Kindle 2 - How does one set the date / time?

minigendo · 12-07-2019, 02:02 PM

Greetings,

My apologies for the trouble, but I wondered if anyone could guide me as to how to set the date / time on a Kindle 2 with 3G.

I've done some searching, but haven't turned anything up. There seems to be a search bar command to do it on later devices, but it doesn't appear to be an option on the 2.

To explain, I recently began having issues trying to sync, and later register my device. Investigating the matter, it seems that my Kindle's internal clock reset at some point. It now thinks it's 1970, which is causing it to reject it's own security certificate with a java.security.cert.CertificateNotYetValidException . Since I assume that the clock is normally set by a secure connection to an Amazon server, this represents something of a catch-22 (and a questionable design choice).

To ask then, is there a way of to set the date/time of a Kindle 2? Or will I need to root the device and ssh in to do so? And if I do need to do that, is there a special command or do I use some combination of date / hwclock to reset the time?

My thanks for any help anyone might provide.

tomsem · 12-08-2019, 01:44 AM

I believe it sets clock when it connects to cell network. At least that’s what I have to do when my K1 battery goes dead and with it, the internal clock setting. K1 no longer connects to Amazon but just turning on wireless resets the clock (after a minute or so). Provided it finds a cell tower to talk to.

Junket · 12-08-2019, 02:45 AM

The default is to synchronize time when connecting to 3G or Wifi. So if you are willing to let it go online you should be OK.

Other options appear to be detailed here.

minigendo · 12-08-2019, 11:54 AM

Please let me thank you for the link. That will prove very useful I think.

It's curious. The device does go online, I get connection bars and can browse the Kindle Store. However the clock doesn't reset, regardless of how long I leave it online for.

Owing to the error messages in the logs, I had assumed that the inability to use the security certificate (caused by the date mismatch) was interfering with the ability for the automatic time synching to work.

It clearly has the network time available. I can see it in the logs.

Assuming the unit has a clock capacitor or battery, a hardware failure there might explain the reset. But I'd assume that system time would exist in memory as long as the unit was under power. The unit is now counting forward from 1970.
Maybe the network update time function works by updating the hardware clock, and if the hardware clock is broken the function fails before updating system time?

Oh well. I'll try to fix the time using the methods you've outlined, and then see where the log takes me.

My thanks again for your help

minigendo · 12-08-2019, 01:47 PM

I rooted the device, and reset the time as outlined in your link.

As I expected, synching and registration began to work again afterwards.
So, success!

I also took the opportunity to look at the /usr/sbin/updatetime

For the K2i, it seems that it does not use the time reported by the cell network, or an ntp server. Instead it runs
nc kindle-time.amazon.com 80
passes it a header
and then greps a time value out of the returned value.

This gets passed to /usr/sbin/setdate
which runs a bit of validation before using date and hwclock to set the new time.

All of which is to say, it seems that either kindle-time.amazon.com is currently down, or something about it has changed such that it requires ssl, which won't work if the clocks wrong because of the valid from date they've put on the latest certificate.

To summarize, at the moment, any action which resets the clock of a k2i will also disable the Kindle's ability to communicate securely with Amazon. This in turn means no sync-ing, and no registration.
Assuming no other issues, manually resetting the clock will restore these functions.

My thanks again for your help.

hius07 · 12-08-2019, 02:08 PM

Do you have the required firmware version?
https://www.amazon.com/gp/help/custo...deId=202048000

minigendo · 12-08-2019, 02:30 PM

Yes. I am on the latest firmware.

This issue appears to be with the time server amazon is using for the K2i, and not a firmware issue.

Junket · 12-08-2019, 04:44 PM

Good to hear that you got it working in the end. From your comments, Amazon should have to have to go sit in the corner for a time out.

At a guess they probably changed how their time servers work somewhere along the line but failed to account for legacy devices. Thanks for letting us know what you found.

12-07-2019, 02:02 PM	#1
minigendo Junior Member Posts: 6 Karma: 33914 Join Date: Dec 2019 Device: Kindle 2	Kindle 2 - How does one set the date / time? Greetings, My apologies for the trouble, but I wondered if anyone could guide me as to how to set the date / time on a Kindle 2 with 3G. I've done some searching, but haven't turned anything up. There seems to be a search bar command to do it on later devices, but it doesn't appear to be an option on the 2. To explain, I recently began having issues trying to sync, and later register my device. Investigating the matter, it seems that my Kindle's internal clock reset at some point. It now thinks it's 1970, which is causing it to reject it's own security certificate with a java.security.cert.CertificateNotYetValidException . Since I assume that the clock is normally set by a secure connection to an Amazon server, this represents something of a catch-22 (and a questionable design choice). To ask then, is there a way of to set the date/time of a Kindle 2? Or will I need to root the device and ssh in to do so? And if I do need to do that, is there a special command or do I use some combination of date / hwclock to reset the time? My thanks for any help anyone might provide.

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Date & Time on a Kindle?	iplers	Amazon Kindle	11	09-23-2014 03:03 PM
Hacks Kindle 4 SO - How to set the time?	Driver_2k	Amazon Kindle	0	11-03-2011 11:58 AM
iLiad No connection to irex to set date and time	detlili	iRex Developer's Corner	2	03-25-2011 04:34 AM
How can adjust the time/date in Kindle DX ?	meem	Amazon Kindle	5	08-04-2010 01:10 PM
OIP doesn't remember Date/Time Set in hanvon n16	llixgrijb	OpenInkpot	7	02-17-2010 06:38 AM

12-08-2019, 01:44 AM	#2
tomsem Grand Sorcerer Posts: 6,468 Karma: 25996225 Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: USA Device: iPhone 15PM, Kindle Scribe, iPad mini 6, PocketBook InkPad Color 3	I believe it sets clock when it connects to cell network. At least that’s what I have to do when my K1 battery goes dead and with it, the internal clock setting. K1 no longer connects to Amazon but just turning on wireless resets the clock (after a minute or so). Provided it finds a cell tower to talk to.

12-08-2019, 02:45 AM	#3
Junket Nil adsuetudine maius Posts: 278 Karma: 500000 Join Date: Nov 2019 Location: US Device: PW4	The default is to synchronize time when connecting to 3G or Wifi. So if you are willing to let it go online you should be OK. Other options appear to be detailed here.

12-08-2019, 11:54 AM	#4
minigendo Junior Member Posts: 6 Karma: 33914 Join Date: Dec 2019 Device: Kindle 2	Please let me thank you for the link. That will prove very useful I think. It's curious. The device does go online, I get connection bars and can browse the Kindle Store. However the clock doesn't reset, regardless of how long I leave it online for. Owing to the error messages in the logs, I had assumed that the inability to use the security certificate (caused by the date mismatch) was interfering with the ability for the automatic time synching to work. It clearly has the network time available. I can see it in the logs. Assuming the unit has a clock capacitor or battery, a hardware failure there might explain the reset. But I'd assume that system time would exist in memory as long as the unit was under power. The unit is now counting forward from 1970. Maybe the network update time function works by updating the hardware clock, and if the hardware clock is broken the function fails before updating system time? Oh well. I'll try to fix the time using the methods you've outlined, and then see where the log takes me. My thanks again for your help

12-08-2019, 01:47 PM	#5
minigendo Junior Member Posts: 6 Karma: 33914 Join Date: Dec 2019 Device: Kindle 2	I rooted the device, and reset the time as outlined in your link. As I expected, synching and registration began to work again afterwards. So, success! I also took the opportunity to look at the /usr/sbin/updatetime For the K2i, it seems that it does not use the time reported by the cell network, or an ntp server. Instead it runs nc kindle-time.amazon.com 80 passes it a header and then greps a time value out of the returned value. This gets passed to /usr/sbin/setdate which runs a bit of validation before using date and hwclock to set the new time. All of which is to say, it seems that either kindle-time.amazon.com is currently down, or something about it has changed such that it requires ssl, which won't work if the clocks wrong because of the valid from date they've put on the latest certificate. To summarize, at the moment, any action which resets the clock of a k2i will also disable the Kindle's ability to communicate securely with Amazon. This in turn means no sync-ing, and no registration. Assuming no other issues, manually resetting the clock will restore these functions. My thanks again for your help.

12-08-2019, 02:08 PM	#6
hius07 Wizard Posts: 1,058 Karma: 3581267 Join Date: Sep 2014 Location: Ukraine Device: Kindle PW2, PW3, PW4, Voyage	Do you have the required firmware version? https://www.amazon.com/gp/help/custo...deId=202048000

12-08-2019, 02:30 PM	#7
minigendo Junior Member Posts: 6 Karma: 33914 Join Date: Dec 2019 Device: Kindle 2	Yes. I am on the latest firmware. This issue appears to be with the time server amazon is using for the K2i, and not a firmware issue.

12-08-2019, 04:44 PM	#8
Junket Nil adsuetudine maius Posts: 278 Karma: 500000 Join Date: Nov 2019 Location: US Device: PW4	Good to hear that you got it working in the end. From your comments, Amazon should have to have to go sit in the corner for a time out. At a guess they probably changed how their time servers work somewhere along the line but failed to account for legacy devices. Thanks for letting us know what you found.

Advert

Advert