MobileRead Forums - Kindle Factory Image Generic Jailbreak

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Kindle Factory Image Generic Jailbreak

This post now by eschwartz.

This is a factory image specific tool to install the jailbreak/developer key into /etc/uks. In theory, this should be generic to all current Kindle factory images.

If you don't have a factory image running on your Kindle, or you don't even know what that means, this will not work!

Instructions:

Copy main-htmlviewer.tar.gz to the root of the Kindle userstore (i.e. /mnt/us/ on the device, but your computer will probably mount it as Drive E: on Windows or /media/Kindle on Linux)
In the search bar, type ;installHtml and press return.
If the screen flashes and the device reboots, the developer key file is now stored in /etc/uks.
You should also see a new book on your Kindle, with the title "You are Jailbroken".
Now go grab NiLuJe's update jailbreak package to install the persistent bridge etc. which will protect your jailbreak and unlock other important baseline functionality.

Thanks to ixtab for the tar issue. See: https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho....php?p=1902438
Also knc1 for the downgrade and those that came before: NiLuJe, ixtab, yifanlu, geekmaster, everyone I missed.

Original post:

Spoiler:

This can simplify things, therefore making it safer as well. Thank you so much for your great contributions to this forum. Respect! :thumbsup:

Super! (that is: en_IBM)
I noted that the procedure might become simpler in the future.

I just wasn't expecting the future to be reached in the same day. ;)

The KV/FW 5.5.0 issue with the JB hotfix *should* now be resolved ;).

Thanks again to everyone involved, that was quick & fun :).

Quote:

Originally Posted by NiLuJe (Post 3346199)

The KV/FW 5.5.0 issue with the JB hotfix *should* now be resolved ;).

Thanks again to everyone involved, that was quick & fun :).

That one was from Australia IIRC.
Forgot to mention because I didn't think it mattered.

Quote:

Originally Posted by NiLuJe (Post 3346199)

The KV/FW 5.5.0 issue with the JB hotfix *should* now be resolved ;).

Thanks again to everyone involved, that was quick & fun :).

Verified working.

Downgraded from 5.8.1 to factory, ran the above package, then ran NiLuJe's updated package. Installed and rebooted. Now updating back to 5.8.1.

Please update the other guides to include this as a slightly easier, potentially safer method instead of 5.6.5 upgrade/old JB.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Branch Delay (Post 3346245)

I will update my first draft of the downgrade attack post.

The current version was written in a hurry, and has received enough criticism that I would like to take my time with the next version.

Hmm...
(Paraphrased from the read me file with tongue held in-cheek:)

Use existing directions to downgrade to the original, factory, firmware install for the specific model.
Copy the tar-ball included in your attachment to the top level of visible USB storage.
Disconnect from PC
In main ('home') screen search bar, enter:

Code:

;jailbreak
Then run NiLuJe's updated (today) version of the 'hotfix' package.
Using an Amazon update package, update to a more recent firmware version if desired.
Note to hackers: There are a lot of neat things installed by the factory firmware install that you might want to play with before 'nuking this install with a more recent, consumer release, firmware version (factory vlc comes to mind for one).

Well, other than the one (intentionally) typo'd command, that does sound a lot simpler.

Thanks a lot for this -
One downgrade + one jailbreak + one 'hotfix' == one jailbroken Kindle.
I think I can write that up without too much help.

Thanks a lot for your quick JB support of the factory images.
And thanks to NiLuJe for a quick response to a 'hotfix' problem.
Plus, of course, thanks to GM for updating our off-site recovery resource index.

Last release. Someone else can take over if updates are needed. The method is trivial.

Thread ownership change request made to MR staff.

Quote:

Originally Posted by knc1 (Post 3349292)

Thread ownership change request made to MR staff.

When we can update the jailbreak in the first post (one point of distribution), I would like to add a "classic" jailbreak splash screen, and perhaps a jailbreak document that can be viewed on the kindle ebook reader (similar to previous jailbreaks).

Though I can start now anyway (or somebody else who has more energy)...

Quote:

Originally Posted by geekmaster (Post 3349299)

Look at the cpu report in my, ah, CPU report thingy -
These devices all do HTML with the default reader (if you hold its hand just right).

Quote:

Originally Posted by knc1 (Post 3349303)

Look at the cpu report in my, ah, CPU report thingy -
These devices all do HTML with the default reader (if you hold its hand just right).

They do plain text files too (*.txt) which is why my K1 scripts append to "/mnt/us/documents/logfile.txt". I will go check out your "thingy" if I can find it.

Found it: https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho....php?p=3279630

That is the 'hold wrist just right' thing - HTML documents must use the *.txt extension.

I got the idea from some of those consumer disabled search bar commands, which do it in ash scripting (mine uses Lua).

Quote:

Originally Posted by knc1 (Post 3349313)

Clever hack.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Branch Delay (Post 3346170)

This is a factory image specific tool to install the jailbreak/developer key into /etc/uks. In theory, this should be generic to all current Kindle factory images.

Instructions within the file.

I have only tested this once on a KV. This should remove the requirement to upgrade to 5.6.5 and use my previous jailbreak for the KV/PW3/KT2. i.e., downgrade to the factory image, run this, install NiLuJe update package, then update to the latest kindle firmware and reboot. The goal is a slightly easier experience for everyone.

I'd appreciate it if someone with a PW3 would test this instead of updating to 5.6.5 for the webkit jailbreak. Bad things might happen, so beware until any success reports come in.

Note that this isn't needed for older devices such as the PW2. I believe those can be jailbroken using older techniques on the factory firmwares.

Seems that the ixtab busybox tar flaw is still present on 5.8 firmware baselines as Amazon hasn't updated busybox since around 2010. I'm not entirely sure why this works, I'll look at the source later.

Version History:
1.0 - Initial Release
1.1 - Typos. :)

>>> Report
PW3 SN: G090 G205 xxxx xxxx v5.6.1.1 - ok :)
PW3 SN: G090 G105 xxxx xxxx v5.6.1.1 - not ok :(
PW2 SN: 9017 xxxx xxxx xxxx v5.6.1.1 - not work as well :(