Kindle completely nonresponsive after jailbreak and screensaver hack

spaigelle · 03-22-2014, 03:22 PM

I updated my Kindle Paperwhite to the latest version using the manual download from Amazon's website.

I did the jailbreak using this, I believe: https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=186645

I used this to modify the screensavers: https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=195474

The only issue I had was the with linkss.bin file. The first time the update failed, but it was successful the second time I installed it (doing nothing differently).

I had the screensaver up and running and everything was great. The next night when I picked it up, it was stuck on the screensaver. After trying the hard reset (20 seconds on and off the charger), the charging light failed to even come on. I've left it on the charger for two days, and there's no indication that it is charging or even working. It's just stuck on the screensaver. My computer (macbook) will not even recognize.

Is there anything I can do? I can't even figure out what did it.

GoSharks · 03-22-2014, 04:35 PM

@spaigelle-
On first blush it sounds like a dead battery...perhaps you have a bad cable, have you tried a different one?

spaigelle · 03-22-2014, 05:54 PM

Yep, I tried the cable that I had been using previously plugged into both the wall and the computer. Amazon has sent out a new kindle, and I've even tried the cable that came with the new one. When I spoke to the Amazon representative, he too said it sounded like an issue with the battery. I was doubtful that any modifications I had done would have caused this, but just wanted to make sure.

The kindle is now frozen on the screensaver. I'm kinda spooked about sending it back to Amazon jailbroken with the modified screensaver and drm-free books piled up on it so I thought I'd try to make sure there was nothing I could do to fix it before I sent it back.

GoSharks · 03-22-2014, 06:30 PM

@spaigelle-
Have not heard of anyone having issues when returning a defective PW that has software mods...really think Amazon has better things to do especially as they have already diagnosed as a dead battery. If they bother to refurbish, they're just going to flash it with new software anyway. I wouldn't worry. Glad you got a new one! (nothing about the hacks you installed caused this issue)

knc1 · 03-22-2014, 07:19 PM

Well, not quite.
It is probably possible that a "bad" screensaver file added is causing the problem.

Although adding custom screensavers was not mentioned, one of the reasons for installing the screensaver modification is to display custom screensaver files.

GoSharks · 03-22-2014, 07:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by knc1

Well, not quite.
It is probably possible that a "bad" screensaver file added is causing the problem.

Although adding custom screensavers was not mentioned, one of the reasons for installing the screensaver modification is to display custom screensaver files.

That's interesting...I was aware that 'bad' screensavers could cause the screensaver hack not to work (and/or possibly to freeze), but to the point of not being able to reset, restart or charge? Do you really think so? That's kind of scary.

spaigelle · 03-22-2014, 08:24 PM

The only thing I added to the linkss folder on the kindle was a blank file named "Cover" so the screensaver would be the cover of the book currently being read.

szfisher · 03-22-2014, 09:01 PM

Connect it to your PC, to see what happens.

spaigelle · 03-22-2014, 09:23 PM

Absolutely nothing. My computer would recognize it and allow me to see the files before I did the reset by holding the power button down. After I reset it, the computer would not recognize it at all. That coincided with it appearing to be dead as a door nail. It's charged all day with the brand new cable, and still nothing.

knc1 · 03-23-2014, 06:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GoSharks

That's interesting...I was aware that 'bad' screensavers could cause the screensaver hack not to work (and/or possibly to freeze), but to the point of not being able to reset, restart or charge? Do you really think so? That's kind of scary.

Don't get me lying to the public.

The Amazon (not the ss hack) screensaver handling can be a touchy thing to keep happy.
Almost as bad as the Amazon indexer application.

- - - - -

But however this device got into its current condition, the most likely problem now is the battery.

NiLuJe · 03-23-2014, 10:23 AM

It's still showing the screensaver after the hard-reset?

But, yeah, that sounds like a battery/charging issue.

Just for completeness sake: do you happen to have inordinately large book files?
Nearly everything in the 'get the cover of the book' part of the SS hack is tweaked to just die after a while in order not to hog the battery in case of problems, but there might be a way to DOS it with a very, very large file if python and/or the kernel's OOM killer is being stupid. Although last I checked, everything died correctly in such cases.

That said, if the screensaver you're seeing is accurate (ie. it's the proper cover of the last book opened), then this point is moot

.

GoSharks · 03-23-2014, 10:51 AM

@spagelle-
This one will make you laugh but I mention it only for completeness...it is absolutely possible to insert the mini plug of the USB cable upside-down into your Kindle. I received a panicked call from my father because his K3 would not charge and was frozen. Yep, inverted the plug to the correct side up and all was good. (all of his cables now have markings on the top!)

spaigelle · 03-23-2014, 01:03 PM

Haha! Nope, I plugged it in right!

I checked the book file that I was reading at the time, and it is relatively small compared to other files in my possession. The kindle was accurately showing the cover of the book I was reading. The book was previously in epub format, and I had converted it into mobi using Calibre. I don't know if that could matter at all, but I figured I'd throw that out there since the actual book file is being called into question.

It is still stuck on the screensaver after the hard reset. Prior to doing the hard reset, the backlight and charging light would come on when I pressed the power button. It would also show up on my computer when I plugged it in using the USB cable. Now it does absolutely nothing and is stuck on the book cover screensaver.

I have noticed that the backlight on the new kindle is MUCH BRIGHTER than it was on the kindle that is now dead. Could that be an indicator that it was on it's way out?

GoSharks · 03-23-2014, 01:33 PM

@spaigelle-
In case you didn't know about it, there is a plugin for Calibre that will let you re-size the cover (before conversion) so you won't have to worry about the cover image being too large. I use the default setting for size and the covers render perfectly.

Sounds like it's time to send the dead kindle back....

NiLuJe · 03-23-2014, 01:45 PM

@GoSharks: In that case, more pixels is always better, and Calibre's hard cap on cover resolution is still way below what we'd need to throw at the SS hack to make it choke (the newest versions, at least. You could throw a stamp at the first iterations and make it go OOM ;p).

03-22-2014, 03:22 PM	#1
spaigelle Junior Member Posts: 5 Karma: 10 Join Date: Mar 2014 Device: Kindle Paperwhite	Kindle completely nonresponsive after jailbreak and screensaver hack I updated my Kindle Paperwhite to the latest version using the manual download from Amazon's website. I did the jailbreak using this, I believe: https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=186645 I used this to modify the screensavers: https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=195474 The only issue I had was the with linkss.bin file. The first time the update failed, but it was successful the second time I installed it (doing nothing differently). I had the screensaver up and running and everything was great. The next night when I picked it up, it was stuck on the screensaver. After trying the hard reset (20 seconds on and off the charger), the charging light failed to even come on. I've left it on the charger for two days, and there's no indication that it is charging or even working. It's just stuck on the screensaver. My computer (macbook) will not even recognize. Is there anything I can do? I can't even figure out what did it.

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03-22-2014, 04:35 PM	#2
GoSharks SQUIRREL!! Posts: 1,636 Karma: 8400000 Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: California Device: K-Fire, PW2, PW3	@spaigelle- On first blush it sounds like a dead battery...perhaps you have a bad cable, have you tried a different one?

03-22-2014, 05:54 PM	#3
spaigelle Junior Member Posts: 5 Karma: 10 Join Date: Mar 2014 Device: Kindle Paperwhite	Yep, I tried the cable that I had been using previously plugged into both the wall and the computer. Amazon has sent out a new kindle, and I've even tried the cable that came with the new one. When I spoke to the Amazon representative, he too said it sounded like an issue with the battery. I was doubtful that any modifications I had done would have caused this, but just wanted to make sure. The kindle is now frozen on the screensaver. I'm kinda spooked about sending it back to Amazon jailbroken with the modified screensaver and drm-free books piled up on it so I thought I'd try to make sure there was nothing I could do to fix it before I sent it back.

03-22-2014, 06:30 PM	#4
GoSharks SQUIRREL!! Posts: 1,636 Karma: 8400000 Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: California Device: K-Fire, PW2, PW3	@spaigelle- Have not heard of anyone having issues when returning a defective PW that has software mods...really think Amazon has better things to do especially as they have already diagnosed as a dead battery. If they bother to refurbish, they're just going to flash it with new software anyway. I wouldn't worry. Glad you got a new one! (nothing about the hacks you installed caused this issue)

03-22-2014, 07:19 PM	#5
knc1 Going Viral Posts: 17,212 Karma: 18210809 Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Central Texas Device: No K1, PW2, KV, KOA	Well, not quite. It is probably possible that a "bad" screensaver file added is causing the problem. Although adding custom screensavers was not mentioned, one of the reasons for installing the screensaver modification is to display custom screensaver files.

03-22-2014, 08:24 PM	#7
spaigelle Junior Member Posts: 5 Karma: 10 Join Date: Mar 2014 Device: Kindle Paperwhite	The only thing I added to the linkss folder on the kindle was a blank file named "Cover" so the screensaver would be the cover of the book currently being read.

03-22-2014, 09:01 PM	#8
szfisher Enthusiast Posts: 29 Karma: 75502 Join Date: Nov 2012 Device: Kindel Touch	Connect it to your PC, to see what happens.

03-22-2014, 09:23 PM	#9
spaigelle Junior Member Posts: 5 Karma: 10 Join Date: Mar 2014 Device: Kindle Paperwhite	Absolutely nothing. My computer would recognize it and allow me to see the files before I did the reset by holding the power button down. After I reset it, the computer would not recognize it at all. That coincided with it appearing to be dead as a door nail. It's charged all day with the brand new cable, and still nothing.

03-23-2014, 10:23 AM	#11
NiLuJe BLAM! Posts: 13,480 Karma: 26012494 Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Paris, France Device: Kindle 2i, 3g, 4, 5w, PW, PW2, PW5; Kobo H2O, Forma, Elipsa, Sage, C2E	It's still showing the screensaver after the hard-reset? But, yeah, that sounds like a battery/charging issue. Just for completeness sake: do you happen to have inordinately large book files? Nearly everything in the 'get the cover of the book' part of the SS hack is tweaked to just die after a while in order not to hog the battery in case of problems, but there might be a way to DOS it with a very, very large file if python and/or the kernel's OOM killer is being stupid. Although last I checked, everything died correctly in such cases. That said, if the screensaver you're seeing is accurate (ie. it's the proper cover of the last book opened), then this point is moot .

03-23-2014, 10:51 AM	#12
GoSharks SQUIRREL!! Posts: 1,636 Karma: 8400000 Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: California Device: K-Fire, PW2, PW3	@spagelle- This one will make you laugh but I mention it only for completeness...it is absolutely possible to insert the mini plug of the USB cable upside-down into your Kindle. I received a panicked call from my father because his K3 would not charge and was frozen. Yep, inverted the plug to the correct side up and all was good. (all of his cables now have markings on the top!)

03-23-2014, 01:03 PM	#13
spaigelle Junior Member Posts: 5 Karma: 10 Join Date: Mar 2014 Device: Kindle Paperwhite	Haha! Nope, I plugged it in right! I checked the book file that I was reading at the time, and it is relatively small compared to other files in my possession. The kindle was accurately showing the cover of the book I was reading. The book was previously in epub format, and I had converted it into mobi using Calibre. I don't know if that could matter at all, but I figured I'd throw that out there since the actual book file is being called into question. It is still stuck on the screensaver after the hard reset. Prior to doing the hard reset, the backlight and charging light would come on when I pressed the power button. It would also show up on my computer when I plugged it in using the USB cable. Now it does absolutely nothing and is stuck on the book cover screensaver. I have noticed that the backlight on the new kindle is MUCH BRIGHTER than it was on the kindle that is now dead. Could that be an indicator that it was on it's way out?

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03-23-2014, 01:33 PM	#14
GoSharks SQUIRREL!! Posts: 1,636 Karma: 8400000 Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: California Device: K-Fire, PW2, PW3	@spaigelle- In case you didn't know about it, there is a plugin for Calibre that will let you re-size the cover (before conversion) so you won't have to worry about the cover image being too large. I use the default setting for size and the covers render perfectly. Sounds like it's time to send the dead kindle back....

03-23-2014, 01:45 PM	#15
NiLuJe BLAM! Posts: 13,480 Karma: 26012494 Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Paris, France Device: Kindle 2i, 3g, 4, 5w, PW, PW2, PW5; Kobo H2O, Forma, Elipsa, Sage, C2E	@GoSharks: In that case, more pixels is always better, and Calibre's hard cap on cover resolution is still way below what we'd need to throw at the SS hack to make it choke (the newest versions, at least. You could throw a stamp at the first iterations and make it go OOM ;p).