Tools Serial Jailbreaking your fw >= 5.6.x Kindle for Dummies

[uviteru]

Originally Posted by knc1

Power?
What power?

Better question: What adapter are you using?

Usually the adapter is powered by the USB side of the adapter.
Some adapters require an interface reference voltage from the serial side - but only some.

Note:
Update your info box - it only mentions a PW-2, no mention of the K4 or KV.

Dumb question:
Why do you need a serial port on a K4?
The K4 does not require use of the serial port to either jailbreak or de-brick.

Sorry I'm a complete noobie at this--I used the FT230X for the KV and was planning to use the same for the K4. I'm doing it on the K4 because I wanted to learn more about what's going on during the boot process, and I wanted to be able to poke around on an old K4 rather than risking bricking my shiny new KV.

For the KV serial hack, it required the 1.8v connection, which based on your comment leads me to believe this was a reference voltage for the serial comm, not powering the circuit. (which makes obvious sense now that i think about it)

So my better informed question would be--do I need a reference voltage for the serial connection on a K4, or am I good with Rx, Tx, and GND?

(also updated my info)

[knc1]

Do you have a link for that adapter board?
Just knowing what chip it uses does not help a whole lot.

- - - -

The only thing different about the K4 ... KV devices is the location of the serial port pads on the motherboard.

The K4 does not use the same initialization system as the newer models.
Don't make any generalizations from how that portion works.

Back in the days when the K4 was current, the 'recommended' adapter was an adapter cable that did not require an external reference.
Which is why you don't find a post about where to find it on the board.

If, after reading about the specific adapter you are using, I find that you do need the external reference - -
I'll dig out a K4 and see if I can find one on the board for you.

[uviteru]

Originally Posted by knc1

Do you have a link for that adapter board?
Just knowing what chip it uses does not help a whole lot.

- - - -

The only thing different about the K4 ... KV devices is the location of the serial port pads on the motherboard.

The K4 does not use the same initialization system as the newer models.
Don't make any generalizations from how that portion works.

Back in the days when the K4 was current, the 'recommended' adapter was an adapter cable that did not require an external reference.
Which is why you don't find a post about where to find it on the board.

If, after reading about the specific adapter you are using, I find that you do need the external reference - -
I'll dig out a K4 and see if I can find one on the board for you.

Thanks so much--the board i was using was this one: http://jim.sh/ftx/

And after some hunting, I found the pinout here: http://jurriaandevos.nl/kindle-4-hac...ial-io-header/

I went ahead and connected the appropriate pins without a voltage reference, and it appears to work! I rebooted the kindle and got the boot messages to show up through putty.

Thanks for clarifying the voltage info!

[knc1]

Originally Posted by uviteru

Thanks so much--the board i was using was this one: http://jim.sh/ftx/

And after some hunting, I found the pinout here: http://jurriaandevos.nl/kindle-4-hac...ial-io-header/

I went ahead and connected the appropriate pins without a voltage reference, and it appears to work! I rebooted the kindle and got the boot messages to show up through putty.

Thanks for clarifying the voltage info!

Translation: The currently recommended board.

Since it is working without the external reference, you must have ordered it for 3v3 (the default) I/O and not changed it after you received it.

You are not the only one that has used 3v3 I/O adapters.

I personally do not recommend that because the manufacturer's hardware reference does not mention 3v3 (or 5v0) tolerance.

But don't panic -

But since the power bus(es) to the SoC's I/O cells can be programed (at run time) to either 1v8 or 3v3, it is reasonable to find them 3v3 (or even 5v0) tolerant.
(It would require additional processing steps (extra expense) to make the I/O tolerance follow the setting of the power bus.)

[knc1]

Originally Posted by kmsitsee

how many ebook reader must be destroyed till the jail break gonna be released ???

None.
Serial port jail breaking does not injure the Kindle.

Originally Posted by kmsitsee

please end this ridiculous ethical issue with amazon. if amazon was ethical toward us .it wouldnt tricked us into buying a book reader that sucks at reading djvu and other formats

No trickery involved, the formats it can display are well documented.

[nixkalo]

Originally Posted by kmsitsee

how many ebook reader must be destroyed till the jail break gonna be released ???

kmsitsee, I counted at least 3 different posts from you during the last days requesting that the jailbreak be released. I'm as eager as you to see it released, but it is completely up to the creator (BranchDelay) to decide when (and if) he/she releases it
May I suggest that you open a new thread (maybe named "petition for jailbreak release") where everyone can say "me too" and possibly explain why they they want it?
That way we wouldn't need to hijack other threads. Which BTW is what I'm doing right now so I'll just shut up.

Nix

[Dr. Drib]

kmsitsee:

Create your own thread on this topic, rather than continue to make your off-topic posts here.

Any further off-topic posts from you in this thread will be deleted.


Don
(Moderator)

[grant2]

Was looking forward to a day disassembling my new (used) kindle.. but it arrived with old software so it was a 2-minute jailbreak... eat your hearts out!

[Lord Taku]

I've been waiting for this since the Voyage came out. I had hacked all my older Kindles and reverted to using my Paperwhite because I missed my own screensavers so much and couldn't put up with the stock ones. When I saw this tutorial and that it didn't involve using Linux I decided to take the plunge.

Some notes:

1. The Kindle Voyage is really easy to open (which was kind of a concern for me beforehand).
2. Soldering the serial cable seems next to impossible to me - I used the pin method which works fine if you fix everything tight with tape (you do not need to see the screen for hacking and installing). - I put three pairs of reading glasses on on top of each other to position the pins correctly...
3. I ran into the same issue as stupidhaiku, the boot also stopped with the line "sock_init 1888". Thanks to his post I was able to proceed and login.

So I am a very happy owner of a jailbroken Voyage (FW 5.6.1.0.5) with custom screensavers ;-) Thank you all very much for your work and your posts!

[MrCaringi]

Originally Posted by Lord Taku

I've been waiting for this since the Voyage came out. I had hacked all my older Kindles and reverted to using my Paperwhite because I missed my own screensavers so much and couldn't put up with the stock ones. When I saw this tutorial and that it didn't involve using Linux I decided to take the plunge.

Some notes:

1. The Kindle Voyage is really easy to open (which was kind of a concern for me beforehand).
2. Soldering the serial cable seems next to impossible to me - I used the pin method which works fine if you fix everything tight with tape (you do not need to see the screen for hacking and installing). - I put three pairs of reading glasses on on top of each other to position the pins correctly...
3. I ran into the same issue as stupidhaiku, the boot also stopped with the line "sock_init 1888". Thanks to his post I was able to proceed and login.

So I am a very happy owner of a jailbroken Voyage (FW 5.6.1.0.5) with custom screensavers ;-) Thank you all very much for your work and your posts!

Great job! any pictures? :P

[Lord Taku]

Originally Posted by MrCaringi

Great job! any pictures? :P

On taking the Voyage apart there are links to pictures and a description at the beginning of the 2nd part of the OP, also see this video: https://youtu.be/fHM6tdHeCiE. For me removing the top bezel worked best starting at the top corner and then working my way towards the middle and then to the other corner (not at the side like in the video).

On the pin method of connecting the serial cable there are links towards the end of the 2nd part of the OP.

[XXCoder]

Found kindle pw2 version. Nice. If that new jailbreak don't work out, I can use that.

[sergeyvl12]

Hi!

I'm going to jailbreak my new Kindle Paperwhite 2015 with 5.7.2 FW. And want to use my Raspberry Pi as serial interface to kindle. But Ras Pi has 3.3 V serial output voltage. I want to use several diods for 3.3->1.8 conversion. Are there any underwater rocks?

[sergeyvl12]

Hi!

Today I've got the serial console. But I can't get into the diag menu.

I've "calculated" my password using pyton on linux but

kindle login: root
Password: 
Login incorrect

Please help...

Thanks a lot , stupidhaiku !

You method EXIT LOGIN works! And my password is also working with this method!

[knc1]

Why do you need to get into the diag menu over the serial port?

Be warned, other people have managed to shoot themselves in the foot doing that.
So if you can say what you are trying to do, we can perhaps suggest an alternative.