Factory restore a battery depleted Paperwhite?

gosmo · 12-31-2012, 11:49 AM

Hi... I was wondering is there was a way to factory reset a Kindle Paperwhite that experienced battery failure? I'd rather them not discover my content. My Kindle is stuck at the low battery screen, charging for 10+ hours didn't turn it on. Tried holding power down for 30 seconds with power plugged/unplugged.

Replacement Kindle is on it's way and I was wondering how (if possible) to go about a factory reset in this state. Windows discovered the Kindle when plugging into the USB port but didn't map a drive letter. Is there a way to force windows to display the contents of the device, or must the kindle be booted? I'd rather avoid hacks/reloading firmware/prying open the case to achieve this.

ixtab · 12-31-2012, 12:05 PM

Charge the Paperwhite using a wall charger (not a USB cable connected to a computer!) for at least 24 hours. Then try a hard reset and see if you can perform a factory reset of the device to remove your personal documents.

HTH

geekmaster · 12-31-2012, 12:23 PM

If that does not work, swap batteries with the replacement to get access to delete your stuff. Then swap back the original battery before returning it.

If the battery really is the problem...

sirmaru · 12-31-2012, 12:49 PM

Use the Fast Charger (required for the Kindle HD) on the Paperhwhite overnight. Then go to Main \ Menu \ Settings \ Menu \ Reset Device.

That will do it even if your start button is having a problem.

gosmo · 01-02-2013, 02:38 AM

It's been charging on my tablets usb wall adapter for the past 40 hours, no change. Light remained amber entire time.

sirmaru · 01-02-2013, 09:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gosmo

It's been charging on my tablets usb wall adapter for the past 40 hours, no change. Light remained amber entire time.

This is THE charger to use:

http://www.amazon.com/Amazon-PowerFa...kindle+fire+hd

Others may not work properly.

gosmo · 01-02-2013, 10:15 AM

I really don't think any charger will fix it. Probably some burnt out cheaply made capacitor inside the Kindle that's to blame. Plus please read the description "Optimized for Kindle tablets: PowerFast is a 9W charger and will charge your Kindle tablets faster than the white 5W Kindle charger will. (Note Kindle e-readers will charge at the same rate regardless of if you use a 5W or 9W charger)".

jswinden · 01-02-2013, 11:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sirmaru

This is THE charger to use:

http://www.amazon.com/Amazon-PowerFa...kindle+fire+hd

Others may not work properly.

BS! Any good charger with the proper voltage and adequate amps will work. Don't believe all that Amazon marketing garbage. Just look at all the BS they claimed about the Paperweight.

DuckieTigger · 01-03-2013, 04:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jswinden

BS! Any good charger with the proper voltage and adequate amps will work. Don't believe all that Amazon marketing garbage. Just look at all the BS they claimed about the Paperweight.

Do you actually have any bad first hand experience with a "paperweight"? No need to call it names if you don't. If you look long enough, you will find a lot of people not happy with about anything. Especially on a forum like this where many posts are from unhappy people that need help. If they didn't need help, they wouldn't come here. A lot of them turn happy as soon as they get a solution to their problem they are having. The amount of problems we see here is by far not representative. It is
almost like someone working in a suicide hotline complaining that they get too many calls from people that want to kill themselves.

gosmo · 01-03-2013, 09:16 AM

I'm just leaving this here for future people who may experience this problem, I was able to get my Kindle to boot.

Call Amazon for a replacement, especially if your in your 1 year warranty. If your past the one year, try anyway maybe they will be nice. Email customer service and say nicely that you will buy a Nook if they don't

You have 30 days to get it booted up to delete your docs before the old Kindle needs to be returned.

Leave it on charger for 24-48+ hours then unplug, hold power down for around 30 seconds, release. Screen will flash, probably return to low battery screen. Plug in and wait around 30-60 minutes or until it hopefully boots into the OS. If not, try repeating every day.

You will need to act quickly. First turn down brightness, DELETE your books/docs/etc quickly. Then Reset (Menu, Settings, Menu, Reset). Reset requires another reboot and that may never happen again, depending how drained the battery is.

This method may not even work for you but it's worth a shot, you got 30 days to try. Good luck...

alansplace · 01-03-2013, 12:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jswinden

BS! Any good charger with the proper voltage and adequate amps will work. Don't believe all that Amazon marketing garbage. Just look at all the BS they claimed about the Paperweight.

Quote:

Originally Posted by DuckieTigger

Do you actually have any bad first hand experience with a "paperweight"? No need to call it names if you don't. If you look long enough, you will find a lot of people not happy with about anything. Especially on a forum like this where many posts are from unhappy people that need help. If they didn't need help, they wouldn't come here. A lot of them turn happy as soon as they get a solution to their problem they are having. The amount of problems we see here is by far not representative. It is
almost like someone working in a suicide hotline complaining that they get too many calls from people that want to kill themselves.

Duckie!

12-31-2012, 11:49 AM	#1
gosmo Member Posts: 15 Karma: 468444 Join Date: Oct 2012 Device: Kindle Paperwhite	Factory restore a battery depleted Paperwhite? Hi... I was wondering is there was a way to factory reset a Kindle Paperwhite that experienced battery failure? I'd rather them not discover my content. My Kindle is stuck at the low battery screen, charging for 10+ hours didn't turn it on. Tried holding power down for 30 seconds with power plugged/unplugged. Replacement Kindle is on it's way and I was wondering how (if possible) to go about a factory reset in this state. Windows discovered the Kindle when plugging into the USB port but didn't map a drive letter. Is there a way to force windows to display the contents of the device, or must the kindle be booted? I'd rather avoid hacks/reloading firmware/prying open the case to achieve this.

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12-31-2012, 12:05 PM	#2
ixtab (offline) Posts: 2,907 Karma: 6736094 Join Date: Dec 2011 Device: K3, K4, K5, KPW, KPW2	Charge the Paperwhite using a wall charger (not a USB cable connected to a computer!) for at least 24 hours. Then try a hard reset and see if you can perform a factory reset of the device to remove your personal documents. HTH

12-31-2012, 12:23 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	If that does not work, swap batteries with the replacement to get access to delete your stuff. Then swap back the original battery before returning it. If the battery really is the problem...

12-31-2012, 12:49 PM	#4
sirmaru Wizard Posts: 2,426 Karma: 6561538 Join Date: Nov 2007 Device: Kindle PW 2013, HDX 2013, Galaxy S5 2014	Use the Fast Charger (required for the Kindle HD) on the Paperhwhite overnight. Then go to Main \ Menu \ Settings \ Menu \ Reset Device. That will do it even if your start button is having a problem.

01-02-2013, 02:38 AM	#5
gosmo Member Posts: 15 Karma: 468444 Join Date: Oct 2012 Device: Kindle Paperwhite	It's been charging on my tablets usb wall adapter for the past 40 hours, no change. Light remained amber entire time.

01-02-2013, 10:15 AM	#7
gosmo Member Posts: 15 Karma: 468444 Join Date: Oct 2012 Device: Kindle Paperwhite	I really don't think any charger will fix it. Probably some burnt out cheaply made capacitor inside the Kindle that's to blame. Plus please read the description "Optimized for Kindle tablets: PowerFast is a 9W charger and will charge your Kindle tablets faster than the white 5W Kindle charger will. (Note Kindle e-readers will charge at the same rate regardless of if you use a 5W or 9W charger)".

01-03-2013, 09:16 AM	#10
gosmo Member Posts: 15 Karma: 468444 Join Date: Oct 2012 Device: Kindle Paperwhite	I'm just leaving this here for future people who may experience this problem, I was able to get my Kindle to boot. Call Amazon for a replacement, especially if your in your 1 year warranty. If your past the one year, try anyway maybe they will be nice. Email customer service and say nicely that you will buy a Nook if they don't You have 30 days to get it booted up to delete your docs before the old Kindle needs to be returned. Leave it on charger for 24-48+ hours then unplug, hold power down for around 30 seconds, release. Screen will flash, probably return to low battery screen. Plug in and wait around 30-60 minutes or until it hopefully boots into the OS. If not, try repeating every day. You will need to act quickly. First turn down brightness, DELETE your books/docs/etc quickly. Then Reset (Menu, Settings, Menu, Reset). Reset requires another reboot and that may never happen again, depending how drained the battery is. This method may not even work for you but it's worth a shot, you got 30 days to try. Good luck...