Kindle firmware update tool

[igorsk]

I noticed that I forgot to release a script to extract Kindle firmware updates. So I decided to combine it with update maker, make it a bit more flexible and add support for K2 (though I can't test this part). The result is this script.
The simplest usage is to convert a shell script to an "update" to run it on the device. For example, to add a custom screensaver.
Usage:

kindle_update_tool.py e update_mmm.bin
  Extract a Kindle or Kindle 2 firmware update file. Outputs a .tgz file with decrypted content.
kindle_update_tool.py m [-k2] name file1 [file2 ...]
  Makes a Kindle or Kindle 2 (if -k2 specified) OTA firmware update file from the list of files.
  "name" is the update file suffix (final file will be called update_name.bin).
  Any file with .sh extension will be marked as a shell script to be executed.

[Nate the great]

If anyone needs a copy of the BIN file, just ask. I'll send you a pm with the link. I won't post the link becuase we have several members who work for Amazon. I don't want Amazon to disable it.

[Nate the great]

What is the extractor supposed to give me when I run it on the 1.2 update? I though I would get a tar.gz containing a lot of files. All that I see in it is the BIN file. Did I misunderstand your post, or did I find a bug?

[igorsk]

1.x updates are two-stage. The OTA update extracts a "full" update which is processed after reboot. Run the script on the second bin again.
E.g. here's what is inside tgz of 1.0.4 update:

update-018-MR1-014475.bin
update-fullota.dat
update-fullota.ffs

After extracting update-018-MR1-014475.bin in turn:

bootloader
eink
ioc
scripts
utils
uImage
update-018-MR1-014475.dat
content_fs.img
initrd_fs.img
initrd-recover_fs.img
root_fs.img
list.txt

[stevenmoy]

Cool tool. Thx.

[jesse]

Excellent. For those who want to play around, the arm-none-linux-gnueabi toolchain from codesourcery + igorsk's update maker could be a lot of fun

[goldfinger]

I have been searching for an arm compiled dropbear so that we could use ssh instead of busybox. Anyone find one or can help?

[jesse]

Originally Posted by goldfinger

I have been searching for an arm compiled dropbear so that we could use ssh instead of busybox. Anyone find one or can help?

Give me a day or two. I'll tar up my init script and compiled dropbear.

[goldfinger]

Sweet. Thanks.

[superzhou]

Hi igorsk, I have several questions about the your tools.
1, What is the ffs file? It looks like a shell script, but I remember you use .sh file before.
2, How should I set the update version? Is it created from the "name"?
3, Do I need at least two files to create the bin?(I saw a foo.bar from the screen saver example.

Thanks

[clarknova]

Originally Posted by superzhou

1, What is the ffs file? It looks like a shell script, but I remember you use .sh file before.

Scripts (and all files) may have whatever extension you want. However, Igor's script checks for a ".sh" extension to know to set the correct permissions in the tarball. (so use .sh)

2, How should I set the update version? Is it created from the "name"?

It doesn't matter. The script will set a minimum version of 0, and a maximum version of something higher than the real versions will ever see. This version is only used for the update to run, not for setting the actual software version of the Kindle.

3, Do I need at least two files to create the bin?(I saw a foo.bar from the screen saver example.

That was just because I'm totally lazy and didn't feel like looking up the correct way to force the array/list type in python so that the for loop would work with a single entity. This new script works fine with a single file.

Oh, and thanks for the new script, Igor.

[scotty1024]

Originally Posted by goldfinger

I have been searching for an arm compiled dropbear so that we could use ssh instead of busybox. Anyone find one or can help?

You'll find complete arm dropbear's, key generators and scripts to setup the works over in the iLiad group here on Mobileread.

[superzhou]

Thanks clarknova,
Now I know why my ffs file did not run last night, I guess you had changed your ffs file to 755 yourself.

I was trying to replace the font like you did. Where is the font directory now? Are they still in /usr/java/lib/fonts/ like Kindle1?
I don't remember there is a Serif font in the kindle 1 directory.

[goldfinger]

/usr/java/lib/fonts/Caecilia_LT_66_Medium_Italic.ttf
/usr/java/lib/fonts/KindleBlackboxItalic.ttf
/usr/java/lib/fonts/Helvetica_LT_75_Bold.ttf
/usr/java/lib/fonts/KindleBlackboxBoldItalic.ttf
/usr/java/lib/fonts/KindleBlackboxRegular.ttf
/usr/java/lib/fonts/Helvetica_LT_76_Bold_Italic.ttf
/usr/java/lib/fonts/Kindle_Symbol.ttf
/usr/java/lib/fonts/Helvetica_LT_66_Medium_Italic.ttf
/usr/java/lib/fonts/Caecilia_LT_76_Bold_Italic.ttf
/usr/java/lib/fonts/Caecilia_LT_75_Bold.ttf
/usr/java/lib/fonts/Caecilia_LT_65_Medium.ttf
/usr/java/lib/fonts/Helvetica_LT_65_Medium.ttf
/usr/java/lib/fonts/Kindle_MonospacedSymbol.ttf
/usr/java/lib/fonts/KindleBlackboxBold.ttf

[JSWolf]

And get it now before Amazon says it's illegal too.