Help GPS/Navigation issues?

[BMF136]

Hi,

My wife has the Fascinate and it's running 2.3.5 and not rooted. Her maps & navigation haven't been working. I downloaded "GPS Status" and cannot get it to show any "fix/sats" no matter how long I wait. On my Thunderbolt using the same app the fix/sats shows up immediately. I went under manage a gps state and cleared it but that didn't help.

I checked under location settings and all 3 boxes were checked. I tried checking only standalone gps but still nothing.

Does anyone else with a Fascinate have any idea as to how we can get the gps working again?

Thanks!!!

 

[LandLockedPH]

GPS lock has always been an issue with the Samsung Galaxy S devices including the VZW Fascinate. We have three of them in the family (all now running stock 2.3.5) and my wife's works pretty well while my takes up to ten minutes to lock at times. Sorry I don't have any good news for you. But if you just got it, I'd go back to Verizon and ask for a replacement to see if that helps.

 

[SmarterJP]

When I got the OTA GB update, everything was good EXCEPT my GPS was not working. Incredibly frustrating. I ended up seeing this tip on VW forums to flash the GB stock build via ODIN onto your phone. I followed this advice and my phone now works perfectly with GB and has normal GPS functionality again. Scroll down this thread to the comment posted by corts1321:

https://community.verizonwireless.com/thread/740356

 

[LandLockedPH]

I had tried that earlier with some success. But I wasn't going to go through all of that work for three phones (my wife and daughter also have Fascinates). And, one shouldn't have too. I love Samsung displays, but their radios and phone hardware leave allot to be desired. That's why I returned the Nexus. I just don't have the time to build my own working device.

 

[BMF136]

Thanks for the replies. She called VZW last night and they're sending a replacement out today.

If it doesn't come with 2.3.5 installed should we not accept the update? Do any Fascinates that have been updated to 2.3.5 OTA still have a working gps?

 

[LandLockedPH]

Thanks for the replies. She called VZW last night and they're sending a replacement out today.

If it doesn't come with 2.3.5 installed should we not accept the update? Do any Fascinates that have been updated to 2.3.5 OTA still have a working gps?

GPS on the three Fascinates we have work. They're just frequently slow to get the initial lock. That's been an issue since day one and I think has more to do with Samsung hardware than it does with the OS version. I'd previously had three HTC phones (G1, N1 and Incredible) and GPS lock was immediate no matter what version of Android was running.

 

[SmarterJP]

GPS on the three Fascinates we have work. They're just frequently slow to get the initial lock. That's been an issue since day one and I think has more to do with Samsung hardware than it does with the OS version.

I had slow GPS lock with the stock Eclair that came with the Fascinate when I first got it. But every subsequent Android update (except that OTA GB that I rectified with the ODIN GB flash install) resulted in a very quick GPS lock and so I do not think it is hardware related.

 

[SmarterJP]

I had tried that earlier with some success. But I wasn't going to go through all of that work for three phones (my wife and daughter also have Fascinates).

I ODIN-ed the stock GB version and for me at least, it was not that big a deal to do this. In the end, it's different strokes for different folks and whatever keeps you happy. I'm happy I have a GB version that works like it should.

 

[BMF136]

The replacement phone arrived today. So far everything seems to work (sometimes I hear horror stories about replacements) and the gps actually works. It locked in under a minute...

 

[LandLockedPH]

The replacement phone arrived today. So far everything seems to work (sometimes I hear horror stories about replacements) and the gps actually works. It locked in under a minute...

Good to hear. Hope it continues to work for you. For the most part, it's been a great phone.