PW3 Force downgrade caused "Your Kindle needs repair" HELP PLZ!

[CaesarW]

Hello everyone!

I've got a kindle PW3 with fw 5.8.11 new out of the box two months ago. And I've searched for any jailbreaks for the firmware. I know that theoretically it's not possible for that firmware, but there're exceptions for Kindles new out of the box according to this link.

But the most stupid thing I have done is trying to downgrade it to 5.7.4, and of course it failed (I should have installed 5.8.9.0.1 fw!!).

And now my Kindle is experiencing bootloops (Kindle start -> progress bar -> couple of more restarts -> "Your Kindle needs repair).

But there's still hope as my PC is able to recognize the Kindle as a removable storage for a period of short time (about 20 seconds), and then disappear. I've read some threads on the forum and found that the only possible way is to split an official firmware into file pieces and copy them one by one to the Kindle when it's recognizable, and then combine them into a full firmware.bin file. The method comes from 4PDA, but no links are provided so I could just try my best.

It's easy to split into parts and copy them to Kindle, which I already succeeded. But just can't get them combined as the I/O speed is too slow and time is limited.

Also tried split file and cat them into one file, but still not that possible.

Anyone had the same experience? Asking for help now.
Thanks in advance!

[hius07]

Look at this prog, it can write incrementaly
http://www.killprog.com/killcopye.html

[coplate]

Originally Posted by CaesarW

Hello everyone!

I've got a kindle PW3 with fw 5.8.11 new out of the box two months ago. And I've searched for any jailbreaks for the firmware. I know that theoretically it's not possible for that firmware, but there're exceptions for Kindles new out of the box according to this link.

But the most stupid thing I have done is trying to downgrade it to 5.7.4, and of course it failed (I should have installed 5.8.9.0.1 fw!!).

And now my Kindle is experiencing bootloops (Kindle start -> progress bar -> couple of more restarts -> "Your Kindle needs repair).

But there's still hope as my PC is able to recognize the Kindle as a removable storage for a period of short time (about 20 seconds), and then disappear. I've read some threads on the forum and found that the only possible way is to split an official firmware into file pieces and copy them one by one to the Kindle when it's recognizable, and then combine them into a full firmware.bin file. The method comes from 4PDA, but no links are provided so I could just try my best.

It's easy to split into parts and copy them to Kindle, which I already succeeded. But just can't get them combined as the I/O speed is too slow and time is limited.

Also tried split file and cat them into one file, but still not that possible.

Anyone had the same experience? Asking for help now.
Thanks in advance!

I'm sorry this happened!

That thread you linked also discusses fixing it by splitting the official update into smaller chunks, and installing with that, but it also doesn't explain how to do it.

If I had to guess, it looks like maybe kindle introduced some new hardware combination that is not supported by 5.7.4, but may also not be supported by 5.8.9.0.1, the results are being so mixed.

If it is already broken, I might be able to prepare a package that could work, but I can't make any promises. People have said DO NOT use the DO_FACTORY_RESTORE file.

What I think I can do it take one of the official updates, and remove the voice files, which will make it much smaller. That may be able to copy on in one go, durign that ~20 seconds.
If you do that, you will probably lose your chance to jailbreak, but it will be working again.

I can also try to take 5.8.9.0.1 and remove the voice files, for the same effect, but I can't make any promises that will work either, or make it worse.

[NiLuJe]

@coplate: I don't think we can mangle FB02 updates like that, the package might not be signed itself, but individual files, manifest included, are ;/.

I do not know how the initrd updater deals will missing files (i.e., we can remove data.stgz & its sig, but we can't remove it from the manifest). I don't *think* it's blindly going to accept that missing file without throwing an error .

EDIT: Huh, might be worth a try though, since it's already listing three possible filenames for the stgz in the manifest, a formatting tweak I'd never noticed before .

[rashkae]

Umm, haver you considered sending it back for warranty? I would suggest playing dumb when reporting the problem, (no need to say what you did, just say what it actually *does* now and follow instructions form the CS rep. I'm sure the unit will be replaced and no engineer will be tasked with actually investigating one weird error on some random Kindle.

[coplate]

Originally Posted by NiLuJe

@coplate: I don't think we can mangle FB02 updates like that, the package might not be signed itself, but individual files, manifest included, are ;/.

I do not know how the initrd updater deals will missing files (i.e., we can remote data.stgz & its sig, but we can't remove it from the manifest). I don't *think* it's blindly going to accept that missing file without throwing an error .

EDIT: Huh, might be worth a try though, since it's already listing three possible filenames for the stgz in the manifest, a formatting tweak I'd never noticed before .

yeah, I wasn't sure if it would be, but figured it would be worth testing - I wouldn't be able to try it until I get off work though.

[coplate]

Originally Posted by NiLuJe

@coplate: I don't think we can mangle FB02 updates like that, the package might not be signed itself, but individual files, manifest included, are ;/.

I do not know how the initrd updater deals will missing files (i.e., we can remove data.stgz & its sig, but we can't remove it from the manifest). I don't *think* it's blindly going to accept that missing file without throwing an error .

EDIT: Huh, might be worth a try though, since it's already listing three possible filenames for the stgz in the manifest, a formatting tweak I'd never noticed before .

I found a link to my thread where I tried it before.
https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sh...86#post3563586
I don't actually remember if I got someone to test it, but I think I remember that the manifest signature was not actually used for FB02.


I am 95% certain that I tried it on my own device, but I am not 100% certain of that.

That one I made was with 5.8.something. I'm not sure if I think that amazon is using the same logic board they did on the pw32 manga models now, and thats whats breakign it, or if they introduced somethign totally new.

In which case, I think the only trusted way to do fix his kindle is to get ause 5.9.11 image to fix.

@CaeserW if you are feeling adventurous, you can try this file to see if it is small enought to copy over quickly - I dont think it will make it worse :-)

http://kindle.ficfeed.com/update_PW3...ratch_good.bin

[CaesarW]

Originally Posted by hius07

Look at this prog, it can write incrementaly
http://www.killprog.com/killcopye.html

@hius07 thanks for the program and I'll try it when I get home.

Thanks @NiLuJe and @coplate for effort on firmware exploiting!

Thanks everyone for replying and help

Originally Posted by coplate

I found a link to my thread where I tried it before.
https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sh...86#post3563586
I don't actually remember if I got someone to test it, but I think I remember that the manifest signature was not actually used for FB02.


I am 95% certain that I tried it on my own device, but I am not 100% certain of that.

That one I made was with 5.8.something. I'm not sure if I think that amazon is using the same logic board they did on the pw32 manga models now, and thats whats breakign it, or if they introduced somethign totally new.

In which case, I think the only trusted way to do fix his kindle is to get ause 5.9.11 image to fix.

@CaeserW if you are feeling adventurous, you can try this file to see if it is small enought to copy over quickly - I dont think it will make it worse :-)

http://kindle.ficfeed.com/update_PW3...ratch_good.bin

@coplate I'm pretty willing to try but the modified firmware looks still a bit too large for me. Now what I'm going to try is using 3rd-party software to try copying chunk by chunk.

Can it be shrunk a bit more? And is there any hope for a jailbreak-capable firmware installed on my Kindle?

[hius07]

Originally Posted by CaesarW

And is there any hope for a jailbreak-capable firmware installed on my Kindle?

There are two risky options to try:
- official update 5.8.7.0.1
- initial factory 5.8.9.0.1

[CaesarW]

Originally Posted by hius07

There are two risky options to try:
- official update 5.8.7.0.1
- initial factory 5.8.9.0.1

5.8.7.0.1 seems not that possible.
I'll give 5.8.9.0.1 a shot if I can handle the copy.

[CaesarW]

@hius07 The killcopy program doesn't seem to be working on Windows 10. Just can't get a working Windows 7 or XP PC here.

[hius07]

Originally Posted by CaesarW

@hius07 The killcopy program doesn't seem to be working on Windows 10. Just can't get a working Windows 7 or XP PC here.

You mentioned instruction from 4pda. Here it is, maybe Google translator will help:

взял hex-редактор (брал HxD, но подойдет скорее всего любой), разделил файл оф.прошивки 5.8.11 на 4 примерно равные части (просто копировал части шестнадцатиричного кода в разные файлы по порядку)
скопировал первую часть на ридер (около 50Мб получилась), оставшиеся 3 заранее открыл в hex-редакторе.
далее скопировал в буфер 2 часть файла, открыл скопированную на ридер 1 часть файла в hex-редакторе и вставил в ее конец 2 часть, сохранил
20 секунд, пока доступен диск, хватило чтобы соединить две части в одну
проделал то же самое с оставшимися 3 и 4 частью по очереди, переименовал имя файла обратно в родное

HxD hex editor

[CaesarW]

Originally Posted by hius07

You mentioned instruction from 4pda. Here it is, maybe Google translator will help:

взял hex-редактор (брал HxD, но подойдет скорее всего любой), разделил файл оф.прошивки 5.8.11 на 4 примерно равные части (просто копировал части шестнадцатиричного кода в разные файлы по порядку)
скопировал первую часть на ридер (около 50Мб получилась), оставшиеся 3 заранее открыл в hex-редакторе.
далее скопировал в буфер 2 часть файла, открыл скопированную на ридер 1 часть файла в hex-редакторе и вставил в ее конец 2 часть, сохранил
20 секунд, пока доступен диск, хватило чтобы соединить две части в одну
проделал то же самое с оставшимися 3 и 4 частью по очереди, переименовал имя файла обратно в родное

HxD hex editor

Thanks for that! But Google Translate is just a bit too amibigous :-(
Can you provide a link?
I'll try to figure out the thing. Maybe I'll post a thread on the forum if I succeeded.

[hius07]

http://4pda.ru/forum/index.php?showt...#entry69623136
registration required

[CaesarW]

@hius07 Now getting ready for a temporary Windows XP installation on my PC.

I will try 5.8.9.0.1 (700MB) in the first place with KillCopy.