PW3 PW3-4, PW3-32, fw-5.8.9.0.1 software jailbreak

[ilovejedd]

Help. Trying to jailbreak my PW3. I'm at Step #5 right now and have successfully installed 5.8.9.0.1.

I believe there might be a numbering discrepancy between the Wiki guide and the first post?

I think the factory firmware links may have been given their own entry #4 instead of being part of step #3 (Download factory firmware). If someone can confirm the fw links are supposed to be part of #3 and step #4 is installing the factory firmware, I'll go ahead and fix the numbering on the wiki.

Before I go ahead I would just like to confirm the correct order for the remaining steps:

Using the Wiki numbering:

• #6 ;installHtml
• #7 install hotfix (step #6 in first post: Update_jailbreak_hotfix_1.14_nomax_install.bin)
• #8 install customer firmware (can I still install 5.8.7? I'd like to stick to confirmed jailbreakable firmware for now in case something goes wrong, nvm just re-read the first post)
• #9 install KUAL and MrPI

Thanks!

[ilovejedd]

By the way, as another data point:

• Is this a new device, never connected to the Internet? Yes S/N: G090 G105 7
• Is it a "refurbished" device? No
• Is this the firmware it arrived with or has it been updated to this version? Stock 5.8.11
  I copied update.bin to root but was wishy-washy and didn't select UYK. I left the device charging, ate a snack and when I came back it was already installing the firmware and all I can do was pray it doesn't brick. When it finally finished rebooting, it had 5.8.9.0.1 installed. Yay!
• Is it registered? No
• Does it have ads (Special Offers)? Yes (although I don't believe that particular flag is set OOTB. Probably just upon device registration)
• Does it have a pass-code protection or parental controls enabled? No
• What country was it sold in? US
• What country was it delivered to? US
• Was the seller an on-line Amazon site or was it a third-party seller (on-line or brick&mortar). Amazon (US)

[coplate]

Originally Posted by ilovejedd

Help. Trying to jailbreak my PW3. I'm at Step #5 right now and have successfully installed 5.8.9.0.1.

I believe there might be a numbering discrepancy between the Wiki guide and the first post?

I think the factory firmware links may have been given their own entry #4 instead of being part of step #3 (Download factory firmware). If someone can confirm the fw links are supposed to be part of #3 and step #4 is installing the factory firmware, I'll go ahead and fix the numbering on the wiki.

Before I go ahead I would just like to confirm the correct order for the remaining steps:

Using the Wiki numbering:

• #6 ;installHtml
• #7 install hotfix (step #6 in first post: Update_jailbreak_hotfix_1.14_nomax_install.bin)
• #8 install customer firmware (can I still install 5.8.7? I'd like to stick to confirmed jailbreakable firmware for now in case something goes wrong, nvm just re-read the first post)
• #9 install KUAL and MrPI

Thanks!

I beleive your understanding is correct - However before you get confused, I just edited the wiki to make the numbers match up again.

So they are back to

5. Download and install the current version of Branch Delay's factory firmware jail break.This step installs two files, our signature certificate and a 'Jail Broken' document.
( use ';installHtml' to install it )

6. Download and install the current 'hotfix'
( use 'update your kindle if it is my nomax version ).

7. You can now update your Kindle to a newer firmware version, the jailbreak will survive.
( amazon official firmware )

8. Use your kindle! Install MRPI and KUAL and whatever else you want!

[ilovejedd]

Karma to you!

Got the Jail Broken document (yay!) and installed the hotfix.

Guess newer firmware's the only option, huh? Looks like it won't let me install 5.8.7.0.1 or older firmware. Says unsupported and the Kindle immediately deleted update files. The md5 hash for the firmware files check okay (and they were downloaded from Amazon S3). Tried copying 5.8.9.2 and that was accepted (bin file got renamed to update-uuid.bin.

Are there major problems if I just stick with the factory 5.8.9.0.1 firmware? All I really need are KUAL, MrPI, Python and LibrarianSync.

Thanks again!

[knc1]

If they are not broken, there is no need to fix them.
I.E: If they work ....

[coplate]

Originally Posted by ilovejedd

Karma to you!

Got the Jail Broken document (yay!) and installed the hotfix.

Guess newer firmware's the only option, huh? Looks like it won't let me install 5.8.7.0.1 or older firmware. Says unsupported and the Kindle immediately deleted update files. The md5 hash for the firmware files check okay (and they were downloaded from Amazon S3). Tried copying 5.8.9.2 and that was accepted (bin file got renamed to update-uuid.bin.

Are there major problems if I just stick with the factory 5.8.9.0.1 firmware? All I really need are KUAL, MrPI, Python and LibrarianSync.

Thanks again!

We have had some discussions about whether these initial versions were meant to be used for long times, or meant to update over wifi quickly.

I found on my new manga model that I could go through this process to install my jailbreak, and then return it to the "consumer" version of 5.8.9.0.1:


1. Unbox kindle

2. Go through setup screen and skip wifi registration

3. Install 5.8.9.0.1 factory

4. Install Jailbreak with ';installHtml'

5. Create file 'DONT_CHECK_BATTERY' file on root of kindle

6. run search bar command ';shpm' to reset the device back to shipping mode, but keep the jailbreak.


This cleans up all the extra factory files that are installed with the factory image, but left the jailbreak in place on my device.

From there I was able to :

1. Go through setup past language screen and pause on the wifi setup screen

a) Plug in kindle

2. add update.bin.tmp.partial

b) unplug kindle

3. finish Register with wifi

4. Install Hotfix nomax with 'update your kindle.

5. Continue with the rest of what I wanted.



On a related/unrelated note. I know the KT3 people have success doing a factory install after doing a reset, I wonder if this SHPM would be useful. If anyone who has serial port access and doesn't mind losing their jailbreak wants to try.

I believe there is some relation to "reset your device" and "shipping mode", but those are the steps I took, and I am not sure if they are identical.

[ilovejedd]

Thanks. I've already finished the following steps last night:

1. install factory 5.8.9.0.1
2. ;installHtml
3. install hotfix (Update_jailbreak_hotfix_1.14_nomax_install.bin)
4. create update.bin.tmp.partial folder (just as a precaution, I don't even have wifi setup since this will only be side loaded via USB)

DONT_CHECK_BATTERY - I assume you mean USB root (/mnt/us or G: ) and not root-root here, correct? And this is supposed to be a 0-byte file (w/no extension)?

Since I already installed the hotfix, if I do run ;shpm, does the hotfix need to be reinstalled again?

again for all the help!

[knc1]

You really do not want to run shipping mode - even if you intend to ship it.
It is a factory routine, without any documentation about what it will do, so don't do it.
And I don't think coplate kept track of what was changed in the file system (at least he didn't post before and after information).

Do not do a "Reset (to factory defaults)" it destroys the "survival code".

If you plan to give it away (I suppose that is why you asked about shipping mode) - then you really need to install a customer firmware build.
(All build versions, other than the first, are available on Amazon's servers)

I have changed to: "highest visible level seen over the USB cable"
Internally known as /mnt/us/*

If anyone has serial port access to a KOA2, I do wish they would post documentation.

[datanoise]

You can install 5.8.11 or even the latest firmware, the hotfix will survive, so will your JB

[coplate]

Originally Posted by ilovejedd

Thanks. I've already finished the following steps last night:

1. install factory 5.8.9.0.1
2. ;installHtml
3. install hotfix (Update_jailbreak_hotfix_1.14_nomax_install.bin)
4. create update.bin.tmp.partial folder (just as a precaution, I don't even have wifi setup since this will only be side loaded via USB)

DONT_CHECK_BATTERY - I assume you mean USB root (/mnt/us or G: ) and not root-root here, correct? And this is supposed to be a 0-byte file (w/no extension)?

Since I already installed the hotfix, if I do run ;shpm, does the hotfix need to be reinstalled again?

again for all the help!

If you do shipping mode or "reset", you will need to re-install the hotfix, and everything else.


As knc1 mentioned, I did not keep track of all of the changes that happened when I did it, and I was not trying to.

I was just experimienting, and this is somethign that seems reasonable to me - my guess is that this factory version is installed at the actual factory, and then it uses shipping mode to actually set up the proper "consumer" environment of these special versions. -- If there are any, as mnc1 said tehre is no documentation for this, and the code is not part of amazons open source disclosure.

I just know that on one of my kindles, if I do not do this, then the factory 'usbnet' interferes with the mobileread usbnet package.

as for 'DONT_CHECK_BATTERY', yes, that is an empty file with no extansion, on the usb drive as seen from the computer.

without it, the kindle will wait for the battery to fall to a certain level, for shipping related legal reasons we believe, and i dont have time for that :-)

[ilovejedd]

Ah, no, not planning on giving it away. I was just going by coplate's suggestion.

In any case, my requirements are fairly limited (just LibrarianSync and dependencies) so I think I'll try installing as-is for now. If it works, great. I'd only need LibrarianSync when I load my Kindle and that won't be very often (large batch copies with long gaps in between).

If it doesn't work, I'll update the firmware.

[knc1]

Originally Posted by coplate

- - - - -
I just know that on one of my kindles, if I do not do this, then the factory 'usbnet' interferes with the mobileread usbnet package.

as for 'DONT_CHECK_BATTERY', yes, that is an empty file with no extansion, on the usb drive as seen from the computer.

without it, the kindle will wait for the battery to fall to a certain level, for shipping related legal reasons we believe, and i dont have time for that :-)

1) That Kindle is still running the "factory" firmware build.
Install a customer firmware build (which does not have any usbnet support) and you will not have that problem.

2) You are using the "DONT_CHECK_BATTERY" flag file only when using shipping mode.
The way I read your post, it seemed that they where two, unrelated, actions.

3) For shipping in the USA, Lithium - anything must not have more than a certain amount of energy stored.
Otherwise the device must be handled as hazardous material.

= = = = =

Triva:
The aircraft that was brought down by several additional factors:
a) No fire suppression in the cargo hold they where shipped in.
b) They where packed tightly with oxygen bottles.
c) Aircraft tires piled on top of that combination. *

Now if there had been something to throw a bit of water on the Lithium - something like an automatic sprinkler system. **
They probably could have burned the fuselage in half before plane nose dived into a Florida swamp.

(*) rubber + aluminum (aircraft) + oxygen == solid rocket fuel
(**) Once the plane was buried below water in the swamp - the water + Lithium plus the other shit packed with it continued to burn.
Which is how they found where the aircraft went down so quickly -
a huge smoke cloud rising from the swamp water.

= = = =

So anyway, legislators ignored all of the facts and panicked into a "do something" rush.

They really didn't need to ban fully charged Lithium batteries -
Just some good regulations about having fire suppression systems in the cargo holds of passenger airplanes.

If an engine had caught fire - minor problem.
If grandma's laptop in the cargo hold catches fire - kiss your ass good bye.

[ilovejedd]

Follow up: KUAL, MrPI, Python (all from NiLuJe's snapshots) all appear to be working fine on factory fw. LibrarianSync wouldn't install via MrPi + update*.bin method (package too old?). Had to download librariansync-master.zip from GitHub, extract and manually copy librariansync folder to extensions. After that, everything was working perfectly.

Well, not quite. Couldn't figure why sort order Recent wasn't updating properly but apparently, I just had to fix the date via ;st Y-m-d H:M. The Kindle allows changing the time via settings (which I'd already done) but not the date.

If I'm feeling adventurous tomorrow, might install the screensaver hack. This seems a bit more risky than the others though so will see.

Got my hands on another PW3 running 5.8.11 (not mine, probably was updated). On a lark, I copied the factory fw 5.8.9.0.1 to that. Surprisingly, instead of automatically deleting the file (as the 5.9.x firmwares do), UYK menu item was active. When I connected it to the PC, the update*.bin file had been renamed to update-0-uuid.bin which I promptly deleted. That's the extent of what I did. Didn't want to risk bricking that Kindle.

In any case, would be good if we're able to collect more data points for this method. I think it may work for firmware 5.8.11 and below. Just need to figure out what causes the bricking.

Again, my PW3 was purchased from Amazon US just 3 days ago and came with stock 5.8.11 fw. I think I posted the build number in the 5.8.11 downgrade thread. Never registered to Amazon (had it marked as gift) and never connected to wifi. I pretty much downgraded as soon as it came out of the box.

As best I can remember, here are all the steps I did prior to downgrade:

1. turn on Kindle
2. select Language: English US
3. restart (hold down power button) when it asks to set-up wifi
4. delete Set-Up Your Kindle
5. connect via USB
6. copy factory 5.8.9.0.1 to USB root then disconnect
7. charge Kindle (USB wall wart)
8. took a break, ate some pie (maybe 10-20 minutes?)
9. came back to see the tree and after a couple of minutes, Kindle restarted and was running 5.8.9.0.1 (note, it just auto-installed the factory firmware while I was eating, I didn't have to manually select UYK)

again for all the help!

[knc1]

Post the MrPI log file rather than guess what the problem might be.

[datanoise]

Originally Posted by ilovejedd

Again, my PW3 was purchased from Amazon US just 3 days ago and came with stock 5.8.11 fw. I think I posted the build number in the 5.8.11 downgrade thread. Never registered to Amazon (had it marked as gift) and never connected to wifi. I pretty much downgraded as soon as it came out of the box.

Thank you very much for your detailed report. The strange thing is that I followed exactly the same steps as you did on the (new) PW3 running 5.8.11 that got bricked. But I tried to use 5.7.4 - maybe it would have been a success with 5.8.9.0.1, no way to tell. Good to know that many people are successful downgrading using 5.8.9.0.1 factory, as most PW3 seem to be currently shipped with 5.8.11, this could be a good solution for the time being.