[tshering]

KSM 08 is outdated, please go to the KSM 09 thread.
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KSM 08 is supposed to work under FW 2.6.0 to 4.3.8842 and likely higher. However, avoid FW 3.16.10 and 3.17.0 if you can because of the sickel issue. I did not yet see any reports of somebody running KSM on Touch 2.0.

Note: After installing KSM 08, install the patch that you can find here. This is necessary for Aura One, Aura Edition 2, and any other model running firmware 4.2.8432 or higher.


The Kobo Start Menu (KSM) is launched at start up and lets you

• choose between available readers and other applications
• manage FW packages (install, install and preserve the Kobo Start Menu, delete)
• download the most recent Kobo FW update as soon as it is available, if you wish so
• connect the device as usb mass storage
• enable USBNet
  Spoiler:

  For instructions on how to make USBNet work on windows see these instructions; plus this post, if you are running Windows 10. To make telnet work install KevinShort's package. For telnet you can simply use windows's own telnet (if you are a windows user that means). On how to install and enable it on Windows 8 and 8.1 see for instance these instructions. If vlasovsoft is available on your device you can optionally start dropbear together with USBnet.
• execute scripts from the internal and external sd
• ...

Since larger parts of the package consist of sh files, you can modify and enlarge the functions easily.
For a general overview of the KSM features please refer to the (however partly outdated) information in the KSM 07 thread and the KSM 03-06 thread. I try to provide more updated information as soon as time permits.

Installation
First time installation (consists of 2 steps)

Spoiler:

Preparation: Make sure that your reader is fully charged and generally in a good operating state (for instance, there must not be any problems with a corrupted database etc.) Switch off Wifi. You will need ca. 22 Kb of free disk space (apart from 7 Mb of KoboRoot.tgz, which will be deleted after installation) on the user partition. Check that enough free disk space is available on the reader.
Download the archive KBStartMenu_08.zip to your pc and extract the content.

Step 1

1. connect the Kobo to the PC
2. copy the folder kbmenupngs to the root of the device (e.g. K:\)
3. eject safely and disconnect
4. check that all images (exit_nickel.png, switchtokoreader.png, etc.) are listed in the library and their thumbnails are displayed there, and at least once as tiles on the home screen. Only then proceed to step two.

Step 2

1. connect the Kobo device to the PC
2. copy KoboRoot.tgz to the folder .kobo of the device
3. eject safely and disconnect
4. wait until the update is finished (do not interrupt it, even if it takes some time)

Consult also the helpful guide to Adding alternative readers using Kobo Start Menu by Ken Maltby.

Installation on devices on which currently KSM 07 is running

Spoiler:

Step 1

1. Contemplate the points Preparation and Step 1 of First time installation and apply them according to circumstances.

Step 2

1. connect the Kobo device to the PC
2. copy KoboRoot.tgz to the folder .kobo of the device
3. eject safely and disconnect
4. select in KSM 07 "handle updates" > "install update" (do NOT select "install partial update")
5. wait until the update is finished (do not interrupt it, even if it takes some time)
6. delete the subfolder kbmenu of the folder .adds if you like
   The location of KSM 08 is .adds/kbmenu_user.

Installation on devices on which any KSM version apart from KSM 07 is running

Spoiler:

It might be advisable to delete the currently installed KSM version.
If any KSM 08 test version is running on your device, you can remove it with the help of delete_KSM08.zip, which you can find there.

KSM is by default configured to run only after every second reboot, and nickel automatically runs after every other second reboot. This is a kind of security measure in case KSM does not properly run after installation (something that cannot be excluded with future firmwares or changed hardware). After KSM has started the first time, please change this behaviour:

• select "tools" > "activate" > "set runmenu settings.msh" > "always"

Spoiler:

If there is a problem and you cannot interact with KSM, force the reader to power off (by holding the power button in the off position for 20 seconds), and power on again. Connect from nickel via usb to the pc. Change the value of "runmenu" in .adds\kbmenu_user\runsettings.txt to "never":

runmenu=never

You must use a unix style editor for doing this change.

Be aware that downgrading the Kobo firmware without doing a factory reset might prevent nickel from running. The reason for this is that the Kobo Start Menu tries to work with all FW versions starting with 2.6.0. In order to do this it determines the currently running FW version by looking whether specific files are available on the device. After downgrading (without factory reset), version specific files of the higher firmware version are still living on the device, and this fact may result in false identification.

When editing any text/script files, it is important to use a unix style editor.

Selected topics:
location of KSM 08 files and how to access them
install/enable custom fonts
refj's startup tile-bumping script
syncthing under KSM 08
workaround for the limitations of the wifi network password input mask
How to install PBChess/Coolreader
How to start vlasovsoft's Dropbear SSH from KSM
How to enable nightmode and one of the screensaver hacks (the one using preload)
embryo's scripts to measure battery duration for KSM; the KSM 08 version is in post #2
downloading and applying patches from the Kobo Hacks Database
Turn off wifi before starting nickel!(FW 4.0.7523) Warning!
emergency power off if KOReader exits spontanously

Further information (Be aware that these pieces of information are part of the KSM 07 thread. You might have to modify some details, for instance, path names)
Setting up a factory reset device (includes information on bypassing registration), for bypassing registration under FW 3.19.5613+ see this post.
New location of KSM (concerns also Koreader, Kobo Launcher)
Night mode and Screensaver
Change options in configuration files
fmon and kbmenupngs
Display random html file
Power-off screen
start CoolReader from KSM main menu
add tiles of chess and other beta features to the nickle home screen
how to install kobo update packages
back up the internal sd with netcat
screen rotation issue on some models
initiate factory reset by script (only for emergency cases), read especially posts #1 and 9.

Visit this post frequently for further updates!

Uninstall KSM

Spoiler:

• select in KSM "tools" > "ksm diverse.msh" > "del KSM.sh" > "delete ksm"
• the device will restart with nickel running
• delete the folder kbmenupngs

The package contains materials provided by Sergey (Qt libraries), Cecell3000 (modified Qt mouse/touch driver), NiLuJe (FBGrab), KevinShort (Frontlight control), NiLuJe (rsync), Frostschutz (pngshow).

USE THIS PACKAGE AT YOUR OWN RISK!