Kindle DX firmware

[FredHolland]

Hi Zelfdoen,

Exactly the same with my Kindle DXG.

Do you have a solution?

Fred

[zelfdoen]

Originally Posted by FredHolland

Hi Zelfdoen,
Exactly the same with my Kindle DXG.
Do you have a solution?
Fred

Hello Fred, no I have not found a solution yet.

I did find out that getting back to firmware 2.5.8 (using the file output/update_restore-os.bin from the yifanlu 3.1 firmware update) I could use the Kindle Store again. But then of course I was back to the not so functional old version, and that was no fun.

So I tried going to firmware 3.2.1. The process went smooth but did not give access to the Kindle Store. Then I tried going to firmware 3,3, as described by 'newman' om MobileRead. That was a bit technical and needed the use of a Linux system, but not too difficult. That update process went smooth but again no access to the Kindle Store.

So then I tried the next step as described by newman, going from 3.3 to 3.4. There I am currently stuck in the process because of the problem with a file called fb.modes, as described in that thread. So this is getting difficult, I guess I need to complete the stept as described there but it gets a bit intimidating

I hope that when I finally get to 3.4.2 the Kindle Store will work, but I am not sure, I do not even understand what happened.

But on the positive side the only problem seems to be the Kindle Store, the downloading of books from the Archive folder works well enough, and the amazon.com and amazon.co.uk links (http) in the browser work as well. Wikipedia does not work and that would be solved by the 3.4.2 firmware. As I am using a DXG International (in The Netherlands) these are the only web links allowed anyway.

[FredHolland]

This update to 3.x does not sound like fun so that's a road i will not travel.

I suppose the best for me is just to leave it as is and handle the store on my IPads and only read on my Kindle.

Time there comes a modern DX sized ereader

Fred

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by FredHolland

Time there comes a modern DX sized ereader

There are a number of 9.7" eInk devices available. Just not from Amazon.

[zelfdoen]

Originally Posted by FredHolland

This update to 3.x does not sound like fun so that's a road i will not travel.

I suppose the best for me is just to leave it as is and handle the store on my IPads and only read on my Kindle.

Time there comes a modern DX sized ereader

Fred

I too wish there would be a modern reasonably priced 10 inch (or 12 inch ) e-ink device. But it seems the large e-ink screens are much more fragile and expensive, and the general public is content with the smaller 6 inch screens. I guess for PDF the new Samsung 12 inch tablets (and the big Apples) are the way to go.

Anyway, the upgrade path up to 3.3 was actually quite easy to do. It is only the last versions that prove challenging for me. Hopefully someone will repackage these updates into something more manageable.

But I think I will also be content with what I have now, and use the Kindle Store via PC and tablet like you say. Cheers.

[zelfdoen]

Originally Posted by HarryT

There are a number of 9.7" eInk devices available. Just not from Amazon.

I have noticed the Onyx M96 (reasonable priced) and the Sony Mobius (very expensive). There was also the Jetbook Color 2 and the Icarus Excel I remember. Does anyone have a recommendation for a modern large screen eInk e-reader device ?

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by zelfdoen

I too wish there would be a modern reasonably priced 10 inch (or 12 inch ) e-ink device. But it seems the large e-ink screens are much more fragile and expensive

I'm not sure why you think that modern 9.7" devices are expensive? I can buy an Onyx M96 for £175, which is considerably less than half what the Kindle DX cost in the UK when it was released.

[zelfdoen]

Originally Posted by HarryT

I'm not sure why you think that modern 9.7" devices are expensive? I can buy an Onyx M96 for £175, which is considerably less than half what the Kindle DX cost in the UK when it was released.

I think you are right, the Onyx Boox M96 is reasonable priced, and not too old (2014). Thanks for the tip. I see Onyx is coming with a new version (N92) and also an even larger 13.3" version later this year.

And I'm afraid I was not among the very first buyers of the DXG, but it was still rather expensive for an ereader at euro 347 (including import fees and shipping) in 2011. I still like it a lot. Too bad that Amazon did not keep up with the firmware support.

[tnforpaul45]

Originally Posted by zelfdoen

I too wish there would be a modern reasonably priced 10 inch (or 12 inch ) e-ink device. But it seems the large e-ink screens are much more fragile and expensive, and the general public is content with the smaller 6 inch screens. I guess for PDF the new Samsung 12 inch tablets (and the big Apples) are the way to go.

Anyway, the upgrade path up to 3.3 was actually quite easy to do. It is only the last versions that prove challenging for me. Hopefully someone will repackage these updates into something more manageable.

But I think I will also be content with what I have now, and use the Kindle Store via PC and tablet like you say. Cheers.

I am so, so very sad that the eReader industry has pretty much abandoned the 10" format, and that Amazon has abandoned those of us who love their DXes.

If Kobo would work on a 10" eReader and really knock it out of the park, it could be a game changers. Yeah Yeah I know: Tablets. Screw Tablets, they hurt my eyes!

I mean even amazon is having to introduce "Blue Filter" on its Fire tablets to hue the screen red after sundown to quit impacting our sleep rhythms. My DX and Kobo Glow dont affect my sleep at all!

(The Sony DPT [too expensive] and the Onyx Boox [not sure about the brand] have been catching my eye recently!)

[Jack Torrance]

Since I live in a non whispernet area I brought my DX to work and had it plugged in and turned on for 2 days. If something happened I couldn't tell. I haven't rcecieved an email or any indication I actually needed an update.

I guess I'll find out the next time I try to use the store in my DX which may not be for months.

[ThomasC]

I got the same e-mail today regarding updating my dxg to 2.5.8* (already had 2.5.8). I just followed the instructions.

Kindle (2nd Generation) or Kindle DX (2nd Generation)

From the Home screen of your Kindle, press the Menu button.
Select Turn Wireless On with the 5-way controller.
Press the Menu button again and select Sync & Check for Items.
Plug your Kindle in, and leave your Kindle plugged in and connected to its wireless network overnight.

While asleep, the software update will download and install automatically. Your device may restart multiple times during the update process. You will receive a final confirmation letter, on your device, once the update is complete.

Within a few hours I checked my DXG and there was an Update title on my home screen that when I opened it said that it had been successfully updated.

So, all worked fine for me. Wireless = 3G for the DXG, not wifi (which it does not have).

Funny that Amazon does not also provide an update file you can download and install manually like previous updates. Not sure why not? Maybe some security concerns?

[zelfdoen]

Originally Posted by ThomasC

Within a few hours I checked my DXG and there was an Update title on my home screen that when I opened it said that it had been successfully updated.

That is interesting. So you had original firmware 2.5.8 and you received an update. I guess the firmware version in the Settings screen is still 2.5.8 with the same id number as before ? I suppose then this update is not a real firmware update but only an SSL certificate update or something like that and does not affect the firmware but is installed somewehre else in the system.

[ThomasC]

Originally Posted by zelfdoen

That is interesting. So you had original firmware 2.5.8 and you received an update. I guess the firmware version in the Settings screen is still 2.5.8 with the same id number as before ? I suppose then this update is not a real firmware update but only an SSL certificate update or something like that and does not affect the firmware but is installed somewehre else in the system.

Ya, you may be right. I have not noticed any difference in anything. Probably just something to allow you to continue to use cloud and the kindle store. After the update the settings still just show 2.5.8. Sorry but I do not recall if the number displayed after this changed or not.

[Little.Egret]

Originally Posted by j.p.s

There's probably no one left at Amazon that is involved in the details of the implementation of this project that know there are non-wifi kindles.

See however https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...=270880&page=4

Which suggests that non-updated K3s (Kindle Keyboard) are being updated over 3G

Amazon know how many users have rung up CS to complain they couldn't access Twitter and then Wikipedia, having twice as many complain they can't buy would be very expensive compared with a forced update of all the laggards.

[donB006]

There is a critical update for the DXG with 2.5.8 called Update_1_4294967295.bin with contents shown here:

File:
-rwxr-xr-x 1 root root 33958 Feb 27  2016 Update_1_4294967295.bin

Contents:
-r-xr-xr-x 1  1022  5001   948 Sep  3 02:34 certificate.crt
-rw-rw-rw- 1  1022  5001   256 Sep  3 02:34 certificate.crt.sig
-r--r--r-- 1  1022  5001   351 Sep  3 02:34 constants
-rw-rw-rw- 1  1022  5001   256 Sep  3 02:34 constants.sig
-r--r--r-- 1  1022  5001  1930 Sep  3 02:34 gutenberg_ca_update.ffs
-rw-rw-rw- 1  1022  5001   256 Sep  3 02:34 gutenberg_ca_update.ffs.sig
-r-xr-xr-x 1  1022  5001  3385 Sep  3 02:34 jks_update.sh
-rw-rw-rw- 1  1022  5001   256 Sep  3 02:34 jks_update.sh.sig
-r-xr-xr-x 1  1022  5001 26965 Sep  3 02:34 keytool.jar
-rw-rw-rw- 1  1022  5001   256 Sep  3 02:34 keytool.jar.sig
-r-xr-xr-x 1  1022  5001  2233 Sep  3 02:34 report_ca_update
-rw-rw-rw- 1  1022  5001   256 Sep  3 02:34 report_ca_update.sig
-r-xr-xr-x 1  1022  5001   507 Sep  3 02:34 S98ReportCAUpdate
-rw-rw-rw- 1  1022  5001   256 Sep  3 02:34 S98ReportCAUpdate.sig
-rw-r--r-- 1  1022  5001   650 Sep  3 02:34 update-caupdate-09.dat
-rw-rw-rw- 1  1022  5001   256 Sep  3 02:34 update-caupdate-09.dat.sig
-r--r--r-- 1  1022  5001  1742 Sep  3 02:34 util_funcs
-rw-rw-rw- 1  1022  5001   256 Sep  3 02:34 util_funcs.sig