Captivate Firmware Update

[thindery]

GPS still won't track me. The phone is great.. but this GPS problem is really starting to bug me considering I road trip a good bit.

is this after flashing the new jh2 firmware?

 

[gunny5821]

Well, back in the day I would have tried this, but since my GPS is not having problems, I think I'll wait like others are saying for the "Official" release. If my GPS was not working I may have been more brazen, but for now, I wait. I also have until Sep 3rd for my 30 day marker, so I have plenty of time. To all out there doing this testing for the group THANK YOU! It is much appreciated...

Gunny

 

[ewingr]

I had posted the below in the XDA thread and got no replies. too many others one after another saying "GPS Working"

So, trying here:


My phone is original JF6 with these mods, and associated questions:

• Root - I presume we need to wait for our smart friends to establish a new method to root this. I've seen some posts saying same one works, and others saying it doesn't.(I used the copy update.zip file method. One thread I saw indicated a new one was needed) And I've noticed that the ROOT sticky is gone on this forum. At least it is not a sticky any more. [UPDATE] Uh, searching for the word 'sideload' the ROOT STicky came up in the list...but its not at the top when I come straight into the forum.
• Sideloading fix - Same quesiton as above - Although the Sticky for this remains
• Don't know its official name but I have the memory fix that moves data to provide improved performance - Same question as above
• 84 apps installed - I presume restore with Titanium should bring these back. BUT, if they were sideloaded/not official Market Apps. Any idea if they will still come back with Titanium?
• Titanium Backup is installed and do have backups
• Clockwork Mod Recovery - I presume if I mess up the works, I could get right back to where I am now assuming I create a brand new Clockwork backup before starting the flash

Things are sounding positive. I am at the very border of needing to decide whether to take it back. I do plan to go to AT&T tomorrow and see if they will sign off to extension of the 30 day return policy if I keep the phone for a while, as one person on the Androidforums.com was able to do.

 

[CaCHooKa Man]

im getting pretty good battery life with this so far. ive been unplugged for 11 hours and im only down to 79%. normally id be down to around 20% by that time.

 

[calex34]

After I ran the firmware fix, I rerooted and attempted the same procedure on the settings.db file to allow installation of .apk files. When I downloaded MarketAccess and tried to install, it says that it is blocked. Does anyone have a fix for this?

 

[rajendra82]

I had posted the below in the XDA thread and got no replies. too many others one after another saying "GPS Working"

So, trying here:



My phone is original JF6 with these mods, and associated questions:

• Root - I presume we need to wait for our smart friends to establish a new method to root this. I've seen some posts saying same one works, and others saying it doesn't.(I used the copy update.zip file method. One thread I saw indicated a new one was needed) And I've noticed that the ROOT sticky is gone on this forum. At least it is not a sticky any more. [UPDATE] Uh, searching for the word 'sideload' the ROOT STicky came up in the list...but its not at the top when I come straight into the forum.
• Sideloading fix - Same quesiton as above - Although the Sticky for this remains
• Don't know its official name but I have the memory fix that moves data to provide improved performance - Same question as above
• 84 apps installed - I presume restore with Titanium should bring these back. BUT, if they were sideloaded/not official Market Apps. Any idea if they will still come back with Titanium?
• Titanium Backup is installed and do have backups
• Clockwork Mod Recovery - I presume if I mess up the works, I could get right back to where I am now assuming I create a brand new Clockwork backup before starting the flash

Things are sounding positive. I am at the very border of needing to decide whether to take it back. I do plan to go to AT&T tomorrow and see if they will sign off to extension of the 30 day return policy if I keep the phone for a while, as one person on the Androidforums.com was able to do.

I flashed JH2 yesterday and I can answer your quesions:

Root: Copying the update.zip to the phone's sdcard and applying it in recovery works just fine. No new method needed.

Sideloading: Same method still works on the settings.db file in the old location.

Lag Fix: If you are using the NAND fix with symlinks or the ext2/ext3 fix using the shell scripts, they will work, once you reapply them. Any lag fix involving a recompled kernel will be more complex, as you will need to flash the recompiled kernel back in.

Titanium - This will bring the apps back from the backup files, even sideloaded ones.

Clockwork Recovery: If you mess up or don't like the JH2 flash, you will need to reflash to stock JF6 fimware, and then restore using Clockowork. There are parts of the system like kernel that Clockwork can't touch on this phone. If you do like JH2 and keep it, Clockwork still works as a means to keep backups.

 

[ewingr]

Really appreciate the input. I'll give it a try tonight, and post how it goes for me.

 

[chicknlil]

After I ran the firmware fix, I rerooted and attempted the same procedure on the settings.db file to allow installation of .apk files. When I downloaded MarketAccess and tried to install, it says that it is blocked. Does anyone have a fix for this?

Are you sure you put it in the right spot? I was able to download non-market apps no problem after executing the fix - though I should say that I use an XDA post as my instructions for that, rather than the forum thread here.

JMReed - sorry to see you go, though I understand. I wish I had been on earlier so that I could have offered this suggestion before you returned the phone, but I'll toss it out for others to try/play with in the meanwhile.

If, after flashing to this firmware, you find your GPS still a bit...clunky...then go back and try some of the suggestions in this post. For me, I had my best success with the following settings (and one other thing I'll mention after!):

In Application Settings (only mentioning changes):
Operation Mode: MS Assisted
Use SkyHook: On

In Supl/CP Settings:
Server FQDN Type: Custom Config
Server: supl.google.com
Server Port: 7276
Supl Secure Socket: OFF
AGPS Mode: Control Panel

The other fix I did is another mentioned in the thread I linked - I modified my gps.conf file to the following:

NTP_SERVER=us.pool.ntp.org
XTRA_SERVER_1=north-america.pool.ntp.org
XTRA_SERVER_2=http://xtra2.gpsonextra.net/xtra.bin
XTRA_SERVER_3=http://xtra3.gpsonextra.net/xtra.bin

Again, YMMV. But as long as I run the GPS Test app I mentioned earlier first, it seems to work. Will it continue to? Who knows.

 

[calex34]

Are you sure you put it in the right spot? I was able to download non-market apps no problem after executing the fix - though I should say that I use an XDA post as my instructions for that, rather than the forum thread here.

JMReed - sorry to see you go, though I understand. I wish I had been on earlier so that I could have offered this suggestion before you returned the phone, but I'll toss it out for others to try/play with in the meanwhile.

If, after flashing to this firmware, you find your GPS still a bit...clunky...then go back and try some of the suggestions in this post. For me, I had my best success with the following settings (and one other thing I'll mention after!):

In Application Settings (only mentioning changes):
Operation Mode: MS Assisted
Use SkyHook: On

In Supl/CP Settings:
Server FQDN Type: Custom Config
Server: supl.google.com
Server Port: 7276
Supl Secure Socket: OFF
AGPS Mode: Control Panel

The other fix I did is another mentioned in the thread I linked - I modified my gps.conf file to the following:

NTP_SERVER=us.pool.ntp.org
XTRA_SERVER_1=north-america.pool.ntp.org
XTRA_SERVER_2=http://xtra2.gpsonextra.net/xtra.bin
XTRA_SERVER_3=http://xtra3.gpsonextra.net/xtra.bin

Again, YMMV. But as long as I run the GPS Test app I mentioned earlier first, it seems to work. Will it continue to? Who knows.

could you please point me to the XDA thread you used. I used the same instructions for the prior firmware. Thought it would've done the trick.

 

[chicknlil]

could you please point me to the XDA thread you used. I used the same instructions for the prior firmware. Thought it would've done the trick.

Sure. The post is here. I used an addon for Firefox called SQLite Manager to make the change - that just opens up a new Firefox tab. To open the settings.db file, I hit the opening folder button, and then told it to look for all file types (rather than just the SQ types). Navigate to wherever you stored the file, and follow the directions of the linked post.

Hope that helps.

 

[ewingr]

I am trying the update now. Odin recognizes the phone; I added the files to the right boxes per instructions; and clicked start.

Message is:


<ID:0/009> Added!!
<ID:0/009> Odin v.3 engine (ID:9)..
<ID:0/009> File analysis..


And it's been like that for several minutes. I've done the 1click update to original in the past with success. Shouldn't take this long.

Any thoughts? I'm leaving it alone for now, but concerned.


[EDIT]
I found this thread earlier. I actually had tried that method, but I moved it to a different USB and tried that again, and it worked.

 

[Tinyboss]

So now we're back to, "if the GPS doesn't work, try one of the fifty snake-oil remedies scattered across various Android forums." That tells me that the new firmware doesn't actually fix the problem, since all those more or less random changes have always yielded temporary improvements.

 

[ewingr]

It is working for me. If I search for pdanet in the market nothing shows up. Turn on the flight mode and it does.

Just searched word ROOT in this thread, and see one person that indicated the 1 click root didn't work, and otheres that are rooting fine.

I used the method to copy the update.zip(same one as for old firmware) to External SD card (root of that card) and it did not root my phone. At least I don't have the Super User program, so I presume not.

Any suggestions?

[EDIT]
Just tried the 1click root, made sure I had USB debug set, and it still did not work.

[EDIT2]
Got it. I went through 1click again, and it goes by fast, but there was a message that said failed to copy. I think maybe because my SD card was 'mounted'. So I tried again w/o mounting, and it worked.

 

[BobPaul]

So now we're back to, "if the GPS doesn't work, try one of the fifty snake-oil remedies scattered across various Android forums." That tells me that the new firmware doesn't actually fix the problem, since all those more or less random changes have always yielded temporary improvements.

And I am constantly amazed at how many people never seem to question why they believe an internet URL will affect their GPS's performance.

There is a real disconnect, for some, about exactly what is GPS.


Once again, your GPS is broken if it requires a URL of any type to work.

 

[BigCiX]

And I am constantly amazed at how many people never seem to question why they believe an internet URL will affect their GPS's performance.

There is a real disconnect, for some, about exactly what is GPS.


Once again, your GPS is broken if it requires a URL of any type to work.

the only thing that's gonna fix the gps is an ota update

 

[Jreitnauer7]

And one more update, this time with good news...

I found a workaround. Download this app. Before you open it, make sure that your market isn't running (task kill it, reboot, whatever). Hit the 'backup value' button (this'll back up the AT&T market). Go to the providers tab and select T-Mobile AU (NOT US). Reopen your market, and you should be able to view any apps you weren't able to view before.

I was able to download all 6 of the apps that I was missing.

Do you have to be rooted to use?

 

[chicknlil]

Side-load enabled.

 

[chicknlil]

And I am constantly amazed at how many people never seem to question why they believe an internet URL will affect their GPS's performance.

There is a real disconnect, for some, about exactly what is GPS.


Once again, your GPS is broken if it requires a URL of any type to work.

I'm trying to follow what you mean by an internet URL affecting the GPS.

 

[ewingr]

If I do a complete restore wiht Titanium, will I be using the fix that moves just data to nand, or will I need to do the fix again?

Or will I have a mess; data in 2 different places? Original location with no data, and the restored data, not being used?

Has anyone figured out best plan of attack?

I did post this question on the FIX thread on XDA, but its pretty quite over there.

 

[getDange]

I'm trying to follow what you mean by an internet URL affecting the GPS.

I gather the poster means that some of those "fixes" suggest changing the SPL server which is a URL. The phone pulls cell tower/wifi info from that URL and approximates your location that way, when real GPS is not available (which is normal for any GPS in buildings but abnormal the way captivate does it - on the streets)

 

[calex34]

Thank you very much for the info.

 

[calex34]

Sure. The post is here. I used an addon for Firefox called SQLite Manager to make the change - that just opens up a new Firefox tab. To open the settings.db file, I hit the opening folder button, and then told it to look for all file types (rather than just the SQ types). Navigate to wherever you stored the file, and follow the directions of the linked post.

Hope that helps.

Thank you, that helped alot.

 

[mi04se1]

My gps works perfect indoors and out on both GN and ATT nav with the stock settings and use wireless off. I dont mean to brag, but its been working over a weeek now maybe closer to 2 weeks.

 

[mi04se1]

can you provide links?

http://androidforums.com/samsung-galaxy-s/104872-gps-issues-7.html

 

[ewingr]

My initial 3 mile drive tonight, the GPS was spot on.

Tomorrow I'm be driving a couple hundred miles. We'll see what happens then.