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

[knc1]

But, for step 7 (1) first place I went was to my kindle account and 'manage you content and devices'. I checked again after reading your response above - I still cannot see anywhere that has the firmware download or a link to it.

They re-designed the site since I was last there.

• Browse -> Amazon.com
• top bar -> "Your Account"
• Scroll to "Digital Content", then -> "Manage your content and devices"
• What looks like a breadcrumb bar under header, far right -> "Kindle Support"
• Select which of your Kindles your interested in by their name and picture.
  (I clicked one of my PW-3 devices)
• Scroll to section "Learn More" -> Kindle (7th generation) software updates

[Cinisajoy]

Originally Posted by foghat

I did read 1-7 a couple of times before starting. Nothing I read would have saved me from the OTA install of 5.8.1 after having to pause the process at step 4 (this is assuming the blocker directory gets wiped when doing the downgrade). Newbie or not, I don't think it is out of the realm of possibility that one will not be thinking of the OTA update when doing this.

I am far for a 'beginner' when it comes to this type of stuff (granted, I haven't played around with jail breaking kindle since the kindle keyboard - and a lot has changed since then).

I get that a lot of you are eyeballs deep in this stuff pretty much day in and day out and it is all second nature, but beginner or not, it is a lot to piece together when coming at this completely fresh.




At the end of the day, I got everything working and I appreciate the pointed points in the right direction when I had a question.

I am glad to see you did read it, so many don't read it first.
And yes, we do tend to see the same questions over and over.
I look for patterns to the problems.

[homeceo43]

knc1, In your instruction in the first post, I think there is a typo in Step 2, third bullet in the spoiler ... "You are about to loose ...." -- "loose" should be "lose". Sorry, it just popped out as I was reading and figured you might want to know.

[foghat]

Originally Posted by knc1

I am not sure how to fit that information in.
The directions are already simplified nearly to the point of being insulting.

I did add that notice after commenting on your suggestions tonight.
That should cover a lot of the en_Kindle speak and assumptions in the directions.

If you are referring to airplane mode, maybe something like:

Spoiler: Show
Note: Optionally place Kindle in airplane mode to prevent accidental OTA update to latest firmware after downgrade has been installed.
1. Connect Kindle to PC with the USB cable.
2. Place the downloaded update_*.bin file in the topmost, visible level of USB storage (alongside of /documents).
3. Eject and/or Safely Remove (term depends on OS) the Kindle, USB storage.
4. Remove the USB cable.
5. Home -> Menu -> Settings -> Menu -> Update Your Kindle
6. Confirm
7. Wait

My opinion is directions can never be simple enough when you are writing for an audience with different levels of knowledge.

Originally Posted by knc1

They re-designed the site since I was last there.

• Browse -> Amazon.com
• top bar -> "Your Account"
• Scroll to "Digital Content", then -> "Manage your content and devices"
• What looks like a breadcrumb bar under header, far right -> "Kindle Support"
• Select which of your Kindles your interested in by their name and picture.
  (I clicked one of my PW-3 devices)
• Scroll to section "Learn More" -> Kindle (7th generation) software updates

I had made to that page, but didn't go down far enough to 'learn more'.

I'd still suggest that simply adding this link to step 7 (1) is the way to go:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/help/custom...deId=200529680

As I know you know, generally speaking, instructions should be as idiot proof as possible. Use me as your idiot. Plus the less hunting and pecking a user has to do away from your page/site, the better.

At any rate, just trying to provide some, what I hope is, helpful feedback. This is the last I will comment on it.

[foghat]

Originally Posted by Cinisajoy

I am glad to see you did read it, so many don't read it first.
And yes, we do tend to see the same questions over and over.
I look for patterns to the problems.

All is good. If you are seeing the same sorts of things over and over, maybe there is an opportunity to clean up the instructions to better address the common questions - or maybe not. That said, I'm sure the are 'cleaned' up regularly to help clarify.

[Cinisajoy]

Originally Posted by foghat

If you are referring to airplane mode, maybe something like:

Spoiler: Show
Note: Optionally place Kindle in airplane mode to prevent accidental OTA update to latest firmware after downgrade has been installed.
1. Connect Kindle to PC with the USB cable.
2. Place the downloaded update_*.bin file in the topmost, visible level of USB storage (alongside of /documents).
3. Eject and/or Safely Remove (term depends on OS) the Kindle, USB storage.
4. Remove the USB cable.
5. Home -> Menu -> Settings -> Menu -> Update Your Kindle
6. Confirm
7. Wait



I had made to that page, but didn't go down far enough to 'learn more'.

I'd still suggest that simply adding this link to step 7 (1) is the way to go:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/help/custom...deId=200529680

As I know you know, generally speaking, instructions should be as idiot proof as possible. Use me as you idiot. Plus the less hunting and pecking a user has to do away from your page/site, the better.

At any rate, just trying to provide some, what I hope is, helpful feedback. This is the last I will comment on it.

Sorry, the idiot position has already been filled.

The assumption here is if you are jailbreaking your kindle, then you should know a bit about kindle's backdoor.

[foghat]

Originally Posted by Cinisajoy

Sorry, the idiot position has already been filled.

The assumption here is if you are jailbreaking your kindle, then you should know a bit about kindle's backdoor.

You know what they say about assuming....

All good.

[Cinisajoy]

Originally Posted by foghat

All is good. If you are seeing the same sorts of things over and over, maybe there is an opportunity to clean up the instructions to better address the common questions - or maybe not. That said, I'm sure the are 'cleaned' up regularly to help clarify.

And yes, they do clarify when we find a pattern.

Yours is the first OTA upgrade at the wrong time.

[knc1]

Originally Posted by foghat

If you are referring to airplane mode, maybe something like:

Spoiler: Show
Note: Optionally place Kindle in airplane mode to prevent accidental OTA update to latest firmware after downgrade has been installed.
1. Connect Kindle to PC with the USB cable.
2. Place the downloaded update_*.bin file in the topmost, visible level of USB storage (alongside of /documents).
3. Eject and/or Safely Remove (term depends on OS) the Kindle, USB storage.
4. Remove the USB cable.
5. Home -> Menu -> Settings -> Menu -> Update Your Kindle
6. Confirm
7. Wait



I had made to that page, but didn't go down far enough to 'learn more'.

I'd still suggest that simply adding this link to step 7 (1) is the way to go:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/help/custom...deId=200529680

As I know you know, generally speaking, instructions should be as idiot proof as possible. Use me as you idiot. Plus the less hunting and pecking a user has to do away from your page/site, the better.

At any rate, just trying to provide some, what I hope is, helpful feedback. This is the last I will comment on it.

The link you keep suggesting is not specific to the user and the names used there are those of Amazon marketing.
Not the names used anywhere else in the directions.

I think that removing the spoiler at step #7 is the way to go.
The how to get any selected firmware for your device is on the FGA list.

Nowhere in the directions is the user told to put the Kindle on-line (with the exception of just long enough to sync changes in Special Offers setting) and that is clearly PRIOR to starting the procedure.

The "Step #0" bullet list is clearly written as preparation to the actual procedure.

And if they do leave the Kindle on-line and the do get hit by an OTA update, the only thing that happens is they get to start over.

No harm, no foul, (and maybe the second time they will leave it off-line).

[foghat]

Originally Posted by Cinisajoy

And yes, they do clarify when we find a pattern.

Yours is the first OTA upgrade at the wrong time.

Or at least I am the first where anyone has said anything about it - perhaps no one else wanted to play the part of the idiot and post about it...

Or maybe others haven't realized it happened? Have you ever had someone complain the jail break isn't working and the solution ended up being running the downgrade again?

Originally Posted by knc1

The link you keep suggesting is not specific to the user and the names used there are those of Amazon marketing.
Not the names used anywhere else in the directions.

I think that removing the spoiler at step #7 is the way to go.
The how to get any selected firmware for your device is on the FGA list.

Nowhere in the directions is the user told to put the Kindle on-line (with the exception of just long enough to sync changes in Special Offers setting) and that is clearly PRIOR to starting the procedure.

The "Step #0" bullet list is clearly written as preparation to the actual procedure.

And if they do leave the Kindle on-line and the do get hit by an OTA update, the only thing that happens is they get to start over.

No harm, no foul, (and maybe the second time they will leave it off-line).

Is the purpose of step 7 not to get the the latest firmware installed again?

The page I linked takes you one click away from the same download page you got to with your 6 bullet point instructions above... Go to that link, pick your device and there you go.

Maybe the names used aren't the same, but if you are assuming users of a particular level here - I don't think finding the model of kindle they have will be difficult.

I will admit I found everything outside of step 7 (1) to be confusing. As not clear why you'd do all that other stuff if you can simply get the bin file from the device download page.

For the downgrade to complete, you have to disconnect from the computer, once the downgrade is complete, the user is going to be online (unless they have airplane mode enabled).

The thing is if you do get the OTA update, it is not apparent - there is no 'you've just been' updated messaging. In my case, I came back, did not know the OTA happened and tried applying the jailbreak. Didn't work, try again, didn't work - a third time even. It is one of the wtf moments - reread instructions, what did I do wrong? It was a little fluky I realized my firmware had been upgraded.

Maybe a better spot or it is in step 0. Though I don't think calling it out on the step where it could prove an issue is a bad thing.

<sigh> I said I'd drop it, and look at me still going.

Edit: actually replacing the current step 7 spoiler with you bullet point instructions above would probably be the best. Unless there is concern about amazon mixing things up again and making them invalid.

[NiLuJe]

Yeah, I have no idea how stable that "Kindle Software Updates" page's URL is.

To be completely frank, as the 6 bullet point version shows, it's also utterly messy to find from the MYD page. My suggestion: use Google.

That's what I've been doing since basically forever to get my update files, that should tell you something .

As for identifying the model: you get pictures, and if you put the wrong file, it won't work anyway, so, no harm, no foul .

----

Your feedback is definitely helpful .

The challenge here is finding the right balance between "too much" and "too little" info, and avoiding spoon-feeding and reinventing the wheel. Which is why you can end up with pieces of info scattered in different places. It might look to some extent messy, but if exposed (and followed) properly, that ensures that you get up to date info at every step of the way.
Not everyone is knowledgeable with every cog involved, so deferring to the "tried and true" where applicable helps to ensure accurate info (... and helps keeping it that way as time marches on ).

In this instance, we've (and by that I mean mostly @knc1 ) tried our best to make sure everything coordinated properly, but it's easy to miss something when you're too close to the thing .

That's one of the reason I've always been wary of third-party documentation: it's frickin' hard to do it right.
Which is why you'll often see @knc1 begin by asking what the user has been reading .

[knc1]

Originally Posted by foghat

- - - -
Is the purpose of step 7 not to get the the latest firmware installed again?
- - - -

No.
See how easy it is to misread it?

It is how to get any firmware version for your device.

Getting the current version is as simple as allowing the Kindle to connect to the Internet, as you pointed out.

[foghat]

Originally Posted by NiLuJe

The challenge here is finding the right balance between "too much" and "too little" info, and avoiding spoon-feeding and reinventing the wheel. Which is why you can end up with pieces of info scattered in different places. It might look to some extent messy, but if exposed (and followed) properly, that ensures that you get up to date info at every step of the way.
Not everyone is knowledgeable with every cog involved, so deferring to the "tried and true" where applicable helps to ensure accurate info (... and helps keeping it that way as time marches on ).

In this instance, we've (and by that I mean mostly @knc1 ) tried our best to make sure everything coordinated properly, but it's easy to miss something when you're too close to the thing .

That's one of the reason I've always been wary of third-party documentation: it's frickin' hard to do it right.
Which is why you'll often see @knc1 begin by asking what the user has been reading .

I get writing and maintaining this is a lot of work and am very appreciative there is someone doing it and doing it so well. Just thought I'd share a couple of the spots where I got caught up - for whatever it is worth.

Originally Posted by knc1

No.
See how easy it is to misread it?

It is how to get any firmware version for your device.

Getting the current version is as simple as allowing the Kindle to connect to the Internet, as you pointed out.

Ya, fair enough. At the time, I did actually realize it was for 'picking' the version you want - which may not be the latest.

Honestly, it was combination of thinking I needed to complete step 7 (vs. just waiting for an OTA update), as you do for the first 6 steps and the lack of being able to find the download page mentioned in step 1 combined with seeing the tar.gz files in step 3 that threw me.

Not fully appreciating that only .bin file will 'self install', I just downloaded the tar.gz file and tried giving that a go. Rookie mistake, but we aren't all necessarily familiar with the extensions for the executable vs. source code. I'm guessing there is an explanation for this that I missed as well.

[knc1]

The only explanation I can think of is that the directions are too long for a person to keep in mind while doing them.

Over the last three weeks, they have been edited many times (to handle or avoid a lot of special cases).

Some other web-sites have tried publishing an abstract of the directions, but lose a lot of the special case coverage in the process.

= = = =

Oh, I did read, even if I forgot to acknowledge until now, the poster that pointed out a grammatical error.
I'll fix that when I can, but that is one of the mistakes I commonly make in the things I write.

[foghat]

While there is certainly a lot to go through and do if one is starting from scratch (as I was), I don't feel any particular instruction or step was too long or hard to follow.

Aside from my OTA update debacle - which is likely an edge case - I didn't really experience any points of confusion until step 7.

As a person who simply wanted to get the latest firmware re-installed, step 7 felt a bit off - like it was something that had to be done. While it may be common sense, I think it could make things clearer by having a sentence speaking to the fact that if one wants the latest firmware they can just wait a bit for the OTA update or install it from the download page.

And if they want to update to some other version, follow the other spoiler steps.