Preventing Wi-Fi firmware updating

[Ken Maltby]

Originally Posted by Nick_1964

In https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...&postcount=700 you can see what happened to my device and computer, maybe it was an onetime event, but the computer doesn't recognized the whole reader anymore.
I solved it, but want to warn that the default option of the patch can do things that even the computer doesn't recognise the device anymore,and when you can't get onto it,you can't replace the patch by another one.
For sure it can all be a combination of windows version,virus check or other programs on my computer why this happened, or already patched things on the device that could trigger it with me,and not with you.
And every patch offcourse,is at own risk.
A factory reset could solve it,but that also can trigger a new firmware, and I am afraid that Kobo will build something in a new release that checks firmware and prevent you to go back to an older version and then you are in a whole new situation and have to wait until someone will find a patch for the new one... it all would be more easy when Kobo let the user deside to do,or do not perform a update, just display a warning that there is a new firmware and what it does,and let the user choose because now,when they choose to make something in the device I don't want, they can alter on distance the options on my device that I have now and change the behave I like,left me with only the hope I can reverse it by putting back the old firmware.
Someday I am afraid that going back to old firmware says something like "the firmware you try to install is older then the one currently on your device, operation aborted."

If you are beyond the warranty period, you should consider opening the case and creating an image file of the entire internal uSD card. It might be worth it to have a way to recover to a fully working system with all your mods and alternative programs installed and working.

Luck;
Ken

A How To.
With pictures.

[Nick_1964]

Originally Posted by Ken Maltby

If you are beyond the warranty period, you should consider opening the case and creating an image file of the entire internal uSD card. It might be worth it to have a way to recover to a fully working system with all your mods and alternative programs installed and working.

Luck;
Ken

A How To.
With pictures.

Hmm I am beyond the period but it is hard to try to get a new Aura HD in black,beside that,cheapest one is about 160 euro's.
Ok, option 1 of the patch, try a non existing firmware number,almost broke my device.
I tried option 2 of the patch ( no strange things on the computer and calibre was just working fine) so it was time for trial and error and I did a sync... halfway it says, updating software, at that point I used a needle to reset the device ( had to stop the upgrade somehow), but after rebooting and inspecting it was still running on 3.1.1 but there was a not completed upgrade file of firmware 3.2.0 in the .kobo directory ( Which I deleted manually ) so in my case option 2 doesn't stop the device from retrieving a new firmware.
Maybe option 3 would work but I don't like this panic things with half downloaded firmware files.
Later I realised that I could have taken the 230 volt plug out of the outlet from my router so that the wifi will be disconnected and the device could not go further download the firmware update, but if the device at reboot try's to flash an incomplete firmware file,can I then trust that there is a safety that says, it is not complete,don't flash,because then it is bricked.
So for now, i count my blessings

[tshering]

Originally Posted by Nick_1964

I tried option 2 of the patch [...] and I did a sync... halfway it says, updating software, at that point I used a needle to reset the device ( had to stop the upgrade somehow), but after rebooting and inspecting it was still running on 3.1.1 but there was a not completed upgrade file of firmware 3.2.0 in the .kobo directory ( Which I deleted manually ) so in my case option 2 doesn't stop the device from retrieving a new firmware.

Nick, this is interesting. I am wondering how the device was able to determine the download link of the FW. Are you definitely sure that you copied the patched version of KoboRoot.tgz to the device, rather than the original? Would be interesting to read how it worked for PeterT.

Originally Posted by Nick_1964

Maybe option 3 would work

There would'nt be a difference.

Originally Posted by Nick_1964

but if the device at reboot try's to flash an incomplete firmware file,can I then trust that there is a safety that says, it is not complete,don't flash,because then it is bricked.

There is a safety check. Before applying KoboRoot.tgz, there is a check whether it can be decompressed without error.

[PeterT]

Sigh... OK... I will try... Time to do a factory reset then on my Touch and experiment

[tshering]

Originally Posted by PeterT

Sigh... OK... I will try... Time to do a factory reset then on my Touch and experiment

I didn't intent to press you. I thought you already did the experiment.

[Ken Maltby]

You might find a way to use tshering's great "Kobo Start Menu" as it will detect if the update file is there and offer you several options to deal with it.

My suggestion was a way to return to the firmware and software functioning as it was when you made the image file. Nothing that a future Kobo update could do would be able to prevent returning to things as they were when you made the image. Opening up the device violates the warranty, but if that is not a concern, being able to remove the internal uSD card allows for a number of options, including the ability to restore a truly "bricked" device.

Luck;
Ken

[tshering]

Originally Posted by Ken Maltby

You might find a way to use tshering's great "Kobo Start Menu" as it will detect if the update file is there and offer you several options to deal with it.

Ken, thank you for your nice words about the Kobo Start Menu, and also for your continued support.

Having the patch preventing the device from updating would have the advantage that one could still use the Kobo server for updating the database (as long as there are no significant changes to its functions), or the dictionaries, and so on.

[Nick_1964]

Originally Posted by tshering

Nick, this is interesting. I am wondering how the device was able to determine the download link of the FW. Are you definitely sure that you copied the patched version of KoboRoot.tgz to the device, rather than the original? Would be interesting to read how it worked for PeterT.
There would'nt be a difference.
There is a safety check. Before applying KoboRoot.tgz, there is a check whether it can be decompressed without error.

Yes, but I am using an Aura HD, however, when still nothing changed, I now have tried to sync for the 10th time ( nothing to sync but just tried and it all works okay ) it doesn't tried to reload or update 3.2.0 so maybe there was some in the memory left from attempt 1 that triggers/remembered and therefore could do the trick to recall the upgrade server... I did checked the .kobo dir for any upgrade but not for another file or changed configuration file.
So maybe:
Option one of the patch was giving me the trouble the device was not recognised by the system anymore and by calibre.
Pushed the original koboroot.tgz with patched options for wifi etc. back.
Rebooted and yes eReader-3.1.1 device is back.
When I change the firmware, the devicename changes into the firmware.
Then I put the # for option one and removed the one by option 2.
There was no .tgz file in the .kobo directory anymore,but there could be something left from option one that the device could use to still try downloading it, I didn't check the other files in the .kobo directory.
Then the download of 3.2.0 started, wich I interupted by resetting the device with a needle while still upgrading.
After reset, I found a part of the 3.2.0 firmware upgrade which I deleted.
After that, I tried 10 times.. and no attempt to load the new firmware.

So to fully try what happened, Peter should first try to install 3.1.1 then use the usual kpg.conf with the light and header and footer patch etc etc with at the end the part of the patch that should prevent wifi firmware updating and enable option one first.. he had to simulate the whole thing,to see of there is anything left that made it possible for the device to find home....
I think now by myself, that if you don't use option 1, but directly use option 2, it works okay, but only if you use option one first and then option two..the device is be able to find the update server only once, maybe because option one has altered something in the files when it all went tru.
Sorry for my dislectic problems,what I want to say is that when you don't do it exactly the same as I did with option 1 first,and all the mess after it, but immediately start with option 2 in the first place, all wents okay proplably.

[tshering]

Nick, thank you for the extensive report. It seems that alternative 2 (and also 3) is working. Why exactly it didn't work the first time (after the whole history of troubles with Calibre and usb), might be to complicated to reconstruct. Nevertheless, your case was very instructive. I think the main lesson we learned is: Don't use alternative one of the patch, if you use Calibre to transfer books to the ereader.

[Nick_1964]

Originally Posted by tshering

Nick, thank you for the extensive report. It seems that alternative 2 (and also 3) is working. Why exactly it didn't work the first time (after the whole history of troubles with Calibre and usb), might be to complicated to reconstruct. Nevertheless, your case was very instructive. I think the main lesson we learned is: Don't use alternative one of the patch, if you use Calibre to transfer books to the ereader.

I am again sorry for the long reply's.. I am dislectic and my brains see txt as pictures.. I read about 4 times faster then a "normal"person.
Only when I have to write, I must translate the pictures in my head back to txt, and in a different language.. when the picture that I read back then,doesn't fit the one in my head, I try to alter my written txt until its the same.. what never works.. but that explains my long txt, can't help it.

[tshering]

Nick, don't worry! Your descriptions were very clear. And to get one possible misunderstanding out of the way: When I said "Why exactly it didn't work the first time (after the whole history of troubles with Calibre and usb), might be too complicated to reconstruct," I meant to say that the chain of events that happened is long and complicated, I didn't talk about your description of it.

[PeterT]

Ok. What I've done so far.... Factory reset on Touch (original model). Did not perform setup, instead attached device to PC, copied over the files from the 3.0.0 upgrade for the original Touch and allowed the upgrade to complete.

Then modified the patch_3.3.0 bat file and config to have the patch I wanted for 3.0.0 (actually 3.0.1)

<Patch>
patch_name = `prevent firmware update`
patch_enable = `yes`
# alternative 1
#change `5.0.0` , `99.10` , `999.9` or similar
#replace_string = 01105C10, `3.1.1`, `99.10`
# alternative 2
replace_string = 010fad78, `https://api.kobobooks.com/1.0/UpgradeCheck/%1/%2/%3/%4/%5`, `https://api.kobobooks.com/1.0/UpgradeCheck/%1/%2/%3/9.9/N`
# alternative 3
#replace_string = 010fad78, `https://api.kobobooks.com/1.0/UpgradeCheck/%1/%2/%3/%4/%5`, `https://api.kobobooks.com/1.0/UpgradeCheck/%1/%2/k/99.9/N`
</Patch>

Copied the resulting KoboRoot.tgz to the device and restarted it.

Then, performed the setup via WiFi on the device.

Message told me that my device was upto date.

Device info now shows me 3.0.1 (644485e229, 11/21/13)

Attaching via USB has no issues at all.

Calibre detects the device correctly.

Repeated WiFi sync's are not updating f/w.

As expected Kobo Desktop initiates an upgrade to 3.3.0.

Reverting the patch, WiFi sync also downloads 3.3.0.

** One weirdness I saw... the Keyboard displayed with my patched file displayed an N where the 5 should be.

[tshering]

@PeterT Thank you for putting time and effort in this experiment, Peter.

Originally Posted by PeterT

** One weirdness I saw... the Keyboard displayed with my patched file displayed an N where the 5 should be.

How can one explain this? May first and only idea was that kpg.exe for some reason erroneously tried to execute the replacement of the last byte of the string ("5" to "N") at another address, and by chance in this case there was actually a "5". A comparison of the original file and the patched file however shows, that this is not the case. (But of course, I cannot say whether my patched file would also produce the 5 to N change of the keyboard.) So how can we explain this?

Not that it would really matter, but I was for a short while confused by your identification of FW 3.0.0 with 3.0.1, and started looking at the 3.0.0 file.

[Nick_1964]

Originally Posted by PeterT

Ok. What I've done so far.... Factory reset on Touch (original model). Did not perform setup, instead attached device to PC, copied over the files from the 3.0.0 upgrade for the original Touch and allowed the upgrade to complete.

Then modified the patch_3.3.0 bat file and config to have the patch I wanted for 3.0.0 (actually 3.0.1)

<Patch>
patch_name = `prevent firmware update`
patch_enable = `yes`
# alternative 1
#change `5.0.0` , `99.10` , `999.9` or similar
#replace_string = 01105C10, `3.1.1`, `99.10`
# alternative 2
replace_string = 010fad78, `https://api.kobobooks.com/1.0/UpgradeCheck/%1/%2/%3/%4/%5`, `https://api.kobobooks.com/1.0/UpgradeCheck/%1/%2/%3/9.9/N`
# alternative 3
#replace_string = 010fad78, `https://api.kobobooks.com/1.0/UpgradeCheck/%1/%2/%3/%4/%5`, `https://api.kobobooks.com/1.0/UpgradeCheck/%1/%2/k/99.9/N`
</Patch>

Copied the resulting KoboRoot.tgz to the device and restarted it.

Then, performed the setup via WiFi on the device.

Message told me that my device was upto date.

Device info now shows me 3.0.1 (644485e229, 11/21/13)

Attaching via USB has no issues at all.

Calibre detects the device correctly.

Repeated WiFi sync's are not updating f/w.

As expected Kobo Desktop initiates an upgrade to 3.3.0.

Reverting the patch, WiFi sync also downloads 3.3.0.

** One weirdness I saw... the Keyboard displayed with my patched file displayed an N where the 5 should be.

Then my strange behaviour was due to patch one ( which you didn't do ) and I had the windows problems with recognising the device ONLY with patch one.
Maybe it is better to completely remove ( edit the message) patch one.
I didn't use,even installed,the Kobo Desktop software, partially update and all syncs where done with wifi only.
But I do have found the solution why patch one let my computer crasches.

The ebook device ( mine does ) identify itself to the USB port with his firmware name.
When I right click on the safe disconnect usb device on my computer tray it says :
eReader-3.1.1 device.
With patch one it gived something as eReader-99.10 (out of my head.. I don't patch it again) and windows start trying to find a driver for it, which doesn't work, so it just disabled the total device.
So basically I was locked out, I could not come on the kobodrive anymore.
Flashed back "original 3.1.1" koboroot.tgz file with android device.
Then reconnected the reader again to the computer, and it recognized it correct as eReader-3.1.1 device, then I tried option 2 of the patch, after that, it was still detected as eReader-3.1.1 device.
Then did all the sync options by wifi (have to as I don't use the software on pc) and then, only the first time there was on the status messages of the device (upmost line,in the middle) upgrading software (or something like that) and then I did the reset with the needle.
Computer still recognised the reader, I deleted the part update file.done.
Only on option one both pc and calibre had issues.
Option two ( the one you did) doesn't give problems on pc or calibre.

So the verdict, option 2 of the patch works.
Option 1 can mess up your pc,can cause calibre no longer access the database,and in my case can left something why option 2 doesn't seem to work and try to update,but tried that just one time.

[tshering]

Originally Posted by Nick_1964

The ebook device ( mine does ) identify itself to the USB port with his firmware name.
When I right click on the safe disconnect usb device on my computer tray it says :
eReader-3.1.1 device.
With patch one it gived something as eReader-99.10 (out of my head.. I don't patch it again) and windows start trying to find a driver for it, which doesn't work, so it just disabled the total device.

There must have happened something more than that. According to your earlier description, calibre refused to interact with the device on account of the firmware version. This shows that at that point, calibre had access to the database, and that therefore we can know that windows was able to find a driver (the generic mass storage driver). The usb problem appeared only later.
I did a short test. I modified the data on the device in a way that it identifies itself as eReader-99.10. As expected, windows does connect to the ereader.