Upgrading Verizon XV6900, Enable GPS?

tgerbert · #1 (**permalink**) 09-21-2008, 10:59 AM

I'm seeing a lot of information scattered all over the place regarding upgrading ROMs to enable GPS and such, really just enough in any one place to really confuse me. So I've got a couple questions...

1. I come from the PC world where a device's BIOS is separate from, and independent of, the software installed. So does updating the ROM on a PPC just change it's firmware, or does that also include the installed software... i.e. Windows Mobile, Office Mobile and such?

2. I've got a Verizon XV6900 and my only gripe is GPS... is it possible to update it and effectively change only GPS functionality? I don't want to blow out Office, Acrobat, or the touch keyboard, "Today" screen, etc.

3. Is it possible to backup all the current ROMs (so I can put it back to factory in case of a problem)?

Noob123 · #2 (**permalink**) 09-22-2008, 03:16 PM

Thank you! I am having the same trouble trying to find this information as it applies to Verizon phones enabling GPS only. All of this talk of kitchens and Alltell and Sprint ROMs is very confusing. I downloaded BuildOS hoping there would be something like "click here to load GPS ROM" but no such luck.

I know this would horrify most of the hardcore phone techies here but I don't really care about anything but the GPS.

Steve St.Laurent · #3 (**permalink**) 09-23-2008, 01:59 PM

I'm not aware of any way to backup the current ROM in case of problems. I'm also not aware of a way to just upgrade the GPS but there may be one that I couldn't find. My head spun too but I walked through it and now have an awesome phone. Here's the things I went through:

http://www.ppchaven.com/viewtopic.php?f=19&t=4 - this thread gives excellent instructions for how to upgrade the radio on the Verizon XV6900

http://wiki.xda-developers.com/index...VerizonAGPSFix - then for quick GPS acquisition you need to do the stuff in this wiki, your GPS will ROCK!

using buildos from PPCKitchen.org you can put in the office applications, and everything else you want to have in there. It will probably take you a few tries to get everything in there that you want to have but IMO it's worth the effort. Otherwise you could just use someones prebuilt rom that has everything your looking for. I'm currently running the 20273 kitchen, btw.

tgerbert · #4 (**permalink**) 09-24-2008, 12:47 PM

Very cool Steve, thanks!

I figured there was no way to just enable the GPS, I just wanted the end result to be the same phone I have now plus GPS (realizing I might need to put that stuff back in manually).

Is your user interface, i.e. the "Today" screen, TouchFLO, etc. all still work?

Steve St.Laurent · #5 (**permalink**) 09-24-2008, 02:03 PM

Yes, they all still work although I've since improved on them - I'm running a 4 panel cube and a 6 button today screen with add ons

Praiz2ELoHiM · #6 (**permalink**) 09-24-2008, 02:26 PM

The link that Steve provided looks great and the screenshots seem very helpful.

I have a XV6900 and also have it flashed to be GPS enabled. I believe the main reason why we cannot use the stock ROM is because it uses the Radio 1.xx while these cooked roms are based on the original Sprint release that updates the radio to 3.xx. I used DHarvey's methods to Unlock and Update the radio because i felt that his was very easy and straight forward and outline the steps one-by-one.

-Link to DHarvey's Unlocker and REV A./GPS radio update
http://forum.ppcgeeks.com/showthread.php?t=24979
*this has to be done first to update GPS radio, but its technically a Sprint ROM which could work on your phone, but looks pretty plain... plus the phone codes don't match

-Flash you own custom rom of your choice. Honestly, once you go custom, you never go back. They run faster, are alot cleaner and usually the guys that cooked these up have a good selection of apps and software preloaded into their ROMs. I've used DHarvey's and Whosdaman's roms, both are great.

tgerbert · #7 (**permalink**) 09-30-2008, 10:54 AM

Steve & Praiz -

Thanks for the links, turned out to be a pretty straight-forward process once you get all the instructions in one spot, I didn't have any trouble.

On an un-related note, Steve - what cube/HTC home are you using? I've only seen three-sided cubes so far...

Steve St.Laurent · #8 (**permalink**) 09-30-2008, 01:33 PM

NP - Check out this post - http://forum.ppcgeeks.com/showthread.php?t=32851 - for a 4 sided cube for the XV6900 that I made up.

imfreak1177 · #9 (**permalink**) 10-04-2008, 08:59 PM

Hey all...I have verizon and my phone is xV6900. I have tried radio 3.37 and 3.42. I have tried numerous ROMs..and no luck. I have a data plan but I cant get on the internet anymomre. I get an error saying wrong user name or password. I have talked to Verizon people but that didnt fix the problem either. Any suggestions on how to fix this problem?

If I cant fix the problem, is it a way to make my ROM look like the factory rom. I will return the phone if my internet access is not fixed. But before returning, I want my OS to look like it did when I bought the phone.

Thanks for all your help

**spetrillo** · #10 (**permalink**) 10-05-2008, 04:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by imfreak1177

Hey all...I have verizon and my phone is xV6900. I have tried radio 3.37 and 3.42. I have tried numerous ROMs..and no luck. I have a data plan but I cant get on the internet anymomre. I get an error saying wrong user name or password. I have talked to Verizon people but that didnt fix the problem either. Any suggestions on how to fix this problem?

If I cant fix the problem, is it a way to make my ROM look like the factory rom. I will return the phone if my internet access is not fixed. But before returning, I want my OS to look like it did when I bought the phone.

Thanks for all your help

I would suggest *22899 and program the phone. That might do the trick.