GPS does not work (tried everything) - AT&T Samsung Galaxy S II SGH-I777

Hello,
I am using SGH-i777 outside USA (in Kosovo). I purchased it unlocked so everything works as expected, except GPS. The phone came with Gingerbread (not rooted). I tried GPS through google maps but i was getting "You location is temporarily unavaliable" and the scan was taking ~10 minutes without any results. Applications such as AccuWeather were also not able to find my location.
After this dissapointment, i decided to root the phone and install a custom ROM. I followed the guide posted at this link and followed the steps there 100% without making any changes/mistakes. I installed the Siyah 2.6 Kernel and the ROM that i choose to install was Aberration. I also followed the guides for this and did everything as advised. I turned the phone on but the GPS was still behaving the same. After this, i purchased GPS Doctor and clicked "Quick Fix". After this i downloaded GPS Test to see if the signal was alive, and after ~2 minutes of scanning, GPS Test found around 7 satellites and the signal appeared green within this app. I followed this by opening Google Maps and i got the correct location after ~2 minutes scan. This made me happy and i believed the GPS issue got fixed. But after trying after few hours, i saw that maps was again facing the same issues and apps that require location access were not being able to do so.
And the last step that i did was install a gps fix as posted on this thread. I know this thread states that they do not officially support sgh-i777, but i was out of options so i had to try something else. I followed all the instructions and downloaded and installed the Google Specific v 1.3 from that website. But this did not fix the problem either.
To conclude; the GPS is simply not working as expected. Finding the location takes to long and i was able to get the location in Google Maps only 10% of the time (my old iPhone 3gs finds the location in 3seconds!). I have tried this indoors and outdoors but the problem remains the same. During all the times, Wi-Fi, GPS and Data were turned on
Currently i have un-rooted the phone (followed the guides here) and am currently running the official ICS which i installed through Odin. Tried GPS again and it still does not work.
Sorry for the long thread but i wanted to explain all the details.
Hope someone can help me.

Looks to me like one of 2 problems:
1) You're not getting a good time from NTP server, try downloading FasterFix and selecting your area (need root). Not very likely, since with good GPS you'll still have a fix within 1-2 min.
2) HW problem, possibly antenna contacts.

So any go around for hardware problem?
Sent from my SGH-I777 using Tapatalk 2

HW problems are solved in HW. You can't "go around" and make the bulbs light in your house when the power has been cut off, can you? So how exactly can you "go around" a bad contact with antenna, that practically equals a missing antenna?
Just fix it.

In settings under location services did you check "use internal GPS" ?
Not even sure if aberration has that option. Jelly Bean ROMs do.
Sent from my SGH-I777 using xda premium

All the ROMs do. It's a stock Android option, equals to toggling the "GPS" toggle on in pull-down toggles.
And of course if he didn't have it toggled, he wouldn't see any satellites at all.
Plus, the original post is 2 months old. I believe the OP has already solved the problem or moved on.

Related

GPS chipset hardware defective?

Alright...something really weird is going on with my device.
I'm not sure it's even the rom or the radio firmware.
I flashed flawlessly as I've posted in numerous threads. Everything worked right off the bat, calls, data, MMS, SMS etc. I fired up Google Maps and it locked 7 sats very quickly. All of a sudden though, I've noticed Google Maps and Live Search do not work whatsoever. Haven't changed any GPS settings at all. When I choose 'Use Gps' in google maps it says Seeking GPS Satellites, remains at 0 and never locks any. Same with Live Search, just sits there saying Getting GPS Position. When I choose My Location in google maps it says "my handset doesn't support my location (beta)."
I installed Holux GPS Viewer and it finds the GPS on com 4. I open it and it displays all the nonsense at the bottom in the log, but when I switch to the status tabs, I get NOTHING. No red bars, no blue bars, just blank. Clear view of the sky and everything.
I tried hard resetting and reinstalling the apps...same thing.
Any ideas?
gcincotta said:
Alright...something really weird is going on with my device.
I'm not sure it's even the rom or the radio firmware.
I flashed flawlessly as I've posted in numerous threads. Everything worked right off the bat, calls, data, MMS, SMS etc. I fired up Google Maps and it locked 7 sats very quickly. All of a sudden though, I've noticed Google Maps and Live Search do not work whatsoever. Haven't changed any GPS settings at all. When I choose 'Use Gps' in google maps it says Seeking GPS Satellites, remains at 0 and never locks any. Same with Live Search, just sits there saying Getting GPS Position. When I choose My Location in google maps it says "my handset doesn't support my location (beta)."
I installed Holux GPS Viewer and it finds the GPS on com 4. I open it and it displays all the nonsense at the bottom in the log, but when I switch to the status tabs, I get NOTHING. No red bars, no blue bars, just blank. Clear view of the sky and everything.
I tried hard resetting and reinstalling the apps...same thing.
Any ideas?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
give it time
gcincotta said:
I tried hard resetting and reinstalling the apps...same thing.
Any ideas?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Since you've already hard reset & reinstalled the software, the only advice I can offer is to go back to a previous ROM or radio and see if the GPS starts working again. If so, then it's probably not defective.
did you use QuickGPS?
Yeah quickgps downloads the data...looks like it worked. But then like I said...nothing. Had google maps going for my 30 min commute to work today seeking sats....not one. My flash to 3.0.0 went absolutely flawlessly...and gps worked originally...which is why I'm questioning the integrity of the hardware.
This is what happened to mine as well..... It worked great right after the original flashing to 3.35 radio and DCD 3.0.1 ROM, but over the last couple it started taking alot longer to locate..... I would have to click on Use GPS in Google maps like 4-5 times on and off and it would finally sync up..... with this issue and the power drain I went back to the 3.27 radio and 2.3.2 ROM... So far the battery drain has stopped , and when I go outside this concrete and steel building I'll try the GPS again....
Are you both Verizon users as well? I hit the same type of issue and it resolved itself over a few days. I did the same type of recovery.
I realized what the problem was...though I'm a little embarrassed.
The Location setting was set to E911 only. The very weird thing about that is, I was under the impression that ever since gps and revA have been leaked into dcd's roms, the DEFAULT setting for location was on and not e911. It's been default on 2.2.0, 2.2.1, 2.2.6, 2.3.1, and 2.3.2...I've used them all. When I flashed to 3.0.0 it was defaulted to e911. Strange.
Oh well, gps works amazing now...locks satellites in under 30 seconds usually.
Are you guys using quick GPS?
I don't use it and get great results. I just tested my GPS to see if I am having the same issue. ( I haven't reset my phone in 2 days) I used that program that boots up GPS and then I used Google maps.
I didnt get a lock so then I clicked on use GPS and it worked but it used AGPS. From there I clicked on my location and within 15 seconds it started using GPS and found my location.
Im on Verizon.

[q] searching for gps help!!!

Ive tried everything but cannot get the GPS to sync up always searching
Ive taken the battery out multiple times
cleared cache
done the old open maps up let it sit for 5 minutes close maps open NAV let sit for 5 minutes and then go back to maps
I even heard the extended battery helps to find signal initially
downloaded apps from market to find a GPS signal but none happened (gps status) with the tools download
None of this worked and cant find much about it on the Thunderbolt
not many threads that i can find googling
Does anyone know if this is a known issue or there is a way to fix this ???? any help would be appreciated
Do you have all 3 boxes checked under location? Menu-settings-location -VZW, Standalone and Google.
Check all 3
With gps status, run the app then -menu-tools-managae a-gps state-reset. see if that helps..
This happened to me after I was running a non stock rom, lost gps for no rhyme or reason, cleared cache, didn't help, reset factory defaults, ran gps status, nothing worked. The only was I was able to get gps working again was to flash the stock rom using fastboot. It started working instantly afterwards.
Sent from my Thunderbolt using Tapatalk
I have the same problem on the stock Thunderbolt. It's never been rooted and every time I launch the Nav it sais Searching for GPS and takes forever to find something.
For rooted users
Better GPS from Ziggy471
If I use fastboot will my phone still be rooted? I'm a noob.
to fix it for me i had to turn gps on then downloaded GPS Status from the market
then goto menu while in gps status app goto tools then click on manage A-gps state
then download
then i had to go outside and wait for it to see several satellites back out of gps status then go into navigation put in a destination and it finally hits and catches a signal
once it initially finds a signal i had no problem finding it within seconds inside or out
but that first time takes some steps to get
ohh and i also have ZIGGY471 gps twaek loaded also
hope this helps it worked for me

my S3's GPS not working

hi guys i have been testing my galaxy s3's GPS. i am using osmand app as my GPS app. sadly the app could not find any satellites and pin point my current location. even if i leave my S3's GPS active for a more than 5 minutes it could not get any satellites even if i am standing on a open area.
what should i do? how can i reset my GPS?
thanks in advance
Turn mobile data/wifi on and then try to use GPS. If GPS receiver doesn't have fresh AGPS data, cold start will take from 10 minutes to infinity.
YaDr said:
Turn mobile data/wifi on and then try to use GPS. If GPS receiver doesn't have fresh AGPS data, cold start will take from 10 minutes to infinity.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Agree with you. Turn mobile data on. GPS or Glonass receiver use mobile network to fix the signal. When your position is done, you can turn off mobile data.
oh do you really need the mobile data active? was it possible to get your exact location without the use of wifi or mobile data? just your GPS? because osmand can download the maps offline then just use the GPs data to pin point your location. have you guys tried using the osmand app?
thanks
GPS receiver needs to download some (4-5 kilobytes) of data from server. This is called A-GPS, Assisted GPS. Without it, GPS still will lock onto satellites, but it will be 20-30 minutes instead of 2-3 seconds.
bossrobo said:
oh do you really need the mobile data active? was it possible to get your exact location without the use of wifi or mobile data? just your GPS? because osmand can download the maps offline then just use the GPs data to pin point your location. have you guys tried using the osmand app?
thanks
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
U only need data/wifi for first location fix and to dl. extra GPS data.when your location is found,u can turn of data/wifi and never use it again if u got downloaded maps.
Its just to get faster location fix on first GPS fix
I just tested my s3's GPS today in open air and got a lock within two seconds. phone locked 15 satellites. My phone is running completely stock rom and kernel.
So as others suggested, you should turn wifi or mobile data on so that A-GPS could work.
If you are worried about your app downloading more data and cost you money eventually then you may try app named "GPS Test". Its a very simple app and gives you some key info like satellites in view and locked to plus accuracy etc. It doesn't download any maps etc. Once you get locked, you can close the app and open your desired maps app.
samydroid said:
I just tested my s3's GPS today in open air and got a lock within two seconds. phone locked 15 satellites. My phone is running completely stock rom and kernel.
So as others suggested, you should turn wifi or mobile data on so that A-GPS could work.
If you are worried about your app downloading more data and cost you money eventually then you may try app named "GPS Test". Its a very simple app and gives you some key info like satellites in view and locked to plus accuracy etc. It doesn't download any maps etc. Once you get locked, you can close the app and open your desired maps app.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
hey thanks, because last night i was testing my s3's GPS if i have wifi connection my S3 can fix my current location around 2~3 seconds. i also saw my cousin's s3 and he also gets a fix location within 2~3 seconds. but i am not sure if his mobile data is active. that i would like to ask him again.
hehe thanks guys
Hi there,
I also have an issue with my GPS. Navigation is stuck at Searching for GPS.
Also when I run GPS test, it does not see any Satellites. I have my mobile data and WIFI on, and also tried to update the agps data with fastergps.
I have found different threads suggesting to uninstall maps but that did not help either.
Any ideas? (the issue existed on 4.0.4 stock, and also on latest aokp 4.1.1 build 3)
Thanks.
Also the GPS icon flashes briefly (like twice) and then disappears. Watching the notifications the same thing happens - Searching for GPS- appears briefly and then dissappears.
Is this the normal behaviour?
Watching the notifications the same thing happens - Searching for GPS- appears briefly and then dissappears.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That usually means the phone has stopped searching for satellites for any reason, these usually are app-related.
Please download GPS TEST from Play store and report if it can find and lock on any satellites. If not or if it keeps loosing the connections, then something is wrong.
Make sure you don't let the screen turn off during the fix since that will disable the GPS.
d4fseeker said:
That usually means the phone has stopped searching for satellites for any reason, these usually are app-related.
Please download GPS TEST from Play store and report if it can find and lock on any satellites. If not or if it keeps loosing the connections, then something is wrong.
Make sure you don't let the screen turn off during the fix since that will disable the GPS.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have tried GPS Test and it sees 0 satellites. I have also tried a couple of other apps with no success.
Even with GPS test running, display on, I still observe the same flashing of the icon and notification popping up, then disappearing after 2 seconds and reappearing again...
Have same problem. I tried GPS test. It take about 5-10s to lock the GPS. However, it will dropped after sometimes.
If some of you guys are not running stock ROM, then there might be kernel related.
I tried Temasek's newest kernel yesterday on my AOSP MIUI ROM, but couldn’t get a gsp fix.
Went back to siyah kernel and got fix within seconds.
Also try setting your regional pool with fasterfix
mjolne said:
If some of you guys are not running stock ROM, then there might be kernel related.
I tried Temasek's newest kernel yesterday on my AOSP MIUI ROM, but couldn’t get a gsp fix.
Went back to siyah kernel and got fix within seconds.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I had the issue on stock Rom 4.0.4 before I flashed aokp build 3. But maybe I'll try a different Kernel then... just to make sure that this is not the problem
slaphead20 said:
Also try setting your regional pool with fasterfix
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have tried that, did not help.
Update:
Tried flashing latest Siyah kernel, but GPS is still behaving the same odd way,
Thanks for the suggestion anyways
manormachine said:
I had the issue on stock Rom 4.0.4 before I flashed aokp build 3. But maybe I'll try a different Kernel then... just to make sure that this is not the problem
I have tried that, did not help.
Update:
Tried flashing latest Siyah kernel, but GPS is still behaving the same odd way,
Thanks for the suggestion anyways
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Ok, me tried syriah and faster fix now. See any improvement
Fasterfix , faster gps and new kernel cant solve the problem.
Sent from my GT-I9300 using xda app-developers app
pah8000 said:
Fasterfix , faster gps and new kernel cant solve the problem.
Sent from my GT-I9300 using xda app-developers app
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Then its hardware return to service centre .
jje
Aluminum Case
I thought my GPS was busted as it showed which satelites were available (agps had downloaded) but it woudn't lock.
I then took my aluminum case off the phone and discovered that this was interfering with the GPS lock.
So take your case off before assuming that the GPS is buggered. *sigh*
"My gps wasn't working on my phone. I took it to the Verizon store after I had flashed back to stock, they messed with it for a little while and then ordered me a refurbished one. I received it the next day and when I powered it on guess what the gps didn't work. So I called tech support and to my surprise the person that answered the phone actually knew what she was talking about.
She told me the gps issue is a Samsung issue, (even though is only effects Verizon and sprint phones) they are working on an update to fix it. But in the mean time she told me how to do a work around to get it working. Here is what she had me do."
Go to Settings
Application manager
click all at top
go to Google services framework
clear data
go to settings
Application manager
click all at top
go to maps
clear data
uninstall updates
Go to location services
turn off VZW Location service(leave it off to)
Power cycle phone
update maps from android market
now the gps should be working.

[Q] GPS performance issues Australia

Hey Guys,
Loving my galaxy s3 however something strange is now happening. I used to live in Brisbane and recently moved to Sydney, whilst I was in Brisbane I often used the GPS and google maps navigation (google navigation whatever you want to call it ) and it performed amazing! it locked onto location instantly and would guide me and track my position superbly.
Now I've been in Sydney for 3 days, and I tried to use the navigation several times and it was terrible! It would take a minute or two to lock onto my position but would still be fairly innacurate and would not engage the navigation, just sat in that screen where it is zoomed out and roughly shows the route to take, sometimes it would engage into the navigation but then would stop tracking me and just say it lost GPS location.
Has anyone experienced this problem? or know what I can do to fix it!! Thanks
Couple of suggestions:
Have you changed your Google location? Whenever I've changed ROM's I get asked to let Google use my location - maybe there is something in the Google set up that still thinks you are in Brisbane and has to keep scanning for your new location?
Have you got the map for Sydney - I know you can get maps on your phone but maybe only your home location is auto-downloaded, so you get a zoomed out version for other places? Maybe go into the Maps app and select Sydney and see if it brings down a more detailed version?
Maybe check for Maps/Navigation updates? I got a Maps one a few days back.
I hope this helps - not sure at all if any of them are applicable but it is what I'd be checking...
For the google location, I sort of reset it, I turned it off (the option to let google use your location) and turned it back on. Not sure what else you can do in that department.
Ive got the map for sydney and my maps and navigation are up to date! Thanks for the suggestions but, its just really frustrating as it used to work so well
Use either GPS test or GPS status to see how well your GPS is working. Both are available free in market. They will also download agps data to help with a faster fix.
Check that you do have satellites switched on in settings.
If you are rooted you could try the wildfire agps patch. I think it is posted in the development thread.
Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 2
thanks for the suggestion! just downloaded GPS status and one of the reviewers had the same issue that was resolved by clearing and downloading agps data (just like you mentioned). So will try tonight and hopefully problems will be gone, thanks!
AGPS Patch Galaxy In development may be of use .
jje
dk125 said:
thanks for the suggestion! just downloaded GPS status and one of the reviewers had the same issue that was resolved by clearing and downloading agps data (just like you mentioned). So will try tonight and hopefully problems will be gone, thanks!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
That method always worked for me on the S2 when I was in a different location. Takes seconds to reload the new data.
Sent from my GT-I9300 using xda premium
I can't really help but my s3 in sydney has almost instant lock, except when in a tunnel.
By a strange quirk of fate I have just experienced the same issue that you faced.
After a lot of frustration I found a simple fix.
Turn off GPS and other location settings in main settings, power of and reboot. Switch everything back on in settings and all should be well again.
Hope this, belatedly, helps.
Sent from my GT-I9300 using Tapatalk 2
If you are on a custom ROM then the first line of the GPS.conf file in system/etc will be set to "north-america.pool.ntp.org". Change the "north-america" part to "au" and restart. Then reset/redownload gaps data.using GPS status. Hope this helps.

GPS Problem

I have a GPS problem / question. I'm on Galaxy Note fre3 Hybrid De[Odex] v2.11 but I don't believe this is a ROM issue. I have certain apps that require location services and GPS to be on, example would be the WWE app or even our SBarometer app. If I turn GPS on and enable location services, the apps do not detect that GPS is on and I have no GPS icon in my status bar. If I use GPS Status it's fine. Any ideas? It's not app settings because on my Mega when I open the same apps the GPS icon comes on immediately and the app works properly.
Have you found a fix for this? I am on stock 4.4.2 with root, and I have been having the same GPS issue for several months now. Whenever I use Waze, it's constantly looking for a GPS signal, and MapMyRun will find it and drop it several times while I run making it impossible to track my runs. One other thing I did notice, is when I'm using Waze, if I turn the screen off, it locks on to the GPS. I can tell it's locked on because the voice commands start giving me directions, but when I turn the screen back on, it looses the GPS signal again. I would really like to get this issue fixed. The only other option will be to take it back to Sprint for an exchange.
pjacobs76 said:
Have you found a fix for this? I am on stock 4.4.2 with root, and I have been having the same GPS issue for several months now. Whenever I use Waze, it's constantly looking for a GPS signal, and MapMyRun will find it and drop it several times while I run making it impossible to track my runs. One other thing I did notice, is when I'm using Waze, if I turn the screen off, it locks on to the GPS. I can tell it's locked on because the voice commands start giving me directions, but when I turn the screen back on, it looses the GPS signal again. I would really like to get this issue fixed. The only other option will be to take it back to Sprint for an exchange.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I too am having a GPS problem. I'm Stock and not rooted with the most recent Sprint OTA (NK4). I've been suffering with this since NH7 came out and no ROMs, stock or otherwise have fixed my problem. Any recommendations on what I should flash? I'm considering doing an Odin Flash of NC5 just to see if that would help.
I have read through this thread, the first thing I would try is to update your PRL and profile. If GPS works on some apps and not on others I'd be willing to bet there's nothing wrong with the device or a stock rom running on it. I would try and contact customer service for the app and see if others are having the same problems with the apps., and see if there is a fix.
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.androidlab.gpsfix I've heard people say this app has helped them with there GPS issues. Hope it helps
http://i1370.photobucket.com/albums/ag261/Droid716/JONNY SIG 2_zpsrfigggpi.jpg

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