How To Enable GPS On HTC XV6800
As you know (or if you don’t know), Verizon locks the GPS on your device so you can’t use it with third party apps like Google Maps or Live Search. Why do they do this? Greed! The only app that works with the GPS in your phone is the VZ Navigator. What a surprise huh. Of course it’s not free. Verizon charges $10 / month for this service.
There are some smart people out there that hacked the phone and was able to unlock the GPS via a ROM update. This not a Verizon approved update so the people that installs it do it at their own risk. I personally updated my phone with one of these custom ROMs and it did wonderful thing to my phone. Last year Verizon released two updates to the XV6800 phone, which also upgrades the phone to Windows Mobile 6.1. Everyone hoped that this updates would unlock their GPS but once again we were disappointed. But don’t worry, a fix has came out to work with these updates
So enough with the rant and let’s get on how to enable the GPS on your phone using the latest ROM update from Verizon. Please note that this instruction is for phone updated with the latest build from Verizon and not a custom ROM build.
Instructions:
- First, download the ROM update from Personal Communication Devices website. Either the MR1 Upgrade or the MR2 Upgrade will work. I personally installed the MR2 because that’s the latest build.MR2 Upgrade – http://www.pcdphones.com/downloads/XV6800_MR2_Software_Upgrade_File.zipQWERTY keyboard fix (optional) – http://www.pcdphones.com/downloads/XV6800%20QWERTY%20Keyboard%20Fix%201-9-08.zip
- The upgrade download is a zip file that contains the ROM build file and the instructions on how to update your phone. Unzip it and follow the instructions. It is as simple as connecting your phone to your PC via USB cable and running the exe file. Wait ’til it finishes updating your phone. You’ll see a progress bar on your PC and your phone. Once it’s done, the phone will automatically reset and go through the setup process.
- After updating your phone with the new software, download the file that will enable the GPS on your phone. You can download the file from here – http://rapidshare.com/files/165096506/Valhalla_Legends_GPSServer.cab. But before installing this file, make sure to follow #4 asnd #5 first.
- On your phone, navigate to Start -> Settings. Under the Personal tab, click on Phone . Click on the Services tab at the bottom. Highlight Location Setting and click Get Settings. Make sure that LOCATION ON is selected.
- Navigate to Start -> Settings. Under the System tab, click on External GPS.
In the Programs tab, set the GPS program port to COM4.
In the Hardware tab, set the GPS hardware port to (None) and Baud rate to 4800.
In the Access tab, make sure that Manage GPS automatically (recommended) is checked. - Now install the Valhalla_Legends_GPSServer.cab file. Make sure to install it on your Device and NOT the Storage card or else it will not work. Soft reset the phone after installing the software.
- You should now have an unlock and working GPS. Now try it with Google Maps.
If you have a custom ROM, you can follow the instruction on this site – http://wiki.xda-developers.com/index.php?pagename=VerizonAGPSFix.
February 13th, 2009 at 12:23 pm
I was wondering if you also have a data plan enabled? From what I’ve read, this will only work if you have a data plan with VZW. I went without a data plan, and I know you can use “cooked” ROMs to get the GPS to work, but would like to be able to use the GPS with MR2.
February 13th, 2009 at 5:09 pm
I have a data plan but it should have nothing to do with that. With my old custom ROM, I was always able to use GPS with WiFi.
February 19th, 2009 at 12:15 pm
I tried the above with MR2 and the GPS did not work. It was working fine with MR1. So, I downgraded back to MR1.
What is the key difference / new features with MR2?
Is there new Valhalla_Legends_GPSServer.cab that works with both MR1 and MR2?
Thanks!
..RSD
February 19th, 2009 at 7:55 pm
great post…thanks. Is there a 3rd party software that will work on the xv6800 for GPS?
February 19th, 2009 at 8:52 pm
RSD, from what I’ve noticed, those people that upgraded from MR1 to MR2 and applied the GPS fix are having the same problem. I don’t know what’s causing it. MR1 vs MR2, I’m pretty sure the MR2 has more bug fixes
Chet, it depends on what you want to do with the GPS. I only used Live Search and sometimes Google Maps for directions. I heard the Garmin software works well too. I also tried one of the free GPS speedometer and loved it.
February 28th, 2009 at 7:44 pm
Do you a file to uninstall gpsserver.cab? I need to reinstall that thing and it’s not going to uninstall. the link in xda form is dead!!
March 1st, 2009 at 6:15 pm
Instructions worked perfectly. Thanks!
March 4th, 2009 at 3:15 pm
I followed the directions and it worked great for about 24 hours then Google Maps could no longer find a satellite.
Reinstalled from scratch and so far seems to be working again.
March 16th, 2009 at 2:24 pm
I am running MR2 and had google maps working fine. Installed Trapster which caused google maps to stop working. Reinstalled everything from scratch again but can’t get it working.
Any ideas? I’m an experienced technical guy and can’t understand why it doesn’t behave exactly the same everytime when doing a complete reinstall.
March 17th, 2009 at 5:39 am
I have had 3 xv6800 in the last 3 months and they all have had the same issue.
The Gps works fine after installing the vallhalla patch with Garmin xt20 and windows live search….for about a week and then it can’t lock onto a signal anymore. Even after rebooting the windows 6.1 and reloading.
Luckily I have been able to have replacement units sent but the problem continues. My only guess is Verizon is aware of this patch and is sending a download to the phone that relocks the workaround.
I’ll be changing providers as soon as my contract is up and I think I’ll go with Sprint. They allow you to use 3rd party GPS apps on some of thier devices.
March 19th, 2009 at 2:29 pm
henry i have a new xv6800 that came with 6.1 out of the box i installed your gps enabler and it worked great with google maps for a few days then quit. any reasons? i see other people have similar problems it wont let me uninstall to reinstall it says it was unsuccessful when i try, thanks for any help you can give or how to start over or uninstall
March 22nd, 2009 at 5:07 am
Update: Okay I received my 3rd xv6800 and after loading the valhalla CAB it still wouldn’t work. Since I have had this work on 2 previous phones, (see my previous post), I know what to do. Just for the heck of it, I called verizon and had them add VZ navigator to my PDA. VOILA! right after that, my Garmin XT20 software showed a 5 bar signal strength and is working perfectly!
Just as I suspected. They have installed a block on this workaraound. Now I need to uninstall VZ NAV and see if it still works. I will let you know.
March 22nd, 2009 at 2:50 pm
well, It didn’t even last 2 hours. As soon as I went on line and cancelled my VZ nav service and restarted my 6800, it lost signal strength on windows live and my garmin xt20 software. Am I the only one this is happening to?
I have a trip to Oregon next week, so I will activate the VZ nav software again and see if I can reproduce these results, but I believe Verizon has patched this hole. Just my 2 cents worth. Thanks Henry for letting me post this. If enyone is having the same issue, please post it. Thanks
March 24th, 2009 at 6:40 am
I read about a registry fix on xda-developers and tried it. It works great.
Here is a link to the page
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=424387&page=65
Scroll down to my post: #648 for detailed instructions on how to fix.
Thanks for the outlet Henry sorry to take up so much of it. Have you had any problems with yours recently?
March 27th, 2009 at 1:19 pm
Where can i find a download of the registry editor?
March 31st, 2009 at 1:33 pm
I have the new mr2 update installed with the valhalla cab using verizon xv6800. However, evertime I try to use GPS, it uses the data plan. Do I always have to use the data plan anytime I use GPS? If not, how does it work and what would be a good way to test it.
Thanks
April 4th, 2009 at 6:10 pm
So I just recieved my new xv6800 today 4/4/09 do i have to upgrade to the mr2? or should my phone already have that update installed? I installed the Valhalla_Legends_GPSServer.cab file and followed the steps and it did not work.
Thank you
June 6th, 2009 at 6:33 am
Be very careful – i performed this upgrade and everything on phone was erased… had to take phone back to Verizon to have numbers and data server setup…
September 27th, 2009 at 9:55 pm
I have the GPS unlocked on my VX6800 using xds forum instructions. Google earth works fine, and detects GPS, but it needs a data plan or Wifi, and I dont have data plan and wi-fi is only available in certain places. Now I installed TomTom on my phone, it detects satellites, but the coordinates change randomly and in a very weird way, like from a second to another it’d go from being in the north to being in the south, etc, which causes me to get a “no usable locations near GPS position” when I try to find where I am.
Any ideas?
February 1st, 2010 at 1:10 pm
anyone have the updated link to the Valhalla Legends GPSServer.cab file? I cant find it anywhere and the rapidshare link doesnt work anymore.
April 8th, 2010 at 9:25 am
Sorry to “break in” and throw this out there, but I’ve got a similar issue with my AT&T Samsung Propel Pro. I do NOT have a data plan and apparently, they turn off WiFi and GPRS (except emergency location) with a DataBlock.
Does anybody know where I can find info on hacking my phone to turn them back on? I would like to use my personal WiFi network and also some GPS map apps.