Having a GPS issue

[Aprules2]

Ive had my Droid X for a while now and really love it, but lately Ive been having trouble with the GPS. About a month ago I couldnt get a GPS signal at all, I actually left my phone on my lawn for an hour to see if it would pick up a signal and it just kept searching. I cleared out all of the data from all my apps, then did a factory restet and the gps was reliable for about 3 weeks. Then on monday I opened the GPS and it closed itself as soon as I opened it. I thought nothing of it, opened it back up gps worked fine. The next day I was driving and all the sudden lost gps signal, about 2 miles later it came back, and worked fine for the rest of the day. I cleared out all the data on the phone again, turned the gps off used my app killer to close everything, then did a battery pull. it worked good until today. Today I was driving I lost GPS signal and it wouldnt come back no matter what I tried. I cleared data, pulled battery, un installed updates then reinstalled them, finally I got desperate and did a factory reset still no GPS. What can I do?

 

[Talon66721]

Have a couple of options for you to try. Quick question, first. Are you rooted? That will help a lot to know. Anyway, get an app from the market called z device test. It's free and tests lots of hardware. Then get faster fix. Also free. It always took forever for the gps to lock onto me. Faster fix makes it work within a few seconds on my X. Fantastic app.

Another thought, not sure, but I'd imagine that there are apps to count the satellites for gps that your phone uses. That might tell you something, too.

Let me know if any of this helps. If not, we'll see what else we can figure out.

Sent from my DROIDX using DroidForums

 

[Aprules2]

What does rooted mean?

 

[Nemo Aeternamn]

What does rooted mean?

being rooted gives you system level access to your phone...

We have nothing to fear but running out of beer

 

[Aprules2]

No I am not rooted. My previous phone was a blackberry curve and I used to mess with the OS all the time but it became quirky after a while so I decided not to mess with my Droid.

 

[Aprules2]

I couldnt install faster fix because it requires you to be rooted. What is involved in being rooted, does it change the reliability of the phone? I tried Z device test and found out my gps works, what I did notice is that I have 11 satellites all in green. Then I decided to do a test I put an address in the gps and tried to make it give me directions. Then I opened Z device and looked at my satelites, the phone said searching for GPS z device only had one in red. Then All the sudden I had 9 or 10 all the way up in red, then they started to turn green one by one and I was now gpsing, I drove 5 feet everything went to 0 and I had no gps. I then drove around my block circling the same streets for about 15 mins watching Z device and all the sudden had full service and no problems I drove for 20 mins to my destination. Another thing I noticed is today it worked perfect for 3 deliveries, then my keyboard wouldnt appear when I went to put my destination in, but if I pushed in the area where it should be I could get letters. After 3 reboots the keyboard came back but now it wouldnt get a signal. Sometimes if I open Z device and see all the satelites are green Ill open up the gps put in my destination and as soon as it gets ready to navigate they all drop out on Z device. It seems like the GPS software or driver isnt working right. I have a few little odd things my phone does, like the browser crashes, sometimes youll type a word on a text and it takes a second or so to show up, when I type in a phone number and hit send on the phone it takes it a few seconds to actually start dialing, Ill be almost next to my router and it wont pick it up, then the phone sits long enough to lock and when I unlock it TADA its connected. I'm starting to think maybe the OS is corrupted or something is there a way to just reload everything on the phone besides factory reset?

 

[SupraRZ95]

On the back of phone where the battery is to the left of the tab you can see the GPS antenna and on the battery cover you can see where it rubs. Try placing a piece of tape over the spot on the battery cover and check the signal then. Probably not the problem but worth a shot.

 

[Aprules2]

If my battery cover is all bent up will that make the GPS not work right?

 

[SupraRZ95]

No it should not affect the signal unless the antenna was damaged

Sent from my DROIDX using DroidForums

 

[MagSteve]

I found this on another forum and it worked for me.

"I noticed while holding the phone in a certain way with the battery cover off, I would get a fix on all satellites almost instantly (using GPS Status). After some testing, I found that putting pressure on the piece of plastic between the battery pull tab and SD card was the solution.

With a little MacGyver ingenuity (folded a movie stub in half, placed on that spot, and put the cover back on), I now have perfect GPS reception, indoors and out.

I'm not sure if this is the issue for everyone with a Droid X and GPS problems, but it should at the very least help some."

 

[atver300]

I found this on another forum and it worked for me.

"I noticed while holding the phone in a certain way with the battery cover off, I would get a fix on all satellites almost instantly (using GPS Status). After some testing, I found that putting pressure on the piece of plastic between the battery pull tab and SD card was the solution.

With a little MacGyver ingenuity (folded a movie stub in half, placed on that spot, and put the cover back on), I now have perfect GPS reception, indoors and out.

I'm not sure if this is the issue for everyone with a Droid X and GPS problems, but it should at the very least help some."

I just did this and it fixed my gps that was intermittently working. Thanks

 

[apstang50]

To the OP I am having almost the same exact problem as you! It works fine sitting in my house but as soon as I get out of my house and start driving I lose the signal, so irritating! I need to get this fixed I need gps for my work!

 

[cccmhhh]

Any luck? I just bought a used phone. No GPS

I am looking for a fix to this. All of the tape and wedges and other stuff has not worked.

Thanks