Kobo Glo gets stuck when downgrading

[McMoni]

Hi everybody!
I have a problem with my old Kobo Glo.
Forgive me if I'm going to be a tad too wordy, but I think it's better if I explain everything.

I received it as a gift 6 years ago, never updated it after setting it (it was May 2013) until a few months ago, and oly decided to do so because it started having some problems (not showing the covers anymore, reading stats were stuck etc.)
So, I updated it.
Problems weren't fixed (it still shows a random cover, no matter what I'm reading), and besides, I hate the look of the new software.
So, I tried manually downgrading it, but...I must have done something wrong.
I placed the firmware in the .kobo folder and then unplugged the device. First time, nothing happened. The second time, it got in a loop (you know, with the five little squares changing from white to black endlessly).

After half a hour of panic, I managed to hard reset it. But now it asked me to connect it to the Kobo app and I still have the newest version (plus no books )

So, what did I do wrong? Maybe I chose the wrong firmware version? If so, how do I choose the right one?
I'd really really like to go back to the original version (with the big covers on the homepage and the sad face whenever the battery was drained) but I'm not going to try the same stuff I did, considering the outcome LOL.

Can you help me? I tried looking for similar threads, but it seems to me that my problem is different from other people's.

Thanks in advance and happy reading to everyone!

[davidfor]

Doing a firmware downgrade without a factory reset isn't really supported. It usually works if you are just going back a couple of recent versions, but, going back to the original firmware probably won't work.

To get back to the original firmware, or a much earlier one, the method is:

1. Do a factory reset using the buttons.
2. Use the Kobo desktop to setup the device.
3. When it prompts to eject the device, DO NOT.
4. Remove the firmware update files from the device. Or, replace them with the firmware version you want to use.
5. Eject the device.
6. Turn WiFi off and do not do a sync or it will update.

I wouldn't stick with the factory firmware. At the least, you should use the first version after the device release. But, I'd probably use the last version that has the home screen you like.

And for the record, the original problem sounds like a corrupt database on the device. The only solution is to force a rebuild of the database. With the firmware you had, you would have needed to sign out of the Kobo account and back in to fix this. And that would have triggered a firmware update.