Kindle PW1 - attempt to "cure" a demo unit

aesop · 06-26-2015, 11:45 AM

Hi Everyone,-

I was given a demo version of a Kindle PaperWhite-1.
How to deal with those - i.e. make them become full blown ereaders - is well documented.
And so I'm trying to do just that...

Surprisingly enough, what I thought to be the hard part (soldering, USB UART, etc.) turned out to be easy.
And what I thought to be a piece of cake, doesn't work.

Bottom line: I can't complete the last step - flash the IMG file.
After I enter the dd command I get gibberish on the screen and go nowhere
Here is the console (the gibberish part goes for pages and was cut here)
The IMG file is the pw_5.2.0-mmcblk0p1.img (left only the last part of the name)

Code:

U-Boot 2009.08-lab126 (Oct 05 2012 - 18:04:55)

CPU:   Freescale i.MX50 family 1.1V at 800 MHz
mx50 pll1: 800MHz
mx50 pll2: 400MHz
mx50 pll3: 216MHz
ipg clock     : 66666666Hz
ipg per clock : 66666666Hz
uart clock    : 24000000Hz
ahb clock     : 133333333Hz
axi_a clock   : 400000000Hz
axi_b clock   : 200000000Hz
weim_clock    : 100000000Hz
ddr clock     : 800000000Hz
esdhc1 clock  : 80000000Hz
esdhc2 clock  : 80000000Hz
esdhc3 clock  : 80000000Hz
esdhc4 clock  : 80000000Hz
MMC:  FSL_ESDHC: 0, FSL_ESDHC: 1
Board: Celeste (256 MB)
Boot Reason: [POR]
Boot Device: MMC
Board Id: <<removed>>
S/N: B0<<removed>>
DRAM:  256 MB
Using default environment

In:    serial
Out:   logbuff
Err:   logbuff
Quick Memory Test 0x70000000, 0xfffe000
POST done in 17 ms
Hit any key to stop autoboot:  0
## Booting kernel from Legacy Image at 70800000 ...
   Image Name:   Linux-2.6.31-rt11-lab126
   Image Type:   ARM Linux Kernel Image (uncompressed)
   Data Size:    4608576 Bytes =  4.4 MB
   Load Address: 70008000
   Entry Point:  70008000
   Verifying Checksum ... OK
   Loading Kernel Image ... OK
OK
Starting kernel ...
2.6.31-rt11-lab126 #1 Fri Oct 5 18:50:15 PDT 2012 armv7l
INFO:Loaded module /lib/modules/eink_fb_waveform.ko  (38984 bytes)
INFO:Loaded module /lib/modules/mxc_epdc_fb.ko default_panel_hw_init=1 default_update_mode=1 (51140 bytes)
INFO:eink initialized... (786432 bytes)
Press [ENTER] for recovery menu...       0 /INFO:!!! Checking MBR /dev/mmcblk0 !!!!
INFO:partition 2, start sector is 782336
INFO:partition 3, start sector is 913408
INFO:partition 4, start sector is 1044480
INFO:maximizing partition 2797568 sectors
INFO:*** Partition table verified for /dev/mmcblk0 ***
INFO:Checking for updates... (auto-pilot mode)
/dev/mmcblk0p4:
CHS=4/16/43712 size=1432354816 bytes
flag type      first       last  lba first   lba size
Partition p1:
0x00 0x0b         16 <large>            16    2797552
    CHS: 0/1/1 - <large>
Partition p2:
Partition p3:
Partition p4:
INFO:Setup loop device /dev/loop0 for /dev/mmcblk0p4 + 8192
INFO:No update*.bin found; no update needed.
INFO:no updates found.
BOOTING DEFAULT.
  argc == 11
  argv[0]: "kinit"
  argv[1]: "consoleblank=0"
  argv[2]: "rootwait"
  argv[3]: "ro"
  argv[4]: "ip=off"
  argv[5]: "root=/dev/mmcblk0p1"
  argv[6]: "quiet"
  argv[7]: "eink=fslepdc"
  argv[8]: "video=mxcepdcfb:E60,bpp=8,x_mem=4M"
  argv[9]: "mem=256M"
  argv[10]: "console=ttymxc0,115200"
  argc == 4
  argv[0]: "IP-Config"
  argv[1]: "-i"
  argv[2]: "Linux kinit"
  argv[3]: "ip=off"
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) readonly.
info system:emiting_event:mounted_proc:
info system:emiting_event:mounted_sys:
info system:emiting_event:mounted_dev:
info system:emiting_event:mounted_tmpfs:
info milestone:5.87:sy50:
init.exe: recevent pre-start process (497) terminated with status 1
info system:start:time=5920:
info system:config:platform=yoshime3,board=celeste,rev=21,proto=N,wifi=Y,wan=Y:
info milestone:6.15:sy51:
info milestone:6.77:sy99:
info system:done:time=6800:
info system_cramfs_loopbacks:mountingcramfs:Mounting compressed directories filesystem images:
info system_cramfs_loopbacks:mounted:Image /lib/firmware/cyttsp.cramfs.img mounted:
info system_cramfs_loopbacks:mounted:Image /usr/share/X11/xkb.cramfs.img mounted:
info system_cramfs_loopbacks:mounted:Image /usr/java/lib/fonts.cramfs.img mounted:
info system_cramfs_loopbacks:mounted:Image /etc/kdb.src.cramfs.img mounted:
info system_cramfs_loopbacks:mounted:Image /usr/lib/locale.cramfs.img mounted:
info system_cramfs_loopbacks:mounted:Image /usr/share/keyboard.cramfs.img mounted:
info system:emiting_event:mounted_cramfs_loopbacks:
info milestone:7.42:fs75:
info system:emiting_event:loaded_modules_dependencies:
info modules:modprobe:loading module g_file_storage:
info system:emiting_event:loaded_g_file_storage:
info modules:modprobe:loading module fuse:
info system:emiting_event:loaded_fuse:
info modules:modprobe:loading module mwan:
info system:emiting_event:loaded_mwan:
info milestone:7.79:fs00:
info modules:modprobe:loading module ppp_async:



Welcome to Kindle!

kindle login: info system:emiting_event:loaded_ppp_async:
info system:emiting_event:loaded_fakekey:
info system:emiting_event:mounted_varLocal:
info milestone:8.26:fs25:
info milestone:8.28:vi00:
info display:update:Displaying splash screen:
info milestone:8.70:vi99:
info display:started:time=8710:
info system:emiting_event:display_ready:
info battery:charged:cap=98,mV=4169,mAH=1213:
info userstore:run:time=8980,action=start:
info system:emiting_event:battery_ready:
info userstore:found_bootup_flag::Found BOOTUP flag file
info cyttsp:update:vendor=CANDO:
info system:emiting_event:loaded_touch:
info system:emiting_event:mounted_userstore:
info milestone:11.08:fs50:
info milestone:11.11:fs90:
info milestone:11.15:fs99:
info milestone:11.18:sys99:
info system:emiting_event:dbus_ready:
info dbus:check-update:status=2:dbus_ready sent
info wan:info:type=4,version=ELMO_04_04_00:
info wand.conf:::wan start script complete
info milestone:12.63:xx00:
info X:load:time=12680:
info X:xorg.conf:Generating xorg.conf:
info X:makexconfig:Celeste Input device detection status:
info X:makexconfig:Touch device: OK:
info X:makexconfig:Accelerometer device: N/A !!:
info X:xorg.conf:xorg.conf generated:
info milestone:13.76:xx50:
info X:starting:time=13800:
info milestone:19.07:xx99:
info X:started:time=19090:
info system:emiting_event:x_setup_ready:
info locale:read:lang=en_GB.utf8,lc_all=en_GB.utf8,locale=en-CA:Retrieved Language
info system:emiting_event:langpicker_ready:
info blanket_f:module already loaded:splash:
info milestone:19.92:pi00:
info milestone:19.93:fr00:
info milestone:20.47:fr50:
info milestone:20.48:pi99:
info milestone:20.51:fr51:
info framework:starting:time=20590:
info wifim:enablediv:enabling antenna diversity for wifi...:
MAC from kernel xx:xx:xx:xx:B9:F7
wmi_control_rx() : Unknown id 0x101e
boot: I def:rbt:reset=user_reboot,version=175654:
info milestone:55.94:fr99:
info framework:started:time=56210,delta=35730:
info blanket_f:loading blanket module:usb:
info blanket_f:unloading blanket module:screensaver:
info blanket_f:module already unloaded:ad_screensaver:
info blanket_f:module already unloaded:ad_screensaver_active:
info blanket_f:loading blanket module:screensaver:
info blanket_f:unloading blanket module:splash:
info system:emiting_event:framework_ready:
Retrieved 171 keys for system/daemon/pmond/



Welcome to Kindle!

kindle login: root
Password:
#################################################
#  N O T I C E  *  N O T I C E  *  N O T I C E  #
#################################################
Rootfs is mounted read-only. Invoke mntroot rw to
switch back to a writable rootfs.
#################################################
[root@kindle root]# mntroot rw
system: I mntroot:def:Making root filesystem writeable
[root@kindle root]# cd /mnt/us
[root@kindle us]# ls -la
drwxr-xr-x    7 root     root          8192 Jun 26 09:43 .
drwxrwxr-x    8 root     root          1024 Oct  5  2012 ..
drwxr-xr-x   14 root     root          8192 Feb  4  2013 .active_content_sandbox
drwxr-xr-x   11 root     root          8192 Jun 30  2012 cc_factory
drwxr-xr-x    2 root     root          8192 Jun 26 09:37 diagnostic_logs
drwxr-xr-x    5 root     root          8192 Jan  1  2014 documents
-rwxr-xr-x    1 root     root     367001600 Jun 26 04:28 mmcblk0p1.img
drwxr-xr-x    7 root     root          8192 Jun 26 09:39 system
[root@kindle us]# dd if=mmcblk0p1.img
X,0W\D?»JÐ*ÈO£ÈOÿÿSï7IP
                       8
                        *µÀG
                            ??YêZê[ê\ê]ê^ê_ê`êaêbêcêdêeêfë©²
ÔÕÖª
¤?¥?¦?æ¢t_u_v_Û
               DEF

þþþ)              Fä¾å¾æ¾¡´ÞµÞ¶Þ3
    TUVì$>%>&>p
               ô]õ]ö]Á
                      Ä}Å}Æ}RÂd½e½f½°
ÔÕÖs6Ý]
    ¤<¥<¦<      \u\v\E
ä»å»æ»´ÛµÛ¶Û²         D|E|F|oR
ûûû

T
$;%;&;9«        ôZõZöZÄzÅzÆz°
udºeºfºQ4Ú5Ú6ÚÁ úúúh
¤9¥9¦9YuYvYÜDyEyFyx ÔÕÖI

Can't really see what the reason is (tried different terminal packages, different file names downloaded from different places).

Any hint/advice/pointers would be appreciated.

knc1 · 06-26-2015, 12:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aesop

Hi Everyone,-

I was given a demo version of a Kindle PaperWhite-1.
How to deal with those - i.e. make them become full blown ereaders - is well documented.
And so I'm trying to do just that...

Surprisingly enough, what I thought to be the hard part (soldering, USB UART, etc.) turned out to be easy.
And what I thought to be a piece of cake, doesn't work.

Bottom line: I can't complete the last step - flash the IMG file.
After I enter the dd command I get gibberish on the screen and go nowhere
Here is the console (the gibberish part goes for pages and was cut here)
The IMG file is the pw_5.2.0-mmcblk0p1.img (left only the last part of the name)
- - - - -

Code:

[root@kindle us]# dd if=mmcblk0p1.img
X,0W\D?»JÐ*ÈO£ÈOÿÿSï7IP
                       8
                        *µÀG
                            ??YêZê[ê\ê]ê^ê_ê`êaêbêcêdêeêfë©²
ÔÕÖª

Can't really see what the reason is (tried different terminal packages, different file names downloaded from different places).

Any hint/advice/pointers would be appreciated.

Looks to me it is doing exactly what you told it to do.

(I.E: copy the named input file to stdout (the terminal) )

The dd command as used to flash an image needs more than just the input file name.
Plus the output file name, block size, block count, would probably be enough.

When dealing with any *nix system, the man(ual) command is your friend.
It isn't installed on most embedded systems, but web search engines recognize it also.

Try:
man dd
in your favorite search engine.

You will probably get links to pages such as:
http://linux.die.net/man/1/dd
and
https://www.gnu.org/software/coreuti...nvocation.html

aesop · 06-26-2015, 01:30 PM

Thank you.
Stupid me - forgot the of= part...

I'd love to say this solved everything but it didn't.
Now, it looks like I've bricked it...

This happened during flash

Code:

[root@kindle us]# dd if=mmcblk0p1.img of=/dev/mmcblk0p1 bs=4
EXT3-fs error (device mmcblk0p1): ext3_lookup: deleted inode referenced: 1713
Aborting journal on device mmcblk0p1.
Remounting filesystem read-only
EXT3-fs error (device mmcblk0p1): ext3_lookup: deleted inode referenced: 1713
EXT3-fs error (device mmcblk0p1): ext3_lookup: deleted inode referenced: 1713
EXT3-fs error (device mmcblk0p1): ext3_lookup: deleted inode referenced: 1713
EXT3-fs error (device mmcblk0p1): ext3_lookup: deleted inode referenced: 1713
EXT3-fs error (device mmcblk0p1): ext3_lookup: deleted inode referenced: 1713
EXT3-fs error (device mmcblk0p1): ext3_lookup: deleted inode referenced: 1713
Buffer I/O error on device mmcblk0p1, logical block 282990266
Buffer I/O error on device mmcblk0p1, logical block 3022784414
Buffer I/O error on device mmcblk0p1, logical block 3832436082
Buffer I/O error on device mmcblk0p1, logical block 1268383904
Buffer I/O error on device mmcblk0p1, logical block 282990266
Buffer I/O error on device mmcblk0p1, logical block 3022784414
Buffer I/O error on device mmcblk0p1, logical block 3832436082
Buffer I/O error on device mmcblk0p1, logical block 1268383904
Buffer I/O error on device mmcblk0p1, logical block 5046337
Buffer I/O error on device mmcblk0p1, logical block 7536712
Buffer I/O error on device mmcblk0p1, logical block 4391032
Buffer I/O error on device mmcblk0p1, logical block 4259962
Buffer I/O error on device mmcblk0p1, logical block 4325450
Buffer I/O error on device mmcblk0p1, logical block 5111911
Buffer I/O error on device mmcblk0p1, logical block 4325462
Buffer I/O error on device mmcblk0p1, logical block 5832769
Buffer I/O error on device mmcblk0p1, logical block 4259924
Buffer I/O error on device mmcblk0p1, logical block 5636204
Kernel panic - not syncing: Attempted to kill init!
mmc1: Timeout waiting for hardware interrupt

And now - understandably - it does not boot.
Looking through the writeup about unbricking a PW1, I tried to boot it into fastboot mode with no success

Code:

In:    serial
Out:   logbuff
Err:   logbuff
Quick Memory Test 0x70000000, 0xfffe000
POST done in 17 ms
Hit any key to stop autoboot:  0
uboot >
uboot >
uboot >
uboot >
uboot > bist


U-Boot 2009.08-lab126 (Oct 05 2012 - 18:05:18)

CPU:   Freescale i.MX50 family 1.1V at 800 MHz
mx50 pll1: 800MHz
mx50 pll2: 400MHz
mx50 pll3: 216MHz
ipg clock     : 66666666Hz
ipg per clock : 66666666Hz
uart clock    : 24000000Hz
cspi clock    : 54000000Hz
ahb clock     : 133333333Hz
axi_a clock   : 400000000Hz
axi_b clock   : 200000000Hz
weim_clock    : 100000000Hz
ddr clock     : 266666666Hz
esdhc1 clock  : 80000000Hz
esdhc2 clock  : 80000000Hz
esdhc3 clock  : 80000000Hz
esdhc4 clock  : 80000000Hz
MMC:  FSL_ESDHC: 0, FSL_ESDHC: 1
Board: Celeste (256 MB)
Boot Reason: [POR]
Boot Device: MMC
Board Id: 0151507125220I0N
S/N: B01C150330220183
I2C:   ready
DRAM:  256 MB
Using default environment

In:    serial
Out:   serial
Err:   serial
POST done in 2 ms
Battery voltage: 4087 mV

bist >
bist >
bist > fastboot
Entering fastboot mode...
Battery voltage: 4091 mV
Battery voltage: 4082 mV
USB speed: HIGH
Connected to USB host!
Charger disconnect
USB speed: HIGH
Connected to USB host!
Battery voltage: 4091 mV

If there is anything left that could be tried - I'm all ears...:|

Thanks.

knc1 · 06-26-2015, 01:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aesop

Thank you.
Stupid me - forgot the of= part...

I'd love to say this solved everything but it didn't.
Now, it looks like I've bricked it...

This happened during flash

Code:

[root@kindle us]# dd if=mmcblk0p1.img of=/dev/mmcblk0p1 bs=4
EXT3-fs error (device mmcblk0p1): ext3_lookup: deleted inode referenced: 1713
Aborting journal on device mmcblk0p1.
Remounting filesystem read-only
- - - - -

If there is anything left that could be tried - I'm all ears...:|

Thanks.

Just more PEBKAC
http://zstag.deviantart.com/art/PEBKAC-162278715

/dev/mmcblk0p1 is the physical (raw) backing store for the Kindle's "main" mode file system (Kindles are "dual system boot" devices).

You can't replace the root file system while it is in use (you where in the 'main' mode system above).

So boot into the Kindle's "diag" mode (which uses /dev/mmcblk0p2 as the root file system) when you want to replace the "main" mode file system.

Note 1: bs=4096 not 4
You will wear out your flash chip doing 1,000 times the required erase/re-program cycles.

Note 2: The 'main' mode image file is bigger than fast boot can handle, that is why you have to copy it with dd while running in 'diag' mode.

aesop · 06-26-2015, 02:29 PM

So, not everything is lost! Good news!!
Will get right on with it...

I appreciate your patience...

EDIT:

And we have lift-off! Everything working including 3G!
When done right you actually get expected results!...;-)
Thanks a lot knc1!!

EDIT-2:

One unexpected side effect - the root password stopped working!
Both of the generated ones... Hmmm...

knc1 · 06-26-2015, 03:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aesop

So, not everything is lost! Good news!!
Will get right on with it...

I appreciate your patience...

EDIT:

And we have lift-off! Everything working including 3G!
When done right you actually get expected results!...;-)
Thanks a lot knc1!!

EDIT-2:

One unexpected side effect - the root password stopped working!
Both of the generated ones... Hmmm...

Yup - the images contain new passwords.

I hate to say it, but try reading the readme documents on ixtab's site.

(I think it is mario)

or

The images should have the USBnetworking package included (I think they do) -
so try enabling that (a command in the search bar - you'll have to read, I forget) and then telnet into the device (telnet does not require a password, ah - - neither does ssh over the cable, only over wifi).

All of the above should be in the readme documents.

06-26-2015, 02:29 PM	#5
aesop Member Posts: 11 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jun 2015 Device: Kindle PW1	So, not everything is lost! Good news!! Will get right on with it... I appreciate your patience... EDIT: And we have lift-off! Everything working including 3G! When done right you actually get expected results!...;-) Thanks a lot knc1!! EDIT-2: One unexpected side effect - the root password stopped working! Both of the generated ones... Hmmm... Last edited by aesop; 06-26-2015 at 03:20 PM.

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