[Q] GPS always running and how to fix? - Captivate Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting

My wife and I both have the captivate and for some reason her GPS is always on. (The icon in the notification bar is always blinking) Its getting to be really annoying since her battery life has gone to complete crap, lasting no more than a few hours at most. How can I figure out what is causing the GPS to constantly be running?
I don't have this problem on my phone, it is just hers that does it.

It's likely an app still running in the background, grab one of the plethora of free task managers on the market, should help you narrow it down
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I897 using XDA App

Will one of these programs list everything that is running? I ask this because the GPS turns on immediately as the phone boots, and stays running. So, I know its not an errant app.

Yes they will
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I897 using XDA App

You can turn off GPS
You can trun off the GPS by going to settings->location..-> uncheck use GPS

eitan123 said:
You can trun off the GPS by going to settings->location..-> uncheck use GPS
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
While this is a good temporary solution for saving battery, I don't consider it a fix because then the phone would have no GPS capabilities at all.
The phone should behave the way mine does, when something requests to use the GPS, the icon shows up in the notification bar, otherwise, it does nothing. Her notification bar ALWAYS has the icon on it, blinking away and doing something.
I am going to try some task managers tonight and see if we can narrow it down.

tikicult said:
Will one of these programs list everything that is running? I ask this because the GPS turns on immediately as the phone boots, and stays running. So, I know its not an errant app.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Apps can start as soon as the phone boots. Again, I suggest going through the apps you have installed that use GPS and review each one to be sure nothing is amiss.

My friend got a Captivate this week. His GPS also runs constantly. I compared our phones side by side, and he had almost no apps running - just the basic apps. We totally cleared out his home screens. I was completlely puzzled why his GPS was running.
We both went to Settings->About Phone. He was running firmware 2.1, I was running firmware2.1-update1. He just got his phone, I'm not sure why it has the older firmware on it.
I'm wondering if this is the reason?

Perhaps deactivate google location update information services.
If it happens from the get go with no apps running, your gps could be running simply to let google know your location. Reset system to factory and opt out of (allow my location - or something like that)

give Startup Auditor a try - free app on android market

If you are within return period take it back and have it replaced. You shouldn't have to use any fixes on a brand new unit. Now if you've messed with custom ROMs or kernals that could be the cause. If you've done nothing to it and it's stock I'd do an exchange.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I897 using XDA App

It's got to be an app running in the background. You didn't happen to go into the GPS test service menu, did you? Because I know some people go there and press home instead of back to quit it, and the test app runs in the background (though I would imagine once the battery dies and the phone is recharged and restarted, it probably wouldn't still be running...

Last week, I traveled to some remote area that only has 2G data service. I found my phone's GPS stayed on when I fired up the Google map and closed the app right after. This never happens when I'm in 3G data service area. The GPS will be off automatically even before the home screen shows up.
I have to use the power widget to toggle the GPS off and on to turn it off.
So, it may be something special about EDGE service.

I was able to produce a similar issue twice by switching away from the camera app using the home button without having taken a picture. This is obviously with geotagging turned on in the camera options. I even turned GPS off, but it went right back to searching for satellites when I turned it back on.
This is inside a building with no hope of getting a GPS fix.
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I897 using XDA App

Try use the back button instead of home button to get out of your camera app. Most apps will do a cleanup/release resources when using back button. But if you use Home button, most apps will stay running in memory without release any resources.

Related

Nexus One never sleeping

I have tried searching the forums but have found nothing yet, so I was hoping someone could help me. I am currently using Enomther's rom, but this has happened on every rom I've tried (Desire, Cyan, etc.). My problem is the Nexus One is running 100% of the time. In comparison, the screen was on for 5.2% of the time. And I have definitely noticed the battery. Even if in standby, it loses 10-20% battery an hour. By the time I make it home from school, I have about 20% battery left, with almost no usage whatsoever. I've checked to see if it's any apps that won't close, but my highest used app was only a few minutes according to spare parts. Cpu usuage is barely visible as well in spare parts.
List of Apps:
Advanced Task Killer
AK Notepad
Any Cut
Astrid
ASTRO
aTrackDog
Barcode Scanner
Battery Graph
Beautiful Widgets
Call Meter NG
Classic Simon
Mathpad
Contacts Clean-up
Dictionary.com
eBuddy
Engadget
FMyLife Official
FotMob 4.6
Funny Jokes
Google Sky Map
Google Translate
GPS Status
jkAppSwitch
Maps
Meebo IM
Metamorph
MountUSB
Movies
MyBackup Pro
Opera Mini 5 Beta
Paypal
Picsay
Pkt Auctions eBay
Places Directory
Quick System Info
Quick Uninstaller
Replica Island
Robo Defense
Rom Manager
Screebl Lite
SetCpu
Shazam
ShopSavvy
SMS Backup & Restore
Solitaire
Speed Test
Timeriffic
Titanium Backup
TTS Serivce Extended
Tube Downloader
Urban Dictionary
Urbanspood
WikiMobile
Wireless Tether For Root Users
World War
XDA
Zedge
Looks like an application is holding the wake lock. Instant Messengers are good candidates for draining the battery. In my experience, Meebo loses connection frequently, and eBuddy has a mode to keep the connection, but it drains the battery very fast (AFAIR it has a mode that's easier on the battery by checking for messages every 15 minutes, but that's not all that instant anymore).
Good job you have AnyCut installed.
Use it to place a shortcut to the 'Testing' app (or dial *#*#4636#*#*), and use that to look at your battery history.
This will be able to confirim if your N1 is indeed staying awake, and if you use the 'partial wake usage' drop down box, it will tell you what's keeping it that way.
For partial wake usage, the only thing that pops out Android System which has a full bar. Nothing else is above a sliver.
Since you have titanium backup, why not make a backup, completely wipe your phone, and see if the problem persists? Then, add components at a time and see when the problem reappears. ie ROM -> a few apps -> a few apps -> etc. This will narrow down your search and hopefully pinpoint the problem.
You also might wanna look at logcat (e.g. via aLogCat), sometimes there are a lot of messages of runaway applications.
Here's my logcat
pastebin.com/2fj74zPn
No spare parts?
Downlaod it and try setting the end button behavious to go to sleep.
Seems like an obvious thing, but its worth a shot if you haven't already tried it.
izmar said:
No spare parts?
Downlaod it and try setting the end button behavious to go to sleep.
Seems like an obvious thing, but its worth a shot if you haven't already tried it.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yep, of course I have spare parts. I set that, but what exactly is the end button?
Edit* I've uninstalled every app on my phone, and yet the problem still persists. Running 100% of the time. What the heck is wrong with my phone?
panzival said:
Yep, of course I have spare parts. I set that, but what exactly is the end button?
Edit* I've uninstalled every app on my phone, and yet the problem still persists. Running 100% of the time. What the heck is wrong with my phone?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think your best bet us to just wipe everything, and reinstall the rom. That should get things going smoothly.
do you have trackball succession mod? that may be the reason.
Sent from my Nexus One using the XDA mobile application powered by Tapatalk
SiNJiN76 said:
do you have trackball succession mod? that may be the reason.
Sent from my Nexus One using the XDA mobile application powered by Tapatalk
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No, but I did have trackball wake enabled. Would that matter? Also, I've installed Cyan and the problem seems to be gone, although battery still isn't great :/
I would figure that trackball wake will keep waking your phone when you accidentally hit the trackball when the phone is in your pocket or bags?
panzival said:
No, but I did have trackball wake enabled. Would that matter? Also, I've installed Cyan and the problem seems to be gone, although battery still isn't great :/
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
One thing to check that I've run in to twice (unfortunately) is constant "syncing" of email. I only noticed it because the email app constantly showed the syncing circle (not in the notification bar, in the app). Clearning the storage/settings for email cleared it up, but it took a few days to find out what was causing it to never sleep.
Grooby97 said:
I would figure that trackball wake will keep waking your phone when you accidentally hit the trackball when the phone is in your pocket or bags?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yes but my phones running 100% of the time and my screens running 1/20 of that time. Surely my screen on time would increase as well? As well I'm sitting in class half the day and know for sure that I'm not hitting the trackball.
krohnjw said:
One thing to check that I've run in to twice (unfortunately) is constant "syncing" of email. I only noticed it because the email app constantly showed the syncing circle (not in the notification bar, in the app). Clearning the storage/settings for email cleared it up, but it took a few days to find out what was causing it to never sleep.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks, I'm going to look into this. Would this correspond to UID 10014 or Media having extremely high network usage as well? I just noticed these two things constantly have full network usage bars but don't know exactly what either are. How would I clear the settings/storage? I'm using a Desire Rom now if it matters.

[Q] Weird things going on!

Ok lets say i am in yahoo (dowloaded offical app not the pre-installed at&t IM app). I will finish what i am doing in yahoo, leave it running and return to the HOME screen. A few minutes later (after receiving no messages) I wake up my phone & it is yahoo! It shold still be at the HOME screen as this is the last thing that was open before sleep mode. This also happens randomly with my text and call log. I will make a call and hang up. Phone times out in 15 seconds and is left on the home screen. I wake it up and my list of calls is on the display....this should NOT BE! Text messages show up after the wake up some times as well. Additionally I am on my 3rd captivate with a brand new sim card and I will be on the phone for 5 minutes in a COMPLETE singnal area and my call will not just "drop" it's almost like the entire phone app disables and I lose all signal for 10 seconds & it regains and the screen blanks out. What gives??!!! I am using task manager and I have the "phone" ignored as proccess that it should not auto-kill so I do not know! Any help with any of these issues will be appreciated!
I would uninstall task manager first to make sure it's not the problem. If its still happening keep uninstalling apps one at a time until you get back to the factory loadout.
My thinking is that if this is your third phone then it's most likely a software issue. I haven't seen anything around the forums about similar problems out of the door so I have to think its something you've modified or an app that is causing the issue.
The only alternative i can think of would be to start reading up on each app you've installed to see I'd they've been tested on the captivate.
Good luck
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SGH-I897 using XDA App

[Q] Does anyone else get GPS Lock loss on JVO after Screen Off?

I don't usually ask questions on xda but this problem is killing me. I am currently on JVO with FuguMod and have no issues with the phone itself aside from one problem that was occurring on stock prior to the application of FuguMod.
When i use any tracking app such as Endomondo or My Tracks, I can get the lock but seemingly a few seconds after the screen goes off, the app loses it's lock and my run stops getting tracked.
I've tried a few different settings, enabled roaming data, etc.... Even tried using apps like GPS Booster to attempt to keep the lock, but they all end up doing the same thing.
Has anyone else experienced this behaviour or know of some magic setting to sort it out?
Not sure but I could have sworn GPS always turned off when screen switched off, even in 2.2 (stock).
You said you tried boosting software. I used to have Tracker booster running to keep GPS alive, doesn't that work anymore with GB? Don't know how reliable GPS Booster is, might just be the same.
No the GPS does not turn off when the screen locks. If it would all those apps like My Tracks or Cardio Trainer wouldn't work.
I can confirm I have no problems with My Tracks on JVO.
I got the ****s and completely wiped my phone and the sd card contents before reflashing stock,.will see if this sorts it out when the rain clears
Sent from my GT-I9000 using XDA App

GPS Crashing?

Sorry if this is a dupe, I can't seam to search just a form form with the mobile app.
Has anyone else has a issue where after a few days GPS stops working? Anything that requests a fix doesn't get anything, maps and gps fix. Toggling GPS or Airplain modes doesn't fix it. I end up having to reboot, thanks for no reboot option in the power menu moto, and then it works fine.
It seams like a odd bug. I do use task killer somewhat frequently. Are there any apps that will let me restart gps?
Sent from my DROID3 using XDA App
I am having the same issue. One day it works fine, then a couple days later, no go! It doesn't even bring up the icon in the status bar showing that it is trying to get a fix. I have a hard time believing that no one else is running into this issue.
A reboot fixes it, so I have this strange feeling there is an app/process of some sort that is making it hang...
Same here. Always does it at the most inconvenient times too.
There have been satellite issues over the last few weeks - solar flares and whatnot - that have disrupted service. Task killers, also, could also be screwing up your system. Tasks aren't the same thing on your phone that they are on Windows, and don't actively use up power and memory. Android generally manages tasks quite well. Using a task killer is wasting more energy than not using it would, I'd bet.
I get the same issue.
I put the GPS widget on a home screen. I click GPS off - wait a sec - and click it back on. Works.
I usually have to reboot as well. I've noticed the gps icon just doesn't show up at all.
which reminds me. I really hate VZ navigator. It keeps running.
Alright. post 2 (trying to keep it useful...)

GPS behavior - normal after reboot or from cold?

Can someone help me confirm if this is normal GPS behavior? I'm rooted on ANG3 with the latest maps 9.2.0.
If I start maps after a reboot, or when GPS is "cold" like using for the first time in the morning, the GPS indicator in the status bar will come on for a second or two, then just turn off - at which time maps stops updating my location. It does this same behavior with other GPS apps, including navigation. I found out if I wait like 10 seconds, the GPS status bar indicator comes back on and remains on - from then on behaving normally. After that, I can close maps, reopen, use navigation, use GPS status or GPS test apps, etc., all normally.
I had initially been closing whatever GPS app I was using and reopening when this happened, and the problems kept repeating...but if I found out if I just wait for those 10 seconds or so, then the problem is completely resolved until the next reboot or cold start (like if I wait 10 hours to use a GPS app again).
So do other people have that same GPS behavior immediately after a reboot or from a cold GPS start - where GPS only comes on for a second or two, then turns off for 10 seconds or so, then comes back on and will remain on and work normally?
If not, any idea what the problem might be? I've tried clearing cache of gps apps and clearing dalvik cache...but maybe this is normal behavior?
No problems with my gps here, i personally keep it turned off until i need to though so not sure if that factors in to it, you may need to take it in because that sounds like a possible hardware issue. Have you tried a factory reset/reflashing?
Sent from my SM-G900A using Tapatalk
Thanks for the reply. Yeah, I wonder if leaving your gps off mostly, and only turning it on when needed might affect the behavior I'm talking about. I haven't tried a factory reset yet...was hoping to avoid that, and especially didn't want to do it if others have the same gps behavior. Maybe someone else who leaves gps enabled can test this out by rebooting and opening maps?
netter123 said:
Thanks for the reply. Yeah, I wonder if leaving your gps off mostly, and only turning it on when needed might affect the behavior I'm talking about. I haven't tried a factory reset yet...was hoping to avoid that, and especially didn't want to do it if others have the same gps behavior. Maybe someone else who leaves gps enabled can test this out by rebooting and opening maps?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Hate to be the bearer of bad news and all that, but i feel like if it was that big of an issue there would be more people posting about it. I know you don't want to but a factory reset fixes most issues, i may be wrong though so feel free to wait it out and see if someone has a solution :/
Sent from my SM-G900A using Tapatalk
I had a chance to check the behavior of my wife's Galaxy Alpha (uprooted). Actually, her gps seems to act similarly except that the period of time it spontaneously turns off is more like 5 seconds instead of 10. But that leading me to think what I'm seeing is normal. I'd still appreciate some confirmation though, so if someone could:
1. Turn on gps
2. Reboot
3. Open maps and observe the gps indicator in the status bar for about 30 seconds
4. Report if the indicator disappears during that time and for how long
netter123 said:
I had a chance to check the behavior of my wife's Galaxy Alpha (uprooted). Actually, her gps seems to act similarly except that the period of time it spontaneously turns off is more like 5 seconds instead of 10. But that leading me to think what I'm seeing is normal. I'd still appreciate some confirmation though, so if someone could:
1. Turn on gps
2. Reboot
3. Open maps and observe the gps indicator in the status bar for about 30 seconds
4. Report if the indicator disappears during that time and for how long
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I gave it a shot, no issues here, im no where near stock though so im not sure how much thats worth.
Sent from my SM-G900A using Tapatalk
netter123 said:
Can someone help me confirm if this is normal GPS behavior? I'm rooted on ANG3 with the latest maps 9.2.0.
If I start maps after a reboot, or when GPS is "cold" like using for the first time in the morning, the GPS indicator in the status bar will come on for a second or two, then just turn off - at which time maps stops updating my location. It does this same behavior with other GPS apps, including navigation. I found out if I wait like 10 seconds, the GPS status bar indicator comes back on and remains on - from then on behaving normally. After that, I can close maps, reopen, use navigation, use GPS status or GPS test apps, etc., all normally.
I had initially been closing whatever GPS app I was using and reopening when this happened, and the problems kept repeating...but if I found out if I just wait for those 10 seconds or so, then the problem is completely resolved until the next reboot or cold start (like if I wait 10 hours to use a GPS app again).
So do other people have that same GPS behavior immediately after a reboot or from a cold GPS start - where GPS only comes on for a second or two, then turns off for 10 seconds or so, then comes back on and will remain on and work normally?
If not, any idea what the problem might be? I've tried clearing cache of gps apps and clearing dalvik cache...but maybe this is normal behavior?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Try this : http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?p=56982923
Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N910A using XDA Premium HD app
Thanks for the suggestions. I'm not sure what's going on, because I haven't really tweaked anything but it's now acting normal most of the time even after fresh reboots. But I did still replicate the behavior several times on my wife's stock Galaxy Alpha. Anyway, I'm going to be keeping my eye on it and trying to see if I can figure out what variables seem to be causing the behavior. If anyone else ever notices this though, please post.
Just an update: the behavior had seemed to fix itself, but this was while I was traveling out of town for the holidays. Back home now, and the behavior returned. Since I've replicated this with my wife's stock Galaxy Alpha, I'm wondering if this has something to do with my home location being set in maps...or? Seems weird that it resolved while traveling but continues when back home. Really surprised nobody else has noticed this. Maybe it's something specific to my home location? Guess I will keep checking on it and report back if I figure anything further out.

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