Kobo Start Menu 08

[tshering]

There is definitely something going wrong. But frankly speaking, I have no idea what is happening. From your description, I would say the KSM update has been installed. So those things that the update was made for should work now. The problem is that for some reason you do not get control over the update process. Without the ability to control the update, the next Kobo firmware update will disable KSM. If this should happen, you can simply re-install the KSM update, and that will enable KSM again.

Originally Posted by paaThaka

After this self-update, I can get into KSM, but there is no option in the main menu of KSM to "handle update".

That there was a self-update is strange. That after the update was executed and the update file (KoboRoot.tgz) deleted, there was no "handle update" entry however is normal.

Originally Posted by paaThaka

Additionally I have also tried:

1. Go into KSM Menu
2. Start USB
3. Copy Kobo Aura One patch from 2. KSM08_ext_aura_one_04e.zip (KoboRoot -> .kobo)
4. Disable USB
5. Remove USB cable
6. Power off Kobo from KSM
7. Power on Kobo (from power button)

... yet even in this scenario Kobo goes into automatic "Restarting" and then into "Updating" mode by itself, without letting me get into KSM first.

After step 5 (actually already after step 4) the "handle update" option should appear in the KSM main menu as soon as you return to it. It is the second or third entry from the top.
That after you powered the device on, it updated again by itself, makes me think that "runmenu settings.msh as always" was not successfully set, other parts of your description however make me belief it was successfully set. Did you try to power the device on and off several times in a row? And did it always boot into KSM?
By the way, the fact that you can connect via usb from within KSM, shows that the KSM update has been installed. This is one of the things that do not work on Aura One without the update. In case that you expected the "handle update" entry at another place, maybe you should try again to connect from within KSM to install the KSM update, just to see whether the entry does appear. It does no harm if you re-install the update, and the "handle update" menu has also and option to delete the update file. Let us try this for a start. As for a real troubleshooting, I have no idea where to begin in this case.

Originally Posted by paaThaka

P.S. I have also installed the latest KOReader nightly (koreader-kobo-arm-kobo-linux-gnueabihf-v2015.11-1012-g96ea2ec) contents into .adds\koreader, but even after powerdown and restart, koreader is not visible in the Kobo (nickel) home screen.

By installing, do you mean something other than simply copying the koreader folder to .adds? I am asking because I am not sure what you mean by saying that koreader is not visible in nickel. Does the "start koreader" entry appear in the KSM main menu, and can you start koreader?

[tshering]

Originally Posted by TuxGirl

Sorry for the stupid question, but I'm wondering... It sounds like ksm is a boot manager, kind of like grub (on Linux). So, I'm curious... Does it make sense to install it even if I don't plan to use koreader or other reading software? It seems like it could be useful in the case of a bad firmware patch, if it makes it possible to boot into a known good firmware, if something goes poorly. Is that a common/recommended use of it? (Is there maybe a easier solution to get a known good firmware loaded in the case of a bad/looping firmware update)?

KSM is a package consisting of script files and binary executables and depends on the Kobo's linux system running.
By the way, I do not remember any report that on that level there were any problems. KSM can however come in handy, when the stock reading software for some reason fails to start or becomes permanently unresponsive. Without KSM, you would have to factory reset the device. KSM gives you a chance to backup your files if needed and take steps to get the reading software working again.

[tshering]

Concerning the question whether one should use "partial update" or "full update" when installing a kobo firmware upgrade under KSM, there is the following statement in a thread of KOReader github.

Full update is the correct choice here actually Every time you do a kobo firmware upgrade, you will need to reinstall KSM.

So let me repeat here that the recommended way is to choose "partial update." For this will preserve the installed KSM. Preserving KSM when upgrading the firmware is the main reason for having the "partial update" option.

[Ken Maltby]

I noticed that comment on Github, as well. I was going to provide a description of my understanding of the purpose and functioning of your "partial update", but I thought it might be related to a change in the new Kobo 4+ firmware's WiFi handling.

Luck;
Ken

[tshering]

Originally Posted by Ken Maltby

I noticed that comment on Github, as well. I was going to provide a description of my understanding of the purpose and functioning of your "partial update", but I thought it might be related to a change in the new Kobo 4+ firmware's WiFi handling.

Luck;
Ken

For Wifi handling by KSM under 4+ FW one needs to have KSM 08 with the latest patch. KSM 07 won't do, and one would have to upgrade to KSM 08 + patch. There is however no reason to reinstall KSM "[e]very time you do a kobo firmware upgrade." For handling Wifi from within KOReader, it does not matter which version of KSM on has.

BTW: The version of KSM that I am running provides "update" and "update controlled," and gives a recommendation which one to use when you open the update menu. It provides also a means to fine-tune the controlled update. For instance, I prevent copying certain font files that I do not want. The drawback however is that ascertaining which update to recommend is a time consuming process when the update file is huge, as the FW upgrades always are.

[JFeole]

hi,

I tried to do the updat last nite, same way as i always have on my KA1, get firmware, sideload, then use KSM08 to do partial update, and it appears to load ok, but when i then attempt to use nickel, it tries to load it, i get 2 squares, then it drops back to KSM Menu..

I don't belive this is a KSM issue, just lookin for a way to debug it..

I am able to load prior firmware and KSM and KA1 loads nickel without any issues..

Any ideas? or do i need to prob do a full reset of the KA1?

Thanks all,
John Feole

[tshering]

Originally Posted by nook_nerd

hi,

I tried to do the updat last nite, same way as i always have on my KA1, get firmware, sideload, then use KSM08 to do partial update, and it appears to load ok, but when i then attempt to use nickel, it tries to load it, i get 2 squares, then it drops back to KSM Menu..

I don't belive this is a KSM issue, just lookin for a way to debug it..

I am able to load prior firmware and KSM and KA1 loads nickel without any issues..

Any ideas? or do i need to prob do a full reset of the KA1?

Thanks all,
John Feole

I just installed 4.4.9298 to see whether I have the same problem. The first time I launched nickel it took extremely long, but finally it started. When I started nickel for the second time, nickel did not successfully load, but it did also not give control back to KSM (this is different from what your device does). This is bad. I replace KoboReader.sqlite by the backup-version, and was able to start nickel. When I tried it again, it did not work. It seems when the nickel writes to the database, it cannot start the next time.
Unfortunately, I am very busy and cannot look into this. Maybe in some week. Would be nice if somebody else could have a look at this problem.

Edit: I tried to start nickel via "tools" > "nickel diverse.msh" > "start nickel no fmon.sh," oddly nickel did start, and since then I can start nickel the normal way ("start nickel"). This might have been a fmon problem, related to nickel trying to create new thumb nails for the new home screen. I am not sure about this however.

[JFeole]

Also,

Don't know if its relevant, but I also have a Kobo Aura H2O with same setup, KSM08, and updated to latest successfully, and I am able to launch Nickel with no issues.

Thanks,
John Feole

[tshering]

Originally Posted by nook_nerd

Also,

Don't know if its relevant, but I also have a Kobo Aura H2O with same setup, KSM08, and updated to latest successfully, and I am able to launch Nickel with no issues.

Thanks,
John Feole

Did you try to start nickel via "tools" > "nickel diverse.msh" > "start nickel no fmon.sh" on the K1?

[JFeole]

Originally Posted by tshering

Did you try to start nickel via "tools" > "nickel diverse.msh" > "start nickel no fmon.sh" on the K1?

Sorry, got busy yesterday..

Tried again to update this morning, same issue.

1) So, then tried: "tools" > "nickel diverse.msh > Start Nickel no fmon"
and it does load into the new menu properly, and is functional.

2) I then attempted to exit fro.m Nickel via, Books, and tap Exit Nickel icon,
but it only displays the icon on screen, didn't exit to KSM.

3) I then did a power off via power button, and rebooted up to KSM successfully, and tried to launch again via "Start Nickel", and it again loads 2 squares and exits back to KSM.

So, at this point will use your suggestion for now. I hope this is useful info..

Thanks,
John Feole

[tshering]

Originally Posted by nook_nerd

Sorry, got busy yesterday..

Tried again to update this morning, same issue.

1) So, then tried: "tools" > "nickel diverse.msh > Start Nickel no fmon"
and it does load into the new menu properly, and is functional.

2) I then attempted to exit fro.m Nickel via, Books, and tap Exit Nickel icon,
but it only displays the icon on screen, didn't exit to KSM.

This (point 2) is expected. When you launch nickel without fmon, the exit_nickel.png and so on have no special function. So you have to exit nickel the regular way (with the power button).

Originally Posted by nook_nerd

3) I then did a power off via power button, and rebooted up to KSM successfully, and tried to launch again via "Start Nickel", and it again loads 2 squares and exits back to KSM.

It seems nickel still opens some of the KSM pngs in order to create thumb nails. This triggers fmon and the associated scripts, some of which kill nickel (this is how we normally can return from nickel to KSM; but then we decide when to open exit_nickel.png and so on).

So best would be if you start nickel again via "start nickel no fmon.sh", and open all KSM related pngs (like exit_nickel.png, power_off.png, toggle_nightmode.png, ...; Look into the folder "kbmenupngs" to see which pngs you have). This should make nickel create the thumb nails or other images that it needs now, so that it does not need to open the KSM pngs on its own in near future. Then power the device down by pushing the power button. Next time you power on, "start nickel" should work.

[JFeole]

Thanks so much Tshering.

I did exactly as you advise, and it works properly now.

Thanks,
John Feole

[tshering]

Originally Posted by nook_nerd

Thanks so much Tshering.

I did exactly as you advise, and it works properly now.

Thanks,
John Feole

I am glad that it worked for you.

By the way, are you sure that you did install the latest KSM patch on your KA1? My guess is that you did not. And that you are lucky that you didn't.
In the last patch, I introduced a change in the "start nickel" script that allows you to restart nickel without going back to the KSM menu (that was a feature Oren asked for). Now I see that this change can have a bad side effect. Yesterday, after nickel failed on my device after installing the firmware update, the control was not return to the KSM main menu. I am certain that nickel by opening one of the pngs triggered to restart itself in an infinite loop. This would be especially inconvenient for people who set autostart to 0. The only way out seems to be a factory reset, and this might not be so easy to achieve in this situation.
I guess I should do something about this.

Originally Posted by nook_nerd

Thanks so much Tshering.

I did exactly as you advise, and it works properly now.

Thanks,
John Feole

I am glad that it worked for you.

By the way, are you sure that you did install the latest KSM patch on your KA1? My guess is that you did not. And that you are lucky that you didn't.
In the last patch, I introduced a change in the "start nickel" script that allows you to restart nickel without going back to the KSM menu (that was a feature Oren asked for). Now I see that this change can have a bad side effect. Yesterday, after nickel failed on my device after installing the firmware update, the control was not return to the KSM main menu. I am certain that nickel by opening one of the pngs triggered to restart itself in an infinite loop. This would be especially inconvenient for people who set autostart to 0. The only way out seems to be a factory reset, and this might not be so easy to achieve in this situation.
I guess I should do something about this.

Edit: Fortunately, I did not provide restart_nickel.png, and those who wished to use this function had to copy it themselves into the pngs folder. Therefore not many people will experience this problem. And my guess that you did not install the last patch was wrong. But the infinite loop of restarts will occur when nickel spontaneously exits for some reason.

[tshering]

I updated the KSM 08 patch. Please install it, to prevent possible complications cause by the previous patch. Install it any case before you install a new firmware upgrade.

[JFeole]

Hi,

Last patch to KSM.was 4e I had installed..

Thanks,
John Feole