How to troubleshoot Garmin GPS Navigator on No-Name China GPS

Splash Screen booting up

Ever wondered buying cheaper GPS devices from your recent trip to China and later found out it can't get a decent satellite lock here in the Philippines? Here's what I did to workaround the problem.

I am refering to this no-name China GPS you can buy online from your favorite China goods seller. This particular device used for this guide is a 5 incher running a custom firmware and win ce 5. It comes preloaded with Garmin Mobile XT version 5.010W.

When I fired up Garmin it loads a script Garmin.mscr which preloads Port Splitter 1.20 before it loads the Garmin software. It takes forever when detecting satellites to lock into within Garmin. I have tried every ports listed and no luck.

Default GUI

Selecting the correct port will give you this. Take note, even if you dont have satellite lock,
selecting the correct port will instantly bring you to this part of Garmin.

COM6 is the one we used here for the output.

This is the satellite detected inside the house. Atleast 4 satellites to get a lock.

If things work, selecting the correct port will give you a hint your doing it right. If it continues to scan for an attached device/GPS device then don't bother going outside hoping it will work. If using the GPS receiver app with its built in application it can detect several satellites. Garmin can't detect the built-in GPS receiver device. It only means that the port splitter is not doing its job. The Port Splitter 1.20 relies its settings from script encoded to Garmin.mscr (Feel free to correct me if I am wrong)

Here is an example of my Garmin.mscr config.

Errorlevel("warn")


If(WndExists("Garmin Mobile XT"))
Show("Garmin Mobile XT")
Exit
EndIf


#Run Garmin Mobile XT.
#This script will not go to the next command before que.exe completely shut down
Run("\SDMMC\garmin\rungmxt\explorer.exe")


#Hide Taskbar
Run("\SDMMC\Garmin\RunGMXT\TaskbarHide.exe")


#Registry for Port Splitter
RegWriteString( "HKLM", "SOFTWARE\JAL\Port Splitter", "InstallPath", "SDMMC\Garmin\RunGMXT" )
RegWriteDWord( "HKLM", "SOFTWARE\JAL\Port Splitter", "MajorVersion", 1 )
RegWriteDWord( "HKCU", "Software\JAL\Port Splitter", "Split", 2 )
RegWriteDWord( "HKCU", "Software\JAL\Port Splitter", "Autostart", 1 )
RegWriteDWord( "HKCU", "Software\JAL\Port Splitter", "Baud", 11)
RegWriteDWord( "HKCU", "Software\JAL\Port Splitter", "Port", 1 )


#Sleep(500)


#Run Port Splitter if not exists
If(not ProcExists("Port Splitter.exe"))
Run("\SDMMC\Garmin\RunGMXT\Port Splitter.exe")
#Sleep(500)
EndIf




#Copy previous stored settings to \Garmin
XCopy("SDMMC\Garmin\RunGMXT\Settings\*.*","\Garmin", TRUE)
Sleep(500)


#Run Garmin Mobile XT.
#This script will not go to the next command before que.exe completely shut down
#test
#Run("\SDMMC\garmin\rungmxt\explorer.exe")




#Hide Taskbar
#Run("\SDMMC\Garmin\RunGMXT\TaskbarHide.exe")
Run("\SDMMC\Garmin\RunGMXT\TaskbarToggle.exe")
Sleep(500)

RunWait("\SDMMC\Garmin\Apps\WM\que.exe")




#Hide Taskbar
Run("\SDMMC\Garmin\RunGMXT\TaskbarShow.exe")


If(ProcExists("explorer.exe")) 
  Kill("explorer.exe")    
EndIf


#Save new settings back to SD Card
XCopy("\Garmin\*.*","\SDMMC\Garmin\RunGMXT\Settings", TRUE)


#Stop Port Splitter before killing it
#If the port splitting are not stopped before killing the process,
#it will not work again even you run Port Splitter again without soft reset
If(WndExists("Port Splitter V1.31"))
#Stop button
SendCommand("Port Splitter V1.31", 1010)
Sleep(500)
#Exit button
SendCommand("Port Splitter V1.31", 2)
Sleep(500)
EndIf


#Kill Port Splitter process
If(ProcExists("Port Splitter.exe"))
Kill("Port Splitter.exe")
EndIf


#Clean all registry for Port Splitter
RegDeleteKey( "HKLM", "SOFTWARE\JAL", TRUE, TRUE )
RegDeleteKey( "HKCU", "Software\JAL", TRUE, TRUE )

Here's what you need to do, update your Port Splitter to version 1.30/1.31. When you first run this, it generates its settings to Settings folder.

Win CE desktop

Port Splitter 1.31

Port Splitter config, and tapped Start button.

Signal strength on the upper left.

After copying Port Splitter.exe (1.31) to your "SMMC/Garmin/RunGMXT/," Fire up win ce and open Port Splitter, Select the Input port as GPS Driver, then select the output port as either COM6 or COM8. You will notice that when adding an output port you can only see COM6 and COM8. Select either one it will give the same results. In my case I have selected COM6 (I have tested both). To check if it works, tap the start button then stop. If you have selected the correct ports you will not get an error, (You will be notified if the ports are wrong, an error pop up message will let you know). Tap the Exit button to unload, Then restart the device, Next after boot up configure or check the path to configure your Navi menu to the correct path to "SDMMC/Garmin/RunGMXT/Garmin.exe"

From within Garmin, select the appropriate port we used, If you have tried earlier running Garmin without the port splitter correctly configured you will notice that the ports available to be selected are COM0, COM1, COM2, COM3, COM4, COM5, COM7, COM9. COM6 and COM8 are missing, this is because this are the free ports. But if your device can directly select the ports you won't be needing this guide.

Now select the port we declared earlier for the Port Splitter output which is COM6. Now ar this point, even if you're inside the house and not much satellite detected, you will know you got the correct port when you get a large text displaying COM6: COM6 Port Splitter.

You now need to go outside and test your GPS.  Enjoy and Happy Navigating.

For your Garmin Philippine POI's and Map needs visit www.roadguide.ph. I will be testing this to my upcomming ride, stay tuned.

UPDATE: SEPT. 12, 2011 - COM6 is used by Active Sync, if your using it more frequently you can choose COM8 as your output in your Port Splitter Settings.
 

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