Troubleshooting Sudden factory reset without any action?

T1t0 · 01-13-2026, 04:21 PM

About a year ago, I jailbroke my PW 11 Gen using Winterbreak. Since then, I've been using Koreader and have been very happy with it. I've disabled updates, and version 5.17.1 is currently installed. That should also be the version that's been on it for a year.

The problem is this: I just wanted to continue reading, but the Kindle wouldn't wake up. The power button didn't work; I only saw the KoReader status page for the book. When I connected the Kindle to the power supply, it said that I had to charge it first. So that's what I did. The Kindle restarted and it seems that everything on it has been deleted. No homebrew, no Kual, no books. No account, no Wi-Fi. It looks like the device has been completely factory reset! How can this happen? Or has something else happened? What do I do now, who can help me?

jackm8 · 01-13-2026, 06:04 PM

Do a hard reset. Hold power, select "restart" in the menu that shows up. After the reset, leave your device alone for a few minutes. It can take a while for all the content to show up. Also, look how much space is on your device, and free it if needed.

Something similar happened to me as I ran out of space. I was filling my Kindle with screenshots and didn't notice that all my space was filled. Koreader softlocked itself, then Kindle OS had some problems booting up. Freeing some space and reset, fixed it for me.

T1t0 · 01-14-2026, 03:41 AM

I don't have access to the device right now, but I know that last night it showed me that over 14 GB were free. The device seemed to be completely in factory condition. Even when I was using it, there were no more than 30 books.

I will try the procedure you suggested this evening. But won't the hard reset remove the jailbreak? And will the protection against automatic updates also be removed? I don't want to end up with a Kindle that I can no longer jailbreak.

T1t0 · 01-14-2026, 03:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jackm8

Do a hard reset. Hold power, select "restart" in the menu that shows up. After the reset, leave your device alone for a few minutes. It can take a while for all the content to show up. Also, look how much space is on your device, and free it if needed.

Unfortunately, the tip didn't work. The Kindle boots up “normally” like an original Kindle. The device doesn't freeze either. There's nothing in the library, my Amazon account isn't there, no Wi-Fi is saved, everything is gone.

When I connect the Kindle to my PC, I can still see various jailbreak folders, but I can't find any of the epubs I used with KoReader.

I have no idea what could have caused this situation. I don't use the Kindle every day, but it was still working fine the day before yesterday. Yesterday, I opened it up, it didn't wake up, and the battery seemed to be empty. Since then, the device has been “empty” and like it was when it left the factory.

Regina · 01-16-2026, 01:22 AM

you have lock code on kindle? one of my friend lost his contents when her teen kid played with the master reset code.

Regina · 01-16-2026, 01:24 AM

is the kindle still on 5.17.1 or it updated to newer software?

Regina · 01-16-2026, 01:29 AM

try this thing maybe.

";dm" gets you the device logs, checked on kindle paperwhite 1, very useful

from https://ebooks.stackexchange.com/que...les-search-box

I do not know what happens on this. maybe the experts can help.

T1t0 · 01-20-2026, 03:48 PM

Can someone please help me? Unfortunately, I have no idea what to do. My Kindle seems to be completely reset to factory settings. The firmware is still 5.17.1. When I look at the file directory, all the jailbreak files seem to still be there, but neither KUAL nor anything else appears in the library.

How can I check whether automatic updates are still disabled?

Edit: Since it looked like all the jailbreak data and folders were still there, I started here:
https://kindlemodding.org/jailbreaki...ing-kual-mrpi/

I copied all the data again and then entered “;log mrpi” in the search. Kual was installed, and I got the message “Success.” Kual was then available in the library.

When I started KUAL, the Kindle ended up in a kind of boot loop. It now always switches from a bright white screen to the screen saver.

Have I bricked the device now?

Regina · 01-21-2026, 02:11 AM

Oh! thats sad.

Can you connect the device to computer and see if the storage shows up? If Yes, you can download kindle software 5.17.1, put it there and boot the device.

jackm8 · 01-23-2026, 02:01 PM

Yeah, best bet would be installing default 5.17.1 update.

T1t0 · 01-30-2026, 03:15 AM

Ok. And after that I install Winterbreak again?

01-13-2026, 04:21 PM	#1
T1t0 Member Posts: 24 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jun 2016 Location: Germany Device: Kindle Touch 7th Generation	Sudden factory reset without any action? About a year ago, I jailbroke my PW 11 Gen using Winterbreak. Since then, I've been using Koreader and have been very happy with it. I've disabled updates, and version 5.17.1 is currently installed. That should also be the version that's been on it for a year. The problem is this: I just wanted to continue reading, but the Kindle wouldn't wake up. The power button didn't work; I only saw the KoReader status page for the book. When I connected the Kindle to the power supply, it said that I had to charge it first. So that's what I did. The Kindle restarted and it seems that everything on it has been deleted. No homebrew, no Kual, no books. No account, no Wi-Fi. It looks like the device has been completely factory reset! How can this happen? Or has something else happened? What do I do now, who can help me?

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01-13-2026, 06:04 PM	#2
jackm8 Evangelist Posts: 406 Karma: 4500000 Join Date: Nov 2015 Device: none	Do a hard reset. Hold power, select "restart" in the menu that shows up. After the reset, leave your device alone for a few minutes. It can take a while for all the content to show up. Also, look how much space is on your device, and free it if needed. Something similar happened to me as I ran out of space. I was filling my Kindle with screenshots and didn't notice that all my space was filled. Koreader softlocked itself, then Kindle OS had some problems booting up. Freeing some space and reset, fixed it for me.

01-14-2026, 03:41 AM	#3
T1t0 Member Posts: 24 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jun 2016 Location: Germany Device: Kindle Touch 7th Generation	I don't have access to the device right now, but I know that last night it showed me that over 14 GB were free. The device seemed to be completely in factory condition. Even when I was using it, there were no more than 30 books. I will try the procedure you suggested this evening. But won't the hard reset remove the jailbreak? And will the protection against automatic updates also be removed? I don't want to end up with a Kindle that I can no longer jailbreak.

01-16-2026, 01:22 AM	#5
Regina Member Posts: 22 Karma: 10 Join Date: Oct 2025 Device: none	you have lock code on kindle? one of my friend lost his contents when her teen kid played with the master reset code.

01-16-2026, 01:24 AM	#6
Regina Member Posts: 22 Karma: 10 Join Date: Oct 2025 Device: none	is the kindle still on 5.17.1 or it updated to newer software?

01-16-2026, 01:29 AM	#7
Regina Member Posts: 22 Karma: 10 Join Date: Oct 2025 Device: none	try this thing maybe. ";dm" gets you the device logs, checked on kindle paperwhite 1, very useful from https://ebooks.stackexchange.com/que...les-search-box I do not know what happens on this. maybe the experts can help.

01-20-2026, 03:48 PM	#8
T1t0 Member Posts: 24 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jun 2016 Location: Germany Device: Kindle Touch 7th Generation	Can someone please help me? Unfortunately, I have no idea what to do. My Kindle seems to be completely reset to factory settings. The firmware is still 5.17.1. When I look at the file directory, all the jailbreak files seem to still be there, but neither KUAL nor anything else appears in the library. How can I check whether automatic updates are still disabled? Edit: Since it looked like all the jailbreak data and folders were still there, I started here: https://kindlemodding.org/jailbreaki...ing-kual-mrpi/ I copied all the data again and then entered “;log mrpi” in the search. Kual was installed, and I got the message “Success.” Kual was then available in the library. When I started KUAL, the Kindle ended up in a kind of boot loop. It now always switches from a bright white screen to the screen saver. Have I bricked the device now?

01-21-2026, 02:11 AM	#9
Regina Member Posts: 22 Karma: 10 Join Date: Oct 2025 Device: none	Oh! thats sad. Can you connect the device to computer and see if the storage shows up? If Yes, you can download kindle software 5.17.1, put it there and boot the device.

01-23-2026, 02:01 PM	#10
jackm8 Evangelist Posts: 406 Karma: 4500000 Join Date: Nov 2015 Device: none	Yeah, best bet would be installing default 5.17.1 update.

01-30-2026, 03:15 AM	#11
T1t0 Member Posts: 24 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jun 2016 Location: Germany Device: Kindle Touch 7th Generation	Ok. And after that I install Winterbreak again?