Troubleshooting Kindle Paperwhite stuck on boot - Page 2

Blossom · 02-01-2013, 04:20 PM

The morally of the story is don't tell them what you did. Just say it isn't working and play dumb. Happy you got it fixed though.

Clytie · 02-04-2013, 12:48 AM

Glad/sorry to know I'm not the only one encountering weird PW behaviour. Glad, because I'm not alone in this, and sorry that you're encountering difficulty.

I've already had to restart my PW twice, to access downloads it thinks it's downloaded but hasn't. I also note that the WiFi indicator is usually only on 2 bars, where all the other household devices always have 3 bars (full signal). It is starting to look like a corruption issue.

"I just got off the phone with Will at Amazon support, Will's final (useless) conclusion was "when you format the user partition, the javascript link between the Fortran and the kernel is broken." Seriously, who hires these people?"

I'm impressed they have anyone there who remembers Fortran, whose main claim to fame back when I was an undergraduate (late 70s) was its ability to run Fourier Transforms (mathematical processes analyzing scientific data). The thought of anyone using that venerable programming language on "the latest" Kindle ... *snorts of laughter*

Also, who in their right mind uses JS prebindings? If you have enough sense to run a Linux kernel, you stay away from the devious, sloppily-coded, so-easily-corruptible tentacles of JavaScript.

Then again, I'm trying to make sense of a statement which obviously didn't have that intent...

NullNix · 02-04-2013, 07:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Clytie

The thought of anyone using that venerable programming language on "the latest" Kindle ... *snorts of laughter*

Why not? They use every other language they can get their hands on, from C and C++ through Java and even JS. Most of the Kindle UI is written in Java, and that's a language with a *much* more heavyweight runtime than Fortran, which compiles to native code just like C.

(But, yes, I think it's unlikely that there is any substantial amount of Fortran on there. Heck, in a complete Linux distro you're unlikely to have more Fortran than is contained inside ATLAS these days.)

radioactive76 · 02-06-2013, 12:45 PM

For brevity, I left out another small snippet: "Will" told me that he thought linking Fortran and Javascript was a bad idea, and that in his opinion, it should all be done in Java.

Having had enough, I told him "You know I'm an electrical engineer?" to which he, the tier 1 support guy at Amazon retorted, "Yeah, and I have a computer engineering degree, but that's neither here nor there."

The whole exchange was some mix of comedy and tragedy, I'm not sure which.

On an unrelated note, somehow, the device bricked itself again this weekend when I switched from English to German. The rescue method was the same (cycle the USB and try and get into the menu). Kindle's going back under AmEx's "extended warranty" protection, since Amazon refuses to take it back. I'm just glad Apple allows me to wipe the rootfs when I decide to, new iPad mini is more and more tempting...

rghelase2001 · 03-24-2013, 04:26 AM

Hello all,

I have a similar issue with my PaperWhite, it is stuck on "Repair Needed" screen. Tried factory reset (hold the button for 20-30sec) but no luck. After a boot sequence (the tree with the child reading the book under it, and something moving on the screen), that lasts for about 10sec, the PW returns in the Repair Needed screen. Tried this like 7+ times, no luck..

I had a book that did not want to be opened, I tried to reset the device, but got into this "Repair Needed" screen.

Tried the procedure radioactive76 mentions on post #15, but not sure if I understood completely, does it apply also to Windows OS?

Guys, any other clues?

Many thanks in advance!

HarryT · 03-24-2013, 04:39 AM

Holding the power button for 20s is not a "Factory Reset"; it's just a reboot. Factory Reset can only be done through the menu.

rghelase2001 · 03-24-2013, 04:43 AM

Thanks HarryT, you are right.. Therefore, it is mandatory somehow to enter menu for "factory reset".. Could someone please explain me how could I manage to do this using Windows OS?

HarryT · 03-24-2013, 04:48 AM

Unfortunately, if your Kindle won't boot, you can't do a Factory Reset.

Given, though, that this is a Kindle PW, it's definitely still under warranty, so you should contact Kindle Customer Services.

rghelase2001 · 03-24-2013, 05:03 AM

HarryT, I appreciate your effort, but I have just bought this PaperWhite as a gift to my wife, and I have to deliver it to her on Monday with some books already uploaded.

At least for now, I have to spare all the necessary steps that I can do, without crack-opening the device, that's why replacement is out of question right now.

Thank you for understanding, but, knowing there is a possiblity to fixing it without replacing the unit, I would like to experience it.

HarryT · 03-24-2013, 05:06 AM

If it's new, and it was like this "out of the box", it sounds very much as if it's faulty, unfortunately.

rghelase2001 · 03-24-2013, 05:13 AM

Yesterday evening opened the box, registered it to my Amazon account, copied couple of books from the Cloud, and copied couple of DRM removed books from the hard drive.
While testing that every book works, got into one DRM free book that refused to open (the book remained opened to the first page, and the device was stuck). Successfully rebooted, deleted the book from the menu, copied it again using the cable, and the same result (azw3 book).
Did a format change in Calible, copied it also as .mobi and .azw1, and got into this "Repair Needed" error screen.

If there is any other procedure I could try, I would appreciate, because replacing the damaged unit for sure will take at least couple of days..

Blossom · 03-24-2013, 11:56 AM

Sorry to say but there's no way to fix that. You're going to have to call Amazon for a replacement. The unit is obviously defective.

rghelase2001 · 03-24-2013, 12:05 PM

Ok, Blossom, then I will call for replacement.
For my knowledge, and in order to prevent this happening in the future, was the unit damaged, or was anything that I did that crashed the unit for good?

Blossom · 03-24-2013, 12:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rghelase2001

Ok, Blossom, then I will call for replacement.
For my knowledge, and in order to prevent this happening in the future, was the unit damaged, or was anything that I did that crashed the unit for good?

It was defective in my opinion. You should have no problem adding mobi or AZW3 books to the PW. I don't think it's anything you did.

HarryT · 03-24-2013, 12:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rghelase2001

Ok, Blossom, then I will call for replacement.
For my knowledge, and in order to prevent this happening in the future, was the unit damaged, or was anything that I did that crashed the unit for good?

Nothing that you did would have resulted in this problem. Your Kindle is faulty.

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02-01-2013, 04:20 PM	#16
Blossom Treasure Seeker Posts: 18,708 Karma: 26026435 Join Date: Mar 2010 Device: Kobo HD Glo, Kindles, Kindle Fires, Andriod Devices	The morally of the story is don't tell them what you did. Just say it isn't working and play dumb. Happy you got it fixed though.

02-04-2013, 12:48 AM	#17
Clytie Bookworm Posts: 62 Karma: 2200 Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: South Australia Device: iPad2	Glad/sorry to know I'm not the only one encountering weird PW behaviour. Glad, because I'm not alone in this, and sorry that you're encountering difficulty. I've already had to restart my PW twice, to access downloads it thinks it's downloaded but hasn't. I also note that the WiFi indicator is usually only on 2 bars, where all the other household devices always have 3 bars (full signal). It is starting to look like a corruption issue. "I just got off the phone with Will at Amazon support, Will's final (useless) conclusion was "when you format the user partition, the javascript link between the Fortran and the kernel is broken." Seriously, who hires these people?" I'm impressed they have anyone there who remembers Fortran, whose main claim to fame back when I was an undergraduate (late 70s) was its ability to run Fourier Transforms (mathematical processes analyzing scientific data). The thought of anyone using that venerable programming language on "the latest" Kindle ... snorts of laughter Also, who in their right mind uses JS prebindings? If you have enough sense to run a Linux kernel, you stay away from the devious, sloppily-coded, so-easily-corruptible tentacles of JavaScript. Then again, I'm trying to make sense of a statement which obviously didn't have that intent...

02-06-2013, 12:45 PM	#19
radioactive76 Junior Member Posts: 3 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: Munich Device: Paperwhite	For brevity, I left out another small snippet: "Will" told me that he thought linking Fortran and Javascript was a bad idea, and that in his opinion, it should all be done in Java. Having had enough, I told him "You know I'm an electrical engineer?" to which he, the tier 1 support guy at Amazon retorted, "Yeah, and I have a computer engineering degree, but that's neither here nor there." The whole exchange was some mix of comedy and tragedy, I'm not sure which. On an unrelated note, somehow, the device bricked itself again this weekend when I switched from English to German. The rescue method was the same (cycle the USB and try and get into the menu). Kindle's going back under AmEx's "extended warranty" protection, since Amazon refuses to take it back. I'm just glad Apple allows me to wipe the rootfs when I decide to, new iPad mini is more and more tempting...

03-24-2013, 04:26 AM	#20
rghelase2001 Junior Member Posts: 5 Karma: 10 Join Date: Mar 2013 Device: Kindle Paperwhite	Hello all, I have a similar issue with my PaperWhite, it is stuck on "Repair Needed" screen. Tried factory reset (hold the button for 20-30sec) but no luck. After a boot sequence (the tree with the child reading the book under it, and something moving on the screen), that lasts for about 10sec, the PW returns in the Repair Needed screen. Tried this like 7+ times, no luck.. I had a book that did not want to be opened, I tried to reset the device, but got into this "Repair Needed" screen. Tried the procedure radioactive76 mentions on post #15, but not sure if I understood completely, does it apply also to Windows OS? Guys, any other clues? Many thanks in advance!

03-24-2013, 04:39 AM	#21
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383043 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	Holding the power button for 20s is not a "Factory Reset"; it's just a reboot. Factory Reset can only be done through the menu.

03-24-2013, 04:43 AM	#22
rghelase2001 Junior Member Posts: 5 Karma: 10 Join Date: Mar 2013 Device: Kindle Paperwhite	Thanks HarryT, you are right.. Therefore, it is mandatory somehow to enter menu for "factory reset".. Could someone please explain me how could I manage to do this using Windows OS?

03-24-2013, 04:48 AM	#23
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383043 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	Unfortunately, if your Kindle won't boot, you can't do a Factory Reset. Given, though, that this is a Kindle PW, it's definitely still under warranty, so you should contact Kindle Customer Services.

03-24-2013, 05:03 AM	#24
rghelase2001 Junior Member Posts: 5 Karma: 10 Join Date: Mar 2013 Device: Kindle Paperwhite	HarryT, I appreciate your effort, but I have just bought this PaperWhite as a gift to my wife, and I have to deliver it to her on Monday with some books already uploaded. At least for now, I have to spare all the necessary steps that I can do, without crack-opening the device, that's why replacement is out of question right now. Thank you for understanding, but, knowing there is a possiblity to fixing it without replacing the unit, I would like to experience it.

03-24-2013, 05:06 AM	#25
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383043 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	If it's new, and it was like this "out of the box", it sounds very much as if it's faulty, unfortunately.

03-24-2013, 05:13 AM	#26
rghelase2001 Junior Member Posts: 5 Karma: 10 Join Date: Mar 2013 Device: Kindle Paperwhite	Yesterday evening opened the box, registered it to my Amazon account, copied couple of books from the Cloud, and copied couple of DRM removed books from the hard drive. While testing that every book works, got into one DRM free book that refused to open (the book remained opened to the first page, and the device was stuck). Successfully rebooted, deleted the book from the menu, copied it again using the cable, and the same result (azw3 book). Did a format change in Calible, copied it also as .mobi and .azw1, and got into this "Repair Needed" error screen. If there is any other procedure I could try, I would appreciate, because replacing the damaged unit for sure will take at least couple of days..

03-24-2013, 11:56 AM	#27
Blossom Treasure Seeker Posts: 18,708 Karma: 26026435 Join Date: Mar 2010 Device: Kobo HD Glo, Kindles, Kindle Fires, Andriod Devices	Sorry to say but there's no way to fix that. You're going to have to call Amazon for a replacement. The unit is obviously defective.

03-24-2013, 12:05 PM	#28
rghelase2001 Junior Member Posts: 5 Karma: 10 Join Date: Mar 2013 Device: Kindle Paperwhite	Ok, Blossom, then I will call for replacement. For my knowledge, and in order to prevent this happening in the future, was the unit damaged, or was anything that I did that crashed the unit for good?