Android is a superb system that's sadly plagued with a pair moderately irritating flaws. One explicit situation is moderately noticeable as quickly as you begin Google Maps: the sketchy GPS. The Android navigating system is unreliable and glitchy at instances. Now we have usually skilled points with the GPS being unable to find the cellphone in query. It isn’t a lot use if it may’t discover you. Fortunately, there are methods to repair the issue.
The perpetual upside of Android is its openness to modification and third-party options. As soon as once more, our good associates over at XDA Builders have you ever lined with quite a lot of bug fixes and tips. With a bit of luck and a few artistic modifications, a damaged Android GPS ought to be capable of work.
Be aware: After doing any of those fixes, make sure you reboot.
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Updating Your Telephone
Step one to take is the simplest: be certain that your cellphone is totally up to date with the newest software program. Go to the Settings app, and skim the Software program Updates part. There ought to be a number of classes there: firmware, profile, PRL, and software program.
Guarantee that the profile and PRL are each absolutely updated. These two elements of your cellphone deal with communications with the cell tower. Normally, a damaged GPS implies that they must be up to date. Even folks with a customized Android ROM ought to strive flashing to inventory to do the updates.
Inventory and Sense
Talking of flashing to inventory, this technique is advisable by some to repair the GPS. In case your cellphone makes use of a customized ROM not primarily based on Sense (however the cellphone initially got here with Sense), strive reflashing to inventory. As soon as at a inventory Sense ROM, strive these steps.
Obtain MSL Reader from the Android Market (Obtain hyperlink beneath). It can learn the code (with root entry). Write this down. Now dial ##4772579# and sort your MSL code. This could assist with the tower connection. If the GPS works, reflash again to your favourite ROM and stick with it.
Give the GPS a Increase
Underneath the Location & safety settings, there are two choices. One is the fundamental GPS satellites toggle. The opposite is to “Use wi-fi networks.” A wi-fi hotspot is often fairly small (no less than by GPS requirements). Utilizing the placement of the wi-fi community, the GPS satellites can get a extra correct studying in your exact location.
Nevertheless, the wi-fi help doesn’t at all times work. Generally technical points will muddle up the connection. If that’s the case, then your finest wager is to obtain GPS Standing & Toolbox. This app resets the connection to a cell tower. Truthful warning: it is a momentary resolution, not a everlasting repair.
Test Your Apps
The Android system can get a bit of complicated at instances. Generally the interactions between apps trigger issues. Some customers have reported hassle when working a number of location-based apps on the similar time (e.g. FourSquare, Google Maps, Navigation). Different folks have reported third-party activity killers as the last word wrongdoer.
With out the cautious use of their task-killing talents, they'll inadvertently shut down the background location service. Their precise results are nonetheless fairly unclear, however some programmers take into account them nuisances to your cellphone.
Root Required
This one requires a bit of extra creativity (and root entry). The CyanogenMod improvement workforce discovered that one in all Google’s background companies appears to intervene with the GPS course of. No one is sort of certain why, simply that it does.
Fortunately, there's a option to kill it. Utilizing a file explorer like Root Explorer, mount the /system partition in order that it’s learn and write. This fashion you'll be able to edit a number of important information and kill the service. Navigate to /system/and many others/gps.conf and open it with a textual content editor. Delete any and each line starting with “SUPL.” That is reported to be only for customers of the CyanogenMod ROM.
Flashing One thing New
One other most well-liked repair over at XDA Builders is flashing new drivers. These are system information that ought to assist improve the velocity and effectivity of any GPS app. They do require a customized restoration like ClockworkMod, although. We discovered this web page of drivers for the HTC Evo 4G.
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But another choice is to flash a brand new radio. A radio is an important a part of the cellphone that helps Android OS talk with the phone bits of the {hardware}. Set up is dealt with like flashing a brand new ROM. Simply make sure you make a backup and know what you flash. Radios range by cellphone, however Google ought to lead you to one thing good.
Ultimate Ideas
Generally, the ultimate reply is perhaps so simple as rebooting and giving the GPS time to work. The service isn’t excellent and would possibly simply want further time. We discovered stories of a cellphone requiring twelve full minutes to load. This additionally appears apparent, however there’s at all times the assistance line to your provider. In our expertise, the Dash helpline is surprisingly useful (particularly since they'll make technical changes to your reception that you would be able to’t).
As a really final choice, you'll be able to at all times take the cellphone right into a provider’s retailer for restore/substitute. We suggest this as a final resort. Anybody who is aware of the best way to root their cellphone and flash a customized ROM most likely is aware of extra about Android than somebody in a Dash retailer. Have you ever encountered GPS issues? If that's the case, how did you repair them? Did our fixes give you the results you want? Tell us within the feedback part beneath.
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See Additionally:
- A Newbie’s Information to Android Kernels
- A Newbie’s Have a look at Android ROMs
- Execs and Cons of Rooting Your Android Telephone
- The right way to Use Free Wi-Fi Tethering [Android]
- Need to Root Your Android Telephone? Here's a Information to the Greatest Rooting Instruments for Android