Replacing the Kindle OS with Debian on my Kindle Touch Wifi

mattl · 03-01-2012, 04:10 PM

I am very interested in running stock Debian on my Kindle Touch, without any of the Kindle software remaining.

From reading this forum, it seems that it is now possible to flash u-boot on the touch via the USB HID mode, and from there I should be able to boot Debian. Maybe I'm over simplifying things?

Has anyone considered this, and does anyone have any tips on next steps I could take?

I have jailbroken and have USB networking.

knc1 · 03-01-2012, 04:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mattl

I am very interested in running stock Debian on my Kindle Touch, without any of the Kindle software remaining.

From reading this forum, it seems that it is now possible to flash u-boot on the touch via the USB HID mode, and from there I should be able to boot Debian. Maybe I'm over simplifying things?

Has anyone considered this, and does anyone have any tips on next steps I could take?

I have jailbroken and have USB networking.

You got the touchscreen and eink drivers working in your "Debian" kernel yet? (Debian doesn't build a Kindle kernel that I know of - but the NSLU-2 Debian software should run - if you roll your own kernel to match the Kindle hardware).

geekmaster · 03-01-2012, 04:34 PM

Several people use the kindle kernel and chroot to a debian loop mount. Details are in various threads. Search for "optware"...

Also, the framework is not in your face if you boot diags and SSH in.

The k4nt has SSH built-in but it is missing on the touch.

You can flash a touch diags partition with fastboot (mmcblk0p2) that has SSH pre-installed. There is a link in the "Select Boot" first post. Start it (just like for the K4NT) with diags menu N) U) Z) X)...

mattl · 03-01-2012, 05:19 PM

I have optware installed. I am surprised basic X apps like xterm, xeyes, etc don't seem to be in there?

If I use the Kindle kernel and loop mount -- this kind of works already -- I'm at a loss how I'd boot the Kindle directly into Debian, with Debian using the screen of the Kindle?

mattl · 03-01-2012, 05:44 PM

Ah, looks like I need Windows to get it the diag up and running, or am I missing something?

hostar · 03-01-2012, 06:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mattl

Ah, looks like I need Windows to get it the diag up and running, or am I missing something?

You need Windows if you want to connect over usbnet from diags.

geekmaster · 03-01-2012, 07:21 PM

I installed apt-get and a ton of apps from the debian repository in my 2GB loop mount. The real deal. You do not need optware -- that just shows you how to get started.

I used debootstrap on ubuntu to build my debian loop image.

By using the built-in kernel, you get built-in eInk support.

Of course, some things are faster on a host PC. It took 12 hours to build X11 from scratch with the full debian build tools version of gcc, in a loop mount my Kindle 3G.

geekmaster · 03-01-2012, 07:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hostar

You need Windows if you want to connect over usbnet from diags.

Ubuntu or other linux distros generally have ssh and scp built in:
ssh root@192.168.15.244

If you want windows you need putty.

Of course, you need windows (or windows in a VM) to run MfgTool.

To run fastboot, the linux version seems less trouble for most people to get working.

giorgio130 · 03-02-2012, 04:31 AM

You don't need MfgTool to go into fastboot if the Kindle is working right, I think to recall there's also a key combination...

geekmaster · 03-02-2012, 09:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by giorgio130

You don't need MfgTool to go into fastboot if the Kindle is working right, I think to recall there's also a key combination...

Some kindles have an "Install fastboot bundle" option in the menu, which sets fastboot mode.

geekmaster · 03-02-2012, 09:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by giorgio130

You don't need MfgTool to go into fastboot if the Kindle is working right, I think to recall there's also a key combination...

I cannot find it in the diags menu on the touch though. I would like to know about any special key combinations on the touch. How many different ways can you combine the Home key anyway?

JustAMan · 03-02-2012, 09:48 AM

You can touch the screen, use Home button and power button. That's at least 7 combinations of being pressed

geekmaster · 03-02-2012, 10:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JustAMan

You can touch the screen, use Home button and power button. That's at least 7 combinations of being pressed

If you are counting the touch screen, a single finger and a two finger touch generate different keycodes using waitforkeys from an SSH shell. Even rotation events generate keycodes, so you forgot to add them to your combinatorial computations. The question is WHICH combinations put the kindle into interesting modes?

You can also read gesture events by tailing the log files (swipe up/down/left/right, and more). That is brute force hack though -- there MUST be a better way to read gestures.

mattl · 03-02-2012, 01:26 PM

I'm a little confused with the next step.

I have compiled -- https://github.com/yifanlu/Fastboot-Kindle

Before I make all the Kindle Framework stuff go away, I need to get the Debian image to load automatically, get it to output to the Kindle's display and figure out getting it on Wifi... at least the Wifi is Atheros, so no problems there.

Novo · 03-02-2012, 09:27 PM

There is no need to replace the Kindle's OS with Debian, because kindle already run a linux.
We have to find out how to run Xorg and adding some repositories, then you have.

03-01-2012, 04:10 PM	#1
mattl Junior Member Posts: 5 Karma: 10 Join Date: Mar 2012 Device: none	Replacing the Kindle OS with Debian on my Kindle Touch Wifi I am very interested in running stock Debian on my Kindle Touch, without any of the Kindle software remaining. From reading this forum, it seems that it is now possible to flash u-boot on the touch via the USB HID mode, and from there I should be able to boot Debian. Maybe I'm over simplifying things? Has anyone considered this, and does anyone have any tips on next steps I could take? I have jailbroken and have USB networking.

03-01-2012, 04:34 PM	#3
geekmaster Carpe diem, c'est la vie. Posts: 6,433 Karma: 10773670 Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Multiverse 6627A Device: K1 to PW3	Several people use the kindle kernel and chroot to a debian loop mount. Details are in various threads. Search for "optware"... Also, the framework is not in your face if you boot diags and SSH in. The k4nt has SSH built-in but it is missing on the touch. You can flash a touch diags partition with fastboot (mmcblk0p2) that has SSH pre-installed. There is a link in the "Select Boot" first post. Start it (just like for the K4NT) with diags menu N) U) Z) X)... Last edited by geekmaster; 03-01-2012 at 04:38 PM.

03-01-2012, 07:21 PM	#7
geekmaster Carpe diem, c'est la vie. Posts: 6,433 Karma: 10773670 Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Multiverse 6627A Device: K1 to PW3	I installed apt-get and a ton of apps from the debian repository in my 2GB loop mount. The real deal. You do not need optware -- that just shows you how to get started. I used debootstrap on ubuntu to build my debian loop image. By using the built-in kernel, you get built-in eInk support. Of course, some things are faster on a host PC. It took 12 hours to build X11 from scratch with the full debian build tools version of gcc, in a loop mount my Kindle 3G. Last edited by geekmaster; 03-01-2012 at 07:27 PM.

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03-01-2012, 05:19 PM	#4
mattl Junior Member Posts: 5 Karma: 10 Join Date: Mar 2012 Device: none	I have optware installed. I am surprised basic X apps like xterm, xeyes, etc don't seem to be in there? If I use the Kindle kernel and loop mount -- this kind of works already -- I'm at a loss how I'd boot the Kindle directly into Debian, with Debian using the screen of the Kindle?

03-01-2012, 05:44 PM	#5
mattl Junior Member Posts: 5 Karma: 10 Join Date: Mar 2012 Device: none	Ah, looks like I need Windows to get it the diag up and running, or am I missing something?

03-02-2012, 04:31 AM	#9
giorgio130 Time Waster Posts: 422 Karma: 289160 Join Date: May 2011 Device: Kobo Glo and Aura HD	You don't need MfgTool to go into fastboot if the Kindle is working right, I think to recall there's also a key combination...

03-02-2012, 09:48 AM	#12
JustAMan Groupie Posts: 153 Karma: 113 Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Russia Device: Kindle Touch	You can touch the screen, use Home button and power button. That's at least 7 combinations of being pressed

03-02-2012, 01:26 PM	#14
mattl Junior Member Posts: 5 Karma: 10 Join Date: Mar 2012 Device: none	I'm a little confused with the next step. I have compiled -- https://github.com/yifanlu/Fastboot-Kindle Before I make all the Kindle Framework stuff go away, I need to get the Debian image to load automatically, get it to output to the Kindle's display and figure out getting it on Wifi... at least the Wifi is Atheros, so no problems there.

03-02-2012, 09:27 PM	#15
Novo Enthusiast Posts: 34 Karma: 10 Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Germany Device: Kindle PW4	There is no need to replace the Kindle's OS with Debian, because kindle already run a linux. We have to find out how to run Xorg and adding some repositories, then you have.

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