• After 15+ years, we've made a big change: Android Forums is now Early Bird Club. Learn more here.

Root [Virgin Mobile/Sprint] LG F3 Boot to black after changing DPI

M

MonoAoV

Newbie
Hi, I could use some help thinking this problem through.
I have a rooted LS720 LG F3 from Virgin Mobile running v5.
I tried running a game that doesnt normally run on the device (uplink) and found that it cant due to the screen size.

I changed the DPI thinking I might be able to fake a bigger screen. I used "Texdroider DPI" from the play store, released in 2012 theres little to no support and its a tiny program that supposedly alters the build.prop and thats it. So first attempt I tried 480 DPI and it worked, the wrong way, my text was so huge important things were cut off. Second I tried 240 DPI which is what I thought the default was.

My phone now turns on and shows the LG icon, briefly blinks black screen, shows the LG icon again this time with the animation of the lens flare... and then goes black while the main button cycles colors as if its loading the boot animation but cant.

I can still use adb while its in this state and I pulled the build.prop (included) to see if there was a problem. It actually looks identical to this file - [cwm][tool] zv5 build.prop, flashable .zip | Android Forums

Ive emailed the guy who made Texdroider DPI, thinking there may be other files altered, and I have a feeling its not at the top of his to-do list, if he even checks that email any more.

I can also get to the 'USB Download' screen with the red box, as well as the 'Factory Reset' screen. The 'Power-Off Charging' screen works fine too. Attempting to turn the phone off during black screen means holding the power button for ~4seconds which does power the phone down but it will try and start again if and when the power button is released.

I would like to AVOID the factory reset option. Save it for a last ditch effort. Any and All advice is welcome.

Thank you in advance.
 

Attachments

MonoAoV said:
Hi, I could use some help thinking this problem through.
I have a rooted LS720 LG F3 from Virgin Mobile running v5.
I tried running a game that doesnt normally run on the device (uplink) and found that it cant due to the screen size.

I changed the DPI thinking I might be able to fake a bigger screen. I used "Texdroider DPI" from the play store, released in 2012 theres little to no support and its a tiny program that supposedly alters the build.prop and thats it. So first attempt I tried 480 DPI and it worked, the wrong way, my text was so huge important things were cut off. Second I tried 240 DPI which is what I thought the default was.

My phone now turns on and shows the LG icon, briefly blinks black screen, shows the LG icon again this time with the animation of the lens flare... and then goes black while the main button cycles colors as if its loading the boot animation but cant.

I can still use adb while its in this state and I pulled the build.prop (included) to see if there was a problem. It actually looks identical to this file - [cwm][tool] zv5 build.prop, flashable .zip | Android Forums

Ive emailed the guy who made Texdroider DPI, thinking there may be other files altered, and I have a feeling its not at the top of his to-do list, if he even checks that email any more.

I can also get to the 'USB Download' screen with the red box, as well as the 'Factory Reset' screen. The 'Power-Off Charging' screen works fine too. Attempting to turn the phone off during black screen means holding the power button for ~4seconds which does power the phone down but it will try and start again if and when the power button is released.

I would like to AVOID the factory reset option. Save it for a last ditch effort. Any and All advice is welcome.

Thank you in advance.
Click to expand...
Did u make a back up first and if so restore if not do what exclusive36 said
 
That's what I get for not reading your entire post. You said the build.prop is identical. Try to replace the build.prop with the one you mentioned. If that works, there was something that was changed that you missed. If it still doesn't boot then flash a rom or run the unbrick guide which will factory reset.
 
I dont have a back up of my own build.prop but, like I said, what I pulled from my phone is a mirror image to the healthy build.prop I downloaded. Even tho its the same, I tried to overwrite with the downloaded file -
"adb push C:\Users\Mono\Downloads\buildsavepoint\system\build.prop /system/build.prop" and got
"failed to copy 'C:\Users\Mono\Downloads\buildsavepoint\system\build.prop' to '/system/build.prop': Read-only file system".

I use adb shell to see if su is on my phone's /system/bin and its missing. Do you think this is causing the read only error? if so can I push a copy of su to /system/bin? or is that read only too? Maybe I need a different version of adb as Im unable to "adb root" due to "adbd cannot run as root in production builds". (I heard its the phones stock kernal holding me back)

"adb remount" and "adb shell mount -o rw,remount /system" both come back with "operation not permitted".
 
Last edited:
xclusive36 said:
Do you have twrp installed?
Click to expand...
No, I rooted using motochopper a while back and havent stayed up to date on the developments and tools created for the phone.

to update, I ran motochopper again and it seemed to do something, Im not sure what happened with root but after running it I was able to push the healthy build.prop file to /system/ thru adb.

I still have a Black Screen after the second LG logo.

Reconnect to USB and I can no longer get root unless I run "adb shell /data/local/tmp/pwn" which gives me root temporarily.

I would love if someone with knowledge of android programing could skim the files in the Texdroider DPI apk and tell me what it does so I could undo it. Its only 164K ;)
 
If you can get adb and root, try to install twrp using the .bat file included. Then simply flash the stock rom. If you can't, follow the unbrick guide.
 
Ok, .bat file included where? and, what will flashing the stock rom make me lose... Im trying not to lose anything.

Also, I was finally able to navigate to the spot where Texdroider DPI backs up the build.prop and I get what you see in the image.
 

Attachments

  • buildpropdoesnotexist.jpg
    buildpropdoesnotexist.jpg
    57.8 KB · Views: 139
most likely a factory reset wont help you as it only affects the data partition.

you'll probably have to use the unbrick guide.

I am betting you are just not pushing the build.prop correctly..
 
robaho said:
most likely a factory reset wont help you as it only affects the data partition.

you'll probably have to use the unbrick guide.

I am betting you are just not pushing the build.prop correctly..
Click to expand...

My question is, what does Texdroider DPI actually do and how could that have caused this problem?
Ill give ya 10 to 1 on your money if you want action on that bet, btw.

xclusive36 said:
If you can get adb and root, try to install twrp using the .bat file included. Then simply flash the stock rom. If you can't, follow the unbrick guide.
Click to expand...

I was able to install TWRP so it looks like I'll be doing a backup and flash if I cant get a real answer to the problem.

again, the question is not "ermergerd what do i dooooo?!?!?". Im not looking for general answers to general questions. However I do appreciate your time, Thank you.
 
MonoAoV said:
My question is, what does Texdroider DPI actually do and how could that have caused this problem?
Ill give ya 10 to 1 on your money if you want action on that bet, btw.



I was able to install TWRP so it looks like I'll be doing a backup and flash if I cant get a real answer to the problem.

again, the question is not "ermergerd what do i dooooo?!?!?". Im not looking for general answers to general questions. However I do appreciate your time, Thank you.
Click to expand...
no way to know. since the app requires root it can do anything.

if the developer doesn't answer you're out of luck.
 
At this point Im wondering if I could use just the boot sector backup from someone else.

Could someone with the same phone and sw version (check original post) use TWRP to backup the boot sector and post it here? That might be just the thing I need.
 
what v5 zip? i have a v5 build.prop in a zip. i have a windows TWRP installer with an img. i dont know what youre talking about... and if you dont know what im talking, about please go into TWRP on your rooted device and press backup, BOOT. it should be about 16MB. i need that for a rooted but otherwise Stock LG F3 v5. please link the place to download such a file.
 
should i use the full de-odex? or should i try the zv5_aboot.zip??
wheres the info on the files? the website is used for writing stories.
this shit is frustrating, i need my phone and i cant just wipe it!
i got no room to do a full backup on the phone itself and adb wants on-the-phone confirmation before itll backup to my pc thru usb so thats no good.
 
Last edited:
It doesn't matter, they both have the same aboot, and boot images. The boot images are lokied. Youll need to un_loki them.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom