Firmware Update Is there any method to downgrade kindle paperwhite from 5.4.4 to 5.3.5?

[NiLuJe]

@eschwartz: Yup. (Although, not true anymore on FW >= 5.6, and I imagine >= 5.5 too [i.e., KT2 & KV]. The factory updater is stricter there.).

[pghaworth]

@NiLuJe - Thank you for all your hard work on our behalf!

I have a PW 2014 on 5.4.5.1. Which fw would be the best one to downgrade to for your JB? Any idea which one is the best or more stable? I've had some real stinker updates in the past for my PW1 and know which ones to avoid, but have no clue which one to choose for my new one. Is there a preferred link besides this one?

Thank you for your help!

http://ixtab.tk/kindle-touch-updates.php

[eschwartz]

Well, that and dsmid's mirror linked on that page, which has the last couple as well. If you know the firmware version you want, you could also play with filenames and try to download it from Amazon. For instance: http://s3.amazonaws.com/G7G_FirmwareUpdates_WebDownloads/update_kindle_5.4.3.2.bin
The only thing they change is the firmware number, and apparently even after they stop linking the old firmware at http://amzn.com/kindlesoftwareupdates they still host the file and make it accessible.

Not owning a PW, I cannot be very judging but I can say this -- many people are avoiding fw >= 5.4.2 since it comes with the Cloud Collections debacle.

In order to get there on the PW2 you will have to downgrade to 5.4.2 (an example firmware that can be jailbroken) and then go HERE for the partition images for the 5.4.0 firmware, and manually flash them from the diags partition. There is a README there.
It is easier on the PW1, just use the provided fw5.3.9

Alternatively, just go to any old firmware, jailbreak, then upgrade again. The jailbreak will NOT be lost.
I suggest just using the earliest fw for the jailbreaking, it is easier than remembering which ones can be jailbroken and if you will upgrade again right afterward, who cares?

[pghaworth]

Originally Posted by eschwartz

Not owning a PW, I cannot be very judging but I can say this -- many people are avoiding fw >= 5.4.2 since it comes with the Cloud Collections debacle.

Oh, yeah. Thanks. I'll avoid that fw! If you ask me, cloud collections is a debacle in and of itself.

There is a similar one 5.4.4.2, that made me want to throw my PW1 against the wall. One day it was perfect and the next day... it wouldn't work right, froze every two minutes, slow as hades, so, so miserable. I downgraded my PW1 to its original shipping fw 5.3.4, did the jb and then brought it back up to 5.4.4.1 after installing the backdoor lock. It's back to being as great as before, but better.

Still playing with KUAL goodies, etc., on my PW1, and having a great time with it.

[NiLuJe]

As eschwartz said, if you intend to update afterwards, the version you choose to downgrade to is irrelevant, as long as it's one supported by the JB (as I'm writing this, <= 5.4.4.2) .

[pghaworth]

Originally Posted by NiLuJe

(as I'm writing this, <= 5.4.4.2) .

Many thanks, sir!

[bunbury]

Hi

I tried to downgrade my jailbroken PW1 from 5.4.4.2 to 5.4.2 (in order to use certain hacks that do not work well with >5.4.2 firmwares).
I downloaded 5.4.2 firmware on the Amazon web site (went to the PW1 update page, copied the URL of the file, tweaked it and downloaded the file).
I used the two methods provided here. Copied the .bin to the update folder and then updated the firmware.
Each time I got update successful extremely quickly then a longer one and a reboot and the I got UPDATE UNSUCCESSFUL ERROR 11.
After a reboot I checked and saw the device was NOT downgraded.
What an I doing wrong ?

Thanks

[GoSharks]

@bunbury-
I'm pretty sure FW 5.4.2 is a PW2 firmware. You might want to double check.

[bunbury]

Originally Posted by GoSharks

@bunbury-
I'm pretty sure FW 5.4.2 is a PW2 firmware. You might want to double check.

Riiiiiight. Makes sense
I tried with 5.3.9 which is PW.
Works !
Thanks.
I jsut have to add backdoorlock and it will be all right.

[madagascaradam]

Originally Posted by NiLuJe

@eschwartz: Yup. (Although, not true anymore on FW >= 5.6, and I imagine >= 5.5 too [i.e., KT2 & KV]. The factory updater is stricter there.).

I just want to tell everyone (since this thread is about downgrading) that I had some success downgrading my PW1 from firmware 5.6.1.1 (an unintended OTA update) back down to 5.3.9. My kindle was previously jailbroke before the OTA update.

I described the steps I used in the Kindle Collections Manager thread.