Instructions for patching firmware 3.3.x, 3.4.x, 3.5.x

[tshering]

Data and information in this post are out of date. Please see post #1 for information on how to apply the patches under Windows.

Since the patching tool for Windows I posted there seems not to work on some version of Windows, I made a similar package, but with GeoffR's executable instead of mine.

USAGE:

• extract the content of the archive to (for instance) C:\env_pa32lsb-v0.6-win32\
• copy libnickel.so.1.0.0 and librmsdk.so.1.0.0 to C:\env_pa32lsb-v0.6-win32\3.3.0_source\
• edit the configuration files in C:\env_pa32lsb-v0.6-win32\3.3.0_source\ if you like
• double-click on C:\env_pa32lsb-v0.6-win32\3.3.0.bat
• find KoboRoot.tgz in C:\env_pa32lsb-v0.6-win32\3.3.0_target\

See the spoiler for an alternative usage.

Updated version: I renamed the executable so that no elevated user rights are needed.

Updated version 2: Reworked it a little in order to make the usage more similare to the linux version. (Users of an earlier version, please be aware that I renamed the configuration files in order to match GeoffR's convention.) An instruction for Linux and Windows could look like this:

Spoiler:

1. Download patch32lsb_330.zip attached to this post* [env_pa32lsb-v0.6-win32 attached to post#46], and extract into a working directory.
2. Download the Kobo firmware archive version 3.3.0 for your device (See this thread) into [the 3.3.0_source subdirectory of] the same working directory as step 1. (do not extract).
3. Read and edit all the *.patch files [of the 3.3.0_source directory] in order to: choose which patches to enable (patch_enable=`yes`) or disable (patch_enable=`no`); change some of the replacement values to suit your device and preferences. (See the section below on customising the patches.)
4. Run make-patch.sh [3.3.0_unpack.bat] from the command line [or double-click on it], so that any errors can be noted.
5. If there were no errors, copy the resulting KoboRoot.tgz [from 3.0.0_target] to the .kobo directory on your ereader.
6. Safely eject and unplug the device, which will then update and restart.
* Actually post #1

I added a second bat-file (3.3.0_unpack.bat). 3.3.0_unpack.bat assumes that there is the correct Kobo FW archive in the directory 3.3.0_source, and extracts the necessary files (libnickel.so.1.0.0 and librmsdk.so.1.0.0 in this case) before patching. 3.3.0.bat assumes that these necessary files are already in the directory 3.3.0_source.


How to modify the package for other FW versions:
Copy the two bat-files and rename it to {OtherFWVersion}.bat and {OtherFWVersion}_unpack.bat (actually both files have the same content, but behave differently on account of the name).
Create a directory with the name {OtherFWVersion}_source, put the configuration files into it.

[GeoffR]

Originally Posted by tshering

Since the patching tool for Windows I posted there seems not to work on some version of Windows, I made a similar package, but with GeoffR's executable instead of mine.

USAGE:

• extract the content of the archive to (for instance) C:\env_patch32lsb-v0.6-win32\
• copy libnickel.so.1.0.0 and librmsdk.so.1.0.0 to C:\env_patch32lsb-v0.6-win32\3.3.0_source\
• edit the configuration files in C:\env_patch32lsb-v0.6-win32\3.3.0_source\ if you like
• double-click on C:\env_patch32lsb-v0.6-win32\3.3.0.bat
• find KoboRoot.tgz in C:\env_patch32lsb-v0.6-win32\3.3.0_target\

Nice work, tshering! If someone can try it out on different Windows versions I'll update the Windows instructions to use this method.

Perhaps we can combine the Windows and Linux pachages, with the same instructions for both except for running a different batch/shell script?

[jackie_w]

Nice collaboration, guys It seems OK to me on Win7 64bit.

[tshering]

Originally Posted by GeoffR

Perhaps we can combine the Windows and Linux pachages, with the same instructions for both except for running a different batch/shell script?

Exactly what I was thinking!
On a side note: I think I will change the bat-file for easier maintenance. Right now, one would have to edit the variables for source and target paths, if one wants to apply it to another FW version. It would be more convenient if the values of those two variables would be generated based on the name of the bat-file. Then one would only have to provide a folder {FWNAME}_source that contains the configuration files, and the (otherwise unmodified bat-file) with the name {FWNAME}.bat.

It would be convenient if you could rename your executable. The reason is that under (more recent?) Windows versions executables that contain certain strings like patch, update, and so on require elevated user rights. This might be a problem in some cases. The other way would be to include a manifest in the executable.

Edit: I replaced the package in post 46. I did the change that I mentioned above to the bat-file. I renamed the executable to pa32lsb.exe.

[SHunter101]

Originally Posted by tshering

Since the patching tool for Windows I posted there seems not to work on some version of Windows, I made a similar package, but with GeoffR's executable instead of mine.

USAGE:

• extract the content of the archive to (for instance) C:\env_pa32lsb-v0.6-win32\
• copy libnickel.so.1.0.0 and librmsdk.so.1.0.0 to C:\env_pa32lsb-v0.6-win32\3.3.0_source\
• edit the configuration files in C:\env_pa32lsb-v0.6-win32\3.3.0_source\ if you like
• double-click on C:\env_pa32lsb-v0.6-win32\3.3.0.bat
• find KoboRoot.tgz in C:\env_pa32lsb-v0.6-win32\3.3.0_target\

Updated version: I renamed the executable so that no elevated user rights are needed.

Hello:

Works great under Win8.1 64Bit. The files generated passed the comp command with the ones generated with kpg.exe. The idea of a single package will be less confusing for everyone and you should see more people using the package. Thank you GeoffR and Tshering for making kobo nickel functional and useable; I have maximized my available reading area, and no more severing of paragraphs!

Best,
SHunter

[tshering]

I updated post #46, update 2.

[SHunter101]

Originally Posted by tshering

I updated post #46, update 2.

Hello:


One double click and everything is done. Could not get any easier. Works great under Win8.1 64Bit. The files generated passed the comp command with the ones generated with kpg.exe.


Shunter

[tshering]

Originally Posted by SHunter101

Hello:


One double click and everything is done. Could not get any easier. Works great under Win8.1 64Bit. The files generated passed the comp command with the ones generated with kpg.exe.


Shunter

Thank you for testing, Shunter!

[jackie_w]

OK on Win7 64bit, too.

[GeoffR]

I've updated the Windows instructions to reflect tshering's update to post #46. When I get a bit of time later I'll change the Linux script so it can be included in the same package.

[PeterT]

I can't help but wonder if a python script could be used on all platforms. As long as the user has calibre installed, arbitrary python scripts can be executed via the calibre-debug command line tool.

[GeoffR]

Originally Posted by PeterT

I can't help but wonder if a python script could be used on all platforms. As long as the user has calibre installed, arbitrary python scripts can be executed via the calibre-debug command line tool.

That would be great, but it would have to be someone else writing the scripts as I am cluless about Python :-(

[GeoffR]

I've combined the Linux and Windows instructions in post #1, they now both use the patch_kobo_330.zip package attached to that post. The only difference is 3.3.0_unpack.bat is used on Windows, 3.3.0_unpack.sh on Linux.

[chrisridd]

Here's a version of 3.3.0_unpack.sh that runs on Macs, and hopefully doesn't break on Linux.

The fix is trivial; mktemp takes different arguments. Linux's mktemp might even take the same arguments.

case `uname -s` in
	Darwin)
		SCRATCH=`mktemp -d -t patch32lsb_XXXX`
		;;
	Linux)
		SCRATCH=`mktemp -d --tmpdir patch32lsb_XXXX`
		;;
esac
trap 'echo "Cleaning up $SCRATCH"; rm -r $SCRATCH' EXIT

[GeoffR]

Originally Posted by chrisridd

Here's a version of 3.3.0_unpack.sh that runs on Macs, and hopefully doesn't break on Linux.

The fix is trivial; mktemp takes different arguments. Linux's mktemp might even take the same arguments.

Thanks, Linux accepts the -t switch too so I'll use that for both systems.

A patch32lsb executable is still needed to run it on a Mac though.