backup just like when I change ROMs, right?

 

[ragnarokx]

That's correct, you can restore with TB just like when you flash a ROM.

 

[tomburns]

#4 did the trick for me. Pretty quick and easy. Thanks!

 

[lafountain]

#3 worked quite well for me. Wish it would get closer than 30m accuracy, but it gets a lock almost instantly when I am outside now.

 

[NYCSUBWAYRAT]

You are welcomed.

 

[Tech_Hunter]

I have no problem at all getting my gps to lock using gps status or google maps. My issue is that once I start using Navigation, after a couple of minutes, it loses GPS lock, then spends a while finding it, only to lose again. If I leave navigation to go back to maps or gps status, it immediately locks again. I'm running midnight 2.7 EXT4. Suggestions? Will these ideas help?

Also, if I do #4 to reset, just how much does that reset? Will I stay on DK28 or does it take me back further? Will I lose root? clockwork? Ideally, if I do this, I would do a nandroid backup (3.xxx), reset, then restore from nandroid backup. Will this work?

 

[NYCSUBWAYRAT]

Like I said in my previous post, after you do a manufacturer's reset ##786#, and inputting the MSL code acquired from Spriint, the phone will reset to brand new status and yes you will lose root, but DK28 will remain. All other software will be uninstalled, but you will have your gps working as designed. My advice to you is to leave the phone alone after you reset it.

 

[jrick]

how does one get the MSL code? do we have to call sprint?

You can get MSL code without calling Sprint using ConnectBot (from Market)
Run ConnectBot, in dropdown menu in lower left corner select Local
Type in any name in the nickname box
Type getprop then hit enter
scroll up in the results (ril.MSL) is the MSL code

 

[ragnarokx]

Good to know, I'll add that to post #1.

 

[rogodeter]

GPS Fix - Questions

I know I'm asking for something I COULD do on my own, but the reason is that there are so many files out there with different contents and versions and I am not 100% confident that as I bounce between this site, xda-developers, and sdx-downloads.com, that I will end up with all the right zip, pit, modem files, etc.

I would like to try the method described as Procedure 1 in Ragnarokx's Post #1 in this thread. It refers to a post on xda-developers but in neither place are the locations of the needed files are not linked. Would it be easy to link to the right location, for somebody who has gone through it and is familiar with what's out there, where it is, and what the right versions are?

Thank in advance !!!

After I do this procedure, hopefully I'll get my GPS back, and then I think I'll reinstall the updated TrulyEpic Rebirth... LOVING my phone with this ROM on it.

UPDATE: Tried method #3 to no avail

 

[rogodeter]

DK28 will remain?

Like I said in my previous post, after you do a manufacturer's reset ##786#, and inputting the MSL code acquired from Spriint, the phone will reset to brand new status and yes you will lose root, but DK28 will remain. All other software will be uninstalled, but you will have your gps working as designed. My advice to you is to leave the phone alone after you reset it.

I thought DK28 was synonymous with Froyo. I might be wrong in that.. If I am right, then the phone really wouldn't be in brand new status, right? Maybe I just need explained to me what DK18 and DK28 mean. I thought they were Samsung's versions for Eclair and Froyo respectively.

To clarify... are you saying that if I do option #4, factory reset, the following will happen?

My phone's entire FS will be overwritten with a stock one that includes

1. Sprint/Samsung Android Eclair
2. no root
3. no CWMOD

In fact, is this a complete reset that will overwrite the entire storage of the phone (so there would be no trace of hacking/rooting/etc?

Thanks NYCSUBWAYRAT

 

[rogodeter]

On second thought....

I know I'm asking for something I COULD do on my own, but the reason is that there are so many files out there with different contents and versions and I am not 100% confident that as I bounce between this site, xda-developers, and sdx-downloads.com, that I will end up with all the right zip, pit, modem files, etc.

I would like to try the method described as Procedure 1 in Ragnarokx's Post #1 in this thread. It refers to a post on xda-developers but in neither place are the locations of the needed files are not linked. Would it be easy to link to the right location, for somebody who has gone through it and is familiar with what's out there, where it is, and what the right versions are?

Thank in advance !!!

After I do this procedure, hopefully I'll get my GPS back, and then I think I'll reinstall the updated TrulyEpic Rebirth... LOVING my phone with this ROM on it.

UPDATE: Tried method #3 to no avail

On second thought... There are a bunch of files that are used for various purposes, and some of them are combined in different ways to do different things. Is it feasible (and reasonable), to compile a numbered list of those commonly used files with links to their locations, so that it can be used as a "table of contents"?

The benefit here is three-fold

1. A moderator or moderators can more easily update references to newer versions
2. Users can have more confidence that they're linking to a file that is "managed" version-wise
3. When people write posts that refer to a file, or a process that refers to multiple files, they can simply link to that "important files table of contents"

Also... I would recommend if somebody does this that they use page anchors within the contents page that link to the file numbers, like this...

<a name="file-05"> 5) odin_version_1.5.zip</a> <a href="location-of-file">odin_15.zip</a>
<a name="file-06"> 6) odin_version_3.0.zip</a>  <a href="location-of-file">odin_20.zip</a>
<a name="file-07"> 7) some_update_dk28.tar</a>  <a href="location-of-file">dk28.tar</a>

Then, in another post, the files could be referred to like...

First, use <a href=".../thread_table_contents#file-05> Odin </a> to install <a href=".../thread_table_contents#file-07>DK18 </a>

 

[strudel#AC]

I have no problem at all getting my gps to lock using gps status or google maps. My issue is that once I start using Navigation, after a couple of minutes, it loses GPS lock, then spends a while finding it, only to lose again. If I leave navigation to go back to maps or gps status, it immediately locks again. I'm running midnight 2.7 EXT4. Suggestions? Will these ideas help?

Also, if I do #4 to reset, just how much does that reset? Will I stay on DK28 or does it take me back further? Will I lose root? clockwork? Ideally, if I do this, I would do a nandroid backup (3.xxx), reset, then restore from nandroid backup. Will this work?

This is the exact same problem I have. GPS works... for a few minutes at a time. Did you find a way to resolve this?

 

[Tech_Hunter]

This is the exact same problem I have. GPS works... for a few minutes at a time. Did you find a way to resolve this?

Not yet, trying out a few new things. Are you running Eclair or Froyo? Stock or Rom?

 

[strudel#AC]

The problem started with the leaked Froyo, and continued when I rooted and did this:

http://forum.androidcentral.com/epi...-fix-rfs-ext4-now-w-clockwork-v3-0-0-5-a.html

It didn't help GPS but the phone performed so much better in every other way that I do not want to go back to 2.1 unless if I have to. I always get a GPS lock, it just doesn't last for very long before it is searching for GPS satellites again. Weirdly enough, Sprint GPS worked great, it was just Google navigation that has the problem. I can't confirm whether Sprint GPS still works since it was removed in the rom I am using now.

 

[Tech_Hunter]

The problem started with the leaked Froyo, and continued when I rooted and did this:

http://forum.androidcentral.com/epi...-fix-rfs-ext4-now-w-clockwork-v3-0-0-5-a.html

It didn't help GPS but the phone performed so much better in every other way that I do not want to go back to 2.1 unless if I have to. I always get a GPS lock, it just doesn't last for very long before it is searching for GPS satellites again. Weirdly enough, Sprint GPS worked great, it was just Google navigation that has the problem. I can't confirm whether Sprint GPS still works since it was removed in the rom I am using now.

Sprint Nav is one of the things I am trying. Used google Nav on my way home and it failed after about 2 minutes. I tried Sprint Nav (I manually added it back to Midnight Rom) and it worked until I got home (less than 10 minutes). I plan to try it longer tomorrow to see if it definitely works. I'm also trying:

Cleaning all cache
Clearing AGPS data
Downloading new AGPS data
Re-booting before using GPS.

I don't have a long commute, so this will take a couple of days. I also just switched to Midnight Rom 2.9, which says it has a different GPS fix, so maybe that will help.

 

[traumahawk]

To recap, using clockwork on 2.2.1 I backed up, flashed DI18, GPS locked, flashed DK28, GPS locked, restored. I hope this info helps someone!"

where do i go to download DI18 (and i kinda deleted the dk28 file... so a link to that would be kinda needed too please).

hopefully this isnt all in vain, as sprint is pissing me off so much i may just cancel and go to verizon.. which is a shame... because i just FINALLY get my phone working great and sprint refuses to take their corporate shaft out of my a$$ after almost 4 years... and 3.5 hours tonight is enough to almost send me back to VZ. god i hope not. i <3 my epic now...

 

[ragnarokx]

where do i go to download DI18 (and i kinda deleted the dk28 file... so a link to that would be kinda needed too please).

They're both in this thread.

 

[strudel#AC]

I don't have a long commute, so this will take a couple of days. I also just switched to Midnight Rom 2.9, which says it has a different GPS fix, so maybe that will help.

If that ROM does the trick for you, I will give it a shot. We seem to be having the exact same problem so hopefully the same solution will apply for both of us.

 

[rogodeter]

Procedure 4 didn't do what I expected.

I completed the below procedure and here's what happened...

• After completing the steps... the phone reset
• I got an icon like a box with an arrow coming out of it, and a little Android dude (like Android coming out of the box -- This seemed promising)
• I got the Truly Epic Rebirth BIOS screen (this was confusing because I was expecting the Sprint startup animation to be back on my phone)
• the phone booted up and the android boot up wizard started
• force close of phone process, which didn't seem to affect anything
• Then the sprint activation, that was successful
• then the phone rebooted.
• then it updated prl (success)
• then it checked for software updates (none found)
• then the Google configuration -- signed in, downloaded stuff, etc. (success)
• On about phone page...
• - firmware: 2.2.1
• - baseband: s:d700.0.5s.DK28
• - kernel: 2.6.32.9
• - build number: TrulyEpic Rebirth v1.2 AC Edition
• - hardware version: D700.0.5

So.. I was expecting a complete reset to factory defaults but this is not what happened. Has anybody performed procedure 4 below, on a rooted cwmod'd epic?

Procedure 4
By NYCSUBWAYRAT, taken from this post:

Fixing the GPS no fix issue on the Samsung Epic 4g requires you to do a manufacturer's reset by obtaining the MSL code from Sprint (see below for alternative method to obtain your MSL code). Once you get the MSL Code, remove the SD Card and Enter ##786# on the dialer keypad. You will see two options: View and Reset. Tap on the Reset option and you will get a prompt to enter the MSL code. At this point you will be asked if you want to do a manufacter's reset, enter yes. The phone will shut down and reset itself after a few seconds. Once the process is complete, the phone will go through a hands free activation. After the activation process, updates may be downloaded and installed. Now that all updates have been performed, you may check to see if your GPS is working by going to Google Maps. You should be able to lock in GPS signal in under 10 seconds. Thats it. Your GPS woes are over.

jrick has a method to get your MSL code without calling Sprint:
You can get MSL code without calling Sprint using ConnectBot (from Market)
Run ConnectBot, in dropdown menu in lower left corner select Local
Type in any name in the nickname box
Type getprop then hit enter
scroll up in the results (ril.MSL) is the MSL code