Weird behaving PW3

bimini · 11-04-2023, 05:53 PM

Hi Everyone,

my Kindle Paperwhite 3 (Serial Number starts with G090G1, firmware 5.12.2) is behaving weird in multiple ways. I only use it to read pdfs and other ebooks i acquired outside of amazon and it is basically in flight mode since I own it.

It forgets most of the ebooks. This happens sometimes, ts definetly when the battery is dead but I it happend without a dead battery as well. And its not all of them, some always survive the purge. Its like the kindle resets to a state from years ago and everything I copied over since then is gone. I wasn't able to see any patterns, its definetly not filetype dependent, among the kept books are pdfs, azw3 and mobi files.
Factory reset is not working. When I go to the settings menue und then choose factory reset (my local is german so its "Zurücksetzten"), I get the prompt to confirm but then it just reboots and all my files are still there.
Updating is disabled. I tried updating to a newer firmware (5.13.7, so that I keep the option to jailbreak), downloaded the .bin and copied it onto the device to root (aka the directory that opens after connecting. After disconnecting the device and going into setting the option to update the firmware is greyed out and I can't start the process. Also when I connect the kindle again the .bin is gone.

Does anyone has an idea how I can get out of this mess? At that point, i'm not scared of bricking it anymore. The first issue results in it beeing quite anoying to use and if I don't get it fixe, i'll buy another reader.
I also have a soldering iron and a serial-to-usb adapter but I would like to avoid using it if possible and keept that as a last ressort.

mergen3107 · 11-04-2023, 05:57 PM

Looks like its storage NAND chip reached its end of life.

bimini · 11-04-2023, 06:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mergen3107

Looks like its storage NAND chip reached its end of life.

I thought about that but when I'm using it regularly and always recharging before the battery is dead and it won't loose any data.
Also I never saw any corrupted data.

jhowell · 11-04-2023, 07:02 PM

The OS will cache changed data hiding a failure to write data. Restart the device and if it reverts to an old state then the flash memory has failed.

mergen3107 · 11-04-2023, 07:09 PM

Yes, what jhowell said. “No power - no storage” means NAND is incapable to write permanently.

bimini · 11-05-2023, 04:31 AM

Ok got it, i wasn't expecting such an elaborate filesystem caching on a device with 500MB Ram.
I did some testing that supports that hypothesis.
When I copy a 50MB pdf onto the device i can open it and its still intact when I connect the kindle to my computer and open it there. However when I copy the same pdf 11 times (to make sure I max out the ram) all of the files are toast.

So i guess its time for a new ebook reader

mergen3107 · 11-05-2023, 08:50 AM

@bimini,

Sorry to hear that!

However, don’t despair!
1) There most probably will be huge deals on Amazon.com for Kindle closer to Black Friday.
2) While you wait, trade in your current one. You get a symbolic 5-10$ for the device itself, BUT you also get 20% discount on a new Kindle after that! That means 20% on ANY new Kindle, or official Kindle + cover bundles.
3) Amazon gives give multiple options to submit Kindle for Trade-In. If you submit it in Whole Foods (or other store with an Amazon Center, (
or something like this), instead of sending it with a free shipping label and waiting a week - you will get that 20% discount almost the same hour as you submit your Kindle to Trade-In in person.
4) Just in case, take 4636384 photos of your Kindle before trading it in. Chances are small, but sometimes Amazon screws up the Trade-in evaluation. With photos you have proof of what you sent that you can appeal with Amazon Customer Service.

Good luck!

mergen3107 · 11-05-2023, 08:51 AM

So you should wait for the discount + apply 20% on top of it.

j.p.s · 11-05-2023, 11:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bimini

Ok got it, i wasn't expecting such an elaborate filesystem caching on a device with 500MB Ram.

Kindles run linux, which has that built in.

bimini · 11-05-2023, 01:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mergen3107

@bimini,

Sorry to hear that!

However, don’t despair!
1) There most probably will be huge deals on Amazon.com for Kindle closer to Black Friday.
(...)

Thanks for the recommendations but I don't think that I will buy another kindle. I don't but books there and only use it to read pdfs and epubs.
Right now, im leaning towards a tolino device since they are supported by "On-leihe", this is a service run by the public libraries where they rent out ebooks for free for all members.

11-04-2023, 05:53 PM	#1
bimini Junior Member Posts: 4 Karma: 10 Join Date: Nov 2023 Device: PW3	Weird behaving PW3 Hi Everyone, my Kindle Paperwhite 3 (Serial Number starts with G090G1, firmware 5.12.2) is behaving weird in multiple ways. I only use it to read pdfs and other ebooks i acquired outside of amazon and it is basically in flight mode since I own it. It forgets most of the ebooks. This happens sometimes, ts definetly when the battery is dead but I it happend without a dead battery as well. And its not all of them, some always survive the purge. Its like the kindle resets to a state from years ago and everything I copied over since then is gone. I wasn't able to see any patterns, its definetly not filetype dependent, among the kept books are pdfs, azw3 and mobi files. Factory reset is not working. When I go to the settings menue und then choose factory reset (my local is german so its "Zurücksetzten"), I get the prompt to confirm but then it just reboots and all my files are still there. Updating is disabled. I tried updating to a newer firmware (5.13.7, so that I keep the option to jailbreak), downloaded the .bin and copied it onto the device to root (aka the directory that opens after connecting. After disconnecting the device and going into setting the option to update the firmware is greyed out and I can't start the process. Also when I connect the kindle again the .bin is gone. Does anyone has an idea how I can get out of this mess? At that point, i'm not scared of bricking it anymore. The first issue results in it beeing quite anoying to use and if I don't get it fixe, i'll buy another reader. I also have a soldering iron and a serial-to-usb adapter but I would like to avoid using it if possible and keept that as a last ressort.

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11-04-2023, 05:57 PM	#2
mergen3107 Wizard Posts: 1,061 Karma: 4234828 Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Cape Canaveral Device: Kindle Scribe	Looks like its storage NAND chip reached its end of life.

11-04-2023, 07:02 PM	#4
jhowell Grand Sorcerer Posts: 6,498 Karma: 84420419 Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Tampa Bay, Florida Device: Kindles	The OS will cache changed data hiding a failure to write data. Restart the device and if it reverts to an old state then the flash memory has failed.

11-04-2023, 07:09 PM	#5
mergen3107 Wizard Posts: 1,061 Karma: 4234828 Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Cape Canaveral Device: Kindle Scribe	Yes, what jhowell said. “No power - no storage” means NAND is incapable to write permanently.

11-05-2023, 04:31 AM	#6
bimini Junior Member Posts: 4 Karma: 10 Join Date: Nov 2023 Device: PW3	Ok got it, i wasn't expecting such an elaborate filesystem caching on a device with 500MB Ram. I did some testing that supports that hypothesis. When I copy a 50MB pdf onto the device i can open it and its still intact when I connect the kindle to my computer and open it there. However when I copy the same pdf 11 times (to make sure I max out the ram) all of the files are toast. So i guess its time for a new ebook reader

11-05-2023, 08:50 AM	#7
mergen3107 Wizard Posts: 1,061 Karma: 4234828 Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Cape Canaveral Device: Kindle Scribe	@bimini, Sorry to hear that! However, don’t despair! 1) There most probably will be huge deals on Amazon.com for Kindle closer to Black Friday. 2) While you wait, trade in your current one. You get a symbolic 5-10$ for the device itself, BUT you also get 20% discount on a new Kindle after that! That means 20% on ANY new Kindle, or official Kindle + cover bundles. 3) Amazon gives give multiple options to submit Kindle for Trade-In. If you submit it in Whole Foods (or other store with an Amazon Center, ( or something like this), instead of sending it with a free shipping label and waiting a week - you will get that 20% discount almost the same hour as you submit your Kindle to Trade-In in person. 4) Just in case, take 4636384 photos of your Kindle before trading it in. Chances are small, but sometimes Amazon screws up the Trade-in evaluation. With photos you have proof of what you sent that you can appeal with Amazon Customer Service. Good luck!

11-05-2023, 08:51 AM	#8
mergen3107 Wizard Posts: 1,061 Karma: 4234828 Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Cape Canaveral Device: Kindle Scribe	So you should wait for the discount + apply 20% on top of it.