Troubleshooting Kindle Keyboard (3K) - frozen

IloveMyKindle · 11-20-2012, 12:11 PM

Dear (smart) people,

I am sure that this topic was already mentioned somewhere but I cannot find it.
From last week my Kindle K3 is frozen. It is not a mechanical flaw, because a friend of mine who is a genius with assembling and dissembling small devices checked it and there was nothing wrong.
He claims that it is something wrong with software.
I checked some forums about that kind of issues and I saw that Kindle being frozen is a common problem, especially if your device is out of warranty.
I tried to debrick it with ATK - my computer recognizes the device, but the programme doesn't.
The Kindle responds only when it is plugged in the computer and even then for 10 seconds or so. Then it freezes again.
It doesn't respond plugged in the wall and the orange light is always on.

I contacted Amazon CS and they are really trying to sell me a new one for 159$ (???) which is 20$ less I payed less than 2 years ago.

So...what can be done here?

Thank you guys for help!

sylviebi · 11-20-2012, 02:42 PM

Not too sure if I fall in the smart category but I definitely fit in the people one lol!

I know this fix will sound stupid but it works for me with freezing.

Hold the power switch for exactly 20 seconds. (It's got to be 20 seconds anything less doesn't work... use a timer. trust me on this I thought it wasn't important but it did not work otherwise...) After 20 seconds, let it go and wait a while... you might have to switch it on again...

Mine on occasion will freeze after I turn on wireless and start moving around in the menu (either opening a book or looking for a book) before waiting for the wireless to connect to either the 3g or wifi.

So when I turn on the wireless, I always set it down and give it a few seconds to connect before I start using it...

I hope this helps. If not sorry for wasting 20 seconds of your time...

pidgeon92 · 11-20-2012, 06:25 PM

Do you have any hacks installed? If so, listing the hacks may help in diagnosing the problem.

IloveMyKindle · 11-21-2012, 03:04 PM

@ sylviebi

I will try this...but I have another question: should I do this when it is plugged in the computer or not?
Because if it is not plugged in, it is not responding at all.

@pidgeon92

I don't have any hacks...I really have no idea how to do this and my boyfriend doesn't have any interest to help me. His most common sentence in the last week has been "it's dead, buy new one"

VaultBoy · 11-21-2012, 04:02 PM

When it's connected to your pc, can you add and remove books from it? And, how many books do you have on it?

IloveMyKindle · 11-21-2012, 04:18 PM

Ok I have news - now it is not responding at all, not even when plugged in computer.
The last time computer found Kindle, I made a backup of my books so now my Kindle is empty.
I tried to reset it with "20 sec rule" and it doesn't work. When connected, computer tries to find drivers and it says that drivers cannot be found "SE blank Ringo".

VaultBoy · 11-21-2012, 04:28 PM

I think that blank ringo name is indicative of it being in recovery mode... But I'm not sure.

hawhill · 11-22-2012, 04:36 AM

Yep, that's USB bootloader mode. Sounds like typical syndroms of hardware failure (since OP didn't mess with the software). From other cases, most prominent cause seems to be battery failure.

Trying to charge the Kindle for 1-2 days probably won't hurt, but is not likely to revive a dead battery either. But certainly worth a try. The LED color can't be trusted for a non-working unit, so just keep it charging for a looooong time.

IloveMyKindle · 11-22-2012, 01:42 PM

I've tried everything already...it was plugged in for 4 days in a row and then I even bought a new battery and still no changes.
I want to upload a new software like it's shown here https://wiki.mobileread.com/wiki/K3noobdebrickatk but ATK doesn't recognize USB device.
When I check the device manager, Kindle is in the category Disc drives.

hawhill · 11-22-2012, 03:56 PM

In that case (recognized as a disk drive), you did not successfully bring it into USB Downloader mode. That might be due to hardware defect (Power button, which can be replaced by reconnecting the battery, or Vol- button), but are you really sure you understood under what circumstancces you were supposed to press what button? It's pretty simple, actually: The volume-down ("Vol-") button must be pressed and hold for a moment during system boot-up/reset. The device should be shown as "SE Blank Ringo" when that was successful.

edgreer · 08-07-2013, 08:36 AM

My Kindle Keyboard kept freezing repeatedly. I would do a reset (hold power on for 20 seconds) and it would run for a while, then freeze again. I noticed that this always happened when the screen saver tried to come on. I hooked it to my PC over USB and deleted all the SPECIAL OFFERS. And the problem went away! The next time more SPECIAL OFFERS were downloaded, it started again. And stopped again when I deleted them.
To delete SPECIAL OFFERS, go to the system folder (hidden folder) and delete everything in the .assets folder.

flowerprint · 08-11-2013, 02:47 AM

I have the same problem with Kindle Keyboard too. It freezes. It has never given me this problem before.

11-20-2012, 12:11 PM	#1
IloveMyKindle Junior Member Posts: 4 Karma: 10 Join Date: Nov 2012 Device: Kindle Keyboard K3	Kindle Keyboard (3K) - frozen Dear (smart) people, I am sure that this topic was already mentioned somewhere but I cannot find it. From last week my Kindle K3 is frozen. It is not a mechanical flaw, because a friend of mine who is a genius with assembling and dissembling small devices checked it and there was nothing wrong. He claims that it is something wrong with software. I checked some forums about that kind of issues and I saw that Kindle being frozen is a common problem, especially if your device is out of warranty. I tried to debrick it with ATK - my computer recognizes the device, but the programme doesn't. The Kindle responds only when it is plugged in the computer and even then for 10 seconds or so. Then it freezes again. It doesn't respond plugged in the wall and the orange light is always on. I contacted Amazon CS and they are really trying to sell me a new one for 159$ (???) which is 20$ less I payed less than 2 years ago. So...what can be done here? Thank you guys for help! Last edited by IloveMyKindle; 11-21-2012 at 03:12 PM.

11-21-2012, 03:04 PM	#4
IloveMyKindle Junior Member Posts: 4 Karma: 10 Join Date: Nov 2012 Device: Kindle Keyboard K3	@ sylviebi I will try this...but I have another question: should I do this when it is plugged in the computer or not? Because if it is not plugged in, it is not responding at all. @pidgeon92 I don't have any hacks...I really have no idea how to do this and my boyfriend doesn't have any interest to help me. His most common sentence in the last week has been "it's dead, buy new one" Last edited by IloveMyKindle; 11-21-2012 at 03:11 PM.

08-07-2013, 08:36 AM	#11
edgreer Junior Member Posts: 1 Karma: 1000 Join Date: Aug 2013 Device: Kindle Keyboard	Kindle freeze My Kindle Keyboard kept freezing repeatedly. I would do a reset (hold power on for 20 seconds) and it would run for a while, then freeze again. I noticed that this always happened when the screen saver tried to come on. I hooked it to my PC over USB and deleted all the SPECIAL OFFERS. And the problem went away! The next time more SPECIAL OFFERS were downloaded, it started again. And stopped again when I deleted them. To delete SPECIAL OFFERS, go to the system folder (hidden folder) and delete everything in the .assets folder.

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11-20-2012, 02:42 PM	#2
sylviebi Connoisseur Posts: 78 Karma: 70 Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Canada Device: kindle, DSi xl, 3DS, iPod, Playbbok	Not too sure if I fall in the smart category but I definitely fit in the people one lol! I know this fix will sound stupid but it works for me with freezing. Hold the power switch for exactly 20 seconds. (It's got to be 20 seconds anything less doesn't work... use a timer. trust me on this I thought it wasn't important but it did not work otherwise...) After 20 seconds, let it go and wait a while... you might have to switch it on again... Mine on occasion will freeze after I turn on wireless and start moving around in the menu (either opening a book or looking for a book) before waiting for the wireless to connect to either the 3g or wifi. So when I turn on the wireless, I always set it down and give it a few seconds to connect before I start using it... I hope this helps. If not sorry for wasting 20 seconds of your time...

11-20-2012, 06:25 PM	#3
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	Do you have any hacks installed? If so, listing the hacks may help in diagnosing the problem.

11-21-2012, 04:02 PM	#5
VaultBoy Addict Posts: 206 Karma: 1683142 Join Date: Nov 2012 Device: Kindle of many shapes, PIPBoy 3000	When it's connected to your pc, can you add and remove books from it? And, how many books do you have on it?

11-21-2012, 04:18 PM	#6
IloveMyKindle Junior Member Posts: 4 Karma: 10 Join Date: Nov 2012 Device: Kindle Keyboard K3	Ok I have news - now it is not responding at all, not even when plugged in computer. The last time computer found Kindle, I made a backup of my books so now my Kindle is empty. I tried to reset it with "20 sec rule" and it doesn't work. When connected, computer tries to find drivers and it says that drivers cannot be found "SE blank Ringo".

11-21-2012, 04:28 PM	#7
VaultBoy Addict Posts: 206 Karma: 1683142 Join Date: Nov 2012 Device: Kindle of many shapes, PIPBoy 3000	I think that blank ringo name is indicative of it being in recovery mode... But I'm not sure.

11-22-2012, 04:36 AM	#8
hawhill Wizard Posts: 1,379 Karma: 2155307 Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Goettingen, Germany Device: Kindle Paperwhite, Kobo Mini	Yep, that's USB bootloader mode. Sounds like typical syndroms of hardware failure (since OP didn't mess with the software). From other cases, most prominent cause seems to be battery failure. Trying to charge the Kindle for 1-2 days probably won't hurt, but is not likely to revive a dead battery either. But certainly worth a try. The LED color can't be trusted for a non-working unit, so just keep it charging for a looooong time.

11-22-2012, 01:42 PM	#9
IloveMyKindle Junior Member Posts: 4 Karma: 10 Join Date: Nov 2012 Device: Kindle Keyboard K3	I've tried everything already...it was plugged in for 4 days in a row and then I even bought a new battery and still no changes. I want to upload a new software like it's shown here https://wiki.mobileread.com/wiki/K3noobdebrickatk but ATK doesn't recognize USB device. When I check the device manager, Kindle is in the category Disc drives.

11-22-2012, 03:56 PM	#10
hawhill Wizard Posts: 1,379 Karma: 2155307 Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Goettingen, Germany Device: Kindle Paperwhite, Kobo Mini	In that case (recognized as a disk drive), you did not successfully bring it into USB Downloader mode. That might be due to hardware defect (Power button, which can be replaced by reconnecting the battery, or Vol- button), but are you really sure you understood under what circumstancces you were supposed to press what button? It's pretty simple, actually: The volume-down ("Vol-") button must be pressed and hold for a moment during system boot-up/reset. The device should be shown as "SE Blank Ringo" when that was successful.

08-11-2013, 02:47 AM	#12
flowerprint Junior Member Posts: 7 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jul 2011 Device: Kindle	I have the same problem with Kindle Keyboard too. It freezes. It has never given me this problem before.

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