Troubleshooting Kindle 3 freeze

gladsteinfr · 04-28-2013, 02:57 PM

Hi, my Kindle 3 froze while I was using it.
The screen has been stuck on the home page for a week.
I tried :

holding the power switch for 30 sec (obviously many times after each step)
let it charge for a day on USB
open, remove the battery and put it back
let it charge for a day on wall charger
kubrick : everything ok until the "flashing main partition" which lasts only a second.

Any ideas?
I'm afraid it's dead after a meager 20 months of service.
Cheers

pidgeon92 · 04-28-2013, 03:37 PM

It could be a simple as a dead battery, but I wouldn't spend $30 on a new battery just to find out it was something less fixable. Based on what you've already tried, I'll go with dead. It might be worth the time to call Kindle customer service and see if you can get a sympathetic ear who might send a refurb, or at least comp you a few bucks on a new unit.

gladsteinfr · 04-28-2013, 05:47 PM

Ok thanks.
Well, I think I'll make a point not to buy again after this. Planned obsolescence of 20 months for 191$ is not enough for me. I'll go see somewhere else.

pidgeon92 · 04-28-2013, 10:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gladsteinfr

Ok thanks.
Well, I think I'll make a point not to buy again after this. Planned obsolescence of 20 months for 191$ is not enough for me. I'll go see somewhere else.

It's not planned obsolesence. It's hardware failure. None of my Kindles have died in less than two years. The only Kindle I have had that has failed was a Kindle on which my husband broke the screen.

It's a shame that you won't try calling Amazon, there have been multiple instances of them replacing out of warranty units.

Good luck with other brands. The technology is all the same, and is made in the same factories.

HarryT · 04-29-2013, 01:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gladsteinfr

Ok thanks.
Well, I think I'll make a point not to buy again after this. Planned obsolescence of 20 months for 191$ is not enough for me. I'll go see somewhere else.

What on Earth are you talking about? There is no "planned obsolescence". Many people here have Kindles that are many years old and are still working perfectly. Please provide evidence to support your claim.

einkerem · 04-29-2013, 01:35 AM

I have the exact same experience as "gladsteinfr".

Amazon has offered a paltry $20 dollar discount on a reconditioned kindle ( with a fairly comprehensive range of choices). My sister's bought kindles at around the same time and theirs have also died. I have an ipod touch purchased at aroond the same time that is actually my ereader of choice. It is alive and well. I also feel that there is some kind of planned obsolesence.

I was planning ( with great dread) on trying to manually brick as suggested in opening screen of KUBRICK but if the battery is most likely the problem.....

BTW- mine unfreezes with a window of opportunity of about 2 minutes - I went into the files and confirmed that all my books were indeed deleted and ran KUBRICK again. And, I did get the battery indicator to turn green in charger after a couple of days.

And, just as a point of information- I used the technique in this link as a quasi successful initial effort to unfreeze - for my kindle it actually worked as well as the KUBRICK.

http://www.frankcoles.com/journalism.../#.UX4GR9c5udl

gladsteinfr · 04-29-2013, 05:04 PM

Guys, let's agree to disagree. They designed the device so it's not repairable, impossible to diagnose (hats off to the courageous guys like you on this forum who disrupt this a bit). No repair service offered. Knowing the parts lifespan, it's easy for them to compute how many devices will die, how many users will want to replace, with the right incentive. This is all a very sane and respectable business strategy, no problem with that!

HarryT · 04-30-2013, 03:20 AM

That's why there are things like Square Trade "extended warranties" available for people like yourself who would rather have their device replaced than buy a replacement. You knew when you bought it that Amazon gave you a 12-month warranty on it. It's a little unreasonable to complain about it failing outside the warranty period.

gladsteinfr · 04-30-2013, 07:19 AM

Ok I'll grant you I'm a little unreasonable.
I was expecting either a replacement solution from Amazon directly (note: I'm not in the US) or a way to diagnose the problem myself and just buy the failed component. Because I always did that on my desktops/laptops, I don't see why we have to completely lose this ability with these new devices. At least a BIOS will tell me something...
But hey I'm just venting, knew these things from the start.

gladsteinfr · 05-01-2013, 03:49 PM

Oh and by the way they're offering me a refurb Kindle Touch for $71+$21 shipping (not in the US). Princely.

pidgeon92 · 05-01-2013, 04:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gladsteinfr

Oh and by the way they're offering me a refurb Kindle Touch for $71+$21 shipping (not in the US). Princely.

It's out of warranty. Yes, it sucks that it quit working after only 20 months, but this happens to everybody with some doodad or other. My stuff invariably quits working a week after the warranty is up.

HarryT · 05-02-2013, 02:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gladsteinfr

Oh and by the way they're offering me a refurb Kindle Touch for $71+$21 shipping (not in the US). Princely.

Considering the fact that they're under no obligation whatsoever to give you a penny off a replacement for a device that's out of warranty, that seems like a damn good deal to me.

einkerem · 05-03-2013, 05:11 AM

not to beat a dead topic even deader- but we called Amazon, asked for a supervisor and were given a $70 credit. The life expectancy of the device is 3-4 years. Figuring it at 3.5 years and considering I got a bit more than 2 years use - I feel at this point the offer is very fair. I am a very heavy user and certainly got my reading time.

soulfuldog · 05-03-2013, 10:34 AM

Glad you got sorted to your satisfaction einkerem. Amazon are to be commended on offering discounts after the initial warranty expires, but I wish people didn't have to haggle with them to get it!

04-28-2013, 02:57 PM	#1
gladsteinfr Junior Member Posts: 5 Karma: 10 Join Date: Apr 2013 Device: K3	Kindle 3 freeze Hi, my Kindle 3 froze while I was using it. The screen has been stuck on the home page for a week. I tried : holding the power switch for 30 sec (obviously many times after each step) let it charge for a day on USB open, remove the battery and put it back let it charge for a day on wall charger kubrick : everything ok until the "flashing main partition" which lasts only a second. Any ideas? I'm afraid it's dead after a meager 20 months of service. Cheers

04-30-2013, 03:20 AM	#8
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383043 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	That's why there are things like Square Trade "extended warranties" available for people like yourself who would rather have their device replaced than buy a replacement. You knew when you bought it that Amazon gave you a 12-month warranty on it. It's a little unreasonable to complain about it failing outside the warranty period. Last edited by HarryT; 04-30-2013 at 03:51 AM.

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04-28-2013, 03:37 PM	#2
pidgeon92 Wizard Posts: 3,144 Karma: 8426142 Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Chicago, IL Device: Kindle PW2, Kindle Voyage, Kindle DXG, Boox M90, Kobo Aura HD	It could be a simple as a dead battery, but I wouldn't spend $30 on a new battery just to find out it was something less fixable. Based on what you've already tried, I'll go with dead. It might be worth the time to call Kindle customer service and see if you can get a sympathetic ear who might send a refurb, or at least comp you a few bucks on a new unit.

04-28-2013, 05:47 PM	#3
gladsteinfr Junior Member Posts: 5 Karma: 10 Join Date: Apr 2013 Device: K3	Ok thanks. Well, I think I'll make a point not to buy again after this. Planned obsolescence of 20 months for 191$ is not enough for me. I'll go see somewhere else.

04-29-2013, 01:35 AM	#6
einkerem Junior Member Posts: 5 Karma: 10 Join Date: Nov 2010 Device: kindle	I have the exact same experience as "gladsteinfr". Amazon has offered a paltry $20 dollar discount on a reconditioned kindle ( with a fairly comprehensive range of choices). My sister's bought kindles at around the same time and theirs have also died. I have an ipod touch purchased at aroond the same time that is actually my ereader of choice. It is alive and well. I also feel that there is some kind of planned obsolesence. I was planning ( with great dread) on trying to manually brick as suggested in opening screen of KUBRICK but if the battery is most likely the problem..... BTW- mine unfreezes with a window of opportunity of about 2 minutes - I went into the files and confirmed that all my books were indeed deleted and ran KUBRICK again. And, I did get the battery indicator to turn green in charger after a couple of days. And, just as a point of information- I used the technique in this link as a quasi successful initial effort to unfreeze - for my kindle it actually worked as well as the KUBRICK. http://www.frankcoles.com/journalism.../#.UX4GR9c5udl

04-29-2013, 05:04 PM	#7
gladsteinfr Junior Member Posts: 5 Karma: 10 Join Date: Apr 2013 Device: K3	Guys, let's agree to disagree. They designed the device so it's not repairable, impossible to diagnose (hats off to the courageous guys like you on this forum who disrupt this a bit). No repair service offered. Knowing the parts lifespan, it's easy for them to compute how many devices will die, how many users will want to replace, with the right incentive. This is all a very sane and respectable business strategy, no problem with that!

04-30-2013, 07:19 AM	#9
gladsteinfr Junior Member Posts: 5 Karma: 10 Join Date: Apr 2013 Device: K3	Ok I'll grant you I'm a little unreasonable. I was expecting either a replacement solution from Amazon directly (note: I'm not in the US) or a way to diagnose the problem myself and just buy the failed component. Because I always did that on my desktops/laptops, I don't see why we have to completely lose this ability with these new devices. At least a BIOS will tell me something... But hey I'm just venting, knew these things from the start.

05-01-2013, 03:49 PM	#10
gladsteinfr Junior Member Posts: 5 Karma: 10 Join Date: Apr 2013 Device: K3	Oh and by the way they're offering me a refurb Kindle Touch for $71+$21 shipping (not in the US). Princely.

05-03-2013, 05:11 AM	#13
einkerem Junior Member Posts: 5 Karma: 10 Join Date: Nov 2010 Device: kindle	not to beat a dead topic even deader- but we called Amazon, asked for a supervisor and were given a $70 credit. The life expectancy of the device is 3-4 years. Figuring it at 3.5 years and considering I got a bit more than 2 years use - I feel at this point the offer is very fair. I am a very heavy user and certainly got my reading time.

05-03-2013, 10:34 AM	#14
soulfuldog I ♥ Calibre Posts: 2,073 Karma: 5678911 Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis, Voyage, Sony PRS-350, Hudl2	Glad you got sorted to your satisfaction einkerem. Amazon are to be commended on offering discounts after the initial warranty expires, but I wish people didn't have to haggle with them to get it!

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