5.6.5 Jailbreak (closed-kindle) -- released!

[knc1]

Use what is known to work for 5.6.5 update blocking rather than getting carried away screwing with the system files.

https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...&postcount=268

[NiLuJe]

@tabcin: Not unless you feel like building a custom kernel AND properly binary patching lab126's recovery shell.

(The non-OTA updater lives in the kernel's initrd).

TL;DR: As @knc1 said, terrible idea.

[greywizardfrog]

Redacted

[tabcin]

@knc1
I had seen this post, but I'm afraid of some hidden backdoor. I'm planning to install custom language (replace EN-GB), that's why I want 100% sure method to stop updates.

Originally Posted by NiLuJe

@tabcin: Not unless you feel like building a custom kernel AND properly binary patching lab126's recovery shell.

(The non-OTA updater lives in the kernel's initrd).

TL;DR: As @knc1 said, terrible idea.

If they hardcoded it, it's really out of my league. I was seriously hoping for something like:

# mv /some_magic_directory/AMAZON.KEY /some_magic_directory/BYE_BYE_AMAZON.TRASH

For now I'm gonna stick to "update.bin.tmp.partial".

Thank you knc1 and NiLuJe for your advices. Also Thank you Branch Delay and everyone involved with this awesome JB.

[knc1]

Originally Posted by mobpsychedelic

Hey guys, new around here.

I got the Kindle PW3 and as far as I understand I can follow this guide to jailbreak, however should I just follow this:



Problem is I don't understand this:

1.a First post is not easy to read. "all contents of a folder "jb" from archive "jb.zip" copy in Kindle-root, and then to enter in an address line of browser this local address - jailbreak worked without problems:
file:///mnt/us/index.html" What????????

1.b Do I have to follow the original "hardcore" post where I have to serve some files through a local Apache server nameserved as "a" and so on and somehow tie that information to the linked post by kaznelson, or...?

2.a After the jailbreak should I update to the latest firmware or will I be stuck with the firmware I jailbroke on or...? What's the recommended step.

2.b I followed a link somewhere where a guy stated simply creating a dummy "something.part" file to trick the OS into not pushing any OTA updates, but then do I really need that or...?

3.a Basically I just want to remove ads,

3.b have the ability for custom wallpapers

and maybe a couple extra things but not interested in games or anything.

I know that I can use Callibre and some QualityPlugin to push the ASIN field into eBooks so that I can have Goodreads integration which is a must for me. I won't be using the Amazon store for eBooks at all.

Completely new to this scene, just got the Kindle yesterday but haven't even configured it (WiFi) not to update in case I'm SoL on the jailbreak.
First Kindle ever so I don't even know what to expect in terms of the OS so I'm sorry for the newbiness of the post.

Sorry in advance if I mention things that are obvious but this question requires some of the most basic of basics.

0.a You must be a Windows user since you did not mention what OS your PC runs.
Only Windows users think that the only Operating System in the world is Windows, users of other OS know better.
Not a 'Knock' just an observation and required background for the next, for other readers.

0.b Types of OS file systems
Windows and DOS (since 2.0) present file storage as a tree structure of folders and the files in each folder per storage device.
Each device is assigned a letter, and each device is the 'top' of such a tree structure.
By historic convention, 'C:' is the first (PC internal) non-floppy drive, 'D:' the second (PC internal) non-floppy drive, 'E:' is the next file system device name.
By historic convention, Windows installs (only) to drive 'C:'
Many, if not most, Windows installs only have a single drive ('C:').

When you connect your Kindle to your PC by USB cable, it will appear as the 'next' non-floppy drive.
Because of all of the above, 'E:' in the majority of the cases.

Operating systems based on Unix (Linux, MacOSx, many others) use a different scheme for their tree structure layout.
They all use a 'single tree' file system layout, regardless of the type or number of devices behind the file system view.
I.E: in *nix systems, you can't "see" the individual devices and the top of the single tree is the first pathname separator '/'.

Note: Path separators in DOS & Windows: '\', in *nix: '/'
And just to confuse matters, Windows sometimes allows either '\' or '/'.

Big breath - connect your Kindle to your PC - what will you see?

Windows: The Kindle will present its user storage area root as 'E:\'
*nix: You can't see devices, so the automation will (usually) present its user storage area root by its disk label name 'Kindle:/'

Note, sub-sections of the file system tree naming:
Windows: 'folder'
*nix: 'directory'

I do not intend to be insulting by posting all of the above background, but it is important background to the answer of the first part of your question.
Your PC (probably) is running Windows and your Kindle is running Linux (a *nix).
Your first question would not even be mentioned if the situation was otherwise.

- - - - -

1.a Highlighted portions: Same-Same, equivalent, only the naming conventions are different between the systems depending on your current viewpoint.
Kindle (as seen from the 'inside', in its own file tree) user storage area: '/mnt/us/'
Kindle (as seen from Windows 'outside') user storage area: 'E:\'
Kindle (as seen from a *nix OS 'outside') user storage area: 'Kindle:/'

Only now can I translate that: "Kindle-root" for you.
In fact, you can probably translate it now yourself.

Connect your Kindle to your PC with its USB cable and in your PC's file manager, expect (most likely):
Windows: "Kindle-root" == 'E:\'
*nix: "Kindle-root" == 'Kindle:/'

Note: "address line of the browser"
That refers to the Kindle's "Experimental Browser" not the browser on your PC.
The Kindle's "Experimental Browser" can be found in its menu system.

Note: "enter an address" - that is, a 'browser address'
In the plan of browser address bar notations, the transfer schema is separated from the authority field by: '//'
I.E: http://, https://, ftp:// <-- all network schemas
With local file storage being: file:// and the file storage path being the authority field.

Just to keep things confusing, many web browsers (including Windows) suppress the schema field from view in their address bar.

Now for the real question (the hidden 1.a):
What is the address (URL or URI) in the browser address bar of a file named: 'index.html' stored at the top of USB storage, as seen from inside of the Kindle?
file:// /mnt/us/ index.html without the spaces of course:
file:///mnt/us/index.html
(That is: schema // authority / filename)

1.b (at least this answer takes less than an hour to write):
The kaznelson post is all there is, it is a complete substitute for the first part of the 'hardcore' directions.

2.a User's choice
Be certain to follow the second half of the instructions before doing anything else!
The 'second half' means following the second link to NiLuJe's "hotfix" package and install it.

AFTER this second part is completed, then (and only then) the jailbreak will survive an Amazon update to another firmware version.

2.b Correct for 5.6.5
Still under test to see if it can block updates when running some other firmware version.

3.a The only supported way to remove ads is to goto your Amazon account and disable "Special Offers".

(Unless by "ads" you mean the 'reading suggestions' shown on the home page. Those you can turn off in the Kindles, user customization, settings).

3.b Our custom wallpapers (screensavers in en_*nix) will not work until you disable the "Special Offers" advertisements.

[greywizardfrog]

Redacted

[knc1]

Not a problem.
Your translation will work just as well.
Just don't forget that second part in the second link (some people have).

The confusion happens often here and it needs to be mentioned at least once, every year or two.

No offense intended, its written for the many readers who are not members here.
And the 'basic of basics' is often hard to find.

[greywizardfrog]

Redacted

[knc1]

Originally Posted by mobpsychedelic

Alright so I managed to get it jailbroken and installed the hotfix.

Where to go now? Should I create the ghost folder mentioned here so I can finally enter my WiFi credentials and register the device with amazon?

Also are we all "stuck" on 5.6.5 or can we update it a bit further?

I hope it was painless.

Yup - that would be a good 'next thing'.
Note: That ghost folder is known to work **only** on 5.6.5, it may not protect you when running other firmware versions.

(Which of course doesn't count, if your going to update anyway.)

Do the contact with Amazon **before** doing any update to the firmware.

Get your registration set the way you want it, because changing it wipes out the keys in the MKK package.

(Not a concern if your going to update the firmware - the 'bridge' code will 'bridge' (re-install) both the device jailbreak and the MKK keys.)

At which point it is user's choice if you want to update to new firmware.

Once you are past that decision point -

If you chose to stay on 5.6.5 (which means the 'bridge' hasn't run to fix the MKK keys) -
then just run the 'hotfix' thing again, it will fix them.

Then install KUAL and the MrPI, KUAL extension.
The 5.6.x and 5.7.x firmwares **require** that you use MrPI to install any of our update_*.bin files.

In addition to the screensavers add-in, you may want USBnetworking (based on your background, ssh should not be a mystery and that will give you access to the Kindle's internals).

If not interested in using the "networked to Amazon" features (and would rather not have J.B. reading about your Kindle reading habits) -
There is a BBB (Block Big Brother) KUAL extension -
That lets you set the firewall rules so that your Kindle can't 'call home'.

Note: they are a little bit out of date, but sometime, RSN, I will update them.

[greywizardfrog]

Redacted

[knc1]

Originally Posted by mobpsychedelic

Ok so let me get this straight.

After I set up my Amazon account and possibly get the Special Offers removed, will I have to re-run the hotfix?

Then after that I can stay on 5.6.5 OR go to a higher firmware, in which case (latter) I have no guarantee that say a new FW version on April deletes the jailbreak or bricks the device?

Any change to the device's registration wipes the MKK keys.

IF you update the firmware AFTER a change in registration - the 'bridge' code will run and fix both the jailbreak and the MKK keys.

IF you DO NOT update the firmware AFTER a change in registration - you get to fix the damaged MKK keys yourself.
The easiest way in this case - re-run the 'hotfix'.

Ah, when in doubt, run the 'hotfix' - it will do no harm.

= = = =

Not quite -

Your jailbreak and MKK keys should be safe from any update - as best as we can predict the future.

Series 5 devices don't "brick" (famous last words) -
The updates are complete system images (other than /var/local and /mnt/us).

The only unknown is if Amazon can 'PUSH' an OTA update to your device without your approval when using the 'ghost' file.
The worst that can happen is your Kindle will auto-update without you knowing about it.

[shamanNS]

@mobpsychedelic: device jailbreak should survive future firmware updates as long as you don't do: 1) firmware update followed by factory reset 2) factory reset followed by firmware update. Those are the cases when hotfix can't help you regain all components of device jailbreak and brigde (=reinstall-jailbreak-on-first-reboot-after-firmware-update).

Un-registering device just deletes MKK keys that are used for running kindlets/active content such as KUAL. That problem is easily fixed.

[greywizardfrog]

Redacted

[NiLuJe]

Note that simply restarting the device should *also* safely restore the Kindlet keys after a registration switch.

[greywizardfrog]

Redacted