Prototype/Dev Kindle 2?

lunacite · 08-02-2013, 07:55 PM

So I was looking for an inexpensive Kindle for my girlfriend, and stumbled across one on ebay being sold by our local goodwill, so I could pick it up and save on shipping costs. I picked it up today & tried to update it to the latest 2.5.8 version, which failed twice, so I flipped it over to triple check the Serial and Model #, and that's when I started to notice some oddities.

The first is a "Build EVT-2" on the back, above where the FCC warning would normally be.

The second is a missing model # and FCC ID!

It just has placeholders for both.

The front also has an "Undo" button instead of "Back", and an "@" symbol on the "SYM" key.

Amazon support assures me that everything should work fine, I can't find anything about this software version anywhere.

I've managed to get USB networking enabled, and I can SSH into it, is there anything interesting I might be able to find? My linux skills are pretty decent, but I don't know much about the kindle specific bits.

Photos

knc1 · 08-02-2013, 08:30 PM

By the serial number on the back, it is a K2 (US - Sprint Network).

"Tried to update twice but failed"
How did it report the failure? I.E: Did it give any specific error code?

According to my collection of Amazon firmware releases, that firmware build number was never a production release.

So try to update to version 2.5.2 (490480060) first, not try to jump directly to 2.5.8
If that works, then you may have to also install each release in order:
(no 2.5.3), 2.5.4, (no 2.5.5 or 2.5.6), 2.5.7, 2.5.8

lunacite · 08-02-2013, 08:42 PM

That's a good idea to try updating incrementally, is there anything that might be gleaned from this non-public firmware before I update it? I realize that it's probably a few years too late to be relevant, but who knows?

Is there a way to back up my current firmware version to a restore-able image?

NiLuJe · 08-02-2013, 09:10 PM

You could dd the partition hosting the rootfs & the kernel. (Cf. https://wiki.mobileread.com/wiki/Kind...Hacking#Backup).

I don't actually remember if there's a separate diags partition on the K2, will dig up my k2i tomorrow. But since this appears to be a proto/dev board, check the partition layout before.

As knc1 said, this is a non-public build, so I don't expect any of the official OTA updates to provide a starting step corresponding to it, which probably explains why the update failed. (Check the logs to make sure [showlog over SSH]).

EDIT: Yup:

Code:

02/update-02-399380047-431100003.bin
02/update-02-431100003-472900057.bin
02/update-02-472900057-490480060.bin
02/update-02-490480060-501100064.bin
02/update-02-501100064-501108064.bin
02/update-02-501108064-550650009.bin
02/update-02-550650009-555370010.bin

No 446420037 anywhere

.

The tags were a mess at that time, so I'm not quite sure what we'll be able to tell from it, but could you post the output of /proc/boardid?

knc1 · 08-02-2013, 09:34 PM

I ordered a K2 for my collection of test devices, but it will not be here until next week.

Twobob now has a K2 in his collection of test devices, but he needs to make some repairs to it first.

@NiLuJe: You are still "the one" when it comes to the K2.
(But help is on the way.)

08-02-2013, 07:55 PM	#1
lunacite Junior Member Posts: 2 Karma: 10 Join Date: Aug 2013 Device: Prototype Kindle 2	Prototype/Dev Kindle 2? So I was looking for an inexpensive Kindle for my girlfriend, and stumbled across one on ebay being sold by our local goodwill, so I could pick it up and save on shipping costs. I picked it up today & tried to update it to the latest 2.5.8 version, which failed twice, so I flipped it over to triple check the Serial and Model #, and that's when I started to notice some oddities. The first is a "Build EVT-2" on the back, above where the FCC warning would normally be. The second is a missing model # and FCC ID! It just has placeholders for both. The front also has an "Undo" button instead of "Back", and an "@" symbol on the "SYM" key. Amazon support assures me that everything should work fine, I can't find anything about this software version anywhere. I've managed to get USB networking enabled, and I can SSH into it, is there anything interesting I might be able to find? My linux skills are pretty decent, but I don't know much about the kindle specific bits. Photos

08-02-2013, 09:10 PM	#4
NiLuJe BLAM! Posts: 13,477 Karma: 26012492 Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Paris, France Device: Kindle 2i, 3g, 4, 5w, PW, PW2, PW5; Kobo H2O, Forma, Elipsa, Sage, C2E	You could dd the partition hosting the rootfs & the kernel. (Cf. https://wiki.mobileread.com/wiki/Kind...Hacking#Backup). I don't actually remember if there's a separate diags partition on the K2, will dig up my k2i tomorrow. But since this appears to be a proto/dev board, check the partition layout before. As knc1 said, this is a non-public build, so I don't expect any of the official OTA updates to provide a starting step corresponding to it, which probably explains why the update failed. (Check the logs to make sure [showlog over SSH]). EDIT: Yup: Code: 02/update-02-399380047-431100003.bin 02/update-02-431100003-472900057.bin 02/update-02-472900057-490480060.bin 02/update-02-490480060-501100064.bin 02/update-02-501100064-501108064.bin 02/update-02-501108064-550650009.bin 02/update-02-550650009-555370010.bin No 446420037 anywhere . The tags were a mess at that time, so I'm not quite sure what we'll be able to tell from it, but could you post the output of /proc/boardid? Last edited by NiLuJe; 08-02-2013 at 09:16 PM.

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08-02-2013, 08:30 PM	#2
knc1 Going Viral Posts: 17,212 Karma: 18210809 Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Central Texas Device: No K1, PW2, KV, KOA	By the serial number on the back, it is a K2 (US - Sprint Network). "Tried to update twice but failed" How did it report the failure? I.E: Did it give any specific error code? According to my collection of Amazon firmware releases, that firmware build number was never a production release. So try to update to version 2.5.2 (490480060) first, not try to jump directly to 2.5.8 If that works, then you may have to also install each release in order: (no 2.5.3), 2.5.4, (no 2.5.5 or 2.5.6), 2.5.7, 2.5.8

08-02-2013, 08:42 PM	#3
lunacite Junior Member Posts: 2 Karma: 10 Join Date: Aug 2013 Device: Prototype Kindle 2	That's a good idea to try updating incrementally, is there anything that might be gleaned from this non-public firmware before I update it? I realize that it's probably a few years too late to be relevant, but who knows? Is there a way to back up my current firmware version to a restore-able image?

08-02-2013, 09:34 PM	#5
knc1 Going Viral Posts: 17,212 Karma: 18210809 Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Central Texas Device: No K1, PW2, KV, KOA	I ordered a K2 for my collection of test devices, but it will not be here until next week. Twobob now has a K2 in his collection of test devices, but he needs to make some repairs to it first. @NiLuJe: You are still "the one" when it comes to the K2. (But help is on the way.)

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