Rolling back from 4.30.18838 - BEWARE

tschucha · 11-18-2021, 11:33 AM

I have a new Sage. It was running firmware version 4.30.18838. I did not like the fact that when you plugged in the charging cable that the light went off after a few seconds. I also thought that the reader orientation menu seemed to pop up every so often while I was reading and had turned the eReader orientation.

I decided to roll back the firmware and did so by connecting the USB cable and dropping the old firmware (4.29.18730) into the .kobo directory. I ejected the device and it "updated" the firmware. Everything appeared to work well and the device said it was running the 4.29.18730 firmware. The power light stayed on when it was connected to the USB charger and when I read for about an hour last night I never had the orientation menu pop up. Everything looked great. I pressed the power button on the back of the eReader and put it into Sleep mode and went to bed.

This morning when I got up the eReader said LOW BATTERY 1%. I've never seen this before. Either I have a flaky new Kobo Sage or downgrading the eReader this way caused some battery drain problems.

Beware if downgrading the firmware in this manner.

Once I get the eReader charged I'll do a true factory reset and see how that works.

TL;DR - Downgraded Sage firmware - battery went to near zero overnight.

Skydog · 11-18-2021, 12:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tschucha

I have a new Sage. It was running firmware version 4.30.18838. I did not like the fact that when you plugged in the charging cable that the light went off after a few seconds. I also thought that the reader orientation menu seemed to pop up every so often while I was reading and had turned the eReader orientation.

I decided to roll back the firmware and did so by connecting the USB cable and dropping the old firmware (4.29.18730) into the .kobo directory. I ejected the device and it "updated" the firmware. Everything appeared to work well and the device said it was running the 4.29.18730 firmware. The power light stayed on when it was connected to the USB charger and when I read for about an hour last night I never had the orientation menu pop up. Everything looked great. I pressed the power button on the back of the eReader and put it into Sleep mode and went to bed.

This morning when I got up the eReader said LOW BATTERY 1%. I've never seen this before. Either I have a flaky new Kobo Sage or downgrading the eReader this way caused some battery drain problems.

Beware if downgrading the firmware in this manner.

Once I get the eReader charged I'll do a true factory reset and see how that works.

TL;DR - Downgraded Sage firmware - battery went to near zero overnight.

I've downgraded various versions of firmware (including 4.30.18838) on various models of Kobos and have never experienced any battery drain whatsoever.

Something else must be going on.

gtriever · 11-18-2021, 12:30 PM

I wouldn't reset the device until I had confirmed the problem, by recharging it and doing another "sleep overnight" test. It may just be a one-time error. That happened to me once with my Forma (with sleep cover installed), and has never happened again.

tschucha · 11-18-2021, 07:23 PM

I hope that this is a one and done. I'll do another "sleep overnight" test tonight.

davidfor · 11-18-2021, 08:27 PM

Installing older firmware over newer firmware, is not supported by Kobo and nothing about it is guaranteed. You can't be sure that everything was removed and replaced correctly. Usually, it is fine to go back a few versions, but, if there are any issues, then you need to consider the full factory reset. And there are some firmware versions that are basically cut-off points that restoring earlier firmware won't work.

You can try it, but, if there are any problems, you need to do a factory reset.

stiivo · 11-19-2021, 01:36 PM

do you have a sleep cover by any chance?

tschucha · 11-19-2021, 02:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stiivo

do you have a sleep cover by any chance?

no - just the Sage

tschucha · 11-20-2021, 10:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gtriever

I wouldn't reset the device until I had confirmed the problem, by recharging it and doing another "sleep overnight" test. It may just be a one-time error. That happened to me once with my Forma (with sleep cover installed), and has never happened again.

Did the overnight "sleep test" two nights in a row - no further battery issues. I'm running the original (4.29.18730) firmware that I got to by doing a hard reset. Everything seems to be running normally. Maybe the LOW BATTERY issue was just one of those things. Regardless the device is working fine again with the old firmware.

the.Mtn.Man · 11-23-2021, 09:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by davidfor

Installing older firmware over newer firmware, is not supported by Kobo and nothing about it is guaranteed.

"Not supported" just means "We won't help you if you have problems" and not "it won't work". I've upgraded and downgraded the firmware numerous times on Kobo devices without any issue.

davidfor · 11-24-2021, 02:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by the.Mtn.Man

"Not supported" just means "We won't help you if you have problems" and not "it won't work". I've upgraded and downgraded the firmware numerous times on Kobo devices without any issue.

What part of my post didn't say that? I mean, I did write, "Usually, it is fine to go back a few versions". And yes, I have done it plenty of times without problems. But, I know there are firmware versions were it won't work.

My post was a warning. Which I made because the OP was reporting a problem after downgrading the firmware and was blaming the downgrade. If they think that, then they probably should do a factory reset.

Barruel · 11-24-2021, 07:47 AM

For the record, I rolled back to 4.26.16704 from 4.30.18838 (on a Clara) because I didn't like the new "Custom font sizes" patch.

I have had zero issues. I use a sleep cover, BTW.

11-18-2021, 11:33 AM	#1
tschucha Zealot Posts: 147 Karma: 52546 Join Date: Oct 2010 Device: Kobo Sage	Rolling back from 4.30.18838 - BEWARE I have a new Sage. It was running firmware version 4.30.18838. I did not like the fact that when you plugged in the charging cable that the light went off after a few seconds. I also thought that the reader orientation menu seemed to pop up every so often while I was reading and had turned the eReader orientation. I decided to roll back the firmware and did so by connecting the USB cable and dropping the old firmware (4.29.18730) into the .kobo directory. I ejected the device and it "updated" the firmware. Everything appeared to work well and the device said it was running the 4.29.18730 firmware. The power light stayed on when it was connected to the USB charger and when I read for about an hour last night I never had the orientation menu pop up. Everything looked great. I pressed the power button on the back of the eReader and put it into Sleep mode and went to bed. This morning when I got up the eReader said LOW BATTERY 1%. I've never seen this before. Either I have a flaky new Kobo Sage or downgrading the eReader this way caused some battery drain problems. Beware if downgrading the firmware in this manner. Once I get the eReader charged I'll do a true factory reset and see how that works. TL;DR - Downgraded Sage firmware - battery went to near zero overnight.

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Firmware 4.30.18838	geek1011	Kobo Reader	108	12-17-2021 10:07 AM
Aura ONE Version 4.30.18838?	petercreasey	Kobo Reader	1	11-10-2021 09:12 AM
Version 4.23 Install Rolling back.	PhDPhotoPro	Calibre	2	08-29-2020 01:18 PM
Calibre on Ubuntu Linux: BEWARE and DOUBLE BEWARE	watchpocket	Calibre	26	04-15-2017 02:45 AM

11-18-2021, 12:30 PM	#3
gtriever Addict Posts: 286 Karma: 2125576 Join Date: Sep 2010 Device: Kobo Forma	I wouldn't reset the device until I had confirmed the problem, by recharging it and doing another "sleep overnight" test. It may just be a one-time error. That happened to me once with my Forma (with sleep cover installed), and has never happened again.

11-18-2021, 07:23 PM	#4
tschucha Zealot Posts: 147 Karma: 52546 Join Date: Oct 2010 Device: Kobo Sage	I hope that this is a one and done. I'll do another "sleep overnight" test tonight.

11-18-2021, 08:27 PM	#5
davidfor Grand Sorcerer Posts: 24,905 Karma: 47303824 Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Sydney, Australia Device: Kobo:Touch,Glo, AuraH2O, GloHD,AuraONE, ClaraHD, Libra H2O; tolinoepos	Installing older firmware over newer firmware, is not supported by Kobo and nothing about it is guaranteed. You can't be sure that everything was removed and replaced correctly. Usually, it is fine to go back a few versions, but, if there are any issues, then you need to consider the full factory reset. And there are some firmware versions that are basically cut-off points that restoring earlier firmware won't work. You can try it, but, if there are any problems, you need to do a factory reset.

11-19-2021, 01:36 PM	#6
stiivo Enthusiast Posts: 44 Karma: 19020 Join Date: Sep 2018 Device: Kobo Clara HD	do you have a sleep cover by any chance?

11-24-2021, 07:47 AM	#11
Barruel Enthusiast Posts: 47 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jan 2020 Device: 3 x Kobo Clara HD, Kindle Paperwhite 3 Manga Edition	For the record, I rolled back to 4.26.16704 from 4.30.18838 (on a Clara) because I didn't like the new "Custom font sizes" patch. I have had zero issues. I use a sleep cover, BTW.