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Help searching for GPS

R

rbadis

Newbie
Hi guys,

I've and HTC one M8 running Android 4.4.2, but the problem is that it is always stuck in "Searching for GPS" when running google maps.
I thing the GPS hardware is OK because other applications that uses location are running and locating my City, but not the case with GPS navigators?


Thanks
 
There is a very good app that can assist any Android phone to more quickly find the satellites.

the problem is, when the GPS is inactive, it is not looking, or listening to any satellite. therefore, it does not have a current ephemeris in it.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.eclipsim.gpsstatus2

install this app. For it to work, you MUST have access to the internet, either via WiFi or DATA.
Why? because it polls the servers that control the satellites, and downloads the current ephemeris into the phone.

Bingo! the phone's GPS receiver instantly knows what channel, and what satellites are in view.

Problem solved.

When I need to get an accurate GPS fix, I always bring up this app, it only takes a few seconds. Then I go to the app that I need to use. Bingo, it works like a charm.
 
but i don't get this problem with all my previous phones!? I have all iphones 3 to 6, samsung 3,5...etc
is this related to HTC phones or the android version?

Thanks
 
With your M8's Location enabled start up the GPS Status app and open it menu. There are some options you can run to reset the GPS, do all three - 'Compass calibration', 'Calibrate pitch and roll', and 'Manage A-GPS state'.
Also, since other apps are OK with Location and it appears as if the Maps app is the only problem, try going into your Settings >> Applications manager, scroll down to the Maps app and tap it. Tap on the 'Force stop' button and then the 'Clear cache' button. Now open the Maps app and check if things are working better.
 
When I open the GPS status it says "Looking for GPS location...", is this a problem? the location is enabled, does it mean that my GPS hardware is not working? so how come that I have some apps location based and they seems to locate my city and suburb with no problem and also in my phone's screen saver is showing every time the location of where i am?

thanks
 
I have some apps location based and they seems to locate my city and suburb with no problem and also in my phone's screen saver is showing every time the location of where i am!?

thanks
 
rbadis said:
When I open the GPS status it says "Looking for GPS location...", is this a problem?
Click to expand...
Where are you when your GPS isn't working? GPS requires satellite connectivity so if you're inside a building, especially in a basement or similar, that can be an issue. Moving closer to an outward facing window or doorway might help.
 
As I explained earlier, the GPS receiver is NOT following the satellites, UNTIL you open an app that needs to know where it is.

If that is Google Maps, it is going to take a very long time to find you, because the phone's GPS receiver has to find a satellite somewhere, wait until that satellite broadcasts the ephemeris.

When you open up GPS Status, you need to have DATA already turned on. The reason is, the 1st thing that GPS Status does is to download from NASA's servers where all the satellites are located "as of this minute".

Once it knows that, it knows what sats are in view, and what channel they are broadcasting on.
That process is immensely more efficient than just waiting for the phone's GPS Rx to wander around trying to find a satellite, any satellite, and then wait for that sat to say "Hey! here I am!"
 
svim said:
Where are you when your GPS isn't working? GPS requires satellite connectivity so if you're inside a building, especially in a basement or similar, that can be an issue. Moving closer to an outward facing window or doorway might help.
Click to expand...


I just assumed "that makes an Ass out of Me" that the PO would just naturally know that he has to be "outdoors". there can not be anything obscuring the sky.... no heavy tree leaves, no heavy rain soaked clouds, no tunnels to be walking/driving thru, no basements, you just cannot be indoors period. ( unless you live in a grass hut. )
 
Hi Guys,

It took me some time to get back tom you because I was going all the instructions you mentioned and testing Maps again to see if it fixes it and sorry no luck so far.
I've rest all three options and cleared maps cache and was actually outdoor in the streets while I'm doing this with my data on and the internet working no interferences, then I opened the GPS Status for more than 15 mins which kept says "Looking for GPS Location..." but after 15 mins I opened google maps for more than 6 mins and still says "Searching for GPS", in meantime I have my old small Samsung Ace 1 next to it and Maps are working with no issues at all!
does it mean that's my GPS hardware is faulty!? because as I mentioned the phone and other location based apps seems to locating where I am !?
if that helps, I'm actually from Australia and I bought the phone from USA and I have the location services set to "Google Location History" and under Location Sources I have two options Mode which is set to "High Accuracy" and the other option is E911 that says "E911 location cannot be turned off at any mobile".


Thanks
 
Well nuts. So tentatively I'll assume your GPS is OK since it's working with other apps and things seem to point to the Maps app. I'm also going to take a guess the Maps app came preinstalled so you can't remove it and reinstall from Google Play but you could try going back into your Settings >> Application manager and this time tap the 'Force stop' button but this time tap the 'Clear data' button.
If that doesn't help any, you might want to try wiping the system cache partition. This is kind of a stretch as I still think something is going on more with the Maps app but it won't hurt to try. If that doesn't make any difference. try rebooting your phone into 'Safe Mode' and see in the Maps app starts working correctly. If yes, that indicates there's some other app that's interfering with the Maps app. You'll then have to do a little sleuthing to figure out what other apps are using Location and GPS services.
http://cellphoneforums.net/htc-one/...ition-rebooting-safe-mode-uninstall-apps.html
 
Sorry that didn't fix it, it seems to be happening on with GPS navigating apps, I've tried 3 of them and all stuck in searching for GPS, while i do have other no navigation apps but location based and they work fine!?
example I do have GasBuddy app and it can find all closet petrol station to where I'm also a restaurant finder app that locates all restaurant near my location..etc but why not the same case with the navigators?

Thanks
 
just for grins, here is how I use the GPS services.

I refuse to allow Google Access to WiFi, it is useless, there are no WiFi signals in the rural Outback, nor are there in here in the Rural Green Country.... the only one available is the one in my house.... and that won't work farther than the driveway to the garage :(

So, I have the GPS set for "GPS Mode Only"

I have no issues with it finding the satellites.

Gas Buddy is able to use the "very loose" GPS location that the phone can provide by triangulating cell sites. And, also if your phone can only hear one or two satellites, Gas Buddy knows that you are within a mile or 5 miles of a general location. I have seen that on my phone before it gets a good solid lock. Gas Buddy does not need to know where you are within 9 meters.

Google Maps and GPS Status and other GPS specific apps do require that they lock onto the satellites and try to get accuracy better than 30 meters..... GPS Status will get down to within 9 meters within about 3 minutes normally. at least it does on my Samsung Galaxy S5 and my Note 4.

I just now, sitting in my office, next to a south window, had the Note 4 on Wifi, and brought up GPS Status, it locked onto 12 satellites in 3 seconds time and is showing an error of "3 meters"
 
I don't know guys, I've tried all the solutions you mentioned with no luck so far, I'm starting to give up and I think I'm stuck with it :(
It looks like I have a phone with GPS hardware with seem no faulty but somehow it doesn't work with only navigators because they all can't find enough satellites to work !

Thanks anyway guys
 
Okay,

I read from Post #1 down... and I don't see where you have done a FDR.

back up your data, and do the Factory Data Reset, which will wipe out everything on the phone as regards you and the carrier registration...

Get it back up and running, and before you mess with anything at all, just install GPS Status by itself.

I will buy you a sack of donuts if that don't fix it.
 
Ok I've done a factory reset, but the problem is that my phone is automatically downloading all my old apps and I can't stop it, I've rest the phone twice now and I don't know how to stop it downloading my old apps!?
 
hmm, sorry, should have told you to go to Play.store..... and change the settings to "do NOT auto update"

but, I don't think it is going to matter anyway, just don't install anything extra....
when it finally gets thru, try out GPS Status, which I assume is going to automatically downloaded and reinstall anyway.

don't try to stop the downloads, that will just mess up the OS.
 
Well I left all apps get installed, tried to run GPS status and google maps and still the same problem.
The reason why I was trying to not let any app from installing, is to only get GPS status installed then try it as you commanded to see if it works, but now with all apps reinstalled again its back to square one i guess.

Thanks
 
Hello mate,

I've not factory rest my phone a few times and every time I've set the app store to NOT auto update and believe it or not it still always auto download all my previous apps.
anyway I've waited for all apps to finish downloading and just left GPS status and of course google maps that I couldn't remove as its part of the system apps and still no luck my google map still can't locate my current location.
Could the E911 in location sources be the problem !!? because my other Samsung Ace phone doesn't have that location sources set, maybe because my phone is originally from USA that had that location source embedded into it that makes it loose its current location!?

Thanks
 
E911 ought not, have any effect on the GPS receiver working.

E911 is related to you dialing up the 911 services of course, and IF the GPS receiver does not have a decent fix, the E911 system will fall back onto a tri-angulation between two or more cell site towers. ( if this happens, they get a location with a mile or so :(

Usually though, even with only 2 satellites being visible, they can get a fix to within 300 meters.

The problem you are experiencing has to do with HiRes location down to 30 feet or less...
for some reason, your cellphone's GPS is not working correctly...

If there any chance of you being able to get a warranty replacement?
 
With all my navigators (Maps, Tom Tom or Waze), they all seems to find my current location with the route to destination and the distance, but the all fail to give me turn by turn directions.
for example they show the route to destination is 22 km and moving forward I can see the distance is changing 21 km, 20 km ...etc till it tells me "arrived to destination" but I guess that's because as you mentioned it's not able to locate within 300 meters !?

Thanks anyway for your help mate and appreciate it.

Cheers
 
I had the same problem. New phone and GPS was working fine. All of a sudden GPS started out fine, but would freeze and saying 'searching for GPS'. After months of having this problem and looking for a solution I finally found out why. I had bought a new metal case for the phone and it was interfering with the signal. Hopefully this will help someone as I was about to change phones.
 
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