Kindle PW2 error says Battery Invalid: -22

[adonis]

Hi guys,

I have a kindle pw2 with a broken screen. so i decided to fix it on my own and got another screen. when i assembled everything together i get the "repairing necessary" screen and at the bottom a "BATTERY INVALID: -22" message.

Things I've tried so far:

• Hold power-button for 40 seconds, even that the screen flashes the message still reoccurs. It never comes to the tree-screen or loading screen or whatever.
• When i plug in the usb-cable the led does not light up. Sometimes it lights up, but as soon as the device restarts and the error shows up comes, the led stops lighting.
• The screen itself seems to work. I connected it on a pw1 and everything shows up. the only problem is, that touch is not working.

The first time, this message appeared was when I reassembled a pw1-screen with a pw2-motherboard. Since this didn't work, I decided to get a pw2-screen, but the error still exists.

is there a way to fix it?

[knc1]

Check the battery connector and the battery cable for (even microscopic) damage.

The PW-1 and the PW-2 use different screen controllers (different SoC - the i.MX6 (PW-2) has the controller built-in).

I only know they differ - I don't know about compatibility issues.
So I can't even guess if you have bork'd the SoC controller, hooking a PW-1 screen to it.

- - - -

But all of the hand-waving about changing screens / motherboard is probably a red herring (other than to indicate that human hands have been inside of the case).

The battery and the battery management have nothing to do with the screen and the screen driver.

Ah, and if you have replaced the battery, be certain that you actually used a PW-2 battery.

[adonis]

The connectors look fine and undamaged, checked them with a magnifier. I also used different cables. The led stops lighting, when the kindle reboots itself and the error message occurs. So I assume that the connectors should be fine.

The battery is a PW-2 battery (blue), since I also have a PW-1 battery (black) here and the difference can be seen clearly, the one having 3 pins while the other one has 4.

So, let's assume I screwed the SoC, is there way to repair it? Maybe installing a new firmware? Since it's not recognized via USB, could something like this be possible via serial port?

[adonis]

I've connected the kindle via serial now and I'm trying to get into fastboot. But when I run "bist fastboot" I only get Battery voltage outputs, like

Battery voltage: 3996 mV
Battery voltage: 3997 mV
Battery voltage: 3998 mV
Battery voltage: 3999 mV
...

And the kindle never enters fastboot mode. What can I do?

[knc1]

Originally Posted by adonis

I've connected the kindle via serial now and I'm trying to get into fastboot. But when I run "bist fastboot" I only get Battery voltage outputs, like

Battery voltage: 3996 mV
Battery voltage: 3997 mV
Battery voltage: 3998 mV
Battery voltage: 3999 mV
...

And the kindle never enters fastboot mode. What can I do?

Duh....
(Today seems to be the day for these sorts of questions....)

bist fastboot is a u-boot command.

With the serial port connected and working, re-start the Kindle and 'escape' from the boot sequence to get at the u-boot prompt.

[adonis]

Originally Posted by knc1

Duh....
(Today seems to be the day for these sorts of questions....)

bist fastboot is a u-boot command.

With the serial port connected and working, re-start the Kindle and 'escape' from the boot sequence to get at the u-boot prompt.

I can get into u-boot prompt without any problems, but my goal is to to get fastboot working and try to unbrick my kindle with a new firmware. Or did you mean something else?

[knc1]

Originally Posted by adonis

I can get into u-boot prompt without any problems, but my goal is to to get fastboot working and try to unbrick my kindle with a new firmware. Or did you mean something else?

I meant the answer to your question.

From the u-boot command line, enter:
bist fastboot

You will not get a battery voltage report (at least, you didn't in the past).

But if you do, then that is an improvement - -
It should allow you to avoid destroying your flash chip.
Since you naturally would not start any long running set of erase/re-program cycles with a battery that is reported as having too low a charge.

- - - -

How do you know that fastboot isn't working?

Tell us all details of the fastboot and pc you are trying to talk to the Kindle with.

PS: You do know that there is more than one program named 'fastboot' don't you? and that you must use the one of that name which is specifically for the gray scale Kindles.

- - - -

"Un-brick with a new firmware ..."

Meaning you brick the 'diag' mode of your Kindle and you want to un-brick that?
Because the 'main' mode image is too large for fastboot to handle, you can't un-brick the 'main' mode with fastboot.

- - - -

This question and answer session would go a lot faster if you just gave us **all** of the details of the current situation and of what you are attempting to do.

Include details of all that you have done and the results of each.

[adonis]

Well, let me describe the current situation:

My kindle seems to be bricked. It shows the following message on the kindle-screen:
https://goo.gl/photos/v1Hc9uWpX3evmtVf6

When i plug it via USB, it's not getting recognized by my computer.

So I've connected the kindle via serial (CP2102) to my Mac.
When i restart my kindle i get this log-output through serial connection:
http://pastebin.com/jJ4pRqwX

I think the problem here is this warning message:
<4>[ 6.419158] === BATTERY ID IS INVALID. STOPPING BOOT ===

I have two assumptions, either it's really something wrong with the battery, or there's just a fixable error in the software.

Then I found this tutorial here, how to unbrick a paperwhite. I hope, that I can fix my kindle with this method.
https://gist.github.com/TobiasWooldr...ca75190b9a473f

According to this tutorial I had to install fastboot for kindle on my computer:
https://github.com/TobiasWooldridge/Fastboot-Kindle
It's a modified version of the android fastboot.

When i get into u-boot and run "bist fastboot" I only get the battery-voltage messages. The same happens when I run "bist", and then "fastboot" separately.

I hope my problem is now clear enough, and I apologize for not describing it more detailed at the beginning of the thread.

[knc1]

Originally Posted by adonis

Well, let me describe the current situation:

My kindle seems to be bricked. It shows the following message on the kindle-screen:
https://goo.gl/photos/v1Hc9uWpX3evmtVf6

When i plug it via USB, it's not getting recognized by my computer.

So I've connected the kindle via serial (CP2102) to my Mac.
When i restart my kindle i get this log-output through serial connection:
http://pastebin.com/jJ4pRqwX
- - - -

Reading that, it looks to me as if your still running the initramfs (I.E: the boot hasn't progressed far enough to load the rootfs stored on /dev/mmcblk0p0 "main" or p1 "diags").

The chance that there is something wrong with the kernel or any of the code in the initramfs file system is slim to none.
It passes its checksum tests when loaded.

None of the code in 'main' or 'diags' could be at fault - you never get far enough along to execute either of them.

- - - -

Possible paths towards narrowing down the problem:

You have two (2) kernels with their statically linked in initramfs.
You could try booting the 'other' one.
I.E: If that boot log was from 'main' try booting 'diag' system's kernel.

You can get into the boot sequence at the u-boot prompt.
You have two different builds of u-boot available.
The first one (which you escape into from the serial port) is a small (limited feature) build of u-boot.
When you execute the bist command - that actually loads the larger (more fully featured) build of u-boot.

Do that, then list the available commands of the "full" featured build of u-boot.
Your looking for something that will read or write or re-initialize the battery ID field.
(I.E: Something you did (but haven't mentioned yet) may have trashed that information in the flash data area.)

I still don't see why you think that fastboot isn't running.
Just because your getting battery status reports on the serial port does not mean that fastboot is not running.

So continue on with the instructions, try communicating with the Kindle's fastboot utility from your PC.
Use the fastboot set/get bootmode commands (or anything else that might give you an indication if the Kindle is responding).

I suggest trying the bootmode setting commands, because you can then try setting the bootmode to 'diags' and re-booting (both using fastboot on the pc) - just skip on down to the instructions for doing that in the other how-to you linked to.

This will give you the chance to try the other kernel (and its code in its own initramfs).
But I don't expect it will be any different about not liking the battery (unless it auto-reinitializes the battery id fields during its diag start-up).

Try some of the above, keep notes, post what you tried and what the results where.

- - - - -

If really hard up and you want to chase down what is triggering the battery message;
Check my recent thread on the insides of the pw1-5.6.1.1 update package.
The process is the same for any of the "full image" (since 5.2.something) update packages that Amazon has posted.

The link to the older thread near the start of the new one gives the gory details (and some of the common Amazon variations on the same theme) of earlier than 5.6.x packaged kernels (back to 2.5.8 IIRC).

In fact, I did a "cut, paste and edit" of the command examples for the K4 kernel to take apart the 5.6.1.1 kernel.
So yes, its an old thread, but still has useful information in it.

[adonis]

Wooow, I can boot into diags-mode. Thank you a lot.
I'll have a look what's going on here, and give you some more information how far i got.

"I still don't see why you think that fastboot isn't running."

It's an assumption, because, when I run ". /fastboot reboot" on my computer it says "Waiting for device"

[knc1]

Originally Posted by adonis

- - - -
It's an assumption, because, when I run ". /fastboot reboot" on my computer it says "Waiting for device"

Durn, your on MacOSx - which I know nothing about.

For the next, you have three choices:

• Wait for Niluje to have some free hobby time.
• Run Linux (either a LiveCD or in a VM - but expect trouble in a VM)
• Translate the following from Linux to MacOSx

Which means it is not recognizing the device -
does not mean the remote (Kindle) end is not running.
I am betting on the Kindle end **is** running.

It does mean a mis-match in what the Kindle fastboot is using for the USB Vendor:Product ID and what your Mac fastboot is expecting.

Under Linux:
Without starting fastboot on the Kindle, but with the Kindle powered on and USB cable connected, do:
lsusb -v
make a note of the Vendor:Product ID shown for the Kindle.

Now start fastboot on the Kindle, the do:
lsusb -v
make a note of the Vendor:Product ID shown for the Kindle.

Q1: Did the Vendor:Product ID change?
Note1: If your Mac didn't recognize the Kindle when plugged in, then assume the Vendor:Product ID documented (somewhere) here.
A1: no
Kindle fastboot is not running.
A2: yes
Kindle fastboot is running.

You posted that you built (and/or are using) a modified Kindle-Android fastboot on the MAC -
Check the source (or documentation) for what Vendor:Product ID it is expecting.

Q2: Is it expecting what the Kindle is using while the Kindle runs fastboot?
A1: yes
We have some other problem.
Be certain you aren't using a "power only" data cable.
Be certain that the Mac USB port **is not** a USB-3 port.
A2: no
You are using (and/or built) the fastboot for the Kindle-Fire (which is Android) not for the Kindle-Grayscale.

- - - -

Despite the text, this is a PW-1 in USB storage mode:

core2quad bin $ lsusb
- - - - -
Bus 001 Device 010: ID 1949:0004 Lab126 Amazon Kindle 3

- - - - -

Work the above and post the details of what you did and what you found for each thing done.

[adonis]

Damn!! I nearly got it!!! For a short time I had a working kindle.

Problem: Fastboot not working and lsusb not showing the device
Soltution: Replug USB

With working fastboot I flashed these images:
http://ixtab.tk/kindle-touch-images/PW2/

Had to extract the .gz-files to get .bin-files and flash them with fastboot.

./fastboot flash system mmcblk0p1.bin
./fastboot flash kernel main_kernel.img
./fastboot flash diags mmcblk0p2.bin
./fastboot flash diags_kernel diags_kernel.img

Now, i was able to boot into diags and mount the kindle as USB storage. Then I copied mmcblk0p1.bin.gz to the root folder. After then I went back to "Exit Login prompt" and logged in as root. There I run this commands as described here: http://ixtab.tk/kindle-touch-images/README.txt

zcat /mnt/us/kt_5.1.2-kernel_main.gz | dd of=/dev/mmcblk0 bs=4096 seek=65
idme -d --bootmode main
reboot

Et voilá, I had a working kindle.

BUT...

After a while it restarted and updated itself and then the error message reappeared again :-(((

I repeated the previous steps with no success.
I also tried:

echo 0 > /var/local/upstart/lab126_gui.restarts
dd if=/dev/zero of=/dev/mmcblk0p3 bs=4K count=1K

EDIT:
I got it fixed again, by first flashing the PW-1 images to it, restart it, and then flashing the PW-2 images again and restart.

Then it works, but after a while it again reboots itself, starts auto-updating and the message appears again.

[knc1]

Bad cable ;
or
Bad usb socket ;
or
USB-3 on the Mac.

- - - -

You should never flash PW-1 images to a PW-2 .

- - - -

Why in the world are you flashing a **Kindle Touch** kernel to a PW-2?
And only the kernel?
And why after you had already successfully flashed the kernel with the fastboot command?

- - - -

What was your point in destroying the formatting of the /var/local storage partition?
Did you have reason to force the re-boot process to re-format it?
And if you where going to do that in the very next command, why did you bother to re-set the re-try counter?

- - - -

Why do you want to let it install 5.6.1.1 ?
You will probably lose your jail break, because the recovery images do not have the most recent jail break (that can survive the OTA update to 5.6.x) installed.

- - - -

What is your problem with asking for advice and not following it?

- - - -

Note that the:
./fastboot flash system mmcblk0p1.bin
**Should** have failed because it is too large for fastboot (at least the correct fastboot) to handle.

You should have gotten a failure message.
Since you didn't (I am sure by now you would know to report it in your post) mention a failure message - -
Plus
You have the Kindle's fastboot reporting battery status (another - your kindle only thing) - -

I would suspect a programming error in the fastboot that is running on the Kindle, one that wraps the partition or otherwise writes outside of the partition - destroying the battery ID (and other device specific data).

[adonis]

The USB was fine, surprisingly it worked with USB-3 too.

---

"You should never flash PW-1 images to a PW-2 ."
"Why in the world are you flashing a **Kindle Touch** kernel to a PW-2?"

It was a mistake while I followed this instructions:
https://gist.github.com/TobiasWooldr...ca75190b9a473f
I forgot that this was an instruction for PW-1 so I flashed it.

Then I found http://ixtab.tk/kindle-touch-images/PW2/ these images.
What's wrong with them? Aren't these for the PW-2?

----

"What was your point in destroying the formatting of the /var/local storage partition?
Did you have reason to force the re-boot process to re-format it?
And if you where going to do that in the very next command, why did you bother to re-set the re-try counter?"

Because http://ixtab.tk/kindle-touch-images/PW2/README.txt refers to http://ixtab.tk/kindle-touch-images/README.txt and there it says, that I should do it.

----

"Why do you want to let it install 5.6.1.1 ?"

That's the problem - I don't want it to install 5.6.1.1. It did it automatically. Do I have to turn on airplane-mode to prevent this?

---

"What is your problem with asking for advice and not following it?"

What exactly didn't I follow?

-------

"Note that the:
./fastboot flash system mmcblk0p1.bin
**Should** have failed because it is too large for fastboot (at least the correct fastboot) to handle."

Even that it flashed without a failure message, it didn't work, so I had to copy it via USB to the root folder of the kindle and from within the kindle's prompt I had to run:

zcat /mnt/us/kt_5.1.2-mmcblk0p1-main+jb+kjb+ssh.img.gz | dd of=/dev/mmcblk0p1 bs=4096

[knc1]

Sorry, Monday was a very bad day for me.