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Old 08-22-2015, 04:51 PM   #46
iliis
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finally unbricked my Kindle :)

I found out, a friend of mine owned a DXG too and was willing to lend it to me (on the condition that I buy him a new one, if I broke that one too ). I rooted it, got a copy of / and flashed it on mine. Et voila: My Kindle is running again

@knc1 and the others here: Thank you very much for your support!

One last question: I'd like to provide a full set of backup files (or at least a rootfs.img) of the DXG (009) for others. How do I do that? Which stuff would make sense? And most importanly: How do I ensure that there is no private information in there? I don't want to get banned by Amazon



For the curious, these are the full steps it took me to restore my Kindle DX Graphite:
Spoiler:


SERIOUS WARNING: Even though the steps are simple, a single mishap can cause a lot more trouble. If you're not familiar with the Linux command line or never heard the word UART do not attempt this and instead ask your local nerd/geek/sysadmin (and buy him some beer and pizza).

Get a second (working!) Kindle DX Graphite and:
  1. Make sure, all devices are fully charged! (Charge them for a day or two if in doubt.)
  2. Jailbreak it (this is completely ordinary and described elsewhere, I add it here just for completeness' sake).
    • Ensure, the Kindle is running the most up-to-date firmware (2.5.8) and update if not.
    • Connect running Kindle via USB and mount the document partition.
    • Copy all documents to your PC as backup (also copy all hidden files).
    • Copy Update_jailbreak_0.13.N_dxg_install.bin to the docment root of Kindle.
    • Unmount the partition and disconnect the USB cable.
    • Apply the patch via: [Menu] -> Settings -> [Menu] -> Update Your Kindle -> OK
      (This will fail with an Error 'E006'. This is normal and harmless. The Kindle will automatically reboot.)
  3. Apply yifan's kindleupdater to get an image of the root filesystem:
    • Ensure that there are at least 900MB free on the Kindle!
    • Copy update_dxg-2.5.8-prepare_kindle.bin to document root of Kindle
    • Unmount, apply via settings as before.
    • This will take a long time (at least an hour or so), but will provide some status text of what's going on. The Kindle will again reboot automatically when done.
  4. after applying yifan's patch, mount the Kindle's document partition again: There's an output folder containing a rootfs.img and an update_restore-os.bin file. Copy these to your PC.
  5. throw away the second Kindle, you don't need it anymore.

On the first and bricked device:
  1. connect to your Kindle's serial port. This requires some soldering and a bit of electrical knowledge (Hint: 1.8V (!) and 115200,8,N,1, see https://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=49942for details)
  2. enter recovery mode by sending enter, just after the Kernel loads (there's a prompt, but you have only a second or so)
  3. Connect USB and choose 'load MMC0 over USB storage' by pressing '3' (This requires a password "fiona####" which can be calculated from the serial number, for example with the Kindle Diagnostics Tool)
  4. There should now be four partitions visible:

    Code:
    $ fdisk -l /dev/sdf
    
    Disk /dev/sdf: 3.8 GiB, 4047503360 bytes, 7905280 sectors
    Units: sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
    Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
    I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
    Disklabel type: dos
    Disk identifier: 0xe9e05acd
    
    Device     Boot  Start     End Sectors  Size Id Type
    /dev/sdf1  *         2  819263  819262  400M 83 Linux
    /dev/sdf2       819264  868415   49152   24M 83 Linux
    /dev/sdf3       868416  884799   16384    8M 83 Linux
    /dev/sdf4       884800 7905279 7020480  3.4G  b W95 FAT32
  5. Don't mount anything and copy the rootfs image:
    WARNING: dd can very easily break everything! Don't do this if you've never used a terminal!
    WARNING: Ensure that you've got the right device by looking at the output of 'fdisk -l' or something. In the listing of step 4 it was /dev/sdf1. Note the '1': it's /dev/sdf1 and NOT /dev/sdf!
    Code:
    dd if=rootfs.img of=/dev/sdX1
  6. Done, hopefully your Kindle will work again after a reboot.

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Old 08-22-2015, 05:53 PM   #47
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If step 5 of the "restore broke kindle" part was all you had to copy - then that does not contain anything personal.

That rootfs.img file is what you want to make available.

To keep within the Mobileread posting guidelines, you can't post it here (it contains Amazon proprietary property).
But you can post directions here of where to find it.

Which means you have to find some public (or private) server that will allow you to park the file there.

I do have a private server you could push it to (after you run gzip over it) -
PM me for details if you can't find somewhere else to put it on the Internet.
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Old 08-23-2015, 06:53 AM   #48
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Yes, the first partition was enough. I've sent you the link to my server. Anything else apart from the rootfs.img that would be useful?
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Old 08-23-2015, 08:36 AM   #49
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Quote:
Originally Posted by iliis View Post
Yes, the first partition was enough. I've sent you the link to my server. Anything else apart from the rootfs.img that would be useful?
I can't think of anything.
I will make a copy to my own private server, just to reduce the chance of this recovery image becoming lost again.

The owner and device specific information is outside of the partitioned area, so (using your device name exampes):
Code:
 
dd if=/dev/sbf of=my_private.bin bs=4096 count=16
Should be more than enough to capture all of it - just in case of future need.

Much of the current settings temporary data is in /var/local.
The complete partition can also be backed up:
Code:
dd if=/dev/sbf3 of=current_settings.bin bs=4096
Both of those copies are for your own possible use, do not distribute them.

Notes:
As you can see from the sizes, /dev/sbf4 is the USBstorage area - what you see when connected by USB cable.

And /dev/sbf2 is the 'diags' OS file system -
We don't have a copy of that any longer either.
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Old 09-19-2015, 08:59 PM   #50
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Congratulations on you!
can u help me?
I have the same problem.But I don't know how to solve it.
My system upgrade 2.1.1 to2.5.8 ,then my kindle dx stop at the screen"your kindle is starting up this can take a minute"
i can enter the recovery mode ,update the others "restore" but it doesnt help
i also tried to use a usb-ttl ,but i dont have dxbackup (diags ,kenerl)
what can i do?help me please ,thanks
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Old 09-19-2015, 09:12 PM   #51
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Quote:
Originally Posted by yuwang View Post
Congratulations on you!
can u help me?
I have the same problem.But I don't know how to solve it.
My system upgrade 2.1.1 to2.5.8 ,then my kindle dx stop at the screen"your kindle is starting up this can take a minute"
i can enter the recovery mode ,update the others "restore" but it doesnt help
i also tried to use a usb-ttl ,but i dont have dxbackup (diags ,kenerl)
what can i do?help me please ,thanks
Leave it connected to a wall charger, if it is trying to recover a file system gone bad that was discovered during the upgrade, it might take a few days.
Recovering a file system on a eMMC with bad blocks can take a very long time.
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Old 09-19-2015, 09:19 PM   #52
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Quote:
Originally Posted by knc1 View Post
If you don't have the time to be available to receive help now;
Come back when you have "front burnered" these requirements.

When you do come back, please help clarify your request.
Although much of the system image files are Amazon copyrighted, there could well be a solution to your problem.

  • What do you mean by "bricked" ?
    At least give a good description of changes in the device's behavior you have noticed.
  • Which version of firmware is now on the device?
  • What have you done to the device?
    • What things have you tried already to correct the problem?
      Include the result of each thing you tried.
    • How did you determine it was "just a few system files"?
    • How did you determine the above without learning where they are kept and how to access them?
      Note: the DX(G) devices store the system image spread across multiple physical devices.

      This point is the confusing one -
      How did you come about the specific knowledge of the "fix" required without knowing the general background knowledge.
  • Names of the files you need.


Translation:
To solve this problem, you will have to visit here more often than once every 3 or 4 months.
If only so you can clarify what your problem is.
There isn't a "black box - answer all problems" solution here, we need to know more about what we are expected to fix.

These model devices are a "bit fragile" to work on -
There is no known way to get them into a "replace system image" mode.
hi knc1,
can u help me?
My system upgrade 2.1.1 (actually 2.1.1+ufhack0.1)to2.5.8 ,then my kindle dx stop at the screen"your kindle is starting up this can take a minute"
i can enter the recovery mode ,update the others "restore" but it doesnt help
i also tried to use a usb-ttl ,but i dont have dxbackup (diags ,kenerl)

i even dont know how to access system files..TOT
i use mfgTool (KindleSelectBoot) ,it said “No USB detected“

help me please ,im looking forward for your help
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Old 09-19-2015, 09:21 PM   #53
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Smile

Quote:
Originally Posted by knc1 View Post
Leave it connected to a wall charger, if it is trying to recover a file system gone bad that was discovered during the upgrade, it might take a few days.
Recovering a file system on a eMMC with bad blocks can take a very long time.
thank you!
Let me try it first.thank you!
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Old 09-19-2015, 09:28 PM   #54
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Quote:
Originally Posted by knc1 View Post
Leave it connected to a wall charger, if it is trying to recover a file system gone bad that was discovered during the upgrade, it might take a few days.
Recovering a file system on a eMMC with bad blocks can take a very long time.
sorry for my careless
my update use a "restore" not the amazon's 2.5.8 update files....
could this be okay? leave it connected to a wall charger for a week ?
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Old 09-19-2015, 10:09 PM   #55
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Quote:
Originally Posted by yuwang View Post
sorry for my careless
my update use a "restore" not the amazon's 2.5.8 update files....
could this be okay? leave it connected to a wall charger for a week ?
That is a very, very, very different situation.

There is no way to know from here what all you did.
Nothing at all what you where trying to 'fix' when you decided to do the 'restore'.

Nor where you got the 2.5.8 version image from (since it contains copyrighted material, you didn't get it here).

And just to add more unknowns, I do not recognize the "+hack" thing you mentioned.

I am afraid all anyone can tell you is:
You broke it, you get to keep all of the pieces.
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Old 09-19-2015, 10:41 PM   #56
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Quote:
Originally Posted by knc1 View Post
That is a very, very, very different situation.

There is no way to know from here what all you did.
Nothing at all what you where trying to 'fix' when you decided to do the 'restore'.

Nor where you got the 2.5.8 version image from (since it contains copyrighted material, you didn't get it here).

And just to add more unknowns, I do not recognize the "+hack" thing you mentioned.

I am afraid all anyone can tell you is:
You broke it, you get to keep all of the pieces.
thanks for your quick reply,Forgive my ignorance
the original version 2.1.1, i use a friend of mine's restore.(he also give rootfs.img to me,but i dont know how to use it.)then my kindle dx stop at the screen"your kindle is starting up this can take a minute"
then, i use amazon's update_kindle_3.2.1 .it's still stop at the screen....
then, i use my friend's restore....
now ,my dx is still stop at that screen about two days...
”you get to keep all of the pieces” you mean i should refresh all the diags?
I'm worried about it
could you Show me a way to sovle this problem ? thank you!
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Old 12-19-2015, 07:38 AM   #57
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I don't know where to find this, so I will post it here...
I have a DXG that was on 2.5.8 initially. I have updated to 3.1 and in that process I saved the "output" folder content on a couple of safe locations. It contains "rootfs.img" (409624 kB) and "update_restore-os.bin" (285429 kB).
After that I have updated to 3.3.

Now all is working. Startup is sluggish, but I am fine with that. My issues is that I have a nagging feeling that the actual display resolution might be lowered from 2.5.8. I have a pdf file with graphics and the small text it looks "broken", but I don't have a picture of hot it looked before.
USB Network doesn't seem to wok on my DXG.

How can I go "back" to 2.5.8 to actually visually check this issue?
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Old 12-19-2015, 07:56 AM   #58
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Quote:
Originally Posted by SoNic67 View Post
I don't know where to find this, so I will post it here...
I have a DXG that was on 2.5.8 initially. I have updated to 3.1 and in that process I saved the "output" folder content on a couple of safe locations. It contains "rootfs.img" (409624 kB) and "update_restore-os.bin" (285429 kB).
After that I have updated to 3.3.

Now all is working. Startup is sluggish, but I am fine with that. My issues is that I have a nagging feeling that the actual display resolution might be lowered from 2.5.8. I have a pdf file with graphics and the small text it looks "broken", but I don't have a picture of hot it looked before.
USB Network doesn't seem to wok on my DXG.

How can I go "back" to 2.5.8 to actually visually check this issue?
It is a little button just above and to the left of the last blue bar, the label is: "New Thread".

Did you edit the fb.modes file?
From what, to what?
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Old 12-19-2015, 08:09 AM   #59
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Sorry about necro, I tried creating a new thread and nobody answered to it. I figured that maybe somebody still follows this thread, so I sneaked in...

No, I didn't edit them previously (3.3 update is the one from Amazon, with the ID bit changed for DXG value) and now cannot read fb.modes because...
USB network doesn't load on my 3.3. Tried with NiLuJe's kindle-usbnetwork-0.57.N-r12672. Not sure if it is still "jailbroken".

Last edited by SoNic67; 12-19-2015 at 08:14 AM.
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Old 12-19-2015, 09:29 AM   #60
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Hmm...
Wrong forum: https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...59&postcount=1

How are you going to 'go back' to an earlier version without command line access?
Isn't that a problem to be solved first?

Just re-apply the most recent jail break.
Then if USB network doesn't load, report it in the proper thread.
Authors are usually subscribed to the threads they support.

And you can find the tread about updating the cross-bred DX(G) and K3 firmware here:
https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=263894

Last edited by knc1; 12-19-2015 at 09:44 AM.
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