topic Re: GPS issues since update in XPERIA archive

GPS issues since update

Sat, 29 Oct 2011 10:05:36 GMT

Hello Sony and other users

If updated my Neo last week from the stock firmware to 2.3.3 build 4.0.A.2.368.

After that I have issues with GPS signal (DOP). Programs like RunGPS, Google Maps and Navigon loses GPS signal exactly every 5 minutes für about 30 seconds. After that, the DOP is good again. Sometimes it helps to restart the phone, sometimes not. I've tried to find out if it depends, which programs are in the memory but nothing is really obvious.

The issue looks like this:

Yesterday I've updated to 2.3.4 4.0.2.A.0.42, but the issue is the same. I've read in another forum that sometimes an update of Googe maps could cause this problem. So I've deinstalled the last update of Goggle maps. Before that I had this issue, directly after that it was gone, but it came back although I did not install the update of googe maps again (Auto update was disabled).

Before the firmware updates I did not have this issues.

What can I do? Are there some log files, which can help? Any idea?

With this issue the GPS is not really usable. Is it possible to downgrade?

Thanks

Re: GPS issues since update

Sat, 29 Oct 2011 13:06:08 GMT

I had been waiting for the release of X-Pro since it was announced. It is available where i am now but all the issues i keep reading on various forums has made me think twice. I use GPS on my old Xperia phone and can't do without it. I wonder if the drop in the signal is a common issue for all upgrading to new version!!! I've heard others complain of battery drain after updation as well. If this is true then i think i will rather get some other brand. Had been a loyal SE customer for the past 8-9 years but i think its time to move on.

Re: GPS issues since update

Sun, 30 Oct 2011 09:56:01 GMT

Hello Sony

I've been doing a research yesterday and today.

And I think, I know the problem now.

I've installed OSMonitor to see the system logs.

I've run RunGPS the whole morning after a restart of the phone.

After 2h20min the problems begins. Every 5min loss of signal. See this:

Parallel to each loss OS Monitor shows message:

rmnet_stop()

rmnet_open()

rmnet0: no IPv6 routers present

device rmnet0 left promiscuous mode

device rmnet0 entered promiscuous mode

After research it has something to do with data transfer so I switched Data transfer off, I tried to change settings like "WCDMA prefered" and so on. WIFI On/off, Data On/Off. Nothing helps.

And than I activated flight mode and the problem is gone.

After switching the phone online again the problem is back.

So, what is wrong?

Please help because otherwise I have give the phone back.

Thanks

PS.: In the RunGPS Forum there is a second user with the same problem (Xperia Arc). He's got 3,5min distance between losses.

Hello Sony, it seems to be a real problem!

Re: GPS issues since update

Sun, 30 Oct 2011 18:26:57 GMT

Further investigation shows, that maybe RunGPS is responsible for the error, maybe in combination with Sony Firmware.
I restartet the phone and waited for 2h and something, so I can be sure, that the error should be there.
Than I startet Navigon Navigator and watch the GPS signal for 10min - nothing. Than I ended Navigon.
10min later I did the same - nothing. Closing Navigon again. Than I startet RunGPS. After only 3min the error occurs the first time. Than I ended RunGPS and started Navigon again. After 5min the error is there.
So the error occurs after using RunGPS.
The logs shows something interesting. All the time before I startet RunGPS (2h and something) nothing special is seen in the logs. Some errors, some warnings, a lot of information. After starting RunGPS and end it again I find this very often in the logs which was not there before starting RunGPS:
10/30/2011 19:01:40 [ERROR]
msm_i2c msm_i2c.0: (0076) Error during data xfer (-5)

Maybe its not realated to RunGPS, but the Admins and programmers should know. Please feedback!

Thanks

Re: GPS issues since update

uliwooly-wooly — Sun, 30 Oct 2011 18:33:23 GMT

try Service Menu

http://talk.sonyericsson.com/message/113787#113787

Re: GPS issues since update

uliwooly-wooly — Sun, 30 Oct 2011 18:34:04 GMT

This is how you enter Service Menu on the Arc, Neo, Play, etc

Open the Dialer and press this

*#*#7378423#*#*

Re: GPS issues since update

Sun, 30 Oct 2011 19:33:34 GMT

Hello

Thanks for the information. I performed the gps test and everything is ok. But the gps itself is not really the problem.

How can service menu help?

Thanks

Re: GPS issues since update

uliwooly-wooly — Sun, 30 Oct 2011 20:17:42 GMT

it doesn't allow you to calibrate it and also try this on the apps

settings -> applications -> manage applications -> all -> google maps uninstall updates, clear everything repeat with the other apps and see if that fix the issue

Re: GPS issues since update

Sun, 30 Oct 2011 20:28:50 GMT

Hello

"it doesn't allow you to calibrate it" ? What does that mean?

I read the update thing with google maps in another forum and allready did that.

I also deinstalled every new application which came with the updates (FIFA, Music umlimited and so on). But it does not help.

Thanks

Bye

Re: GPS issues since update

uliwooly-wooly — Sun, 30 Oct 2011 20:55:42 GMT

not just google maps but other apps aswell, like skymap, not just uninstall the updates but clear all the options there

Re: GPS issues since update

Mon, 31 Oct 2011 06:41:56 GMT

Hello

I deinstalled all updates. And I cleared the cache of each program. What other "options" do you mean?

Problem still exists.

Bye

Re: GPS issues since update

Mon, 31 Oct 2011 13:12:15 GMT

I changed to alogcat as logging tool and found that.

Exactly every 5min and exactly fitting to the DOP problem in RunGPS (see picture) I got this:

10-31 13:36:19.737 D/lib_locapi( 238): loc_event_cb: get loc event location server request, event = 1

10-31 13:36:19.737 D/lib_locapi( 238): loc_eng_agps_data_conn_failed

10-31 13:36:20.750 D/lib_locapi( 238): loc_eng_ioctl for ATL returned 1 (1 for success)

....

10-31 13:41:20.706 D/lib_locapi( 238): loc_event_cb: get loc event location server request, event = 1

10-31 13:41:20.706 D/lib_locapi( 238): loc_eng_agps_data_conn_failed

10-31 13:41:21.746 D/lib_locapi( 238): loc_eng_ioctl for ATL returned 1 (1 for success)

....

10-31 13:46:20.757 D/lib_locapi( 238): loc_event_cb: get loc event location server request, event = 1

10-31 13:46:20.757 D/lib_locapi( 238): loc_eng_agps_data_conn_failed

10-31 13:46:21.767 D/lib_locapi( 238): loc_eng_ioctl for ATL returned 1 (1 for success)

Look at the timestamp.

It doesn't matter if 3G is on or if I'm using Wifi.

In the settings (Standort&Sicherheit) "Drahtlosnetzwerke" was deactivated! The hint, that Google sends anonymous location data forced me to deactivate it.

If it works with this activated I will test later.

Hopefully anybody can give me a feedback.

Re: GPS issues since update

Tue, 29 Nov 2011 18:10:26 GMT

Hello Sony!

This is a big problem!

Summary:

1. After a certain active time of the phone (1h-4h) in each program which uses GPS every five minutes the phone tries to get contact to the AGPS server and the following error occurs.

10-31 13:46:20.757 D/lib_locapi( 238): loc_eng_agps_data_conn_failed

During this time (30sec) no GPS signal is available. The DOP is very high.

2. If the phone is in flight mode, the problem disappears. Again active, the problem is present again.

After reboot no problem, but after 1h-4h on time the problem occurs again.

3. The problem occurs since update to 2.3.3 and also in 2.3.4.

4. Every GPS program is affected. RunGPS, Navigon, Google Maps. Independend from each other.

5. Other Sony phones (Arc) from other users have the same problem since the newer updates.

6. Even after hard reset right from the beginning the problem exists. So it has nothing to do with other installed programs.

So please solve this issue. It is definitly a bug!

Please make a comment!

Please help!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks

Re: GPS issues since update

uliwooly-wooly — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 18:13:17 GMT

just out of curiosity, go to settings -> location & security -> what do you have selected?

Use wireless networks?

if you have this selected, did you allowed Google to collect anonymous location data?

use gps satellites?

Re: GPS issues since update

Mon, 12 Dec 2011 12:49:32 GMT

I have exactly the same problem as you. I have the xperia mini pro (sk17i).

The gps signal lost every 5 minutes for 30 seconds.

This is definetely a software bug. It happend with android 2.3.3 and 2.3.4.

I bring the phone 2 times in 2 different sony ericsson service centers here in Greece, but they didn't fix it.

Sony please do something! Give as an advice please!

Re: GPS issues since update

jinx100 — Mon, 12 Dec 2011 17:05:50 GMT

Yes, it looks like a software bug. The agps should remain off once gps has a fix. The agps just helps get a faster gps lock and is not needed once gps lock is aquired. The agps uses mobile phone towers to get a rough location and time.

Another possibility is interference from the phone temporarily signal blocking the gps satellite signal. This could still be fixed with software to coast past this interval and relock on the satellite signal.

Sony, what do you think?

Re: GPS issues since update

Tue, 13 Dec 2011 11:39:04 GMT

Hello Sony responsibles

I know 3 Users now with three different phones (Neo, Arc, Mini Pro) in three different countries (Germany, Greece, Rumania) with the same problem.

Whats going on!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

What can we do to help! What things do you need to solve the problem?

Is the problem known? Do you need some protocols?

Please answer Sony!!!!!!

Re: GPS issues since update

Wed, 14 Dec 2011 10:02:39 GMT

I have a Xperia Ray in Australia with 2.3.4 and have exactly the same problem. GPS lost signal exactly every 5 minutes for about 30 secs.

Re: GPS issues since update

Markus1 — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 12:24:29 GMT

Hi all, first of all - sorry for not posting earlier.

We've missed this thread for some unknown reason. Of course not our intention to ignore this.

I've created an internal escalation ticket on this to get it investigated and to get some answers/info.

As soon as I have something to tell, I will post this here in this thread.

Re: GPS issues since update

Wed, 14 Dec 2011 18:35:36 GMT

Hello Markus

Escalation ticket sounds good to me.

Also see http://code.google.com/p/android/issues/detail?id=20707&q=gps&colspec=ID%20Type%20Status%20Owner%20Summary%20Stars#makechanges

It's maybe an Android native problem (also).

If you need some more logs or something tell us.

And if ICS is the solution do not hesitate to provide it ;-).

Bye