Jailbreak only works half

Bebef · Yesterday, 10:36 AM

Hi everyone.

I tried to jailbreak my Kindle Paperwhite 3, but somehow ended up with something only half-working. I did the installation as described on https://kindlemodding.org/. I installed KUAL and MRPI. I can put packages in the /mrpackages folder. When I run ;log mrpi, I can see the package installers run on the screen. The package will vanish from /mrpackages However, the installed things won't work. I can start KUAL, but I can't start KOReader. When I install the screensaver, the sample picture will be displayed until the next boot.

I'm pretty sure I followed everything to the letter, so I'm wondering what might have went wrong (and where).

Cheers,
Steffen

j.p.s · Yesterday, 12:20 PM

What are the exact steps that you followed to install KOReader?

Bebef · Yesterday, 12:54 PM

Like I said, I followed the instructions on kindlemodding.org. Applied the WinterBreak (https://kindlemodding.org/jailbreaking/WinterBreak/), installed the hotfix and installed kual and mrpi, exactly as described there.

Frogm4n · Yesterday, 04:33 PM

Did you fill the storage? Your PW3 is so old it hasn't gotten updates for a couple of years and you don't need to worry about an unplanned update while the jailbreak is being done. If you did fill space, free up about a GB and try installing MRPI and KUAL again.

Bebef · Today, 04:49 AM

Yes, I did also do the "fill storage" thing but have deleted the "fill file" after.

I have installed MRPI and KUAL once again, however, with no success. From what I can see during install (which is not much) I would say it looks OK, but on the other hand, I have done this umpteen times without success.

One pattern that I have noticed: it seems that MRPI and KUAL themselves get installed properly, but no packages that I would try to install via MRPI work properly (like KOreader or Screensaver).

shamanNS · Today, 09:13 AM

KOReader isn't installed with MRPI. It's just started with KUAL extension...

Bebef · Today, 09:25 AM

That's true. Doesn't change the facts, though.

When I put packages into the extensions folder and install them, they seem to get processed (the extensions folder is empty afterwards), but either don't work (screensaver) or don't seem to be installed at all (usbnetwork). The only difference to KOReader is that it's not being installed via MRPI, but doesn't work either.

I don't even need KOReader, that was just as an example. What I'd like to get running is screensaver and online screensaver as I want to use this Kindle as a display.

I don't get errors in KUAL itself, so I would assume installation of KUAL has worked? Maybe MRPI isn't working properly?

shamanNS · Today, 11:31 AM

Check the MRPI log (it's somewhere inside extensions/MR Installer) and you will have better idea what happens with each bin package you tried to install..

As for KOReader not working: if you download wrong version for your device + firmware combination then that would be the expected outcome.
You need to download and use koreader-kindlepw2-v2025.10.zip if you have PW3 on fw <= 5.16.2.1.1.

https://github.com/koreader/koreader...2-v2025.10.zip

Also check the crash log file inside koreader folder after it failed to start when you run it.
KOReader should run and work as long as it can run as root user. If you "installed" / unpacked the correct version. If it doesn't chances are that you indeed have problems with jailbreak / the hotfix / "gandalf" binary in particular.

shamanNS · Today, 11:35 AM

Quote:

When I put packages into the extensions folder

.bin files AKA "packages" don't go into "extensions" folder. Those are put into "mrpackages" folder. That's the only folder MRPI script searches for packages to install.

Bebef · Today, 01:16 PM

Sorry for the confusion, of course I meant the mrpackages folder for binary packages with .bin extension. Other software is installed as documented by the maintainer, mostly by coping it to the extensions folder.

That said, I was able to install USBNetwork now, but I cannot connect to the device itself. The USB network device is present, but I can't connect.

Still, everything feels "half working" only.

That said, I was wondering if I can factory reset the Kindle and try and jailbreak it over again? I suppose something went wrong during the process and I would simply try to start over from a clean slate.

shamanNS · Today, 01:47 PM

You need to manually set IP address in correct IP range (192.168.15.xxx) for that network card. And then you ssh connect to 192.168.15.244.
And obviously you need to turn on / enable usbnet in KUAL extension.
If you want to SSH over WiFi connection that doesn't allow using password for auth.

Yesterday, 10:36 AM	#1
Bebef Junior Member Posts: 8 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jan 2026 Device: Kindle PW3 (2015)	Jailbreak only works half Hi everyone. I tried to jailbreak my Kindle Paperwhite 3, but somehow ended up with something only half-working. I did the installation as described on https://kindlemodding.org/. I installed KUAL and MRPI. I can put packages in the /mrpackages folder. When I run ;log mrpi, I can see the package installers run on the screen. The package will vanish from /mrpackages However, the installed things won't work. I can start KUAL, but I can't start KOReader. When I install the screensaver, the sample picture will be displayed until the next boot. I'm pretty sure I followed everything to the letter, so I'm wondering what might have went wrong (and where). Cheers, Steffen

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Yesterday, 12:20 PM	#2
j.p.s Grand Sorcerer Posts: 5,894 Karma: 106187745 Join Date: Apr 2011 Device: pb360	What are the exact steps that you followed to install KOReader?

Yesterday, 12:54 PM	#3
Bebef Junior Member Posts: 8 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jan 2026 Device: Kindle PW3 (2015)	Like I said, I followed the instructions on kindlemodding.org. Applied the WinterBreak (https://kindlemodding.org/jailbreaking/WinterBreak/), installed the hotfix and installed kual and mrpi, exactly as described there.

Yesterday, 04:33 PM	#4
Frogm4n Fanatic Posts: 565 Karma: 4016635 Join Date: Jul 2023 Device: Scribe 2022, OA2, PRS-350	Did you fill the storage? Your PW3 is so old it hasn't gotten updates for a couple of years and you don't need to worry about an unplanned update while the jailbreak is being done. If you did fill space, free up about a GB and try installing MRPI and KUAL again.

Today, 04:49 AM	#5
Bebef Junior Member Posts: 8 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jan 2026 Device: Kindle PW3 (2015)	Yes, I did also do the "fill storage" thing but have deleted the "fill file" after. I have installed MRPI and KUAL once again, however, with no success. From what I can see during install (which is not much) I would say it looks OK, but on the other hand, I have done this umpteen times without success. One pattern that I have noticed: it seems that MRPI and KUAL themselves get installed properly, but no packages that I would try to install via MRPI work properly (like KOreader or Screensaver).

Today, 09:13 AM	#6
shamanNS Wizard Posts: 1,151 Karma: 12345678 Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Serbia Device: Kindle PW5, Kobo Libra 2, Kindle PW1	KOReader isn't installed with MRPI. It's just started with KUAL extension...

Today, 09:25 AM	#7
Bebef Junior Member Posts: 8 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jan 2026 Device: Kindle PW3 (2015)	That's true. Doesn't change the facts, though. When I put packages into the extensions folder and install them, they seem to get processed (the extensions folder is empty afterwards), but either don't work (screensaver) or don't seem to be installed at all (usbnetwork). The only difference to KOReader is that it's not being installed via MRPI, but doesn't work either. I don't even need KOReader, that was just as an example. What I'd like to get running is screensaver and online screensaver as I want to use this Kindle as a display. I don't get errors in KUAL itself, so I would assume installation of KUAL has worked? Maybe MRPI isn't working properly?

Today, 11:31 AM	#8
shamanNS Wizard Posts: 1,151 Karma: 12345678 Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Serbia Device: Kindle PW5, Kobo Libra 2, Kindle PW1	Check the MRPI log (it's somewhere inside extensions/MR Installer) and you will have better idea what happens with each bin package you tried to install.. As for KOReader not working: if you download wrong version for your device + firmware combination then that would be the expected outcome. You need to download and use koreader-kindlepw2-v2025.10.zip if you have PW3 on fw <= 5.16.2.1.1. https://github.com/koreader/koreader...2-v2025.10.zip Also check the crash log file inside koreader folder after it failed to start when you run it. KOReader should run and work as long as it can run as root user. If you "installed" / unpacked the correct version. If it doesn't chances are that you indeed have problems with jailbreak / the hotfix / "gandalf" binary in particular.

Today, 01:16 PM	#10
Bebef Junior Member Posts: 8 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jan 2026 Device: Kindle PW3 (2015)	Sorry for the confusion, of course I meant the mrpackages folder for binary packages with .bin extension. Other software is installed as documented by the maintainer, mostly by coping it to the extensions folder. That said, I was able to install USBNetwork now, but I cannot connect to the device itself. The USB network device is present, but I can't connect. Still, everything feels "half working" only. That said, I was wondering if I can factory reset the Kindle and try and jailbreak it over again? I suppose something went wrong during the process and I would simply try to start over from a clean slate.

Today, 01:47 PM	#11
shamanNS Wizard Posts: 1,151 Karma: 12345678 Join Date: Feb 2010 Location: Serbia Device: Kindle PW5, Kobo Libra 2, Kindle PW1	You need to manually set IP address in correct IP range (192.168.15.xxx) for that network card. And then you ssh connect to 192.168.15.244. And obviously you need to turn on / enable usbnet in KUAL extension. If you want to SSH over WiFi connection that doesn't allow using password for auth.

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