Samsung Galaxy S2

[mebs]

Hi,

First of all,  I must say since day 1 when I acquired my S2 in June (running Android 2.3.3) I always had gps problems, i.e it takes ages to get a lock ("Searching for GPS" message) with Google Navigation even in open air - clear sky  (with all options Use wireless networks, Use GPS satellites and Use sensor aiding ticked).I upgraded to the latest firmware 2.3.5 KJ3 a couple of weeks ago hoping the problem would be fixed - unfortunately it didn't.

I finally did some online research until I found the following thread :

http://www.darkyrom.com/community/index.php?threads/guide-gps-quickest-fix-solution.2022

it sounds to me the problem is related to the NTP_SERVER entry in file  /etc/system/gps.conf distributed with the vodafone firmware :

NTP_SERVER=north-america.pool.ntp.org

My guess is the above should be set to europe.pool.ntp.org instead, but as I haven't rooted my phone, I am not able to amend it and test (the file if read-only).

Has anyone noticed this issue and knows how to address it?

Thanks

[proxima]

As discussed in the SGS2 forum, I have the same problem, so I'm basically here just to say 'me too'. Vodafone - what's your response to this? I don't even know how to get to that file to view it, but it sounds like mebs is onto something here? That makes at least 4 of us on this forum actively waiting for some response from Vodafone.

[mebs]

Actually I have 2 of these phones (one for my wife) - same issue, same config. The file is read-only and I don't want to go as far as rooting them to be able to edit the gps.conf file and test - this would void the warranty

[proxima]

OK, looking at the file now - and WAITING for a RESPONSE from VODAFONE.....

[proxima]

Have confirmed that my gps.conf file is also set for North America. I can't confirm for sure that this is what the problem is, but as you say mebs, a general trawl of Google shows plenty of people saying "it is very important for lock speed and accuracy to use the correct gps.conf for your locality", etc.

So, Vodafone - there seems to be a high chance that this is mis-configured, and is a read-only file on our phones. How do we fix this without voiding our warranties, please? Response would be appreciated.

[Trev]

Hi guys.

I don't know personally how crucial this is to the operation of the GPS, or if this would have an adverse effect on it's operation, so this is something that we'd need to raise to our device team to investigate.

To do this I need a few examples of the issue, and the exact firmware version you have on your handset, so if you can add this information to the thread, I'll get this case raised.

Trev

[mebs]

Here are my details:

Model number : GT-I9100

Android Vers : 2.3.5   (upgraded from 2.3.3 using Kies)

Baseband vers: I9100BUKI1

Kernel vers: 2.6.35.7-I9100BUKJ3-CL647431 root@DELL155#2

Build number: GINGERBREAD.BUKJ3

/system/etc/gps.conf :

NTP_SERVER=north-america.pool.ntp.org
XTRA_SERVER_1=http://xtra1.gpsonextra.net/xtra.bin
XTRA_SERVER_2=http://xtra2.gpsonextra.net/xtra.bin
XTRA_SERVER_3=http://xtra3.gpsonextra.net/xtra.bin
SUPL_HOST=supl.google.com
SUPL_PORT=7276

Let me know if you need anything else.

Thanks

[proxima]

Thanks Trev.  I don't know how crucial it is either, but there do seem to be quite a few people elsewhere on the web saying it makes a lot of difference.

My details are:

Model:  GT-I9100

Android 2.3.5, updated from 2.3.3 using Kies as per its suggestion 2 days ago.

Baseband version: I9100BUKI1

Kernel version: 2.6.35.7-I9100BUKJ3-CL647431 root@DELL155 #2

Build number: GINGERBREAD.BUKJ3

/system/etc/gps.conf :

NTP_SERVER=north-america.pool.ntp.org
XTRA_SERVER_1=http://xtra1.gpsonextra.net/xtra.bin
XTRA_SERVER_2=http://xtra2.gpsonextra.net/xtra.bin
XTRA_SERVER_3=http://xtra3.gpsonextra.net/xtra.bin
SUPL_HOST=supl.google.com
SUPL_PORT=7276

Please let me know if you need anything else from me, and be aware that I'm more than happy to test any workaround you come up with, obviously providing that doing so won't void my warranty.  I'd love to get this GPS working as well as I know it should.

Thanks.

[jimleshed]

I possibly have this problem too. Cant get a fix at all with my new SGS2

If I enable Wifi it does semi fix but location jumps around. 25 seconds at correct location, then 15 seconds somewhere else usually within 500 yards of correct location.

If I knew how to get the information from the previous posts I'd give it.....where and how can I do this?

Model: GT-I9100

Android 2.3.5, updated from 2.3.3 using Kies as per its suggestion 2 days ago.

Baseband version: I9100BUKI1

Kernel version: 2.6.35.7-I9100BUKJ3-CL604789 root@DELL155 #2

Build number: GINGERBREAD.BUKJ3

Dont know how to sort out the rest of the information though.

[mebs]

Hi,

To see the content of the gps.conf, download and install Astro (free) from the market, then open it and select "File Manager" - tap the 'Up' button until you get to root (i.e /).Then tap on "system", then "etc". You will find a file called "gps". Tap on it and open using File Editor.

This will show you what you've got.

HTH

/m

[Northern-dj]

we need some one with a unbranded phone to check this i have tried to look on my Galaxy s and there is no such folder

but we had this for ages same problem until we got about three updates until they fixed this

There are some in built settings now they might work on the s2 But this is done at your own risk

on the phone dialer type

*#*#1472365#*#*(GPS test settings)

This teast the gps

and

*#1575# (GPS Control Menu) no i have never had to go into this

so be careful 

[mebs]

Hi,

Your first command does not work. The 2nd works but I have no idea about enabling/disabling 'control plane' - so I didn't touch it. We are looking forward for a fix from Vodafone asap - several people out there are having similar problem and it's getting frustrating. FYI ..this morning I ran GPS Status it could detect 7-8 satellites (clear sky), however it couldn't obtain a lock. I have an hour trip to my workplace - by the time I got there the device was still 'Searching for GPS'!.

/m

[Bingers]

Mebs - ditto re this morning, I had exactly the same during my 20 minute drive to work...

I've recently started having the same issue - have had the SGS2 for about three weeks now and as far as I remember it was initially very quick to find satellites and get a lock.  These last few days it has struggled to get a fix, however, sometimes connecting in about 15 to 20 minutes (by which time I have arrived...!) but more often not connecting at all.  Yesterday I tried several times for about 20-40 minutes at a a time but without success.

For me it seems to be more of a recent issue as I use it almost everyday with Waze etc so would have noticed had the problem been the same since I first got the phone.

A fix is definitely needed ASAP...looking forward to hearing more.

Cheers.

Bingers

[proxima]

Same here - mine's been looking for a fix since 8:00am and still hasn't got anything.  My old HTC Desire on Orange is up and locked with 10 satellites, which took about 5 seconds to do even when I was in the house.

So agreed, we're all waiting for a Vodafone-sanctioned solution to this.

[jimleshed]

NTP_SERVER=north-america.pool.ntp.org

XTRA_SERVER_1=http://xtra1.gpsonextra.net/xtra.bin

XTRA_SERVER_2=http://xtra2.gpsonextra.net/xtra.bin

XTRA_SERVER_3=http://xtra3.gpsonextra.net/xtra.bin

SUPL_HOST=supl.google.com SUPL_PORT=7276  

Thanks for the "how to get the info" Mebs

JLS

PS. as I've had my SGS2 less than 7 days I'm going to hassle the Vodafone shop later. See what their response is and if they are aware of the problem.

Will update later if I get anything useful/positive.

[Ultonian]

Following on from the other thread, I went and got the phone replaced. The new S2 is at the 2.3.3 firmware.

GPS seems to work a little better this time, although it still takes 10-15 minutes to get the first fix.

My gps.conf is the same as posted above, i.e. 

NTP_SERVER=north-america.pool.ntp.org

XTRA_SERVER_1=http://xtra1.gpsonextra.net/xtra.bin

XTRA_SERVER_2=http://xtra2.gpsonextra.net/xtra.bin

XTRA_SERVER_3=http://xtra3.gpsonextra.net/xtra.bin

SUPL_HOST=supl.google.com SUPL_PORT=7276

I cut/paste the http://xtra1.gpsonextra.net/xtra.bin to the web browser on the device and got a failed download due to the content being unsupported on the device, which is fair enough, the main thing is that it does seems to get through to the server. (Taking away the xtra.bin to try and browse the folder gives me the expected 403 forbidden).

Might update the firmware later to the 2.3.5 version and compare.

[Northern-dj]

Sorry for the codes but there is not a full list yet for the phone

There is another code found on this list 

http://www.frlinux.eu/?p=7

Now i have had a chat with my local service centre and the North America has got them stumped they have found differnces in firmware and have commented on this to samsung the worst being orange

[Ultonian]

Not sure why NTP would even matter, the server is still going to give the current time in UTC surley? 

Is there any way of seeing if the downloaded Xtra data is up to date? I know a new copy needs downloaded weekly for the 'assisted' part of the A-GPS to work. 

[Ultonian]

In the system/etc folder, i seen a sirfgps config file, which might be the config for the gps chipset. (Assuming the S2 uses a SiRF chipset anyway...)

Again, this is still on the 2.3.3 firmware that came on the phone, not updated yet.

#CSR SiRF plc
#PROJECT_NAME : white Space is not allowed
#UART_DRIVER : Uart Driver Path
#RESET_GPIO : Reset GPIO Driver Path
#ONOFF_GPIO : OnOff GPIO Driver Path
#EXTERNAL_LNA : 1 - use External LNA, 0 - use Internal LNA only
#REF_CLOCK_26MHZ: 1 - use 26MHz TCXO, 0 - use 16.369MHz TCXO
#UART_BAUD_RATE : 0 - 115200bps 1 - 230400, 2 - 460800, 3 - 57600
#FREQUENCY_AIDING : 0 - Disable, 1 - Enable
#SENSOR_AIDING : 0 - Disable, 1 - Enable
#SET_ID_IMSI : 1 - Use IMSI for SET ID, 0 - Use MSISDN for SET ID, especially for Japan Network Operators
#DEBUGGING_FILES : 0 - no log file, 1 - log files enabled
#SSL_ENABLED : 0 - SSL Disabled, 1 - SSL Enabled
#CERTI_VERSION : 0 - TLSv1 , 1 - SSLv3 , 2 - SSLv23
#CP_RESPONSETIME : 0 - no priority, 1 - resposne priority time, 2 - resposne priority position ,3 - resposne priority use entire response time
#REAIDING=20
#CONTROL_PLANE : 1 - CP Enabled, 0 - CP Disabled, for MP3 player or PND
#ATT_NETWORK_OPERATOR : 1 - for AT&T, 0 - for other network operator
PROJECT=SAMSUNG_U1
UART_DRIVER=/dev/s3c2410_serial1
RESET_GPIO=/sys/devices/virtual/sec/gps/GPS_nRST/value
ONOFF_GPIO=/sys/devices/virtual/sec/gps/GPS_PWR_EN/value
EXTERNAL_LNA=1
REF_CLOCK_26MHZ=1
UART_BAUD_RATE=2
FREQUENCY_AIDING=1
SENSOR_AIDING=0
SET_ID_IMSI=1
DEBUGGING_FILES=0
SSL_ENABLED=0
CERTI_VERSION=1
CP_RESPONSETIME=2
CONTROL_PLANE=1
ATT_NETWORK_OPERATOR=0
EMC_ENABLE=0

[emlrdag]

Hi,

We are a corporate customer on Vodafone and have about 10 of these handsets and that are all exhibiting the same problem. They used to work a few months ago, but all users are now reporting this very same GPS issue. Basically the GPS feature of these handsets does not work, rendering many location related features within the smartphone useless.

It seems there is a configuration issue related to the gps.conf file that needs to be urgently rolled out.

Here is the file we have on our handsets

NTP_SERVER=north-america.pool.ntp.org

XTRA_SERVER_1=http://xtra1.gpsonextra.net/xtra.bin

XTRA_SERVER_2=http://xtra2.gpsonextra.net/xtra.bin

XTRA_SERVER_3=http://xtra3.gpsonextra.net/xtra.bin

SUPL_HOST=supl.google.com

SUPL_PORT=7276

So, Vodafone, what is the timescale for a solution, as you are getting many frustrated and unhappy customers.

Looking forward to a swift response.