Root [AT&T] I edited build.prop and my phone (Galaxy S4) doesn't boot properly.

[BeyondSmash]

Here are the text shown files:
Original(backup): Free File Sharing and Storage made Simple.
Edited: Free File Sharing and Storage made Simple.

My Samsung Galaxy S4 phone version is:
I337UCUEMK2

It is rooted.
To make it clear, I have a backup of the original build.prop file which I just need to replace in the /system directory. I have not made a nandroid backup prior to this.

If you are curious I edited it by following this tutorial: Filthy Pants: A Computer Blog: How to Download Region-Locked Japanese Games from Android Market

 

[scary alien]

Hey BeyondSmash, welcome to our AndroidForums!

Sorry to hear of your booting issue , but I've moved your thread to the AT&T all things root sub-forum since you should get more views and replies in there.

Best of luck!

 

[hopsin4444]

Hey BeyondSmash, welcome to our AndroidForums!

Sorry to hear of your booting issue , but I've moved your thread to the AT&T all things root sub-forum since you should get more views and replies in there.

Best of luck!

Man my best solution for your issue would be to Odin back to stock

 

[scary alien]

I would like to add that if you can achieve adb access, you should be able to use that to launch a rooted shell and back-out your change.

I do wonder if your device is getting far enough into the boot cycle to have adb available to you. Your best best would be to attach your device to your PC and launch "adb devices" and see if it will see your device (this assumes you have adb available to you on your PC).

 

[hopsin4444]

I would like to add that if you can achieve adb access, you should be able to use that to launch a rooted shell and back-out your change.

I do wonder if your device is getting far enough into the boot cycle to have adb available to you. Your best best would be to attach your device to your PC and launch "adb devices" and see if it will see your device (this assumes you have adb available to you on your PC).

That is true but if the build prop is sending it into a bootloop it won't work cause it won't connect long enough to excicute it

 

[BeyondSmash]

Man my best solution for your issue would be to Odin back to stock

It seems a little drastic, in my opinion because I have a backup of the build.prop on the phone and on my computer.

I would like to add that if you can achieve adb access, you should be able to use that to launch a rooted shell and back-out your change.

I do wonder if your device is getting far enough into the boot cycle to have adb available to you. Your best best would be to attach your device to your PC and launch "adb devices" and see if it will see your device (this assumes you have adb available to you on your PC).

I have ADB downloaded onto my computer, but I don't know what to do when you say "you should be able to use that to launch a rooted shell and back-out your change."

 

[BeyondSmash]

I would also like to add that I have an microSD Card in the phone.

 

[iowabowtech]

Do you have a custom recovery? If so, you should be able to run adb from there.

 

[BeyondSmash]

Do you have a custom recovery? If so, you should be able to run adb from there.

What do you mean by custom recovery? I don't want to sound noobish, but I want to be sure.

 

[iowabowtech]

Team Win (TWRP), Clockwork recovery, Philz recovery, etc. Sorry, not familiar with this phone and what's available.

 

[BeyondSmash]

Team Win (TWRP), Clockwork recovery, Philz recovery, etc. Sorry, not familiar with this phone and what's available.

Well, to answer your previous question: No, I never took the time to do those. Anything, I can remotely find relevant that I've done is when I do the volume up+power button it shows the android with its stomach open and options (reboot system now
apply update from ADB
apply update from external storage
wipe data/factory reset
wipe cache partitio
apply update from cache)
Right now I have ADB installing packages.

 

[scary alien]

It seems a little drastic, in my opinion because I have a backup of the build.prop on the phone and on my computer.

Unfortunately, you're not able to access it to restore it to it's proper place because of the boot loop and the protected nature of the /system filesystem.

I have ADB downloaded onto my computer, but I don't know what to do when you say "you should be able to use that to launch a rooted shell and back-out your change."

Try:

- connecting your phone to your PC
- from a Windows Prompt (DOS prompt), type "adb devices"
- if it return something like this:

C:\Users\Scary Alien>adb devices
* daemon not running. starting it now on port 5037 *
* daemon started successfully *
List of devices attached
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx device

C:\Users\Scary Alien>

where the "xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx device" portion is the most significant part (the x's being your device's serial number), then adb can indeed "see" your device and you likely would have some recovery options.

I would also like to add that I have an microSD Card in the phone.

Unfortunately, the storage area you need access to (/system partition) is internal .

What do you mean by custom recovery? I don't want to sound noobish, but I want to be sure.

You would likely know and/or be aware that have a custom (non-stock) recovery installed.

 

[BeyondSmash]

Unfortunately, you're not able to access it to restore it to it's proper place because of the boot loop and the protected nature of the /system filesystem.



Try:

- connecting your phone to your PC
- from a Windows Prompt (DOS prompt), type "adb devices"
- if it return something like this:



where the "xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx device" portion is the most significant part (the x's being your device's serial number), then adb can indeed "see" your device and you likely would have some recovery options.



Unfortunately, the storage area you need access to (/system partition) is internal .



You would likely know and/or be aware that have a custom (non-stock) recovery installed.

I don't see anything in C:/Users/MyName/ that is relevant except for the folder ".android".
In that folder contains 2 folders:
"avd"
"cache"
and 2 files:
adbkey
adbkey.pub


EDIT: In case it matters: My ADB SDK is still installing packages(should be done soon)

 

[BeyondSmash]

If none of that matters, what would the next step be in recovery?

Will it still be rooted afterwards?

Also, can you suggest to me a way to have a secure, easy backup/recovery in the future I can use?

 

[iowabowtech]

Well, to answer your previous question: No, I never took the time to do those.

Ok, well I'm afraid that's a deal breaker for the adb route then unless you can get device recognition while plugged into usb but it sounded like it might be bootlooping which likely wouldn't allow that. We'd also have to assume you've enabled USB debugging at some point prior to this.

 

[BeyondSmash]

Ok, well I'm afraid that's a deal breaker for the adb route then unless you can get device recognition while plugged into usb. We'd also have to assume you've enabled USB debugging at some point prior to this.

I have indeed enabled USB debugging, etc prior. I just can't get the window pop up on my computer that my phone is indeed being read. My post above yours -- I am looking for a recovery solution now. It is sad that I have to resort to this and I deeply regret altering that file. I shouldn't have cared so much for a japanese app.

 

[BeyondSmash]

Man my best solution for your issue would be to Odin back to stock

Can you help me find the instructions to do this?

 

[Mr. Lucky]

OP - FYI: Once you get the current issue sorted, you can try the build.prop thing again. I downloaded both your files and see that the cause of your problem is you edited it with a Windows editor (I'm guessing 'Notepad'). This causes it to have a hex "0D 0A" line terminator, instead of "0A" as expected. Just re-edit using a *nix editor, like WinVi32.

 

[BeyondSmash]

OP - FYI: Once you get the current issue sorted, you can try the build.prop thing again. I downloaded both your files and see that the cause of your problem is you edited it with a Windows editor (I'm guessing 'Notepad'). This causes it to have a hex "0D 0A" line terminator, instead of "0A" as expected. Just re-edit using a *nix editor, like WinVi32.

Yeah, I already realized that. Anyway update to the thread: problem is solved!
I flashed a correct stock firmware for my galaxy s4 and everything works great again! Thanks for any help attempted and given.

 

[mrleroybrown]

Man my best solution for your issue would be to Odin back to stock

I'd love to use Odin and return to stock, but I don't know where to find the stock .tar or .rar roms...I'm stuck in bootloop due to removing platform.xml folder from system>etc>permissions folder and rebooted it before putting the mofified platform.xml back in the permissions folder. Where can I find the stock roms flashable in Odin for S4 (SGH-I337 Bn1)

 

[lunatic59]

I don't see the full rom for NB1 on the Sammobile website, but you can get I337UCUAMDL (4.2.2) and update to 4.4.2 using the OTA.

 

[Devmanx86]

Hey, odin with kies if you have other problems. You will be factory reset, ota updated, lose custom recovery, and lose root. Everything will be STOCK!