Aura Update went wrong. Screen does not update.

joelabr · 06-11-2015, 02:23 PM

I run Kobo Start Menu and KOReader on my Kobo Aura. This week I wanted to access Kobo Bookstore, but before that I wanted to update Nickel.

This time I decided to update Nickel from Kobo Start Menu, I hadn't done this before and wanted to try it out. I downloaded the latest firmware using the scripts provided with Kobo Start Menu. When I had unpacked the archive I chose to update from the "home menu" of Kobo Start Menu. I was asked if I wanted to do a partial update or a full update. I chose partial.

The installation seemed to finish correctly and I could start Nickel just fine afterwards. I did what I wanted in the bookstore and then restarted the device. Once again, everything worked fine. I was presented with Kobo Start Menu as normal and chose to start KOReader this time. KOReader launched fine. I updated KOReader this time, restarted and then opened the book I wanted to read. After reading I suspended the Kobo Aura (by closing my cover, as usual). This is when things took a bad turn.

When I opened up the Aura again the "Suspended" sign didn't disappear. I've run into this before (in earlier KOReader versions) so I tried to reset the device. The problem is that nothing happened. The LED beside the switch lit up, blinked 3 times (as usual, I think?) but nothing happened on the screen. I tried to reset again, I pressed on the touch screen where I think the KOReader option is in Kobo Start Menu and I tried a few other things. Nothing worked.

The only thing I can do is reset the device and see the LED blink. Something happens, but not what I want. I have discovered that I can start the frontlight, but it takes quite some time between pressing the frontlight-button and the frontlight turning on/off. I can adjust the light intensity by using sliding to fingers up/down the screen, but that is also quite slow. Something seems to be really stuck somewhere. Some process that isn't working as it should. I don't know really.

So, does anyone here have a suggestion of what I can do to fix my Aura, if possible? I have already disassembled the Aura to check if it has a built-in microSD as other models do, but of course it doesn't. I couldn't find a disassembly guide for Kobo Aura and I couldn't find a place that mentioned that it didn't use an internal memory card (if I recall correctly).

Is it possible to do something over the "serial port" on the PCB? I haven't had time to try it yet, so I thought I would ask before I do.

Thanks a lot in advance and sorry for my looong post.

shalym · 06-11-2015, 03:15 PM

Have you tried plugging it in to a power source (not your PC) and leaving it for a few hours before attempting to restart?

Shari

tshering · 06-11-2015, 03:19 PM

What are you seeing now on the screen? If you still see the screen of the Koreader, it is very likely that there is a hardware defect, as for instance a broken screen.

But maybe it is not broken. In any case you can still try to do a factory reset.

charge the reader for some time
hold the power button in the off position for 25 seconds (maybe in your case even longer, since the device seems to be busy)
release the power button for some seconds
hold the light button down and switch the device with on
when the led starts lightening, release the buttons

joelabr · 06-11-2015, 03:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shalym

Have you tried plugging it in to a power source (not your PC) and leaving it for a few hours before attempting to restart?

Shari

Yes, I have. I forgot to mention in my previous (long) post. That's one of the first things I tried since I suspected that the battery was empty.

joelabr · 06-11-2015, 03:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tshering

What are you seeing now on the screen? If you still see the screen of the Koreader, it is very likely that there is a hardware defect, as for instance a broken screen.

But maybe it is not broken. In any case you can still try to do a factory reset.

charge the reader for some time
hold the power button in the off position for 25 seconds (maybe in your case even longer, since the device seems to be busy)
release the power button for some seconds
hold the light button down and switch the device with on
when the led starts lightening, release the buttons

I will definitely try that. Thanks! I'll report back if it work or not.

By the way, I haven't ruled out a hardware defect, but if it is, I really would like to know how it happened. I haven't had any problems with it before and after suspending it the last time I didn't do anything with the device until I picked it up to read again. I just don't understand what could have caused the problem right now, expect for a failure in one of the updates I did. If it is a hardware failure I might as well buy a new eReader, even though I don't really want to do that, since it's expensive and I really liked my current Aura. Anyways, it's to early to say right now.

[EDIT] Sorry for double posting. I should have edited my old post... [/EDIT]

[UPDATE] I found a video of someone else with the same problem. After resetting the screen is still frozen, and that seems to apply for my device as well... I can't replace it since I'm running unofficial software on the device and I also think my warranty went out a year ago or something. I'll try some more things, but I'm kind of losing hope.

freekobo · 06-11-2015, 03:55 PM

Hold the light button and press the reset button with a paper clip.

tshering · 06-11-2015, 04:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by joelabr

I found a video of someone else with the same problem. After resetting the screen is still frozen, and that seems to apply for my device as well... I can't replace it since I'm running unofficial software on the device and I also think my warranty went out a year ago or something. I'll try some more things, but I'm kind of losing hope.

If you can factory reset the device, there will be no traces of unofficial software (not that I think kobo would care about it). But the expired warranty is of course a problem, and that a broken screen is usually not a case of warranty.

robko · 06-11-2015, 08:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by joelabr

[UPDATE] I found a video of someone else with the same problem. After resetting the screen is still frozen, and that seems to apply for my device as well...

If your screen looks like that video you have a broken substrate in your screen (a hardware issue) and you might as well stop looking for solutions as there really aren't any (short of replacing the screen). Do a search and you'll find all kinds of info on how this could have happened.

frostschutz · 06-12-2015, 07:03 AM

Photo of the screen? Cracked substrate is usually fairly obvious. Can't quite make it out in the youtube video. There's always a light reflection on the screen when he's holding it into the camera...

A cracked screen should not make LED blink oddly, though, unless it somehow causes the touch to go bonkers as well, sending wrong signals.

the.Mtn.Man · 06-12-2015, 11:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by joelabr

I just don't understand what could have caused the problem...

Well, you are running unsupported software.

robko · 06-12-2015, 05:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by frostschutz

Photo of the screen? Cracked substrate is usually fairly obvious. Can't quite make it out in the youtube video.

The video wasn't of the OP's device, just an example they found of one doing what they thought was similar behaviour. But a pic would help rule out broken substrate on the OP's device.

06-11-2015, 02:23 PM	#1
joelabr Junior Member Posts: 3 Karma: 10 Join Date: May 2014 Device: Kobo Aura 6"	Update went wrong. Screen does not update. I run Kobo Start Menu and KOReader on my Kobo Aura. This week I wanted to access Kobo Bookstore, but before that I wanted to update Nickel. This time I decided to update Nickel from Kobo Start Menu, I hadn't done this before and wanted to try it out. I downloaded the latest firmware using the scripts provided with Kobo Start Menu. When I had unpacked the archive I chose to update from the "home menu" of Kobo Start Menu. I was asked if I wanted to do a partial update or a full update. I chose partial. The installation seemed to finish correctly and I could start Nickel just fine afterwards. I did what I wanted in the bookstore and then restarted the device. Once again, everything worked fine. I was presented with Kobo Start Menu as normal and chose to start KOReader this time. KOReader launched fine. I updated KOReader this time, restarted and then opened the book I wanted to read. After reading I suspended the Kobo Aura (by closing my cover, as usual). This is when things took a bad turn. When I opened up the Aura again the "Suspended" sign didn't disappear. I've run into this before (in earlier KOReader versions) so I tried to reset the device. The problem is that nothing happened. The LED beside the switch lit up, blinked 3 times (as usual, I think?) but nothing happened on the screen. I tried to reset again, I pressed on the touch screen where I think the KOReader option is in Kobo Start Menu and I tried a few other things. Nothing worked. The only thing I can do is reset the device and see the LED blink. Something happens, but not what I want. I have discovered that I can start the frontlight, but it takes quite some time between pressing the frontlight-button and the frontlight turning on/off. I can adjust the light intensity by using sliding to fingers up/down the screen, but that is also quite slow. Something seems to be really stuck somewhere. Some process that isn't working as it should. I don't know really. So, does anyone here have a suggestion of what I can do to fix my Aura, if possible? I have already disassembled the Aura to check if it has a built-in microSD as other models do, but of course it doesn't. I couldn't find a disassembly guide for Kobo Aura and I couldn't find a place that mentioned that it didn't use an internal memory card (if I recall correctly). Is it possible to do something over the "serial port" on the PCB? I haven't had time to try it yet, so I thought I would ask before I do. Thanks a lot in advance and sorry for my looong post.

06-11-2015, 03:19 PM	#3
tshering Wizard Posts: 3,489 Karma: 2914715 Join Date: Jun 2012 Device: kobo touch	What are you seeing now on the screen? If you still see the screen of the Koreader, it is very likely that there is a hardware defect, as for instance a broken screen. But maybe it is not broken. In any case you can still try to do a factory reset. charge the reader for some time hold the power button in the off position for 25 seconds (maybe in your case even longer, since the device seems to be busy) release the power button for some seconds hold the light button down and switch the device with on when the led starts lightening, release the buttons

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06-11-2015, 03:15 PM	#2
shalym Wizard Posts: 3,056 Karma: 54671821 Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: New England Device: PW 1, 2, 3, Voyage, Oasis 2 & 3, Fires, Aura HD, iPad	Have you tried plugging it in to a power source (not your PC) and leaving it for a few hours before attempting to restart? Shari

06-11-2015, 03:55 PM	#6
freekobo Addict Posts: 250 Karma: 2731310 Join Date: Jan 2013 Device: Kobo Aura	Hold the light button and press the reset button with a paper clip.

06-12-2015, 07:03 AM	#9
frostschutz Linux User Posts: 2,282 Karma: 6123806 Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Heidelberg, Germany Device: none	Photo of the screen? Cracked substrate is usually fairly obvious. Can't quite make it out in the youtube video. There's always a light reflection on the screen when he's holding it into the camera... A cracked screen should not make LED blink oddly, though, unless it somehow causes the touch to go bonkers as well, sending wrong signals.

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