Kindle Paperwhite 1 Jailbreak

[Infinite3]

I am trying to make sure I cant jailbreak my kindle. Not that I dont want to, but to make sure I cant, so I can stop trying

I have a Kindle Paperwhite 5.6.2.1.

Am I correct in assuming I can not jailbreak it without opening up the kindle?

Just want to make sure, if I can, then im doing something really wrong, and ill tell you guys what im doing, and the errors im getting. Thanks in advance for you help!

[HarryT]

Moved to the dev forum, where such questions belong.

[eschwartz]

Correct -- you are out of luck.

[pepe_alter_ego]

If you have the 5.6.2.1 firmware then it's most probably a "PW 2" ("6th generation Paperwhite" = "2013" / "2014"), not a "PW 1".
As of today, the current "PW 1" ("5th generation Paperwhite" = "2012" = "pre 2013") firmware is 5.6.1.1.
But if you bought it very recently and the firmware is 5.6.1.1 then it could be a "PW 3" ("7th generation Paperwhite" = "2015") -> see (thanks "knc1" for pointing this out):
https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=262279

[knc1]

Originally Posted by pepe_alter_ego

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But if you bought it very recently, it could be a "PW 3" ("7th generation Paperwhite" = "2015").

Ah, not quite, until just recently, prior to the 5.6.5 non-sense, the PW-1 and the PW-3 ran the same 5.6.1.1 firmware build, see:
https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=262279

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Now I think everything will end up running 5.6.5 - but will have to wait until Amazon gets through renaming and typoing the content of their support pages.

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Bottom line:
Without a previously installed jailbreak or a serial port cable, your screwed (tm - NiLuJe).

[Infinite3]

Well, that really sucks Was hoping I was doing something wrong...Well, thanks for confirming it!

PS: Is there something I can do with my kindle that allows me to have custom screen savers/backgrounds? or maybe customize my collections? Or is jailbreaking it the only way?

[eschwartz]

Still jailbreaking.

[dhdurgee]

Originally Posted by Infinite3

Well, that really sucks Was hoping I was doing something wrong...Well, thanks for confirming it!

PS: Is there something I can do with my kindle that allows me to have custom screen savers/backgrounds? or maybe customize my collections? Or is jailbreaking it the only way?

At this point your options are to open the unit and hardware mod it to do the jailbreak or return the new unit and look for an older used unit in good shape that can be done without opening the unit. Used units are available in the Amazon Marketplace, eBay and many other sources. You might need to wait for one at a good price, but they are out there.

Dave

[Infinite3]

At this point your options are to open the unit and hardware mod

And how hard is that? And, what are the chances of me breaking it doing this?

[dhdurgee]

Originally Posted by Infinite3

And how hard is that? And, what are the chances of me breaking it doing this?

That depends upon your skill level and the particular model of Kindle you are working with. Go to your device settings or amazon.com and look at the first four digits of your serial number, that will define your kindle model. Once you know the exact model look for the thread on jailbreaking that model in this forum.

The general procedure is to obtain the appropriate hardware to attach to the particular serial connectors on your particular kindle main board. The contacts are quite small on some models and it requires a fine touch to hook things up properly. You then attach this serial connector to your computer and access it with a terminal emulator program set with the proper speed, parity, etc. At that point you restart your kindle and interrupt the normal boot procedure to access the kindle via the terminal emulator and follow the jailbreak instructions.

Some of the cases are easy to open, some are easy to break. It is easy to damage the main board if you are not handy, in which case you have trashed your kindle.

If you have doubts about your ability to handle the job yourself, you might be able to find someone willing to do so for you for a price. I am not one of them, you might note I have a K3 which requires no hardware mod.

Dave

[knc1]

Originally Posted by dhdurgee

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I have a K3 which requires no hardware mod.

Dave

A note on that -
No hardware mod because the K3 has support for an external connector.

There is a thread (or two) here on making the mating connector tab, but I am in the process of setting up to produce those tabs again.

There are notes and links about those old DIY parts near the most recent posts in the "KT2 Exposed" thread.
(Yeah, that thread is becoming sort of a hardware catch-all.)