Select Boot for K4 and Touch

[ppoo]

Moved

[JNT]

Originally Posted by geekmaster

I have added a universal payload that should work with multiple kindles, if installed at /var/local/system/mntus.params, using whatever method is available for that device. For the K4NT and Touch, I have provided a data.tar.gz that contains my "universal" payload which launches RUNME.sh on the USB drive if it exists and there is not a RUNME.done file. The launcher creates a RUNME.done file before starting RUNME.sh, so that it will only run one time. To activate it so it can run again, delete RUNME.done from the USB Drive.

From the diagnostics menu, active USB Device Mode from the menu. Then copy RUNME.sh (from the zip file) and data.tar.gz onto the kindle USB drive.

Before I try this method (data.tar.gz plus RUNME.sh), I am trying to understand how it works. I looked at "mntus.params" in data.tar.gz. For the K4 it lists the serial number first characters as "B00E", but mine starts with "B023". Will this work on mine?

[geekmaster]

Originally Posted by JNT

Before I try this method (data.tar.gz plus RUNME.sh), I am trying to understand how it works. I looked at "mntus.params" in data.tar.gz. For the K4 it lists the serial number first characters as "B00E", but mine starts with "B023". Will this work on mine?

The script may need updating to include B023... Thanks for bringing that up...

In mntus.params (inside data.tar.gz), change this:

"B00E"              ) MNTUS_PART_SIZE=1423352 ;; # K4 (mini)

"B00E"|"B023"       ) MNTUS_PART_SIZE=1423352 ;; # K4 (mini)

to this:
You do not need to use that RUNME.sh script or data.tar.gz to use MfgTool and the custom uboots. Although MfgTool is still useful for debricking (or booting demo kindles to diags mode), a better way to jailbreak a working K4 may be to use NiLuJe's K4 jailbreak:
https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=191158

[JNT]

Originally Posted by geekmaster

The script may need updating to include B023... Thanks for bringing that up...

In mntus.params (inside data.tar.gz), change this:

"B00E"              ) MNTUS_PART_SIZE=1423352 ;; # K4 (mini)

"B00E"|"B023"       ) MNTUS_PART_SIZE=1423352 ;; # K4 (mini)

OK, thanks I will try this.

Just to confirm the way it should be done: The first time that I want to run a startup script, I need to have the "data.tar.gz" file plus the "RUNME.sh" containing the script. Then restart it twice (through settings menu).

Then any subsequent scripts that I want to run can be run without the "data.tar.gz" file. Only have the "RUNME.sh" containing the script and make sure there is no "RUNME.done" present. Then restart once.

[geekmaster]

Originally Posted by JNT

OK, thanks I will try this.

Just to confirm the way it should be done: The first time that I want to run a startup script, I need to have the "data.tar.gz" file plus the "RUNME.sh" containing the script. Then restart it twice (through settings menu).

Then any subsequent scripts that I want to run can be run without the "data.tar.gz" file. Only have the "RUNME.sh" containing the script and make sure there is no "RUNME.done" present. Then restart once.

Or you can use NiLuJe's newer data.tar.gz (K4 Jailbreak) which can run a runme.sh script... It already supports the K4 Black... You can find it at the link in my previous post above. That is what I would use.

[JNT]

Originally Posted by geekmaster

Or you can use NiLuJe's newer data.tar.gz (K4 Jailbreak) which can run a runme.sh script... It already supports the K4 Black... You can find it at the link in my previous post above. That is what I would use.

OK, will use that data.tar.gz instead.

Is the procedure the same? First time: need data.tar.gz and RUNME.sh and subsequent times need only RUNME.sh?

Does it matter if it is jailbroken first or not?

[geekmaster]

Originally Posted by JNT

OK, will use that data.tar.gz instead.

Is the procedure the same? First time: need data.tar.gz and RUNME.sh and subsequent times need only RUNME.sh?

Does it matter if it is jailbroken first or not?

I think NiLuJe's data.tar.gz looks for "runme.sh" (all lower-case). It does NOT need a jailbreak. In fact, it INSTALLS a jailbreak.

[JNT]

Originally Posted by geekmaster

I think NiLuJe's data.tar.gz looks for "runme.sh" (all lower-case). It does NOT need a jailbreak. In fact, it INSTALLS a jailbreak.

Thanks for all the answers thus far, but unfortunately I still have some doubts that I would like to clear up. Do I need this "data.tar.gz" each time that I want to run a startup script, or only the first time?

[geekmaster]

Originally Posted by JNT

Thanks for all the answers thus far, but unfortunately I still have some doubts that I would like to clear up. Do I need this "data.tar.gz" each time that I want to run a startup script, or only the first time?

No, you can install a startup script in the upstart folder with all the other "normal" startup scripts. Beware that a broken script can brick your kindle because it can prevent critical startup scripts from running. But you can always debrick with simple debricking, so not as big a problem as when we were first learning about upstart scripts on 5.0.0 and you needed to use the serial port to debrick.

[JNT]

Originally Posted by geekmaster

No, you can install a startup script in the upstart folder with all the other "normal" startup scripts. Beware that a broken script can brick your kindle because it can prevent critical startup scripts from running. But you can always debrick with simple debricking, so not as big a problem as when we were first learning about upstart scripts on 5.0.0 and you needed to use the serial port to debrick.

OK, you are succeeding in confusing me even more...

I will rephrase my question: Do I need this (NiLuJe's) "data.tar.gz" each time that I want to run a startup script (where the startup script is in a "runme.sh" file on the USB drive - the USB drive I get when I plug the Kindle into my Windows PC), or only the first time?

UPDATE:

I got a little impatient and thought that I might as well experiment a little. This is what I found thus far.

I took the "RUNME.sh" from the first post of this thread. (It shows only a message on some nice looking pattern.)

With (NiLuJe's) "data.tar.gz" (and "RUNME.sh" renamed to "runme.sh") I could only get the script to run by doing the full jailbreak each time (restarting into diags mode etc.). Just a normal restart did not run the script.

I then took the "data.tar.gz" from the first post and added "B023" to the K4 mini choice in the file. (Used 7-zip.) I put this modified "data.tar.gz" and the "RUNME.sh" on the USB file and restarted twice. The "data.tar.gz" disappeared but the "RUNME.sh" did not run. (I might have done something wrong, but I don't think so...)

I then put the "data.tar.gz" back on the USB file again and added "ENABLE_DIAGS" and restarted into diags mode. Like the Jailbreak, I selected restart first and then disable diags and exit. During the restart it ran the script.

Now during a normal restart it runs the script also (after removing the "RUNME.done" first). BUT the strange thing is it seems to run it twice. It displays the message as the restart process starts and then again half way through the progress bar. Is this normal or did all my playing add the instruction to run twice?

[JNT]

Does the "data.tar.gz" create a new file ("/var/local/system/mntus.params"), add to an existing file or replace an existing file?

[twobob]

On the 5 this would be:

Spoiler:

# auto-generated file -- do not modify!

# computed values
MNTUS_PART_START=16
MNTUS_PART_SIZE=3327992
MNTUS_PART_OFFSET=8192

# constant values
# FAT32 fs
MNTUS_FATSIZE=32
# Align fs data to 4MB boundary
MNTUS_ALIGNMENT_MB=4
# Use 8k cluster size for better write performance
MNTUS_SECTORS_PER_CLUSTER=16

refers to partition size, clustering details, alignment and table size.
that would a "required" OOTB IIRC.

The do not modify! tells me this is probably lab126 land : )
I'm voting "OOTB"

[geekmaster]

My data.tar.gz replaced the original file. It was designed to work with all models up to K5. The jailbreak that I recommended (from NiLuJe) replaces mntus.params with a DIFFERENT file, and he updated it to add PW support. Like I said multiple times now, use that. This is getting tedious.

[JNT]

Originally Posted by geekmaster

My data.tar.gz replaced the original file. It was designed to work with all models up to K5. The jailbreak that I recommended (from NiLuJe) replaces mntus.params with a DIFFERENT file, and he updated it to add PW support. Like I said multiple times now, use that. This is getting tedious.

I am really very sorry that this is tedious for you... Thanks for answering anyway, it is appreciated. To me this is quite exiting and fun - learning new stuff and trying to understand how things work.

As I said above, I tried both, and they behaved differently. I settled on using yours (modified with "B023"). Works, but not quite as expected as explained above.

If there are any other good sources for learning this stuff, please just point me in the right direction.

@twobob: Thanks for this extra information. The picture is getting much clearer for me now.

[geekmaster]

Originally Posted by JNT

I am really very sorry that this is tedious for you... Thanks for answering anyway, it is appreciated. To me this is quite exiting and fun - learning new stuff and trying to understand how things work. .

As I said above, I tried both, and they behaved differently. I settled on using yours (modified with "B023"). Works, but not quite as expected as explained above.

If there are any other good sources for learning this stuff, please just point me in the right direction.

@twobob: Thanks for this extra information. The picture is getting much clearer for me now.

I just have WAY too much to do and not NEARLY enough time to do it in. I wish a had an apprentice (or three). I suppose I need to start my own company if I have any hope of achieving my goals.

Sometime I feel a bit overwhelmed, and answering the same old questions gets tedious. In your case, you should read and try to decipher my previous posts in this thread.

I am glad it worked for you.