Tools Software Jailbreak for PW2, PW3, PW3W, KT2, KV, KOA and KT3

[rnb86]

Hi, I have JB Kindle PW3 (2016). I did JB long time ago, and everything was working great. I am not sure what was my daily driver FW version. May be 5.8.4 or so. Few months ago, I accidentally updated my PW3 to 5.9.7. Since then Kindle launcher does not starts: "Application Error". Although KUAL (I think it is a booklet) runs, and I can start and use KOReader and apps, that I had before. I just would like to see Kindle launcher running again.

Is there any way to roll back to previous FW version? What If I reset a reader, then flash factory_initial_5.7.4.bin (the one that I used to JB my Kindle), then JB once more, install fix and apps, and then update to latest version in which Kindle launcher would work?
Is is a good idea or I will end up with a brick?

[rnb86]

Found a manual will it work?

https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sh...d.php?t=288836

[NiLuJe]

@rnb86: Err, what exactly are you calling "Kindle launcher"?

But to answer your question: I'm going with no. When anything mentions a specific version or version range as far as FW 5.x is concerned, assume it's for a very good reason, and honor it.

[hius07]

Originally Posted by rnb86

Found a manual will it work?

https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sh...d.php?t=288836

It does work for firmwares less than 5.8.10.
Noone has reported for firmwares 5.9.*. You can be the first one.

[rnb86]

My Kindles SN starts: G090 G105 ........
Currently FW: 5.9.7
"Kindle launcher" is a book with an egg on it, and a label "Kindle luancher". But also I had a vlasovsoft installed (CoolReader, chess, file manager etc)
Now I have to start a book KUAL to start my apps. KUAL has a button to start vlasovsoft too.

May be try to flash it with a COM cable?

[rnb86]

Originally Posted by hius07

It does work for firmwares less than 5.8.10.
Noone has reported for firmwares 5.9.*. You can be the first one.

I will probably try to follow that instructions, but in a month, so I would have a PC with COM, and a soldering iron and stuff for any case.

[hius07]

Originally Posted by rnb86

Now I have to start a book KUAL to start my apps. KUAL has a button to start vlasovsoft too.

It is the only way to start CoolReader and other apps since 5.9.2. It is by design and cannot be fixed.
You can try to downgrade though.

[knc1]

Originally Posted by rnb86

- - - -

May be try to flash it with a COM cable?

NO.
Kindles have 1.8 volt serial ports, not 12 volt serial like a COM port.

[Antinoos]

Originally Posted by rnb86

Now I have to start a book KUAL to start my apps. KUAL has a button to start vlasovsoft too.

May be try to flash it with a COM cable?

Your Kindle is still jailbroken correctly. You're simply run into the nasty 5.9.x problem with now missing support for kindlets (aka "active documents": these AZW2 files that could be started directly under 5.8.x firmwares via their own icon).

You now MUST make the detour via Kual as you already did describe. You can delete the now useless azw2 files for KUAL and Vlasovsoft Launcher. Their icon will remain in your library anyway - IMHO no solution known. You should never-ever have updated to a fw 5.9.x ... by staying with 5.8.11 you'd not have these problems...

[rnb86]

Thank you everyone for response. I have to think before taking risk of downgrading. Also it is different theme, I'd better move to related theme instead of posting here about a downgrading jailbroken PW3. Thanks.

PS: moving here https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sh...d.php?t=288836
and to 4pda.ru

[ilovejedd]

Big to coplate, knc1, NiLuJe, Branch Delay, et. al. without whom this wouldn't be possible.

I'm copying most of knc1's instructions from the PW3-4, PW3-32, fw-5.8.9.0.1 software jailbreak as the steps are more or less the same.

Note, for extracting the packages on Windows, I recommend 7-Zip.

This method has only been tested on a single device (PW3 US Wi-Fi without Special Offers). It was installed on a fresh out-of-the-box PW3 with initial firmware of 5.9.6.1 (bought on Cyber Monday deal). It has never been connected to wifi and has never been registered with Amazon (I used the "gift" option).

The factory firmware is signed so I believe it may be possible to use this on PW3s that have been OTA upgraded to firmware <= 5.9.6.1. When I copied it to my older PW3 (5.8.11 jailbroken), "Update your Kindle" became accessible instead of automatically deleting the update.bin which is what happens with 5.7.4 and 5.8.9.0.1. I have no intention of upgrading past 5.8.11 on my older PW3s though so I didn't go through with the process and just deleted the renamed update-3314460001-*.bin.

This has not been extensively tested and can brick your device. This is only for people willing to use their PW3 as guinea pig.


Instructions

Spoiler:

You should block any OTA updates before allowing the device to connect to the Internet.

To prevent OTA updates, add the OTA blocker directory (folder) name to the top level of visible USB storage.
The blocker directory is named: update.bin.tmp.partial
Use that exact name, no additional extension, no contents.

Instructions are the same as on wiki unless specified:
https://wiki.mobileread.com/wiki/5_x_Jailbreak
Note: On fresh, out of the box Kindles, don't factory reset.

Read the above cautions.
Read the current jailbreak, with the exceptions you decide to make based on the above cautions, skip to step #4.


Step #3-4:
Download and use this file:
update_pw3_5.9.6.1_factory.bin (PM me for link. Again, this can brick your device.)
md5: a5460e698a531c7770ba2b1ac31667b0
This will "update" ("update" is the label on the button, not the action) your firmware from "customer" to "factory" 5.9.6.1


Step #5:
Same as wiki.
To be safe, use the latest version of main-htmlviewer.tar.gz from NiLuJe's Snapshots thread.
As of writing, that's:

• K5 Factory JailBreak (Factory FW) | kindle-jb-factory-1.2-r15011.tar.xz | 2018-Nov-22 06:51:38 | 2.9K | 41e14a4ab88a6e7e0babb88701ee3c04 | Factory JB

On Windows, you'll probably first need to extract kindle-jb-factory-1.2-r15011.tar.xz to get the tar file and then extract the resulting kindle-jb-factory-1.2-r15011.tar to get the main-htmlviewer.tar.gz file. Then just follow instructions on the wiki.
Note: You'll probably need to do this double extraction for all packages from NiLuJe's Snapshots referenced later in this post.


Step #6:
Use this file:
https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sh...postcount=1597


Step #7:
Install "customer" firmware build. You probably can't downgrade below 5.9.6.1. If you want to play it safe, I believe sticking to 5.9.6.1 will keep this jb method open:
update_kindle_all_new_paperwhite_5.9.6.1.bin
update_kindle_all_new_paperwhite_5.9.7.bin


Step #8:
Install MRPI and KUAL. This is pretty much the same method as PW4. A bit trickier compared to 5.8.x since Amazon dropped Kindlet support (azw2 document).

1. Download the latest MRPI package from NiLuJe's thread and (double) extract.
   As of writing:
   • MR Package Installer | kual-mrinstaller-1.7.N-r15562.tar.xz | 2018-Nov-22 06:52:58 | 828.5K | b79f8146eb04b740eaeb361af8ae4610 | MRPI
2. Copy the extensions and mrpackages folders to the Kindle root (alongside the documents folder).
3. Download coplate's KUALBooklet build (KUALBooklet-coplate-d20a095-20181108.zip) and extract.
4. Copy Update_KUALBooklet_d20a095_install.bin to the mrpackages folder on the Kindle.
5. (Optional) You can also copy the various update*.bin KUAL Add-On packages to the mrpackages folder for installation at this point (e.g. python, linkss/screensaver, etc).
6. Eject and unplug the Kindle.
7. Enter ;log mrpi in the Homescreen's searchbar (in a similar fashion as what you had to do during the Jailbreak), and wait for MRPI to do its thing.

[hius07]

Originally Posted by ilovejedd

The factory firmware is signed so I believe it may be possible to use this on PW3s that have been OTA upgraded to firmware <= 5.9.6.1.

Tried on 5.10.1.1: failed, after disconnecting from the computer the bin file was deleted, "Wrong update file" message displayed.

[ilovejedd]

Originally Posted by hius07

Tried on 5.10.1.1: failed, after disconnecting from the computer the bin file was deleted, "Wrong update file" message displayed.

I believe newer PW3 firmware have a version check similar to PW4 so I actually expect anything above 5.9.6.1 to fail (so far, that's 5.9.7 and 5.10.1.1).
Note: the comment specifically mentioned OTA updates less than or equal to 5.9.6.1.

On my Kindle, I went:
initial/consumer 5.9.6.1 -> factory 5.9.6.1 -> (manual update) consumer 5.9.6.1

Copying factory 5.9.6.1 back after the manual update, UYK is available and factory firmware got renamed to update-3314460001-*.bin. Didn't try installing it again. I didn't want to tempt fate and I'm too lazy to open up the Kindle for serial jailbreak/firmware flashing should something go wrong.

[hius07]

One more try on 5.9.7 failed. That's for sure that downgrading is impossible even by a signed factory firmware.

[ilovejedd]

Originally Posted by hius07

One more try on 5.9.7 failed. That's for sure that downgrading is impossible even by a signed factory firmware.

Thanks for the confirmation. I expected that was the case given recent precedents: can't downgrade signed OTA firmware and can't downgrade PW4 5.10.0.2/5.10.1.2 to factory 5.10.0.1.