Backporting firmware 4.0.1 on Kindle 3 - in progress

[giorgio130]

I'm currently trying backporting some stuff (ideally everything) from update 4.0.1 to 3.3. I'm creating this topic to share my experience and ask questions when I find difficulties, and maybe finding someone willing to help

Current status:

Nothing works

I found out that replacing all files under /opt (and touching nothing else) breaks Yifan Lu's custom recovery (eg. after that, only FAT filesystem gets exported over usb), so it becomes quite difficult getting back to a working system. I have to find out what is causing this failure before trying more extensive modifications.
With only those files moved, trying to start framework I get this error:

110731:053038 cvm[12267]: java.lang.ExceptionInInitializerError
110731:053038 cvm[12267]:     at java.lang.Class.runStaticInitializers(Class.
java:1625)
110731:053038 cvm[12267]:     at com.amazon.ebook.framework.impl.device.mario
.i.<init>(rdd:163)
110731:053038 cvm[12267]:     at com.amazon.ebook.framework.impl.device.mario
.i.aWb(rdd:124)
110731:053038 cvm[12267]:     at com.amazon.ebook.framework.impl.Framework.st
art(mfd:494)
110731:053038 cvm[12267]:     at com.lab126.linux.arm.AbstractServiceProvider
.RoA(kkb:230)
110731:053038 cvm[12267]:     at com.lab126.linux.arm.YoshiServiceProvider.ma
in(reb:124)
110731:053038 cvm[12267]:     at sun.misc.CVM.runMain(CVM.java:538)
110731:053038 cvm[12267]: Caused by: java.lang.StringIndexOutOfBoundsException:
 String index out of range: 5
110731:053038 cvm[12267]:     at java.lang.String.substring(Compiled Method)(
String.java:1676)
110731:053038 cvm[12267]:     at com.lab126.linux.arm.jb.Jb(jgb:284)
110731:053038 cvm[12267]:     at com.amazon.ebook.framework.impl.b.c.<clinit>
(scd:280)
110731:053038 cvm[12267]:     at java.lang.Class.runStaticInitializers(Class.
java:1604)

I'd like some directions on how to find those parts with a java decompiler, to try to understand what's wrong.

[yifanlu]

Try writing ALL files, not just /opt. There are many new system binaries and startup scripts. Then, to use the old kernel, copy /lib/modules from 3.3. Then it would be 98% working if not 100%. If you look at my Kindle 3.2 updater script, you can see that running 3.2 on the Kindle 2 only took 2 extra folders + modules and one patch to an existing file (to get framebuffer working). So 4.0 shouldn't be that bad.

P.S: I've said this in the other thread, but it's physically impossible to "break" the recovery kernel by only touching /opt. No operating system files are in /opt (just amazon's Java framework app that acts as the GUI). In addition the recovery script is in the kernel which cannot be modified without reflashing. That's like saying by deleting a word document, you broke the BIOS.

EDIT: I'll do this if I have time, but I think the only thing you need to do to get 4.0.1 working on Kindle 3 without backporting the kernel is:
1) Backup /lib/modules
2) Backup /etc/kdb.src/luigi
3) Backup /usr/lib/libdtp_module.so, /usr/lib/libdtp_module.so.0, and /usr/lib/libdtp_module.so.0.1 if you want 3G (.so, and .so.0 are links to .so.0.1)
4) Reflash rootfs with the 4.0.1 rootfs using dd. If the FS is larger then the Kindle 3 one, just rsync or cp -a all the files. Remove TTS if you don't have enough space.
5) Restore the files you backed up.

I'm like 99.9% sure this will work for the Kindle 3. Then you can run the updater script I wrote on the Kindle 2 if you want it there too. (With modifications to recognize 4.0.1 of course). If this doesn't work, post the logs. Again, I'd do this if I had the time.

[giorgio130]

I tried again and this time recovery worked ok, I'm really not sure what happened last time. Now that I have a bit more of a safety net I'll try go further, just to be safer, what files should I keep in place to have usbnetwork working? The fear of bricking is quite high since I don't have a serial cable :P

[seaniko7]

Having installed custom kenrel you don't need to worry about bricking kindle, you'll need serial cable only when you're going to cook your own kernel based on K4.

[yifanlu]

Originally Posted by giorgio130

I tried again and this time recovery worked ok, I'm really not sure what happened last time. Now that I have a bit more of a safety net I'll try go further, just to be safer, what files should I keep in place to have usbnetwork working? The fear of bricking is quite high since I don't have a serial cable :P

/etc/init.d/usbnetwork

[giorgio130]

Originally Posted by yifanlu

EDIT: I'll do this if I have time, but I think the only thing you need to do to get 4.0.1 working on Kindle 3 without backporting the kernel is:
1) Backup /lib/modules
2) Backup /etc/kdb.src/luigi
3) Backup /usr/lib/libdtp_module.so, /usr/lib/libdtp_module.so.0, and /usr/lib/libdtp_module.so.0.1 if you want 3G (.so, and .so.0 are links to .so.0.1)
4) Reflash rootfs with the 4.0.1 rootfs using dd. If the FS is larger then the Kindle 3 one, just rsync or cp -a all the files. Remove TTS if you don't have enough space.
5) Restore the files you backed up.

I'm like 99.9% sure this will work for the Kindle 3. Then you can run the updater script I wrote on the Kindle 2 if you want it there too. (With modifications to recognize 4.0.1 of course). If this doesn't work, post the logs. Again, I'd do this if I had the time.

I've done this and it won't work, also, it seems to me that no log gets written anywhere. Where should I check? /var/log is empty. It stays on the "Please wait, your Kindle is starting" page.

edit: Maybe the reason this isn't working is that I copied those over using nautilus as root (under ubuntu). That's also the way I backed up original files and replacing those back is not working. I'm panicking a little. I made a proper backup time ago using sir alex' package:
http://www.siralex.info/2011/03/17/kindle-3-backup/
how do I restore those from recovery please?

[yifanlu]

Originally Posted by giorgio130

I've done this and it won't work, also, it seems to me that no log gets written anywhere. Where should I check? /var/log is empty. It stays on the "Please wait, your Kindle is starting" page.

edit: Maybe the reason this isn't working is that I copied those over using nautilus as root (under ubuntu). That's also the way I backed up original files and replacing those back is not working. I'm panicking a little. I made a proper backup time ago using sir alex' package:
http://www.siralex.info/2011/03/17/kindle-3-backup/
how do I restore those from recovery please?

No. You just lost all permissions. You must use rsync, cp -a, or dd. perfered method is dd.

[giorgio130]

I've restored it using cp -a, thanks. I'll try again keeping permissions in place.

EDIT: still not booting. that's what I did:

sudo tar -xpf rootfs_4.0.1.tar.gz -C 4.0.1/
(-p to preserve permissions)
sudo cp -a /home/giorgio/Scaricati/4.0.1/. /media/8aa0fe1a-7eb8-4f86-8f59-19fb11b72e86/
sudo cp -a /home/giorgio/Kindle/backup/lib/modules/. /media/8aa0fe1a-7eb8-4f86-8f59-19fb11b72e86/lib/modules/

sudo cp -a /home/giorgio/Kindle/backup/etc/kdb.src/. /media/8aa0fe1a-7eb8-4f86-8f59-19fb11b72e86/etc/kdb.src/

I didn't care for 3g as my kindle is wifi only. As before I can't see any log.

[seaniko7]

Same here, rsync, cp -a, even dd causes kindle to freeze at "please wait a moment blah blah blah" screen.

I need to fix my serial cable...

[giorgio130]

Maybe there's no binary compatibility between the two CPUs?

[yifanlu]

What's the serial output when booting up?

[seaniko7]

Here you go :

/INFO:Partition table verified for /dev/mmcblk0
INFO:Checking for updates... (auto-pilot mode)
/dev/mmcblk0p4:
CHS=4/16/100167 size=3282272256 bytes
flag type first last lba first lba size
Partition p1:
0x00 0x0b 24072 <large> 7688 6403000
CHS: 376/0/9 - <large>
Partition p2:
Partition p3:
Partition p4:
INFO:Setup loop device /dev/loop0 for /dev/mmcblk0p4 + 3936256
INFO:No update*.bin found; no update needed.
INFO:no updates found.
BOOTING DEFAULT.
argc == 9
argv[0]: "kinit"
argv[1]: "console=ttymxc0,115200"
argv[2]: "mem=256M"
argv[3]: "panic=10"
argv[4]: "root=/dev/mmcblk0p1"
argv[5]: "ro"
argv[6]: "ip=none"
argv[7]: "quiet"
argv[8]: "lpj=2555904"
Running ipconfig
argc == 4
argv[0]: "IP-Config"
argv[1]: "-i"
argv[2]: "Linux kinit"
argv[3]: "ip=none"
IP-Config: no devices to configure
kinit: do_mounts
kinit: name_to_dev_t(/dev/mmcblk0p1) = dev(179,1)
kinit: root_dev = dev(179,1)
kinit: /dev/root appears to be a ext3 filesystem
kinit: trying to mount /dev/root on /root with type ext3
kinit: Mounted root (ext3 filesystem) rKernel panic - not syncing: Attempted to kill init!
eadonly.
Checking for init: /sbUnable to handle kernel NULL pointer dereference at virtual address 00000000
in/init
Checking for init: /binpgd = cfa44000
/init
Checking for init: /etc/i[00000000] *pgd=8f8cd031nit
Checking for init: /sbin/in, *pte=00000000it.sysvinit
, *ppte=00000000
Internal error: Oops: 817 [#1]
last sysfs file: /sys/devices/virtual/net/lo/flags
Modules linked in: [last unloaded: mxc_keyb]
CPU: 0 Not tainted (2.6.26-rt-lab126 #1)
PC is at panic+0x74/0x128
LR is at 0x0
pc : [<c00ce628>] lr : [<00000000>] psr: 60000113
sp : cf81fe28 ip : 00000000 fp : cf81fe3c
r10: cf817d40 r9 : 00000001 r8 : cf81ff50
r7 : c03baf3c r6 : c03baf40 r5 : cf814c40 r4 : 00000000
r3 : 00000000 r2 : c03baf6c r1 : 00000000 r0 : 00000000
Flags: nZCv IRQs on FIQs on Mode SVC_32 ISA ARM Segment user
Control: 00c5387d Table: 8fa44008 DAC: 00000015
Process init.sysvinit (pid: 1, stack limit = 0xcf81e260)
Stack: (0xcf81fe28 to 0xcf820000)
fe20: c00da064 cf81fe44 cf81fe6c cf81fe50 c00d17a8 c00ce5c4
fe40: c0355290 cf814c40 c03a00b4 c03a00b4 00000000 cf81fea8 000001be 0000000b
fe60: cf81fe84 cf81fe70 c00d1ddc c00d1750 cf9fda70 0000000b cf81febc cf81fe88
fe80: c00da920 c00d1d6c 00000000 cf81ffb0 cfaa5390 00000000 00000000 cf81ffb0
fea0: 00000000 00000000 cf81e000 00000000 cf81ff9c cf81fec0 c00a6744 c00da66c
fec0: cfaa5548 40000000 cf814e90 cfa44000 0000000b 00000000 00030001 000001be
fee0: 40000000 00000000 cfaa5548 40000000 00000002 00000001 cfaa4de0 00000007
ff00: 00000000 cfa45000 a0000013 ffffffff 00010000 00000000 cf81ff34 cf81ff28
ff20: c00e5e08 c01cbaf4 cf81ff7c cf81ff38 c00aa218 c00a9f48 00030001 cf81ffb0
ff40: c011ddcc 00000000 cf81ffb0 00000000 bee86f3c ffffffff 00000000 00000000
ff60: 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 cf81ff9c ffffffff 00000000 00000000
ff80: 00000000 00000000 cf81e000 00000000 cf81ffac cf81ffa0 c00a6c1c c00a66ec
ffa0: 00000000 cf81ffb0 c00a3acc c00a6bfc 00000000 bec4dfc8 00000000 00000000
ffc0: 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000 00000000
ffe0: 00000000 bec4df20 400007e3 000001be 00000030 ffffffff 00000000 00000000
Backtrace:
[<c00ce5b4>] (panic+0x0/0x128) from [<c00d17a8>] (do_exit+0x64/0x61c)
r3:c03a00b4 r2:c03a00b4 r1:cf814c40 r0:c0355290
[<c00d1744>] (do_exit+0x0/0x61c) from [<c00d1ddc>] (do_group_exit+0x7c/0xac)
[<c00d1d60>] (do_group_exit+0x0/0xac) from [<c00da920>] (get_signal_to_deliver+0x2c0/0x2f0)
r4:0000000b
[<c00da660>] (get_signal_to_deliver+0x0/0x2f0) from [<c00a6744>] (do_signal+0x64/0x510)
[<c00a66e0>] (do_signal+0x0/0x510) from [<c00a6c1c>] (do_notify_resume+0x2c/0x30)
[<c00a6bf0>] (do_notify_resume+0x0/0x30) from [<c00a3acc>] (work_pending+0x1c/0x20)
Code: e5973000 e3a04000 e59f60a4 e1530004 (e5844000)
---[ end trace 5e269b62deed1b85 ]---
Fixing recursive fault but reboot is needed!

[giorgio130]

I'll try keeping the old /bin/init, /sbin/init and /etc/init, it seems it breaks there... Otherwise I think we'll have to backport the kernel.

[yifanlu]

No. I had the same problem initially porting k3 to k2, but I forgot what the problem and solution was, lol.

[seaniko7]

Isn't this error connected with kernel ? It tries to access NULL address...

edit:

Okay, I see; it's mxc_keyb module what causes kp. I'll recompile kernel using new version from 2.6.31 sources.