disable demo mode

[lucas_nz]

Hi,
I've got a Kindle that appears to be stuck in demo mode. You can't access any of the menus, it just displays about 6 demo screens. Clicking anywhere scrolls into the next screen. I think it's an 8th gen Kindle touch. It has model no: SY69JL on the back. Because I can't access any of the menus, I can't find the serial number (didn't seem to have it on the back).

So the question is, how do I get it out of demo mode?
Thanks,
Luke

[PoP]

Not sure if it will help but searching this forum for "demo mode", I found the following:

Post#12 of https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sh...ight=demo+mode

Posts #5 and #6 of https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sh...ight=demo+mode

[lucas_nz]

Originally Posted by PoP

Not sure if it will help but searching this forum for "demo mode", I found the following:

Post#12 of https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sh...ight=demo+mode

Posts #5 and #6 of https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sh...ight=demo+mode

Thanks for the response.

The first post you mention is for a PW3, the second a PW2. My device is an 8th gen touch... What is the short name for an 8th gen touch - KT3??

The PW2 instructions don't appear to apply (or at least I can't find the magnifying glass on the homepage they mention). The PW3 instructions may apply, but I don't see the kindle file system when I plug it into a computer (Windows) but I do see a device "Kindle Internal Storage USB Device" in device manager. Any other advice?

Cheers

[lucas_nz]

My problem appear to be the same as @02xda2 here:
https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sh...d.php?t=293870

So it looks like I may need a serial connection. But it's not clear what the steps are once connected.

[katadelos]

Originally Posted by lucas_nz

My problem appear to be the same as @02xda2 here:
https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sh...d.php?t=293870

So it looks like I may need a serial connection. But it's not clear what the steps are once connected.

To disable demo mode::

1. Attach to the serial port
2. Press [Enter] at the prompt for recovery-util
3. Export the FAT storage partition over USB
4. Create an empty file at the top level of the device storage named DO_FACTORY_RESTORE
5. Reboot the Kindle

[lucas_nz]

Hi,
I've finally managed to get connected to the serial port, but I get this slightly garbled output (see below). What could be causing this?
Note: I've "X"ed out the Board Id and S/N

Putty config:

FRED::: EXTCSD177=0, 179=48FSL_SDHC: 0, FSL_SDHC: 1, FSL_SDHC: 2
Board: Heisenberg
Board Id: PXXXXXXXXXXXXXXN
S/N: G000KXXXXXXXXFTN▒▒▒▒o▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒x▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒MMC:   FRED::: EXTCSD177=0, 179=48FSL_SDHC: 0, FSL_SDHC: 1, FSL_SDHC: 2
*** Warning - bad CRC, using default environment

In:    serial
Out:   serial
Err:   serial
             ▒REBOOTMODE: 0
using default bootcmdNormal Boot
Hit any key to stop autoboot:  0
uboot > H▒▒▒▒▒с2014.04 (j]▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒
▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒▒

[MrTick]

Originally Posted by lucas_nz

Hi,
I've finally managed to get connected to the serial port, but I get this slightly garbled output (see below). What could be causing this?
(...)

• First please ensure you have a proper connection between the Kindle and serial adapter - at first glance you seem to have some kind of short between Rx and Tx or some problem with the GND connection (please also unplug the USB when using serial just to prevent some strange problems).
• Also check if your serial adapter runs in 3.3V (ideally 1.8V, but they are sometimes hard to get), as 5V might be too much for the UART circurity.

[lucas_nz]

Originally Posted by MrTick

• First please ensure you have a proper connection between the Kindle and serial adapter - at first glance you seem to have some kind of short between Rx and Tx or some problem with the GND connection (please also unplug the USB when using serial just to prevent some strange problems).
• Also check if your serial adapter runs in 3.3V (ideally 1.8V, but they are sometimes hard to get), as 5V might be too much for the UART circurity.

@MrTick, I think you were right, I probably had some short.

Originally Posted by katadelos

To disable demo mode::

1. Attach to the serial port
2. Press [Enter] at the prompt for recovery-util
3. Export the FAT storage partition over USB
4. Create an empty file at the top level of the device storage named DO_FACTORY_RESTORE
5. Reboot the Kindle

Thanks everyone for the help. I finally got this going.

By way of update and expanding on the explanation from @katadelos for future readers, these are the steps I took:

1. Connected to serial port as described here (I used putty): https://ebookrepairs.com/kindle-tips...t-to-a-kindle/
2. Interrupted the boot up by mashing enter when the kindle was turned on.
3. Enabled diagnostic mode with this command (this step may not be needed): bootm 0xE41000
4. Kindle reboots - don't interrupt again at the start, but part way through the boot you do need to interrupt to get to diagnostic mode.
5. Once in diag mode, select Export FAT and connect the USB cable. Now the kindle storage is available on the PC.
6. On the PC, create an empty file called on DO_FACTORY_RESTORE in the root of the kindle storage
7. Back in putty, select reboot.
8. This put the kindle into an infinite reboot cycle. I could see looking at the output, that it looked like the file had triggered a factory reset. So, I interrupted the boot up, and went back into diag mode. Re-enabled Export FAT, deleted the DO_FACTORY_RESTORE file and noticed another suspicious folder ".demo". So, I renamed this to ".demo.old". Then rebooted again.

At this point the kindle loaded, and was on the language screen. I needed to reassemble to get the touch screen to work. But now the kindle is fully functional again.

I do wonder if all I needed to do was rename the .demo folder and reboot. But I can't be bothered testing that theory now.

Thanks again.

Luke