Kobo N905C – Update Brick / Need Help

[maxior]

Hi Guys, I’m having an issue with my Kobo N905C. I accidentally formatted its internal SD card, and since then the device won’t work anymore.

I can enter Restoring mode using Home + Power On, and the device then asks to be connected to a PC. Kobo Desktop downloads and installs the update, but afterwards I’m forced to log into my Kobo account. Here’s the problem: Kobo Desktop constantly reports “I don’t have Internet”, even though my PC is online.

If I disconnect the Kobo from the PC, it tries to install the update, but after a few seconds I only get a black screen with three dots and nothing else happens.

I also flashed the Kobo_N905C_Touch.img from DNSB to a new SD card, but the behavior is exactly the same.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[DNSB]

You can manually download the firmware updates using the links on Patrick Gaskin's Kobo Firmware Downloads site for the links. Once you have the update for your 905C downloaded, connect your Kobo Touch to your computer and copy the contents of the .zip archive (the upgrade directory and the KoboRoot.tgz and manifest.md5sum files) to the .kobo directory on your Kobo. When you safely eject, the update should install and you should be able to connect to WiFi.

[maxior]

So here’s what I’m doing:

I take a new SD card and delete all partitions.
Using WinDisk32, I write the Kobo_N905C_Touch.img onto the SD card.
Then I open the .kobo folder on the card and delete its contents.

I download the firmware update and extract it.
Inside the extracted kobo-update-4.38.23429 folder, I have:

the upgrade/ folder

the KoboRoot.tgz file

the manifest.md5sum file

I copy all of these into the empty .kobo folder.

Then I safely eject the microSD card, remove it, and insert it into the Kobo.
I start the device using Home + Power On.
It enters Restoring.
The Kobo asks to be connected to a PC.
I connect it and launch Kobo Desktop.
Kobo Desktop downloads the update and installs it.
It forces me to log into my Kobo account.
I log in.
Kobo Desktop says I don’t have Internet, even though I do.

I don’t know what I’m doing wrong, but the result is always the same.
Please help.

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by maxior

So here’s what I’m doing:

I take a new SD card and delete all partitions.
Using WinDisk32, I write the Kobo_N905C_Touch.img onto the SD card.
Then I open the .kobo folder on the card and delete its contents.

Several people have mentioned issues using WinDisk32 to write an image. If after following my suggestions, you still have issues, I would suggest either the USB Duplicator Image Writer or balenaEtcher. Do not delete the contents of the .kobo folder. There is no need to do this.

Originally Posted by maxior

I download the firmware update and extract it.
Inside the extracted kobo-update-4.38.23429 folder, I have:

the upgrade/ folder
the KoboRoot.tgz file
the manifest.md5sum file

I copy all of these into the empty .kobo folder.

Again, don't delete the contents of the .kobo folder, it is unnecessary. What I would do is to write the image to the µSD card and then insert it in your Touch. Power your Touch on using ONLY the power button since we do not want to do another factory restore. Once it boots up, connect it to your computer. Do not run the Kobo Desktop app. Now I would copy the contents of the upgrade file into the .kobo directory on your Touch and safely eject it. If you see issues with the 4.38.23429, I would also suggest installing an earlier version first. Perhaps 3.19.5761 and then 4.38.23171.

Originally Posted by maxior

Then I safely eject the microSD card, remove it, and insert it into the Kobo.
I start the device using Home + Power On.

Do not start the device using Home + Power On. That will start the factory restore which is not what you want. Among other things, the update files will not be installed as the .kobo partition will be wiped back to factory.

Originally Posted by maxior

It enters Restoring.
The Kobo asks to be connected to a PC.
I connect it and launch Kobo Desktop.
Kobo Desktop downloads the update and installs it.
It forces me to log into my Kobo account.
I log in.
Kobo Desktop says I don’t have Internet, even though I do.

I don’t know what I’m doing wrong, but the result is always the same.
Please help.

Basically, using Home + Power is triggering a factory restore which will remove the update and revert to the factory image. This is not what you want to do. Just use the power button.

[Quoth]

I agree, the MS disk utilities are really only for Windows. You need a 3rd party image to USB writer.