[robertut]

If you turn off XTRA, you'll notice that it may require even more than 15-30 minutes to get a fix. Turning on XTRA will shorten this to almost instant fixes...

Many people prefer to disable Enhanced GPS Settings, XTRA data download. This is because 3G/GPRS data connections can cost a lot, especially if you are abroad and roaming.

It seems like Samsung has left some settings turned on in the registy, for debugging purposes, and this makes really slow to get a fix without XTRA data. According to Microsoft's documentation (see GPS Intermediate Driver General Registry Settings) some features like logging can be enabled for debugging, in GPS Intermediate Driver's registry settings, which stays between the hardware and your navigation software.

My experience shows that the following steps seem to improve the time to get a GPS fix, without need to download XTRA data:
1. Go to Settings > System > Enhanced GPS and set both settings to "Disable"
2. Go to your device's registry, and see the key HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\GPS Intermediate Driver
3. Change the following string values to nothing (don't delete them, just edit them and clear the value):
CurrentLogFile (originally \GPSID_log.txt)
OldLogFile (originally \GPSID_log.bak)
4. Soft-reset your device
5. With File Explorer, go to My Device, and delete the two GPSID_log files you see, and the file named xtra. If you don't soft-reset, you will not be able to delete some of them.
6. Check again the registry setting. Sometimes in rare cases it may revert the settings back - but that's a general WM problem.

After this, if you start your navigation software under clear sky, you can get a fix in a coulpe of minutes, without the use of XTRA, or any other data source, than pure native GPS satellites.

To digg in the registry there are many free and shareware tools available, I can recommend Total Commander CE, which has a registry plugin.

Also noticed (but this may be really subjective) that flipping the device with the back upwards, while waiting for GPS fix, improves reception a bit - it seems like the internal receiver antenna is oriented to the back of the device... but if anyohe has dissassembled the Omnia can confirm or infirm this.

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[PaulOBrien]

Huh, interesting, I think you'd want to do this reg tweak regardless of whether you're using Xtra!

P

[robertut]

Paul (MVP), on Oct 15 2008, 09:35, said:

I think you'd want to do this reg tweak regardless of whether you're using Xtra!

Naturally. You can still use XTRA after this tweak if you want to, it doesn't interfere with it.

[FutureDirt]

if i still want to use xtra... do i delete the "xtra" file? or leave it there?

[Massive Attack]

hmm..interesting, i usually see those log files while browsing, but now that i just updated the rom, those files and registry entry doesnt exist.

[Junoman]

robertut, on Oct 15 2008, 09:32, said:

If you turn off XTRA, you'll notice that it may require even more than 15-30 minutes to get a fix. Turning on XTRA will shorten this to almost instant fixes...

Many people prefer to disable Enhanced GPS Settings, XTRA data download. This is because 3G/GPRS data connections can cost a lot, especially if you are abroad and roaming.

It seems like Samsung has left some settings turned on in the registy, for debugging purposes, and this makes really slow to get a fix without XTRA data. According to Microsoft's documentation (see GPS Intermediate Driver General Registry Settings) some features like logging can be enabled for debugging, in GPS Intermediate Driver's registry settings, which stays between the hardware and your navigation software.

My experience shows that the following steps seem to improve the time to get a GPS fix, without need to download XTRA data:
1. Go to Settings > System > Enhanced GPS and set both settings to "Disable"
2. Go to your device's registry, and see the key HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\GPS Intermediate Driver
3. Change the following string values to nothing (don't delete them, just edit them and clear the value):
CurrentLogFile (originally \GPSID_log.txt)
OldLogFile (originally \GPSID_log.bak)
4. Soft-reset your device
5. With File Explorer, go to My Device, and delete the two GPSID_log files you see, and the file named xtra. If you don't soft-reset, you will not be able to delete some of them.
6. Check again the registry setting. Sometimes in rare cases it may revert the settings back - but that's a general WM problem.

After this, if you start your navigation software under clear sky, you can get a fix in a coulpe of minutes, without the use of XTRA, or any other data source, than pure native GPS satellites.

To digg in the registry there are many free and shareware tools available, I can recommend Total Commander CE, which has a registry plugin.

Also noticed (but this may be really subjective) that flipping the device with the back upwards, while waiting for GPS fix, improves reception a bit - it seems like the internal receiver antenna is oriented to the back of the device... but if anyohe has dissassembled the Omnia can confirm or infirm this.

Hi Guys, Can I be advised how to access my device's registry (step 2) pls?

Thanks in advance.
J

[new2city]

Junoman, on Oct 16 2008, 05:39, said:

Hi Guys, Can I be advised how to access my device's registry (step 2) pls?

Thanks in advance.
J

as mentioned, one of the ways is to install Total Commander and browse to the registry settings just like you browse a folder in windows explorer(not file explorer)

This post has been edited by new2city: 15 October 2008 - 10:11 PM

[new2city]

BTW, since we are on the topic of GPS, is there a way to use a use the GPS data downloaded from the net on a PC and then transferred to our Omnias so that it can be used? I cannot connect to Wifi all the time...

BTW, does Quick Position work for you guys? The ephemeris file downloaded doesn't seem to make a difference on mine?

[Junoman]

new2city, on Oct 15 2008, 23:09, said:

as mentioned, one of the ways is to install Total Commander and browse to the registry settings just like you browse a folder in windows explorer(not file explorer)

Have installed Total Commander I can browse but I cannot locate device registry. So pls show me the path to go to device's registry?

Thanks agian.
J

[georo]

Thank you robertut nice job I have Garmin Xt and before this hack I have only 4-5 satellites in my view now I have 10 and is pickup the signal in 1 minute great job.

[new2city]

Junoman, on Oct 16 2008, 07:09, said:

Have installed Total Commander I can browse but I cannot locate device registry. So pls show me the path to go to device's registry?

Thanks agian.
J

browse all the way to root until you can see the \\plugins folder at the top and click on this, you will then see the registry as a folder, then you just look for
\\registry\HKLM\System\CurrentControlset\GPS Intermediate ....

[robertut]

FutureDirt, on Oct 15 2008, 14:50, said:

if i still want to use xtra... do i delete the "xtra" file? or leave it there?

It is safe to delete. If you still want to use XTRA in the settings, just re-enable it and it will download a new one. No risk!

[robertut]

Massive Attack, on Oct 15 2008, 15:55, said:

hmm..interesting, i usually see those log files while browsing, but now that i just updated the rom, those files and registry entry doesnt exist.

The logfiles are created by the GPS Intermediate Driver. If you set up the registry as described, they won't be created anymore - you don't need them at all, as they are there just for debugging. You don't debug...

[robertut]

new2city, on Oct 15 2008, 23:35, said:

BTW, since we are on the topic of GPS, is there a way to use a use the GPS data downloaded from the net on a PC and then transferred to our Omnias so that it can be used? I cannot connect to Wifi all the time...

This is possible too. Just connect the Omnia to the PC via the USB cable, enable ActiveSync (XP) or Device Center (Vista), and when connection is established enable XTRA. It will download the data through the PC's internet connection.

[new2city]

robertut, on Oct 16 2008, 16:50, said:

This is possible too. Just connect the Omnia to the PC via the USB cable, enable ActiveSync (XP) or Device Center (Vista), and when connection is established enable XTRA. It will download the data through the PC's internet connection.

Problem is, we don't have activesync connection at all the time as well.. anymore ideas?

[robertut]

new2city, on Oct 16 2008, 23:40, said:

Problem is, we don't have activesync connection at all the time as well.. anymore ideas?

I don't understand your question. If you have a PC connected to the internet, you have ActiveSync. If you have WiFi internet connection, XTRA can be downloaded through that too, if you want to.

[Shadowy]

Thanks for posting this, I'm now getting a fix within seconds using Route 66 whereas before it was hit and miss, anywhere between a few seconds and half an hour even after downloading xtra. Hard to believe Samsung haven't removed the debugging before now after all the complaints they must have been receiving about GPS performance.

[new2city]

robertut, on Oct 17 2008, 15:13, said:

I don't understand your question. If you have a PC connected to the internet, you have ActiveSync. If you have WiFi internet connection, XTRA can be downloaded through that too, if you want to.

actually, I just meant to ask if there is anyway you can download xtra directly onto a PC without the Omnia being connected. At work, I cannot install Activesync because it is not recognised as "official" company software. All I can do is to connect the Omnia as a USB disk.

[regster]

I have not understanding the point 3

Quote:

3. Change the following string values to nothing (don't delete them, just edit them and clear the value):
CurrentLogFile (originally \GPSID_log.txt)
OldLogFile (originally \GPSID_log.bak)

-----------------------------------

I must change?

-----------------------------------
before

CurrentLogFile \GPSID_log.txt

OldLogFile \GPSID_log.bak

-----------------------------------

after

CurrentLogFile

OldLogFile

-----------------------------------
leaving empty space strings?







excuse for my translate English.

help!

[Kuteguy]

regster, on Oct 17 2008, 08:48, said:

I have not understanding the point 3

Quote:

3. Change the following string values to nothing (don't delete them, just edit them and clear the value):
CurrentLogFile (originally \GPSID_log.txt)
OldLogFile (originally \GPSID_log.bak)

-----------------------------------

I must change?

-----------------------------------
before

CurrentLogFile \GPSID_log.txt

OldLogFile \GPSID_log.bak

-----------------------------------

after

CurrentLogFile

OldLogFile

-----------------------------------
leaving empty space strings?







excuse for my translate English.

help!

looks fine - make sure you delete the two files after a soft reset as mentioned by original post

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