PRS-500 Firmware update using SD card?

beartard · 07-17-2007, 03:30 PM

i had the misfortune of exploding my reader within two days of purchase. The Sony store were more than happy to replace it for me. The petrification (irrevocable bricking) happened while doing a firmware update using Sony's own updater under a virtualized copy of Windows XP running under Linux.

So now I'm scared of updating the thing. Is there a way to perform the upgrade from the SD card? I know the universal flasher seems to say it can be done, but exactly which files from Sony's updater need to be used to do it? I see two cramfs images in Sony's updater. Any advice would be appreciated!

RWood · 07-17-2007, 04:43 PM

I updated my Reader but am unsure of any advantage it afforded me. There is no additional functionality that I can remember -- it does now what it did before the update. The only change I remember is that the battery meter worked once and now doesn't work as well.

If I was in your position I would just skip this firmware update. However your mileage may vary.

igorsk · 07-17-2007, 07:17 PM

AFAIK there were some bugfixes to PDF and RTF readers. So if you have some files which crash your reader, you could try to upgrade. On the other hand, the update introduced the annoying battery meter bug. So I would follow the old proverb - if it ain't broken, don't fix it.

HarryT · 07-18-2007, 03:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by igorsk

AFAIK there were some bugfixes to PDF and RTF readers.

There were indeed. I had quite a few Baen RTF files which wouldn't load on the original firmware. They all work fine with the upgraded firmware.

beartard · 07-18-2007, 04:03 PM

Points taken. I just assumed newer = better.

HarryT · 07-19-2007, 02:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by beartard

Points taken. I just assumed newer = better.

And you are correct. Personally speaking the "pros" of the upgrade far outweigh the very minor "con" of the battery display bug. I know that some disagree, but that's my point of view.

JSWolf · 07-26-2007, 10:57 PM

Plus the updater and things such as the clock, new icons, page counter, are all for the NEW firmware. And anything else developed for the reader won't be compatible with the old firmware. And I agree with Harry. The battery display bug is not really an issue. It's a simple hack to get it working.

igorsk · 07-27-2007, 04:06 AM

Actually no, all UI hacks should work for old firmware too.

07-17-2007, 03:30 PM	#1
beartard Minister of Linux Posts: 196 Karma: 73235 Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Winter Haven, Florida, USA Device: nook, T-Mobile MyTouch 3G Slide	Firmware update using SD card? i had the misfortune of exploding my reader within two days of purchase. The Sony store were more than happy to replace it for me. The petrification (irrevocable bricking) happened while doing a firmware update using Sony's own updater under a virtualized copy of Windows XP running under Linux. So now I'm scared of updating the thing. Is there a way to perform the upgrade from the SD card? I know the universal flasher seems to say it can be done, but exactly which files from Sony's updater need to be used to do it? I see two cramfs images in Sony's updater. Any advice would be appreciated!

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07-17-2007, 04:43 PM	#2
RWood Technogeezer Posts: 7,233 Karma: 1601464 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Virginia, USA Device: Sony PRS-500	I updated my Reader but am unsure of any advantage it afforded me. There is no additional functionality that I can remember -- it does now what it did before the update. The only change I remember is that the battery meter worked once and now doesn't work as well. If I was in your position I would just skip this firmware update. However your mileage may vary.

07-17-2007, 07:17 PM	#3
igorsk Wizard Posts: 3,442 Karma: 300001 Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Belgium Device: PRS-500/505/700, Kindle, Cybook Gen3, Words Gear	AFAIK there were some bugfixes to PDF and RTF readers. So if you have some files which crash your reader, you could try to upgrade. On the other hand, the update introduced the annoying battery meter bug. So I would follow the old proverb - if it ain't broken, don't fix it.

07-18-2007, 04:03 PM	#5
beartard Minister of Linux Posts: 196 Karma: 73235 Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Winter Haven, Florida, USA Device: nook, T-Mobile MyTouch 3G Slide	Points taken. I just assumed newer = better.

07-26-2007, 10:57 PM	#7
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 73,970 Karma: 128903378 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	Plus the updater and things such as the clock, new icons, page counter, are all for the NEW firmware. And anything else developed for the reader won't be compatible with the old firmware. And I agree with Harry. The battery display bug is not really an issue. It's a simple hack to get it working.

07-27-2007, 04:06 AM	#8
igorsk Wizard Posts: 3,442 Karma: 300001 Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Belgium Device: PRS-500/505/700, Kindle, Cybook Gen3, Words Gear	Actually no, all UI hacks should work for old firmware too.

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