Original "Simple" debricking methods for K5-Touch, K4-Mini, & K3-Keyboard

[knc1]

Originally Posted by geekmaster

Did ixtab repackage his JBPatch in a tube now?

https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=175512

No, it is another product made by the makers of JB-Weld.
Specifically intended for things like filling in "Not For Sale" etchings.

[geekmaster]

Originally Posted by knc1

No, it is another product made by the makers of JB-Weld.
Specifically intended for things like filling in "Not For Sale" etchings.

I only saw "JB-Weld for Plastic" and other products at the JB site -- no JB-Patch...

Instead of removing and refilling the white, just sand down the raised white lettering before painting. But I would paint it flat black for improved perceived screen contrast. And instead of the amazon logo, I would go with a little skull and cross-bones pirate logo.

[ixtab]

Originally Posted by geekmaster

Did ixtab repackage his JBPatch in a tube now?

Even better: a box, a tube, several patches, and more!



(brave new internet world: now we already have to take screenshots of search results, because all the actual links are unusable)

[geekmaster]

That JB Patch kit is fine for air leaks, but does it work for memory leaks?

It looks like they still don't have a JB memory leak patch for CM10:
http://forum.xda-developers.com/show....php?t=1874632

[geekmaster]

The K5 demo successfully exports the USB drive from the diags menu. The demo contains a series of numbered .gif images, and a simple config file that defines touch zones for each page, and which page to go to when touched there. It has comments to support swipes and pinch and hold, but only taps are used in this demo.

The USB drive exported when booted main is 0MB, so you need MfgTool to get into diags.

It appears to be a "standard" diags partition. I will compare it after I copy my "secret" jailbreak to the exported USB drive.

But first, sleep.

P.S. As mentioned before, the demo K4 already supports USBnet in its diags menu (also like stock diags). I want to get unmodified partition images from the demo units, for comparison to normal partition images.

UPDATE: My "secret" method still works. I exported the USB drive from diags on my demo K5, then manually created the files, then launched it from diags, and it displayed "Hello world" on the eink display. So I can modify that to make partition backups, and even to install the missing SSH files without needing fastboot or a pre-hacked diags partition image. I am waiting for my paperwhite so I can try it there too.

[geekmaster]

The "recovery repair" pastebin now has DXG backup image links. There are 14 image files in a DX backup.

[mike12489]

I just want to give a big to all involved in Kindle unbricking/development here! I successfully unbricked my Kindle Touch last night after a month of bricked-ness by following the instructions here. I wanted to share my story and the issues I ran into in case it might help someone else along their way.

Here's what caused the problem:
An update was available for my modded Kindle (5.0.3), but the update wouldn't complete successfully. I tried to un-mod my Kindle so that I could get my update to no avail, so I resorted to restoring from backup files. Unfortunately, I didn't backup mmcblk0p1 as an image -- I just had backups of /bin, /lib, etc., so I tried to restore them over ssh. Kindle bricked as soon as I did "sudo rm -r /bin" (stupidest move ever, I know ). And then I broke the diags with fastboot. I know, I'm not worthy of sudo.


Here's How I Fixed It (Running Ubuntu 12.04)

Instructions Used
Small debricking guide for “noobs” (https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=180789) (skipped the Windows drivers stuff - fastboot from Linux)
-and- This thread (https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=170929, thanks!!)

Summary:
- Boot to fastboot with MfgTool (through Windows XP VM)
- Flash diags, diags_kernel, and kernel with fastboot (through Linux)
- Boot to diags with MfgTool (could also be done with fastboot)
- Enable USB drive: Transfer mmcblk0p1.img
- Enable USB networking: Use ssh to dd mmcblk0p1.img to partition
- Disable diags through diags menu
- Success! I now have a fully functional Kindle (5.0.0) again! (Also, updated to 5.1.0 and then 5.1.2 with no problems).


Issues Along the Way
Issue #1: Couldn't get MfgTool running (needed Windows).
Solution: Running Windows XP on VirtualBox (sudo apt-get install virtualbox).

The only additional VirtualBox configuration needed was enabling USB and file-sharing:
- Install Oracle VM VirtualBox Extension Pack (search Google, Oracle website)
- Add <user> to vboxusers group (sudo usermod -aG vboxusers <user>) (relogin or restart Ubuntu after)
- Add filter for Kindle in Recovery Mode in VM USB settings so that VM can see it
- Install VirtualBox Guest Additions on VM (not necessary, but nice to transfer files to/from VM)

Issue #2: Had to find fastboot.
Solution: https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=174923

Issue #3: gitbrew website (stores many images) is down.
Solution: Other links on the threads that I used for instructions.
Diags_kernel, diags (+ssh) partition: Mediafire links from the "Small debricking guide for “noobs”".
kernel (main), system (main partition): Geekmaster's first post on this thread: "Download Mirror (all relevant K5 images)" - 5.0.0 images

Issue #4: Broke diags with fastboot (didn't realize images were in archives. Yes, another dumb move on my part).
Solution: Extract image files from the archives before flashing with "sudo ./fastboot flash <partition> <image>".

Issue #5: USB networking configuration does not persist on Ubuntu (probably some DHCP daemon or similar resetting it).
Solution: Once "sudo ifconfig usb0 192.168.15.201" is run, use the connection as a template to create a saved wired network connection.

I used these settings:
Address: 192.168.15.201
Netmask: 255.255.255.0
Gateway: 192.168.15.244


After I got USB networking set up, I followed the "Small debricking guide for “noobs”" instructions, starting from step 6 (ssh), and after the reset my Kindle was successfully unbricked. Thanks again!

[geekmaster]

Originally Posted by mike12489

... Issue #5: USB networking configuration does not persist on Ubuntu (probably some DHCP daemon or similar resetting it).
Solution: Once "sudo ifconfig usb0 192.168.15.201" is run, use the connection as a template to create a saved wired network connection.
... and after the reset my Kindle was successfully unbricked. Thanks again!

I got tired of that Ubuntu dropped connection thing, and just uninstalled nmcli. But now, every time I reboot linux (not often), I have to type "sudo ifconfig eth1 up; sudo dhclient eth1". Oh well...

Glad you got it debricked. I will add your success report to the list in the first post.

EDIT: Added to success report list, which is getting rather long. Perhaps it is a good thing that only ONE PERCENT of the estimated successful debricks have been reported (based on download counts). If that "Success Report" list gets much longer, it may need its own thread.

[thomass]

Originally Posted by geekmaster

... If that "Success Report" list gets much longer, it may need its own thread.

Instead a wiki page could work also.

[qlob]

So...... Is there any chance for gitbrew to come back up? Has anyone heard anything?

[geekmaster]

Originally Posted by qlob

So...... Is there any chance for gitbrew to come back up? Has anyone heard anything?

dasmoover said he planned to bring it back up, awhile ago. I have not heard anything recently.

[eureka]

Originally Posted by mike12489

Issue #1: Couldn't get MfgTool running (needed Windows).
Solution: Running Windows XP on VirtualBox (sudo apt-get install virtualbox).

The only additional VirtualBox configuration needed was enabling USB and file-sharing:
- Install Oracle VM VirtualBox Extension Pack (search Google, Oracle website)
- Add <user> to vboxusers group (sudo usermod -aG vboxusers <user>) (relogin or restart Ubuntu after)
- Add filter for Kindle in Recovery Mode in VM USB settings so that VM can see it
- Install VirtualBox Guest Additions on VM (not necessary, but nice to transfer files to/from VM)

I know, it's too late to inform you, but nevertheless... There is working cross-platform command-line replacement of MfgTool: imx_usb_loader (and there is tl;dr at the end of linked post).

[geekmaster]

Originally Posted by eureka

I know, it's too late to inform you, but nevertheless... There is working cross-platform command-line replacement of MfgTool: imx_usb_loader (and there is tl;dr at the end of linked post).

Thanks for reposting the link. I was looking for that the other day. We need to make that part of the first post,

[twobob]

Originally Posted by ixtab

Ok, here's another mirror containing *ALL* currently relevant images for K5: http://ixtab.tk/kindle-touch-images/

[/SPOILER]

I am attempting to use your update_k5_diags+ssh.bin but the
Update Your Kindle keeps graying out.

I'll go check my Jailbreak and get back to you. It's a B011 - would that make a difference?

Cheers pal

[twobob]

ermm.. odd I cant apply Jbpatch's latest bin either. hmm.....