KindleTool: Create/Unpack Kindle update files

[NiLuJe]

@geekmaster: Different device code (23 vs 0E). That possibly implies a different board design/id/revision too, but for the scope of this project, we only care about the device code .

(Incidentally, that means stuff targeting the K4 has to be repacked to support both models).

[ixtab]

Originally Posted by NiLuJe

@geekmaster: Different device code (23 vs 0E). That possibly implies a different board design/id/revision too, but for the scope of this project, we only care about the device code .

(Incidentally, that means stuff targeting the K4 has to be repacked to support both models).

I suppose that this will happen for the KPW as well. So out of curiosity, where do you get the device codes from? (in other words: how do you know it's 0x23 for the K4B)?

[NiLuJe]

@ixtab: The S/N . For eInk devices, so far it's always been a 16 chars long hex string, beginning with B0XX, where XX is the device code . [Cf this & that].

And, obviously, we end up finding these in the header of an update package, official or not .

[geekmaster]

So the K4s use identical firmware according to amazon, and apparently identical update packages when they get one, so can we create an update package that supports both device codes like amazon?

Or will they need two different K4 update versions depending on device code?

[ixtab]

Originally Posted by NiLuJe

@ixtab: The S/N . For eInk devices, so far it's always been a 16 chars long hex string, beginning with B0XX, where XX is the device code .

Duh! - and I was expecting to learn some black magic about how you disassembled and decrypted binary files... or at least created a GUI interface using Visual Basic to track an IP address.

[NiLuJe]

@geekmaster: Nope, one of the good things that came with the release of the K4/K5 was an updated package format (OTA2) where we can put multiples device codes in a single package (provided the payload applies to all the devices in question), thus avoiding the need for the zillion package for every device we had for the K2/K3 . [Well, the bad side of this new format was also that it introduced signing of the package itself, not just the content, which cut short our usual jailbreaking entrypoint of carefully crafted update packages...].

@ixtab: Mwahaha! That link just made my night .

[geekmaster]

Originally Posted by NiLuJe

...
@ixtab: Mwahaha! That link just made my night .

But this hacker video is more fun:

And it even has the prettier half of "Brangelina" in it.

[knc1]

Originally Posted by NiLuJe

@ixtab: The S/N . For eInk devices, so far it's always been a 16 chars long hex string, beginning with B0XX, where XX is the device code . [Cf this & that].

And, obviously, we end up finding these in the header of an update package, official or not .

Which just happens to follow the same pattern as the ASIN for the device.

A bit of trivia I noticed going over the change notice to Amazon advertisement publishers that was sent out yesterday.
I was expecting the Kpw to be on the list of commission excluded devices for October, but it wasn't. (Anything Android still is.)

[NiLuJe]

Just a quick heads up: PW support is in git, for those of you wondering how to repack stuff for the KPW.

I'm planning on doing a release next Tuesday (night), hopefully .

[NiLuJe]

Released v1.5.3 .

Includes PW support, along with some new recovery formats that nobody will probably ever use .

EDIT: OS X binaries updated. Every platform should now be up to date .

[NiLuJe]

Heads up: support for the UK 3G PaperWhite is in git.

The packages in the second post have been repacked to handle this model .

[twobob]

Originally Posted by ixtab

Duh! - and I was expecting to learn some black magic about how you disassembled and decrypted binary files... or at least created a GUI interface using Visual Basic to track an IP address.

BAHAHAHAH I ACTUALLY WATCHED THAT RECENTLY. (I was under duress).

I almost hurt myself laughing.

EDIT: OMG I have watched 8 of the ten. :\ erk

[NiLuJe]

Released 1.5.4, with UK 3G PW support .

[NiLuJe]

Released v1.5.5 .

* Slightly more correct recovery (v2 and in general) handling at the create stage.
* Device aliases for the K4/K5/Touch/PaperWhite model range

[DuckieTigger]

I would like to give this a try. Do I understand correct, that all I need for this to work on windows (I use Win7) is cygwin installed and then use the 32bit binary for windows? Is installing cygwin idiot-proof as in - just install defaults, watch it do its thing and ready to use? I would really hate to turn my Debian machine on, only for the packager - the exposure to the Linux on my PW is more than enough for me.

thank you

p.s.: oh and was wondering: If I need to patch an existing file on the Kindle, what is the proper way for everybody here to do that? I was thinking make a backup if it doesn't exist yet and copy the edited file over. Automatically patching the file is problematic if it was edited before. (edit: I know, I broke functionality because I had a duplicate that rather than use both or the first or last, used none of the patched in workaround)