[ixtab]

UPDATE: This post is mostly obsolete now. While you can still use this method, it's easier to simply install the newest jailbreak, and to use the official update. NiLuJe has developed a new version of the jailbreak, which (if installed *prior* to the official 5.3.0 update) will make sure that the device "survives" the update without being locked down. Many thanks, NiLuJe!






So, you may have realized that with their 5.3.0 Firmware, Amazon has officially declared war on the developer scene, by plugging all currently known holes which allow to install the jailbreak, and by also wiping the jailbreak and all other user-installed modifications.

Just to repeat this again, and to make it clear: if you manually install the official 5.3.0 update, or if you wait until it automatically gets pushed to your device, you WILL be locked out of your own device!*

In order to prevent this, you can proactively update to a 5.3.0 version which keeps the jailbreak intact, and which provides some extra debrick safety.

Essentially, what I did is take the official update's image, and added the jailbreak and a debrick script to it.

How to use this, step by step:

1. Fully recharge the battery before you begin this process!
2. Make sure to put your device into Airplane mode, i.e., turn off Wifi. (This is so that your Kindle doesn't accidentally install the official 5.3.0 update without you being aware of it)
3. Make sure that you are currently running Firmware version 5.2.0
4. Install the jailbreak, if you haven't done so before
5. Install the "rescue pack", if you haven't done so before. And yes, do read and understand the README file. That's why these files are called README after all
6. Download and extract the modified 5.3.0 update files, and copy the contained uImage and rootfs.img.gz directly to the USB root of the Kindle (i.e., to /mnt/us/).
7. reboot into diags, by placing the ENABLE_DIAGS file on your Kindle; once in diags, enable usbnetwork and log in. (Errmm... if you don't know how to do that: you did read the README files, didn't you?)
8. Install the 5.3.0 main kernel: dd if=/mnt/us/uImage of=/dev/mmcblk0 bs=4096 seek=65
9. Install the patched 5.3.0 partition: zcat /mnt/us/rootfs.img.gz | dd of=/dev/mmcblk0p1 bs=4096
10. Reboot into main: idme -d --bootmode main; reboot

Double- and triple-check that you're correctly entering the above "dd" commands. If you screw that up, you could permanently brick your device.

Good luck!

Notes:
- The linked zip file contains exactly the same kernel, and almost exactly the same root fs, as the official update provides. The only changes are the addition of 3 files to the root fs: the jailbreak (i.e., the developer key), and an upstart script+configuration which will reboot into diags mode when an ENABLE_DIAGS file is found - in fact, these are exactly the files from the abovementioned "rescue pack").

- The procedure is manual and somewhat tedious, I know. But now that we have an example of a "real" "full-restore" image, maybe someone will get around to packaging the entire thing into a convenient update_*.bin (?)

- This is tested and working. My device is now on 5.3.0, and I installed usbnetwork without any problems. Now it's time to go looking for exploits in 5.3.0

PS: (*) Yes, of course, we're looking into it, and will try to find a new jailbreak that works on "vanilla" 5.3.0 devices. Until then, if you want to keep control of your device, it's probably best to proactively upgrade with this package.