No QuickGPSFix for a month [Resolved]

[RobertB]

I don't know exactly how long it's been, but it seems like a month or maybe more since my sync-up included QuickGPSFix. I can tell the difference, too -- it always takes a minute or so -- sometimes several minutes -- for the unit to figure out where it's at when I turn it on.

Is anyone else getting QuickGPSFix updates when they sync with HOME?

 

[pianoCM]

I thought I did 3 or 4 days ago w/o problem.

 

[canderson]

Is anyone else getting QuickGPSFix updates when they sync with HOME?

Yup - every time. Try wiping out ALL of the file in your "ephem" folder and try again.

 

[RobertB]

Actually, there's nothing at all in my devices /ephem directory.

There is, however, a G:\TomTom\HOME\Download\complete\ephemeris directory (G: is the hard drive partition where I told HOME to keep its data). And the last folder there is QuickGPSfix-24, dated 3/30/09.

I'll delete those folders and resync, and see what happens. In fact, I'll do that right now...

* Connect unit (no QuickGPSFix available)
* Close HOME (leave unit attached)
* Move all contents of .../ephemeris to backup
* Open HOME
* w00t! QuickGPSFix is available again!

I'll try it out after work and see if it finds itself sooner. Thanks!

 

[dhn]

All those folders you moved to the backup can be deleted. They are out of date anyway.

 

[imokah]

Robert....When I bought and started using my new GO920, I too noticed that the QuickGPSfix updates were never appearing in the Home Update screen...MapShares, yes. So, I went to My Computer and opened up the G: drive, where the connected TomTom was located and noticed that there was not a folder called...Ephem(sp?). I then went to the Desktop where I had previously saved files for my old GO720 and copied the three files that were inside the Ephem file there, over to a new folder created and called Ephem on the G: drive (GO 920 file stuff). Went back to Home and redid an update, and BAM, QuickGPSfix files show up. Coincidence, perhaps, but am now getting regular QuickGPSfix updates. Stranger things have happened.

On a side note, I am pretty sure that my 720 is permenantly broken...I do not get gray bars on my satellite screen...I get no bars...just white empty spaces where gray/blue bars should be.

 

[PowerliftingBBer]

Yup - every time. Try wiping out ALL of the file in your "ephem" folder and try again.

Same thing happeend to me Robert, I re did my hard drive and noticed the quick fix updates came back...Question, why does delteing the emph files make quick fix work again? If anyones got more info on this that would be great.

 

[p5ku]

Bad programming maybe? It seems like they're testing for the expiry of a file, but if there is no file to be found a new one is not copied. I too have experienced this problem in the past. I simply add an old update back in via home, it's stale so as soon as I run an update it downloads the new version.

 

[doctormstein1]

Yes on my 920 i get it all the time with no problems. Just a question can you download quickfix directly from your tom tom using a compatable cell phone/

 

[canderson]

Yes, you can use the DUN of your Bluetooth phone connection to your TomTom to grab a QuickGPSFix just as easily as you can the weather. It will advise you when it's completed the download. Just use that feature in the TomTom services area of your unit.

 

[denisj]

On the subject of quickfix can someone tell me how wide a coverage the fix is. If I take my GO720 from New Zealand to USA and use my NA map will the empheris files be there for NA or would I have to logon on and somehow tell home that I'm in the USA and download them. Question is; does the almanac cover the whole world.

 

[dhn]

Each file says where in the sky all satellites will be for about the next 5 days (the experts in this area are going to jump in and correct me, I know, but I think I have the basic idea ....) so when you dl a file, it is supposed to allow for your particular unit to grab the satellite fix faster than if you didn't have the file.

BUT............

It's important to note that, gpsquickfix or not, your unit WILL grab a satellite signal when you turn it on, it just may take a few more minutes without the file than with it. Try to stay in an open area with the unit not moving to get the fix.

There are those who **never** download the file and are fine.

 

[RobertB]

Just confirming: the QuickGPSFix *is* downloading normally again, and my unit *does* "find itself" within a few seconds instead of after a couple of minutes. As has been noted, QuickGPSFix is optional, but nice.

I tried to add "(Resolved!)" to the thread title by editing my original post, but it looks like this board doesn't work that way.

 

[dhn]

Took care of the change in thread title for you, Robert.

 

[RobertB]

It happened again. I quit receiving QuickGPSfix updates, and it started taking longer and longer for my unit to sync up with the satellites. In fact, I was frequently having to do a reset (push button 15 seconds) to get it to find the sats. Especially after syncing -- default location is my house, 30 miles from where I sync at work, so I think that made it even worse.

Sure enough, my G:\TomTom\HOME\Download\complete\ephemeris directory has folders named QuickGPSfix (dated 4/29) through QuickGPSfix-44 (dated 9/2), but nothing since then. Deleted them all and re-synced. Poof, QuickGPSfix is available again.

There have been updates to HOME recently, so I'm hoping that since I'm running the latest (2.7.2.1825), I won't have this problem again. I'll watch more closely on the next map update, and see if the problem is related.

 

[Buzzerman]

QuickGPSFix Still not working

I have had the same problem with QuickGPSFix, I have a One XL, QuickGPSFix stopped loading about a month ago and device now takes 5-10 mins to get a signal. I have tried all of the solutions in this thread but it has not solved it

i.e

- delete contents of ephemeris folder on PC
- delete contents of ephem on device
- reset device

I am on Home version 2.7.2.1825

Is anyone else aware of anything else I can do to fix this?

 

[RobertB]

It happened again, but I think I'm starting to see a pattern. My unit seemed to be stuck, unable to find satellites for over 5 minutes on Monday (12/21). The sat signal screen showed nearly-full bars for all visible sats, but all greyed out, as though it couldn't figure out what the sats were saying. So I did a full reset (15-second button push). The unit came up (after the usual long re-initialization process, displaying the welcome screen), and found its location right away.

But... no more QuickGPSFix for two days. Rather than wait until things get bad, I'll just clean it out now.

Result (drum roll please): Sync the unit again and voila, QuickGPSFix is offered for download. I'm back in business until the next glitch.

Note to Buzzerman -- I don't do anything to the folders on the unit as part of the process, and I don't reset the unit. I just delete the QuickGPSFix-xx folders in the "ephermis" directory on the PC hard drive. In fact, to be safe, I don't even have the unit connected when I make the change. I delete the files on the PC, and then hook up the unit to sync.

And something else I hadn't noticed before... the files inside "ephemeris.cab" are dated 8/18/2102. Awesome, GPS data... from the FUTURE. Too bad they didn't send back a software patch to prevent the glitch, while they were at it. I guess in 93 years, we'll still be complaining about software bugs.

 

[mvl]

I have had the same problem with QuickGPSFix, I have a One XL, QuickGPSFix stopped loading about a month ago and device now takes 5-10 mins to get a signal. I have tried all of the solutions in this thread but it has not solved it

I just updated a cousin's ONE XL yesterday and also noticed no Quickgpsfix update. I did notice that she had a really old version of Tomtom HOME.

Are you on the latest version 2.7? Her computer was sooooo old/slow that I didn't bother with a HOME update to see if it helps any.

It's possible that Tomtom is no longer publishing quickgpsfix updates for the ONE XL as it is over 2 years old now.

Even without the new quickgpsfix files, by deleting the contents of the ephem folder on the Tomtom, I was able to get a signal indoors in under a minute.

 

[Buzzerman]

Robert

Thanks for this, it tried the solution you described and it worked. Now picking up quickfix updates and pretty much instant detection of salelites.

"Note to Buzzerman -- I don't do anything to the folders on the unit as part of the process, and I don't reset the unit. I just delete the QuickGPSFix-xx folders in the "ephermis" directory on the PC hard drive. In fact, to be safe, I don't even have the unit connected when I make the change. I delete the files on the PC, and then hook up the unit to sync."

 

[scabral]

I wasn't getting any QuickGPSfix updates.
TomTom ONE IQ Routes GPS
TomTom Home 2.7.3.754

-Disconnected GPS and deleted the contents of the "ephemeris" folder on my computer.
-Reconnect, restart TomTom Home and voil?, on the updates panel it displays the option to get QuickGPSfix.

Thanks Robert.