jailbreak without a touchscreen

Papzap · 11-25-2020, 10:44 AM

Hey, I have a Kindle Paperwhite 2 with a broken touchscreen. I'm trying to jailbreak it (my first jailbreaking attempt ever) so that I can use it as a VNC monitor for a raspberry pi computer.

I can't figure out how to jailbreak it, because it seems like I need to be able to look at information in the settings.

It wasn't my kindle, so I can't log in to Amazon and just check there.

Help?

JSWolf · 11-25-2020, 10:56 AM

You can forget the PW2 as without a working screen, it's useless.

NiLuJe · 11-25-2020, 11:10 AM

Could probably be workable with serial access, with a bit of tinkering?

(e.g., should be able to login as framework:mario to lookup the S/N from /proc/usid, or maybe even the passwd file to crack it).

JSWolf · 11-25-2020, 11:12 AM

But you cannot use the screen for a raspberry pi since it is broken.

NiLuJe · 11-25-2020, 11:14 AM

capacitive layer != eink

Papzap · 11-25-2020, 11:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JSWolf

You can forget the PW2 as without a working screen, it's useless.

The e-ink works, its not useless. I want to use it as an e ink monitor, touchscreen doesn't matter

Papzap · 11-25-2020, 11:19 AM

sorry, is it possible to edit my first post for clarity?

JSWolf · 11-25-2020, 11:23 AM

You didn't say the screen was ok. You said it was a broken screen. The touch layer is not the same as the screen.

NiLuJe · 11-25-2020, 11:29 AM

@JSWolf: Read the thread's title.

@Papzap: Not for a brand new account, unfortunately. I was going to say "PM me the new content, and I'll update it"... but you probably can't do that either

.

Papzap · 11-25-2020, 11:30 AM

Oh ok, just realised that, sorry. got that out of the way now, i guess. is it possible to edit my first post? I can't figure it out

Papzap · 11-25-2020, 11:33 AM

....?? �� I don't understand this forum! wheres my posts? are they going through a filter? when will i get unfiltered?

Papzap · 11-25-2020, 11:36 AM

... now that works? ok, well you all understand its the touchscreen now right?

how should I go about this?

Papzap · 11-25-2020, 11:49 AM

I was trying to get a USB OTG mouse working on it so that I could look at the settings through this forum thread, but I... just didn't understand it, with such a long thread and technical terms I'm not familiar with.

NiLuJe · 11-25-2020, 01:32 PM

Yep, new accounts are automoderated. There should be visual feedback of that fact (on post submission), but apparently people miss it approximately 99% of the time ;p.

----

OTG is indeed another kettle of fish, potentially not for the feint of heart.

katadelos · 11-25-2020, 09:20 PM

The only way that you'll be able to jailbreak your Kindle if the touch screen/digitiser is broken is via the serial port - it's possible to use OTG on most of the modern Kindles without too much hassle, but you need root access to load the relevant kernel modules in the first place.

Using the serial port would remove the need to connect a mouse to retrieve the S/N, too - the S/N is part of the output from U-Boot when the Kindle starts up or reboots.

The accepted wisdom is that you need a serial adapter that operates at 1.8V or else you'll fry your Kindle. This probably isn't true anymore and you should be able to use one of the cheap CP2102 or FT232RL based adapters available on eBay or Amazon. I've used both of these with various Kindles (numerous other people on this forum have too) and haven't encountered any problems yet.

Just follow the steps in this thread and you should be OK.

11-25-2020, 10:44 AM	#1
Papzap Junior Member Posts: 9 Karma: 10 Join Date: Nov 2020 Device: Kindle	jailbreak without a touchscreen Hey, I have a Kindle Paperwhite 2 with a broken touchscreen. I'm trying to jailbreak it (my first jailbreaking attempt ever) so that I can use it as a VNC monitor for a raspberry pi computer. I can't figure out how to jailbreak it, because it seems like I need to be able to look at information in the settings. It wasn't my kindle, so I can't log in to Amazon and just check there. Help? Last edited by NiLuJe; 11-25-2020 at 01:33 PM.

11-25-2020, 01:32 PM	#14
NiLuJe BLAM! Posts: 13,477 Karma: 26012492 Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Paris, France Device: Kindle 2i, 3g, 4, 5w, PW, PW2, PW5; Kobo H2O, Forma, Elipsa, Sage, C2E	Yep, new accounts are automoderated. There should be visual feedback of that fact (on post submission), but apparently people miss it approximately 99% of the time ;p. ---- OTG is indeed another kettle of fish, potentially not for the feint of heart. Last edited by NiLuJe; 11-25-2020 at 01:34 PM.

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Hacks Kindle (3) Keyboard : Upgrade and Jailbreak or Jailbreak and Upgrade??	prado	Amazon Kindle	3	06-11-2021 10:13 PM
Jailbreak a Kindle Voyage without touching the touchscreen?	3suns	Kindle Developer's Corner	4	07-25-2017 08:14 PM
Troubleshooting after jailbreak, my pw2 auto updated, can I re-jailbreak?	duqiaochai	Amazon Kindle	12	04-05-2015 07:43 AM
KPW - to jailbreak or not to jailbreak	BeccaPrice	Kindle Developer's Corner	19	01-19-2013 07:43 PM
PRS-T2 Difference jailbreak.zip/rupor-jailbreak.7z & minimal-root-zeam.zip/rupor-minimal.7z?	hyperstruct	Sony Reader Dev Corner	9	01-06-2013 02:05 PM

11-25-2020, 10:56 AM	#2
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 73,897 Karma: 128597114 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	You can forget the PW2 as without a working screen, it's useless.

11-25-2020, 11:10 AM	#3
NiLuJe BLAM! Posts: 13,477 Karma: 26012492 Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Paris, France Device: Kindle 2i, 3g, 4, 5w, PW, PW2, PW5; Kobo H2O, Forma, Elipsa, Sage, C2E	Could probably be workable with serial access, with a bit of tinkering? (e.g., should be able to login as framework:mario to lookup the S/N from /proc/usid, or maybe even the passwd file to crack it).

11-25-2020, 11:12 AM	#4
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 73,897 Karma: 128597114 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	But you cannot use the screen for a raspberry pi since it is broken.

11-25-2020, 11:14 AM	#5
NiLuJe BLAM! Posts: 13,477 Karma: 26012492 Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Paris, France Device: Kindle 2i, 3g, 4, 5w, PW, PW2, PW5; Kobo H2O, Forma, Elipsa, Sage, C2E	capacitive layer != eink

11-25-2020, 11:19 AM	#7
Papzap Junior Member Posts: 9 Karma: 10 Join Date: Nov 2020 Device: Kindle	sorry, is it possible to edit my first post for clarity?

11-25-2020, 11:23 AM	#8
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 73,897 Karma: 128597114 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	You didn't say the screen was ok. You said it was a broken screen. The touch layer is not the same as the screen.

11-25-2020, 11:29 AM	#9
NiLuJe BLAM! Posts: 13,477 Karma: 26012492 Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Paris, France Device: Kindle 2i, 3g, 4, 5w, PW, PW2, PW5; Kobo H2O, Forma, Elipsa, Sage, C2E	@JSWolf: Read the thread's title. @Papzap: Not for a brand new account, unfortunately. I was going to say "PM me the new content, and I'll update it"... but you probably can't do that either .

11-25-2020, 11:30 AM	#10
Papzap Junior Member Posts: 9 Karma: 10 Join Date: Nov 2020 Device: Kindle	Oh ok, just realised that, sorry. got that out of the way now, i guess. is it possible to edit my first post? I can't figure it out

11-25-2020, 11:33 AM	#11
Papzap Junior Member Posts: 9 Karma: 10 Join Date: Nov 2020 Device: Kindle	....?? �� I don't understand this forum! wheres my posts? are they going through a filter? when will i get unfiltered?

11-25-2020, 11:36 AM	#12
Papzap Junior Member Posts: 9 Karma: 10 Join Date: Nov 2020 Device: Kindle	... now that works? ok, well you all understand its the touchscreen now right? how should I go about this?

Advert

Advert

11-25-2020, 11:49 AM	#13
Papzap Junior Member Posts: 9 Karma: 10 Join Date: Nov 2020 Device: Kindle	I was trying to get a USB OTG mouse working on it so that I could look at the settings through this forum thread, but I... just didn't understand it, with such a long thread and technical terms I'm not familiar with.

11-25-2020, 09:20 PM	#15
katadelos rm -rf / Posts: 219 Karma: 3333683 Join Date: Nov 2019 Location: United Kingdom Device: K5, KT, KT2, KT3, KT4, KV, PW2, PW3, PW4, PW5	The only way that you'll be able to jailbreak your Kindle if the touch screen/digitiser is broken is via the serial port - it's possible to use OTG on most of the modern Kindles without too much hassle, but you need root access to load the relevant kernel modules in the first place. Using the serial port would remove the need to connect a mouse to retrieve the S/N, too - the S/N is part of the output from U-Boot when the Kindle starts up or reboots. The accepted wisdom is that you need a serial adapter that operates at 1.8V or else you'll fry your Kindle. This probably isn't true anymore and you should be able to use one of the cheap CP2102 or FT232RL based adapters available on eBay or Amazon. I've used both of these with various Kindles (numerous other people on this forum have too) and haven't encountered any problems yet. Just follow the steps in this thread and you should be OK.