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imaddicted2u · 12-21-2019, 08:24 AM

I found a thread on this forum which seemed non-destructive to try.
It entails creating and dropping an empty file named DO_FACTORY_RESTORE in the root of the paperwhite through the USB port. Then safely eject the device from the PC and then restart by holding the power button.
I tried this and it did go through a long process, restarted a few times, but the firmware version is still at 5.4.4.2. I thought the factory restore would reset the firmware back to whatever the factory original firmware was. Does anyone have any experience with this? Should the firmware have reverted to factory original or is it just the same as a reset done from the menu?
I noticed that just before the registration screen pops up the device shows "connecting to Amazon" but when credentials are entered (even the wrong ones) it responds with "Unable to Connect". After the factory restore it was stuck on the "Register your Kindle" page but a power button restart brought up the normal home screen and if I try to register is still fails but there are buttons to back out of it so books can still be loaded by USB
Next, in case it was an account problem, I tried registering by creating a new account on the Kindle. I went through all the steps but instead of registering, the device reverted back to the "register your kindle" page...however...the account was actually created on Amazon so the device is connecting to Amazon. Trying to register with the new account credentials gave the same result as the original account.
I also tried the DO_FACTORY_RESTORE while plugged in with the same result.
Also tried putting the DO_FACTORY_RESTORE file in the root and disconnecting/reconnecting the battery hoping there would be a difference but there was not.
Does anyone have any more options that I might have missed? I think I've exhausted all the possibilities short of connecting by serial to try and determine why the firmware isn't changing. Which I'll try to figure out next.

12-21-2019, 08:24 AM	#16
imaddicted2u Member Posts: 13 Karma: 10 Join Date: Dec 2019 Device: Kindle Paperwhite 5th	I found a thread on this forum which seemed non-destructive to try. It entails creating and dropping an empty file named DO_FACTORY_RESTORE in the root of the paperwhite through the USB port. Then safely eject the device from the PC and then restart by holding the power button. I tried this and it did go through a long process, restarted a few times, but the firmware version is still at 5.4.4.2. I thought the factory restore would reset the firmware back to whatever the factory original firmware was. Does anyone have any experience with this? Should the firmware have reverted to factory original or is it just the same as a reset done from the menu? I noticed that just before the registration screen pops up the device shows "connecting to Amazon" but when credentials are entered (even the wrong ones) it responds with "Unable to Connect". After the factory restore it was stuck on the "Register your Kindle" page but a power button restart brought up the normal home screen and if I try to register is still fails but there are buttons to back out of it so books can still be loaded by USB Next, in case it was an account problem, I tried registering by creating a new account on the Kindle. I went through all the steps but instead of registering, the device reverted back to the "register your kindle" page...however...the account was actually created on Amazon so the device is connecting to Amazon. Trying to register with the new account credentials gave the same result as the original account. I also tried the DO_FACTORY_RESTORE while plugged in with the same result. Also tried putting the DO_FACTORY_RESTORE file in the root and disconnecting/reconnecting the battery hoping there would be a difference but there was not. Does anyone have any more options that I might have missed? I think I've exhausted all the possibilities short of connecting by serial to try and determine why the firmware isn't changing. Which I'll try to figure out next.