Database Info

What affects the GPS?

I've been using CM7 on my phone for about a month and i really liked it but the GPS didn't seem to work very good.
Today I wiped my phone and installed CoreDroid 6.3 but the home and search button are not working (My phone is still using the CM7 Kernel so could that be the problem?) so I'll either try and fix it or flash a new rom (most likely LeeDroid). I am tempted to just flash the stock rom back on it and reroot the phone because I love the HTC Camera.
What would affect the GPS on the phone? Is it the ROM that would affect how well the GPS works or the radio?

ShadowsDemise said:
I've been using CM7 on my phone for about a month and i really liked it but the GPS didn't seem to work very good.
Today I wiped my phone and installed CoreDroid 6.3 but the home and search button are not working so I'll either try and fix it or flash a new rom (most likely LeeDroid). I am tempted to just flash the stock rom back on it and reroot the phone because I love the HTC Camera.
What would affect the GPS on the phone? Is it the ROM that would affect how well the GPS works or the radio?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There are quite a few things, the basics being Radio, RIL(Radio Interface Layer), and the settings on the phone, such as the NTP connection. I have found that using the updated AT&T RIL and Radio with CM7 gives me like stock GPS. Full and quick locks. Like under 10 seconds (after the initial 45 second lock). At least, that is my experience.

id10terrordfw said:
There are quite a few things, the basics being Radio, RIL(Radio Interface Layer), and the settings on the phone, such as the NTP connection. I have found that using the updated AT&T RIL and Radio with CM7 gives me like stock GPS. Full and quick locks. Like under 10 seconds (after the initial 45 second lock). At least, that is my experience.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Can you post a link to the updated AT&T RIL and Radio? There are a ton of radios and I'm not sure which one is the right one.
I restored CM7 so it's on my phone again.

Try Angel Death's GPS files for whatever region of the states you live in (Northwest, Southwest, etc) I have CM7, and without it, the gps is so-so. With it, I can get a lock of 2m within 10-15 seconds, without use wireless networks enabled.

alex4lex said:
Try Angel Death's GPS files for whatever region of the states you live in (Northwest, Southwest, etc) I have CM7, and without it, the gps is so-so. With it, I can get a lock of 2m within 10-15 seconds, without use wireless networks enabled.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks!
I installed the file for my region so hopefully that helps out.
I'd still appreciate the links to the updated AT&T RIL and radio so I can flash a new radio to my phone.

Here's the link to the radio. Use the one in the second post.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1002226
As for the ril. You can go into rom manager >gtg>ril flasher> select 26.06.06.30 and flash it through recovery. Ill try and find a link
Sent from my TARDIS using XDA App

marsdta said:
Here's the link to the radio. Use the one in the second post.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1002226
As for the ril. You can go into rom manager >gtg>ril flasher> select 26.06.06.30 and flash it through recovery. Ill try and find a link
Sent from my TARDIS using XDA App
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks!
Both flashes worked fine.

GPS on ATT stock better then any custom rom?

When I had the ATT stock I got the lock in seconds. After flashing and putting different ROM its like 5-10 min.
Is there a difference in the gps.conf or anything else?

borisb said:
When I had the ATT stock I got the lock in seconds. After flashing and putting different ROM its like 5-10 min.
Is there a difference in the gps.conf or anything else?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The one I am on (Android Revolution 5.1.8) and GingerBeast (2.1.2) I had before this, I generally got lock in seconds, and with an accuracy of 5-10m.

I would say the GPS on sense based roms with the correct gps.conf file works just as good as the stock rom.
Right now I'm using Android Revolution 5.1.9 and I get almost instant lock (about 5 secs) and 5~7m error.

Radio and RIL also play a very large part in it as well, I have had great luck leaving the gps.conf file as is and just flashing the updated stock radio/RIL combo. Locks in seconds unless obstructed.
This also includes CM7 Nightlies after 57ish.
Sent from my Inspire 4G using XDA Premium App

Running Leedroid and getting lock in seconds down to 10 foot accuracy! Best I've had in any configuration. Running latest stock radio.

Running leedroid and my GPS is rock sold. While driving @70mph I get 10/10 in less then 10 seconds. New radio and ril.
Sent from my Desire HD using XDA Premium App

Works fine for me on cm 7. I don't turn it off and on. With gingerbread its really not necessary in aosp type roms it only activates when needed the power drain is minimal.

funny, i just flashed back to the stock rooted rom with sideloading (http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1058042) because I've realized I had ZERO dropped calls or connection issues on the stock rom. i was using ar4g 3.7 anyways because I found it to be the most stable and quite quick. wish it had a custom kernel.
back to the point, I had issues getting GPS working on that too, even with matching ril and radio. hopefully I won't have any more issues with this rom

For myself, it was much better when I was on stock rom, but since I love testing out new roms, I've learned to live with it... At least it'll still work most of the time.
Sent from my Desire HD using XDA Premium App

I think stock GPS SUCKSSSSS!
Dang I was just playing with this guz I'm kinda a GPS freak, and this Inspire, if one thing sucks, it's the GPS. Forver to get locks, and closest accuracy radius ever achieved is 7 meters....any suggestions? GPSFix, GPS Essentials doesn't seem to help. Ugh...guz me likes me my accurate GPS on my phone thingy....I was hoping that when I root it would improve but this feature probably doesn't get a whole lot of attention form the devs (?)
Edit: It is marginally better than the aged iPhone 3G I had, but I took it apart when it almost dead (I kilt it off by some wild ass idea I was going to refurb it) and there were signs of oxidation around the GPS antenna, which makes sense because my perception was that the performance degraded over time.

Getting tmous GPS to work with Roms

Hello I would like to take a quick consensus about people on tmobile us and if their gps is working. There are a few fixes around the dev forum but they do not work for me. A lot of people have been taking gps.config files from other roms or RUU and dropping them into the phone's system/etc and /etc folders overwriting the current one. I've tried this and it did not work for me, has anyone successfully fixed their own gps and got it to lock? Thanks.

I've tried about 5 roms and my gps locks instantly every time. I have a t-mobile sensation.

GPS has worked flawlessly for me on LeeDroid.

gps works flawlessly and locks instantly for me
used both leedroid and insertcoin(which im using right now)

No problems here. Fastest GPS lock of any android I've had to date.
I'm using a T-Mobile Sensation, debranded and running EU 1.35

haha oh man maybe this is a personal problem then, are you guys using stock kernels?

Yeah I'm on the stock kernel.

Leedroid kernel 1.4 beta, damo's gps fix, and first lock took around a minute. Now it's almost instant.
Sent from my Leedroid Sensational Htc Sensation!

ldelossa.ld said:
Hello I would like to take a quick consensus about people on tmobile us and if their gps is working. There are a few fixes around the dev forum but they do not work for me. A lot of people have been taking gps.config files from other roms or RUU and dropping them into the phone's system/etc and /etc folders overwriting the current one. I've tried this and it did not work for me, has anyone successfully fixed their own gps and got it to lock? Thanks.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have almost no gps whatsoever...I'm in the same boat as you as I posted in the Q & A section.
Running Android Rev 1.1.5

I use to be able to get GPS lock in my room. But lately I'm unable to get a signal at all. When outdoors, Google Nav just keeps saying "Searching GPS...". I'm not sure what I did wrong but something isn't right. Also I already tried the gps.conf and gps fix apps and it didn't seem to matter.

dr.m0x said:
Leedroid kernel 1.4 beta, damo's gps fix, and first lock took around a minute. Now it's almost instant.
Sent from my Leedroid Sensational Htc Sensation!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
After flashing the patch from 1.1 to 1.2 and also the 1.4 beta kernel I find that my GPS is very erratic --at times it will not lock at all and then it will lock within 20 seconds and then about 10 minutes later it will not lock--and just a few moments ago it would lock and then lose it and then in a minute or so it would lock again and then lose it and now it is not locking at all. I have used FasterFix and it would seemed to help and then after flashing patch and new kernel it does nothing. Could someone point me to the damo's fix? I would greatly appreciate it.

My GPS positioning is pretty sad on stock, and you made me reluctant to even try other roms now.

My gps works great in InsertCoin 1.06

Same here....gps is slow sometimes. I edited my buildprop. I blame mysrlf
Sent from my HTC Sensation Z710e using XDA Premium App

hmmm interesting can the people who have gps tell me what state you guys are in and if possible what your gps.config file says inside it?
Sent from my HTC Sensation Z710e using XDA App

I am in the same boat. I thought it was just me. I can't get a location either with stock roms. I am in Washington State.

TMOUS phones have a file called SuplRootCert that their conf refers to. Once I added the stock gps.conf and that rootcert, GPS works again.
Sent from my LeeDrOiD Sensation

nrvnqsrxk said:
TMOUS phones have a file called SuplRootCert that their conf refers to. Once I added the stock gps.conf and that rootcert, GPS works again.
Sent from my LeeDrOiD Sensation
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Are you able to upload the files you used? and is suplrootcert in system/etc/ also? I;m not by my phone to check right now. Thanks

Here you go. The first one is stock, the second one has additional NTP servers added. (north-america 0-3, us 0-3). push this file into /system/etc.
Once you're done, test it out by actually being outside. Remember, GPS rarely works inside parking structures or houses
Do not flash this in recovery. Push this onto your phone using adb. I'm assuming you're gonna know how to do that.
"adb push gps.conf /system/etc" is the command you'll be using. if it's telling you that you don't have permissions, do adb remount and try again. be sure to push the suplrootcert as well.

I downloaded astro and know how to use it..do i just copy and paste the zip in the file or do i flash it? and if i flash it do i do it from the recovery?

Canadian Skyrocket GPS issue (i727r)

The GPS takes 5 minutes to lock, and it does it at 1600 meters (un)accuracy.
It behaves like this no matter what rom i try (Sky, Slim, CM9/10, Embryo etc), except for stock Rogers ICS.
The agps patch and other gps patches on XDA didn't do anything.
When i first bought it, it had stock Rogers ICS and GPS worked perfectly, never mind the fact that i live in EU.
Then i tried custom roms and it started to funk around and has been doing as long as i run a custom rom.
Today i installed Rogers ICS as a last resort and suddenly the GPS locks in seconds and with great accuracy too (9 meters).
And so the question, what the hell is causing this?
OR
How do i make the GPS work with the custom roms?

I have been running custom ROM's since a day after I got my Skyrocket, and the AGPS patch has never failed to work for me. I have been running CM10 for pretty much the last 4+ months, and GPS always works. Not sure what your issue might be.

You can flash agps patch from Boombah's aroma installer. Always works for me
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sent from my Skyrocket i727 w/ Blinky'sRevenge
-----------------Nexus 7 running AOKP M1-----------------

rpr69 said:
I have been running custom ROM's since a day after I got my Skyrocket, and the AGPS patch has never failed to work for me. I have been running CM10 for pretty much the last 4+ months, and GPS always works. Not sure what your issue might be.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I'm not sure either.. The phone is canadian with a Rogers brand on battery cover. When i install a stock AT&T rom the GPS more or less dies.
Any other rom and the GPS dies. Stock Rogers ICS rom and voila works like a clockwork.
And it doesn't react at all to any GPS patch, and i've tried like 10 different ones. aGPS is not new to me, i've successfully used it on other phones. But for some reason it doesn't do anything for my Skyrocket.
Mike on XDA said:
You can flash agps patch from Boombah's aroma installer. Always works for me
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sent from my Skyrocket i727 w/ Blinky'sRevenge
-----------------Nexus 7 running AOKP M1-----------------
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks i'll try that, just don't see how Aroma is going to help if it's the same patch i've tried earlier.
On the other hand, with ghouly issues like this who knows what might help and what won't ?
Worst case scenario is that i'll be stuck with Rogers FW if i want working GPS, which is acceptable with some tweaks especially the Droid Razr M launcher

The thread is here: http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1732304
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Sent from my Skyrocket i727 running Team Dirt
--------------Nexus 7 running AOKP PUB--------------

Did u by any chance leave location access for Google apps disabled? If u did on AOSP ROMs GPS will never lock

icenight89 said:
Did u by any chance leave location access for Google apps disabled? If u did on AOSP ROMs GPS will never lock
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Nope, it's always turned on.

If SW doesn't solve/change anything - where might the problem be? Yes, that's right, it's probably in HW!
Check your GPS antenna contacts (antenna is inside the inner plastic, the one you see when you open back cover and remove the battery). Bend them a bit and clean their contact points to make sure they contact well.
If your phone is still within warranty or the above doesn't help - replace it.

Jack_R1 said:
If SW doesn't solve/change anything - where might the problem be? Yes, that's right, it's probably in HW!
Check your GPS antenna contacts (antenna is inside the inner plastic, the one you see when you open back cover and remove the battery). Bend them a bit and clean their contact points to make sure they contact well.
If your phone is still within warranty or the above doesn't help - replace it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hi Jack_R1
Software does indeed solve everything. In short: stock rogers ics rom = perfect gps, custom rom/stock at&t rom= no gps.

Oops. Guess I skipped some lines reading the OP - returned and found your line talking about it. Sorry about that.
Did you try reinstalling custom ROMs after you got quick lock on stock ROM, to test that the issue remains?
I'd suggest a couple of things:
1. Try installing AT&T ICS ROM for testing. If it also gives you a good lock - you'll have better reference point.
2. Look at the APN you use in Rogers' ROM and in other ROMs. If you're using automatic ones - they might be different and include GPS-related stuff (type "supl").
3. Copy stock gps.conf from Rojers and try using it on custom ROMs.
4. Download FasterFix and try choosing different NTP pools.
5. Download GPS Status & Toolbox, see what exactly happens when you run it, describe here. What satellites are you seeing (numbers), how much time after running it, in which condition, etc.

Jack_R1 said:
Oops. Guess I skipped some lines reading the OP - returned and found your line talking about it. Sorry about that.
Did you try reinstalling custom ROMs after you got quick lock on stock ROM, to test that the issue remains?
I'd suggest a couple of things:
1. Try installing AT&T ICS ROM for testing. If it also gives you a good lock - you'll have better reference point.
2. Look at the APN you use in Rogers' ROM and in other ROMs. If you're using automatic ones - they might be different and include GPS-related stuff (type "supl").
3. Copy stock gps.conf from Rojers and try using it on custom ROMs.
4. Download FasterFix and try choosing different NTP pools.
5. Download GPS Status & Toolbox, see what exactly happens when you run it, describe here. What satellites are you seeing (numbers), how much time after running it, in which condition, etc.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
1 The AT&T roms didn't give me an adequate lock, until the JB updates were leaked & released.
2 I'm always using automatic APN's but they don't have any GPS info.
Haven't tried #3..
4 FasterFix didn't help.
5 GPS Status shows 4-7 satellites and only 2-3 locks with horrible accuracy. The thing is now i get perfect locks with any ROMs.. I could've disallowed Google Services to use GPS as I might've confused it with Google Search & Ads wanting my location..
Thanks for your help :good:

Stable ICS

Is there a stable ICS out for T959v? Stable as in GPS and wifi calling for t mobile is functional.

knicks791 said:
Is there a stable ICS out for T959v? Stable as in GPS and wifi calling for t mobile is functional.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
lol no.

I wouldn't consider WiFi calling a factor in a roms "stableness". Its more of a feature. Cm9 is stable and GPS does work

Yeah forget about wifi calling. I think cna 2.0 is great. Cm9 release 8 and well for as early as it was released beam is fairly stable.
Sent from my SGH-T959V using Tapatalk 2

ICS AOKP is stable.....

Stable as in normal human definition, yes. Stable as in Wifi calling, no.

Wifi hotspot?
Theraze said:
Stable as in normal human definition, yes. Stable as in Wifi calling, no.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
How about stable as in wifi hotspot? I don't use it often, but when I do I need it to work well (business). Works fine on my Vibrant, but I also have SGS4G that I'd like to see if I can get better signals on cell (especially), gps and wifi. I had been sticking with GB ROMs since they seemed the best for GPS/wifi, but would like to move to ICS if possible.

The ICS hotspot has worked basically always worked fine unless you screw with services. My wife used AOKP when we were out of town a few weeks ago. I used Barnacle and Wifi tethering for root users while on JB.
Both ICS and JB worked fine for tethering.

Theraze said:
The ICS hotspot has worked basically always worked fine unless you screw with services. My wife used AOKP when we were out of town a few weeks ago. I used Barnacle and Wifi tethering for root users while on JB.
Both ICS and JB worked fine for tethering.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Good. Is there a "best" for GPS? Seems most JB have issues and several ICS as well from what I've read so far.

JB doesn't have GPS yet. That's its issue, but airfluip1 thinks he might have some ideas on how to fix it. Hopefully he'll get it working, or Erik will, or someone else maybe. But for now, skip JB if you need GPS.
ICS has 3 different options for GPS, and it's not always apparent which is better.
1) Assisted GPS. This requires having a build.prop file that tells your phone how to use GPS for this. Most of our ROMs want to do this, but end up in number 3 instead. There are directions on how to fix this if you aren't using Ultragen, or just use Ultragen which comes with this properly configured from the start. First connection to GPS may take 15-30 minutes, but it should be much faster after that.
2) Non-assisted GPS. This comes from flashing YAGF. It disables the assisted GPS and just uses the satellites fresh every time. This CAN be much faster, but won't work well in clouded/wooded/indoor areas.
3) Bad GPS. This is when 1 or 2 fail, generally number 1. The phone is told to use AGPS but it's disabled in the build.prop, or any of a wide variety of other issues. GPS will work... sometimes... but it's highly irregular.
Best option? Start with Ultragen (remember... 1.0.1, not 1.0, which had several major issues) and see if the AGPS is good for you. If you don't like it, flash YAGF and go to unassisted. Decide it's worse and hate it? Wipe the ROM (to get out the modified system files) and reflash Ultragen.
Or start modifying your own files, but be careful that your phone boots up. Don't use Microsoft Word or Notepad or Wordpad or any of those tools. Use a proper hex or *nix editor.

Theraze said:
JB doesn't have GPS yet. That's its issue, but airfluip1 thinks he might have some ideas on how to fix it. Hopefully he'll get it working, or Erik will, or someone else maybe. But for now, skip JB if you need GPS.
ICS has 3 different options for GPS, and it's not always apparent which is better.
1) Assisted GPS. This requires having a build.prop file that tells your phone how to use GPS for this. Most of our ROMs want to do this, but end up in number 3 instead. There are directions on how to fix this if you aren't using Ultragen, or just use Ultragen which comes with this properly configured from the start. First connection to GPS may take 15-30 minutes, but it should be much faster after that.
2) Non-assisted GPS. This comes from flashing YAGF. It disables the assisted GPS and just uses the satellites fresh every time. This CAN be much faster, but won't work well in clouded/wooded/indoor areas.
3) Bad GPS. This is when 1 or 2 fail, generally number 1. The phone is told to use AGPS but it's disabled in the build.prop, or any of a wide variety of other issues. GPS will work... sometimes... but it's highly irregular.
Best option? Start with Ultragen (remember... 1.0.1, not 1.0, which had several major issues) and see if the AGPS is good for you. If you don't like it, flash YAGF and go to unassisted. Decide it's worse and hate it? Wipe the ROM (to get out the modified system files) and reflash Ultragen.
Or start modifying your own files, but be careful that your phone boots up. Don't use Microsoft Word or Notepad or Wordpad or any of those tools. Use a proper hex or *nix editor.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Just a suggestion, but the Pimp My Rom application https://play.google.com/store/apps/...sMSwxLDYsImNvbS5hbmRyb2d1aWRlLnBpbXBteXJvbSJd under GPS Tweaks will download the proper GPS files for location, or alternatively, you can install the GPS Status and Toolbox App https://play.google.com/store/apps/...wsMSwxLDEsImNvbS5lY2xpcHNpbS5ncHNzdGF0dXMyIl0 which you can set to download the newest AGPS File when you open it.
I am using AOKP ICS and have no issue with GPS. Was getting like 120 sec TTL for like 12 Satellites according to GPS Tools, which is not terribly life affecting for me.

Which... is irrelevant if your build.prop doesn't use those files. As I said. You can tell GPS Status to update every hour, but if the phone isn't set to use them, they're helping you as much as throwing the phone up 20 feet into the air (without twisting it). Slightly less, since they're using up storage and not getting your phone closer to the satellites.
That being said, the TopNTP app did have GPS modifications as one of its options. Not sure if it does the build.prop flag we need, but...

Wow, it seems the SGS4G may actually be worse than the Vibrant for GPS.

LoL
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I547 using xda app-developers app

Theraze said:
Which... is irrelevant if your build.prop doesn't use those files. As I said. You can tell GPS Status to update every hour, but if the phone isn't set to use them, they're helping you as much as throwing the phone up 20 feet into the air (without twisting it). Slightly less, since they're using up storage and not getting your phone closer to the satellites.
That being said, the TopNTP app did have GPS modifications as one of its options. Not sure if it does the build.prop flag we need, but...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
There is gps. It just no worky right! It will take a lil more then downloading a * "NIX" EDITOR and edit build.prop
Sent from my SGH-T959V using Tapatalk 2

hechoen said:
We'll call this one hidden in plain site.
I've been testing a new kernel for Beastmode lately and was trying to get GPS to work. I flashed 3.1 google specific build and still no lockie. So I did what cryptic mentions in the OP and READ the notes. Well that note that I quoted up above is the thing that needs to be done for this phone to make GPS work. After I added that line to the build.prop and rebooted I got a lock in about 10 seconds indoors to an accuracy of 6 meters. Not bad for this phone at all.
Most of are ICS ROMs use CM as a base. So after going through and looking at most of their props NONE of them have that line. I don't know how it's escaped notice as long as it has. I've only tested it on CM9 8-29 build with Beastmodes yet to be released kernel. I doubt that it matters though. Flash the zip, add that line, reboot and you should be good to go.
So thanks to cryptic for this fix and one of the most detailed OP's I've ever had the pleasure of reading. And too erikmm(aka Beastmode) for the incentive to actually look into this.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
As I said...

Theraze said:
Best option? Start with Ultragen (remember... 1.0.1, not 1.0, which had several major issues) and see if the AGPS is good for you. If you don't like it, flash YAGF and go to unassisted. Decide it's worse and hate it? Wipe the ROM (to get out the modified system files) and reflash Ultragen.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks ! Where can I download YAGF for a T959v ? Is Ultragen v1.8 also good or only 1.0.1 ?

Remember that you have to flash something that actually works on our phone, unless you're making your own franken-build.
Ultragen 1.01 is available in post 4 of the Ultragen thread. There is no Ultragen 1.8... at least, not here on XDA for our phone.
Regarding the GPS, it's the same YAGF2 from the Vibrant forums... it's just a generic-ish fix that may or may not placebo you.

Unfortunately, I don't understand the technical jargon regarding all the GPS options...maybe I'm better off not knowing.
However, I'm running CM9 with Proton kernel & LB6 modem and everything works (except, of course, for wi-fi calling).
No problems whatsoever with GPS. Battery drains a little fast but I have a zillion chargers laying around the house,
office, & car...no big deal.