GPS issue-- CF31 Mk5

Not sure where the issue lies....
updating out fleet of squad laptops--windows updates, Java update, and Malwarebytes update.

Users reporting GPS not working.
They all seem to be users on the Sierra wireless NMEA GPS--Panasonic internal (so far) seems to be working still

when we got these laptops new, I have to do that UBX (dos screen) command to get them to output NMEA strings. It would go thru steps 1-5 and finish/start working as needed

some of these dead ones I try to run the DOS command and it hangs on step 1 fro about 1 min then errors. it will continue, and look like it re-trys step 1-5 and I shows it completes.

after all that, its showing GPS signal, but seems to look different than what it should, and it doesn't find any satellites

I am wondering if the internal GPS isn't jacked, and if there was a "factory reset" I could do on it?

any other help would be great!
(of course time is critical-- we have many computers that are down because of this)

thanks!!!!

 

think the latest MS defender definition killing it...looking into it more

 

How come some have Panasonic real gps and others have Sierra?

 

internal gps option that came with the laptop, and internal optional sierra wireless GPS/Verizon card

(as far as I can tell)

they have both

so far, with testing, it appears Malwarebytes update and java update do not affect the sierra wireless NMEA port--

 

So if they all have both, why not just use the real Panasonic gps and forget the Sierra?

 

some of the Panasonic GPS's are "messed up"-- caused by me....back before we discovered /dos fix thing.

that's why I was looking to see if there was a "reset" string we could run on the internal gps to reset it back to factory

 

Are they Leadtek or something else?

The three uninstalled ones that I have here are all Leadtek.

If they were for instance Ublox, then U-center has tools for factory reset.

There are warnings that communicating with some GPS units can break them.* So use the right tool for the job would be my advise.

*Here is a gpsd html with a lot of links.
http://www.catb.org/gpsd/hall-of-shame.html

 

mk5 should be ublox.

 

pretty sure ublox.
had to run that gps/ublox/dos thing to get it to output GPRMC (apparently what we need)
now it wont re-flash and seems to show data coming in to the gps, but never gets a location

 

well-- im back to this again...GPS's not working. here and there.
tried the GPS viewer- It shows data coming in (lots of 99,99,99,99,99's mixed in there.)
it will pop up about 5-10 satellites on the screen for about 1 second, then disappear for about 5 seconds (repeat)--

never gets location, shows ZERO sats in use, and Status: Invalid

I have been sending these things in for "repair" and they put in new GPS modules...so far most have come back, I run the UBX thing on them to get NMEA, and they work.....buuuuuuuuuut, I got one back yesterday, and it was not cooperating.

I reaaaly need to find out what's going on.

 

watching the gps data stream its showing GPRMC..V...........N*53

keeps repeating (amongst the rest of the data and 99,99,99;s...)

 

just reimaged one of the "bad" laptops--no fix. looking like hardware....

 

Could it be antennas, cables , dock or the pass-through? Dual pass-through hooked up to the wrong antenna? (wires crossed)

Test the GPS with a USB antenna while not docked?

Test with WWAN disabled and un-docked?

I (meaning this is what I would do) would run a liveusb through it for diagnostics.

Code:

lsusb
#######
dmesg | grep input
#######
dmesg | grep  Qualcomm -i ##maybe Sierra or Gobi
#######
dmesg | grep pl2303 -i 

Just to compare with a working one.

Right now I suspect antenna and/or cables.

 

it is not docked- so no pass thru issue-
pulled the cover off the antenna--no "obvious" issue, but no way to manually test it.

 

PL2303 serial usb driver won't show on many Linux OS's. Blacklist by default.

USB antenna should load a serial/usb driver when hot-plugged.

But it's as you say, probably hardware.

 

this is Win 7 64.
its so odd as there dosnet seem to be a trigger-- they just stop working.

 

Sorry not enough coffee.

Forget the USB antenna.....

Can you pull the bottom cover or are there warranty issues?

 

can prob pull-- I did find a video on installing a gps module. maybe could have a look.
don't think its shock or bumping around that's breaking it --- I have one Toughbook that sits at my desk--- now that one stopped working.

 

Just to see the layout.
Whether lid antenna goes direct to gps or to a passthrough and then jumpered.
And if the bottom fell off of one accidently you could attach a spare antenna direct to gps device and just throw it on the desk for test purposes.
Hmmmm, I wonder if the machines were spec-ed with a gps battery. Visible through the ram door on a MK2. Antenna not visible. END EDIT
LEFT IS GPS BATTERY ATTACH POINT ...RIGHT IS FPC/MOBO CONNECTOR

 

wow....do I feel like an idiot.... time to eat crow.

Not saying its the entire issue, as I have had to send back a couple that the users said were not working...buuuuuuuuuuuuuuuut.....

It turns out they had all the windows here at work tinted...apparently with security/metallic tint....FFS...

They used to work in my office if I put them in the window, they would get a good GPS fix. Not so much now...lol....FAIL.

If I walk outside in the -3 deg weather, it will get a signal in about 1 min. When I bring it back in, the signal drops to nothing.

All this time I have been looking for a "tech fix", when it looks like it was something as stupid as window tint.



Wow.

Thanks to all that have helped.

I am going to go be an idiot in the corner...

 

Well I almost said it should have a clear view of the sky for first boot....but figured you knew that.
Idiot not curable
Ignorance is curable even if we need reminders.
Now how do we install an exterior antenna at your desk.

Good show...thanks for fessing up.

 

Are you in a metal or brick building. In my house I can get 3-4 sats, outside I can get 5-6 sats on my 19MK3 and that is a GPS from an old CF-19 MK1.

 

Brick- with windows--- and I always used to get a signal inside just fine. This new tint seems to block it nearly 100%....might be metallic... they just do not work at all inside. walk outside, 30 seconds to good location find.

other issue I have right now is one laptop will work when undocked--but not in dock-- user bringing in--will look at BIOS to see if its set to passthru gps-- it should NOT be set to that (usually both are set to WWAN)

he switched to internal antennas (while docked) and it started to work-- so it appears the gps is trying to pull external antenna info--but should not be set that way....will see when he brings it in.