Glo Kobo Glo is stuck after firmware update

[murg]

Originally Posted by kaikara

And you wonder why customer support gets testy dealing with people who can't admit they made a mistake. If you follow a path that is not supported and brick your device then it is your fault, not the fault of kobo or the device. Kobo has stated multiple times not to do this as there are different firmware versions for different devices.

This is being discussed on the following thread, as Kobo representives have commented on this in that thread:

https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...=194159&page=4

[jusmee]

Originally Posted by kaikara

And you wonder why customer support gets testy dealing with people who can't admit they made a mistake. If you follow a path that is not supported and brick your device then it is your fault, not the fault of kobo or the device. Kobo has stated multiple times not to do this as there are different firmware versions for different devices.

His point is about the difference between "incompatible" and bricking. (and also that it should NEVER load incorrect firmware in the first place).

[semhoun]

I will not blame kobo for briking my device. But i will blame them to don't add a way to made a hard reset easily.

[Mrs_Often]

Originally Posted by murg

If you now have a bricked Glo, return it as a warranty return.

Don't mention the firmware upgrade. Just say it isn't working. This is not to mislead the seller, but will avoid them not understanding what the cause of the problem is (your average book store staff won't know about firmware).

And the device is clearly defective, if it will allow the loading of firmware for a different device to break it completely, with no option of doing a factory reset. Especially as Kobo prior advice on this is that the different firmware versions would be 'incompatible', not that it would render your device completely inoperatable.

Indeed!!

Originally Posted by semhoun

I will not blame kobo for briking my device. But i will blame them to don't add a way to made a hard reset easily.

There is a way to hard reset. I can't remember where I read it*, but it works the same as with the Kobo Touch, only instead of using the home button, use the light button. So:

- Slide the On/off slider for enough seconds to be sure the device is off
- Press and hold down the light button
- Slide the on/off slider once as if you were switching it on, whilst still holding the light button

That should give you disco white flashing led light and restoring screen. You can let the light button go.



*Found the source: https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho....php?p=2252198. But, it's not 100% that it will actually work.

[Mrs_Often]

Originally Posted by semhoun

I found how to fix the kobo. In fact it's really simple. In supposing recovery is mount as /media/recoveryfs and root as /media/rootfs. I fix it with this command:
rm -rf /media/rootfs/*
cd /media/rootfs/
tar xvzf /media/recoveryfs/upgrade/fs.tgz

That's all.

@mdclements I don't broke my kobo ;-)

Great!

Only, to do this, you'd have to get the device connected to your computer... How did you get that to work?

EDIT: Or, did you open the device up and get the card out?

[brad_in_burnaby]

Thank you for the hard reset hints, it worked for me. I had to continue holding the light and slide switch until the screen flashed, but it unlocked my Kobo Glo. I was thinking to return it to the store, but that was just my 'decision of the minute'.
The problem started when I synched using the Kobo s/w and it automatically upgraded to 2.1.4 - 10/11/12. Couldn't get past the Release Notes splash page, couldn't turn it off.

Originally Posted by Mrs_Often

Indeed!!



There is a way to hard reset. I can't remember where I read it*, but it works the same as with the Kobo Touch, only instead of using the home button, use the light button. So:

- Slide the On/off slider for enough seconds to be sure the device is off
- Press and hold down the light button
- Slide the on/off slider once as if you were switching it on, whilst still holding the light button

That should give you disco white flashing led light and restoring screen. You can let the light button go.



*Found the source: https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho....php?p=2252198. But, it's not 100% that it will actually work.

[murg]

Originally Posted by brad_in_burnaby

The problem started when I synched using the Kobo s/w and it automatically upgraded to 2.1.4 - 10/11/12. Couldn't get past the Release Notes splash page, couldn't turn it off.

You did the firmware update through syncing with the Kobo Desktop and not manually?

[Mrs_Often]

Originally Posted by brad_in_burnaby

Thank you for the hard reset hints, it worked for me. I had to continue holding the light and slide switch until the screen flashed, but it unlocked my Kobo Glo.

Glad I could help and that it worked!

[semhoun]

Originally Posted by Mrs_Often

Great!

Only, to do this, you'd have to get the device connected to your computer... How did you get that to work?

EDIT: Or, did you open the device up and get the card out?

I open the kobo, and read the sdcard with my linux ;-).

Next time i will try the "hard reset".

[brad_in_burnaby]

Originally Posted by murg

You did the firmware update through syncing with the Kobo Desktop and not manually?

That is correct. It automatically performed the update when I connected it to my computer. Doesn't seem like a firmware flash to me, just a base software update that tends to get locked after install.

[spino]

Originally Posted by Mrs_Often

Indeed!!



There is a way to hard reset. I can't remember where I read it*, but it works the same as with the Kobo Touch, only instead of using the home button, use the light button. So:

- Slide the On/off slider for enough seconds to be sure the device is off
- Press and hold down the light button
- Slide the on/off slider once as if you were switching it on, whilst still holding the light button

That should give you disco white flashing led light and restoring screen. You can let the light button go.



*Found the source: https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho....php?p=2252198. But, it's not 100% that it will actually work.

You saved my life!
I just called Kobo Assistance (i'm from Italy) and she said the same procedure, but she FORGOT to say to LEAVE the power switch, slider so the led it was never blimping! And take note that i asked "Do i need to leave the power switch, after?" and she said "No..."

Now it is back to life... and I'll wait for official updates , I will owe you a beer!

[Mrs_Often]

Originally Posted by spino

You saved my life!
I just called Kobo Assistance (i'm from Italy) and she said the same procedure, but she FORGOT to say to LEAVE the power switch, slider so the led it was never blimping! And take note that i asked "Do i need to leave the power switch, after?" and she said "No..."

Now it is back to life... and I'll wait for official updates , I will owe you a beer!

Yay! Glad it worked for you! Looking forward to that beer

[SSSasky]

Originally Posted by brad_in_burnaby

Thank you for the hard reset hints, it worked for me. I had to continue holding the light and slide switch until the screen flashed, but it unlocked my Kobo Glo. I was thinking to return it to the store, but that was just my 'decision of the minute'.
The problem started when I synched using the Kobo s/w and it automatically upgraded to 2.1.4 - 10/11/12. Couldn't get past the Release Notes splash page, couldn't turn it off.

This fix worked for my bricked Glo as well.

I held the light button down, and flicked the power switch repeatedly until I got the disco ball led, then everything went smoothly after that.

Thanks for the great advice.

It's too bad Kobo won't publicize this very easy fix.

[TechniSol]

Yeah, there is nothing like transparency and proper user support. These devices firmware or bootloaders should be written in such a way that both checksum and device signatures must match before an update is processed.