K5 FW 5.x ScreenSavers Hack

[CheeseJam]

Originally Posted by knc1

Who wrote that?
Sorry, I totally forgot about that post.

It looks like I included every command and I don't see anything that needs to be changed.
Give it a shot.

Linux has very sophisticated swap management, even the little bit in that example has a big effect.

Thanks for the tip! I was able to successfully create a swap file using your instructions (and kTerm for the first time!), but that did not seem to solve my problem. Does this cross out the possibility that the file might be too big for the ScreenSaver Hack to handle?

Is this problem I am due to the comic converter I used? Maybe the cover image is embedded in the MOBI wrong or something? Or would the cover thumbnail not show up if that was the case?

[knc1]

Originally Posted by CheeseJam

Thanks for the tip! I was able to successfully create a swap file using your instructions (and kTerm for the first time!), but that did not seem to solve my problem. Does this cross out the possibility that the file might be too big for the ScreenSaver Hack to handle?

Is this problem I am due to the comic converter I used? Maybe the cover image is embedded in the MOBI wrong or something? Or would the cover thumbnail not show up if that was the case?

All good questions, but the person who would be the best to answer them (NiLuJe) is away at school.

Well, I am pretty sure that the cover thumbnail is handled by the Amazon firmware.
And the screen saver image(s) are handled by the ss add-in.
It is certainly possible that one of those can accept something that the other one can not.

I don't know the ss add-in well enough to suggest anything else.
(Well, other than using the 'free' command or the 'swapon -s' command after trying to open the big file, to see is swap had actually been used. There should be examples of those commands in that post.)

[CheeseJam]

Originally Posted by knc1

All good questions, but the person who would be the best to answer them (NiLuJe) is away at school.

Well, I am pretty sure that the cover thumbnail is handled by the Amazon firmware.
And the screen saver image(s) are handled by the ss add-in.
It is certainly possible that one of those can accept something that the other one can not.

I don't know the ss add-in well enough to suggest anything else.
(Well, other than using the 'free' command or the 'swapon -s' command after trying to open the big file, to see is swap had actually been used. There should be examples of those commands in that post.)

Okay thanks! Maybe someone else will be able to provide some information on either the ScreenSaver Hack or the comic converter.

After setting up the swap, when I checked to to if it had been used, some of it was filled up. However, I forgot whether I browsed another ebook or not (instead of just the large 300mb comic), so I rebooted. I turned swap "on" after reboot, and after typing the "free" command, I saw that 0/16mb were being used in the swap (as expected I think). However, after opening and browsing through the comic it still stays 0/16mb of the swap are used. No matter what ebook I browse, it still won't fill up. Any ideas?

Note: I am using kTerm, so I'm not sure if exiting out of the ebook empties the swap or something.

[knc1]

Originally Posted by CheeseJam

Okay thanks! Maybe someone else will be able to provide some information on either the ScreenSaver Hack or the comic converter.

After setting up the swap, when I checked to to if it had been used, some of it was filled up. However, I forgot whether I browsed another ebook or not (instead of just the large 300mb comic), so I rebooted. I turned swap "on" after reboot, and after typing the "free" command, I saw that 0/16mb were being used in the swap (as expected I think). However, after opening and browsing through the comic it still stays 0/16mb of the swap are used. No matter what ebook I browse, it still won't fill up. Any ideas?

Note: I am using kTerm, so I'm not sure if exiting out of the ebook empties the swap or something.

No, if it was used, it should still be showing some in use.
There is a lot of the system that is rarely used, that will be written out and left out until needed.
Such as once a month things to do - or that type of thing.

What firmware version?
If I have time I can check my instructions and see if they are still working.

You do not have to reboot - just:
swapoff /var/local/whatever_name

(Yes, I know, Window's control panel says you have to reboot to make any changes to the swap file - but the Kindle is running Linux. )

[CheeseJam]

Originally Posted by knc1

No, if it was used, it should still be showing some in use.
There is a lot of the system that is rarely used, that will be written out and left out until needed.
Such as once a month things to do - or that type of thing.

What firmware version?
If I have time I can check my instructions and see if they are still working.

You do not have to reboot - just:
swapoff /var/local/whatever_name

(Yes, I know, Window's control panel says you have to reboot to make any changes to the swap file - but the Kindle is running Linux. )

I'm a PW3 on firmware 5.8.7.

I did see the swap file being used initially, but after a reboot I can't seem to get it to be used again (I've been making sure to 'swapon' after rebooting/turning it off).

Edit: The swap seems to be working again, your instructions are still good I think! This is way beyond me, but does the swap not get used until a certain amount of RAM has been used up after a reboot or something? Maybe that's why it wasn't being used shortly after a reboot, after browsing a book?

[knc1]

I would expect just opening KOreader would force use of swap -
It is a pretty big program, even without opening a book.

[XXCoder]

Agreed on not including ability to do custom screensavers. When I bought pw2 to replace my nook simple touch with dead battery, I found out I could not change them, I was so disappointed. After seeing same few damned boring screensaver billion times each rooting method was finally available. I was so glad!

[knc1]

And have you tried using our manga (sp?) viewers on the original file without converting it to anything?
I think we have several different ones posted.

(yeah, we where a few years ahead of Amazon on this feature also)

[dan3008]

Just so people know, there has been a OTA upgrage pushed, which seems to brake this. It somehow disabled KUAL and all the extensions... I had to backup my screensavers, uninstall and reinstall linkss, but its finally worked again... lesson learned, remember to lock the back door...

[knc1]

Originally Posted by dan3008

Just so people know, there has been a OTA upgrage pushed, which seems to brake this. It somehow disabled KUAL and all the extensions... I had to backup my screensavers, uninstall and reinstall linkss, but its finally worked again... lesson learned, remember to lock the back door...

Normal.

The only thing bridged across an Amazon update is the jailbreak (certificate) and enough other things to allow re-installation of the various add-ins.

Anything else that has been added in, must be re-installed.

PS:
Backdoor lock does not work with recent firmware.
Your best bet is to follow the directions given in Step #7 of the current jailbreak.

Even then, the most recent firmware versions can over-ride that protection.
But it does give you a warning panel that it tried (and failed) to install an OTA update.
It will succeed on the second try, unless you take action.

[dan3008]

Originally Posted by knc1

Normal.

The only thing bridged across an Amazon update is the jailbreak (certificate) and enough other things to allow re-installation of the various add-ins.

Anything else that has been added in, must be re-installed.

Really? I was sure I'd got more than linkss installed, python still seems to be working... But I might be wrong, I'll have to try it out and see
-edit- I stand corrected, the python app I was using sets up its own python environment.

Originally Posted by knc1

PS:
Backdoor lock does not work with recent firmware.
Your best bet is to follow the directions given in Step #7 of the current jailbreak.

Even then, the most recent firmware versions can over-ride that protection.
But it does give you a warning panel that it tried (and failed) to install an OTA update.
It will succeed on the second try, unless you take action.

oh.. well thats a pain. So I might have been using back door lock, I thought I was, but missed it, but if it doesn't work...
I guess its time to work on a program to use the "update.bin.tmp.partial" trick to make a more permanent block

[XXCoder]

Geez. That is why I don't bother to upgrade.

Mind linking to latest jailbreak? Curious.

[polygonica]

Both installs seem to have run without any errors, but I think the install failed since I'm not seeing anything. PW1 5.6.1.1

In my system logs:
"170113:010134 system: I mr_installer:eips_print_bottom_centered::Checking python 0.14.N U
170113:010135 system: I mr_installer:eips_print_bottom_centered::No KindleTool binary, aborting
170113:010135 system: I mr_installer:eips_print_bottom_centered::Failed to parse package, skipping
170113:010135 system: I mr_installer:eips_print_bottom_centered:estroyin g package . ."

Is installing KindleTool a requirement? That doesn't make much sense.

[knc1]

Originally Posted by polygonica

Both installs seem to have run without any errors, but I think the install failed since I'm not seeing anything. PW1 5.6.1.1

In my system logs:
"170113:010134 system: I mr_installer:eips_print_bottom_centered::Checking python 0.14.N U
170113:010135 system: I mr_installer:eips_print_bottom_centered::No KindleTool binary, aborting
170113:010135 system: I mr_installer:eips_print_bottom_centered::Failed to parse package, skipping
170113:010135 system: I mr_installer:eips_print_bottom_centered:estroyin g package . ."

Is installing KindleTool a requirement? That doesn't make much sense.

Yes, it is, but it is packaged with MrPI.
And it makes a lot of sense, what else do you expect to handle encoded, signed, model locked, packages?

Your installation of MrPI is one (or more) of:
Too old.
Damaged.
Partially over-written by an OTA update.
Non-functional due to failing hardware.

Re-install the current MrPI from NiLuJe's snapshot thread.
(That should clear everything above, except hardware failure.)

[polygonica]

Originally Posted by knc1

Yes, it is, but it is packaged with MrPI.
And it makes a lot of sense, what else do you expect to handle encoded, signed, model locked, packages?

Your installation of MrPI is one (or more) of:
Too old.
Damaged.
Partially over-written by an OTA update.
Non-functional due to failing hardware.

Re-install the current MrPI from NiLuJe's snapshot thread.
(That should clear everything above, except hardware failure.)

Reinstalled MrPI 1.6.N. Getting the same issue with installing MrPI packages.

I doubt my hardware is broken. Everything else is working fine. The default browser and reader work fine. KUAL and its extensions are fine (so I also assume MKK is working). Kterm is working (and basic shell commands).

Any ideas?