PRS-500 reverse engineering the Reader USB protocol - Page 10

scotty1024 · 02-09-2007, 03:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alexander Turcic

Likewise you could log the USB communication of the updater tool to find out how they get around the limitation (perhaps kovidgoyal is right and they just use a new USB command).

The flasher works differently. It takes the device out of the Connect protocol and does something that forces a Reader reboot into a firmware flasher mode.

I'll grab USB logs of the flasher so I can write a Mac/Linux flash tool when I upgrade my Wife's Sony this weekend.

scotty1024 · 02-09-2007, 03:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kovidgoyal

I've updated libprs500 to 0.3.9 so that it correctly handles permission denied errors. I'll look into figuring out how to unlock it as soon as I get a little free time.

EDIT: Hmm we may have to wait for the next updater as this updater didn't need to unlock.

We won't get this via USB traces. We'll need to pull apart the Sony Reader code. And even then, there may be no unlock... Sony really has no need for it so it may just be slammed shut.

Alexander Turcic · 02-09-2007, 03:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by scotty1024

The flasher works differently. It takes the device out of the Connect protocol and does something that forces a Reader reboot into a firmware flasher mode.

I'll grab USB logs of the flasher so I can write a Mac/Linux flash tool when I upgrade my Wife's Sony this weekend.

No comment. Scotty, you rock.

kovidgoyal · 02-09-2007, 04:17 PM

Hmm you may be right scotty, they may have completely disabled access to non data areas in which case reflashing may be the only alternative. But it seems to me that having at least read access via USB to the file system would be a convenience to the SONY devs, so they may have left it in.

igorsk · 02-09-2007, 05:09 PM

What is this "unlock" you're talking about? As for how the reflashing works, you can take a look at my ebook.py's "um" and "pwrite" commands.

scotty1024 · 02-09-2007, 06:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by igorsk

What is this "unlock" you're talking about? As for how the reflashing works, you can take a look at my ebook.py's "um" and "pwrite" commands.

I thought you exploited the Sony DLL's to do your flash tool?

The unlock I'm talking about is to turn off the disable for the root filesystem that they've added in Today's firmware update. But I'm betting they just hard coded it and there is no unlock. Why take chances on us reversing the unlock code?

igorsk · 02-09-2007, 08:12 PM

Yes, I'm using the Sony DLL to handle USB communications but I still need to prepare the packets.
As for the root fs limitation I'm going to have a look but I agree that most probably it's hard-coded. However, there are other ways to get into the device

scotty1024 · 02-09-2007, 08:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by igorsk

However, there are other ways to get into the device

I know, your email is burning a hole in my email box.

I'm figuring I'll have time to move on to the other means in a few days. Just need to get this virtualized R/W filesystem out the door.

scotty1024 · 02-09-2007, 08:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Alexander Turcic

No comment. Scotty, you rock.

I just code, you all keep this wonderful web site running, you all rock!

Christopher · 03-19-2007, 09:50 AM

I'm getting the current error on trying to send to the device or the media card in it.

Code:

Unable to send Neon Genesis: Goddess to device
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "/usr/lib64/python2.5/site-packages/libprs500-0.3.9-py2.5.egg/libprs500/gui/main.py", line 355, in upload_books
end_session=False)
File "/usr/lib64/python2.5/site-packages/libprs500-0.3.9-py2.5.egg/libprs500/communicate.py", line 168, in run_session
res = func(*args, **kwargs)
File "/usr/lib64/python2.5/site-packages/libprs500-0.3.9-py2.5.egg/libprs500/communicate.py", line 824, in add_book
bkl.add_book(info, name, size, ctime)
File "/usr/lib64/python2.5/site-packages/libprs500-0.3.9-py2.5.egg/libprs500/books.py", line 193, in add_book
w, h, data = info["cover"]
TypeError: unpack non-sequence

EDIT: Is it also normal for the proram to rename every file prs500_x.x?

Christopher · 03-19-2007, 10:04 AM

So far I am liking what I see with the program. I'm having some issues with the graphical which I don't think will be too long in figuring out but I posted the error in question anyways.

One thing I would like to know is if the makelrf could be enhanced to include zipped html and not just rar'd. It be nice to be able to do so. I have a website that has all of this tpe of stuff and I have it download content in PDF, HTML, and zipped HTML.

Anyone know of a good PHP plugin or filter to make databased content into LRF?

kovidgoyal · 03-20-2007, 02:39 AM

I'm travelling at the moment, so I'll look into that error when I get back which should be in about a week. Yes, it is normal for the program to rename files when they are uploaded to the reader.

I'm planning to do a complete rewrite of the makelrf code to support images and links in the LRF file as well as support for HTML books that have been split into multiple little files at some point (so much to do so little time ;-), when I do that adding support for zipped HTML files will be easy. I'd recommend you open a bug about it at the libprs500 site so I remember.

Christopher · 03-20-2007, 04:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kovidgoyal

I'm travelling at the moment, so I'll look into that error when I get back which should be in about a week. Yes, it is normal for the program to rename files when they are uploaded to the reader.

I'm planning to do a complete rewrite of the makelrf code to support images and links in the LRF file as well as support for HTML books that have been split into multiple little files at some point (so much to do so little time ;-), when I do that adding support for zipped HTML files will be easy. I'd recommend you open a bug about it at the libprs500 site so I remember.

Will do. Why does the program rename the files?

kovidgoyal · 03-21-2007, 02:41 AM

The books are stored internally in a database, and the program doesn't keep track of the original file names. Instead it stores meta information about the files. Hence the need for automatically generated file names. Also since the program aims to be cross platform and each platform (read windows) has its file name related idiosyncracies, i thought it safer not to mess with file names that convey metadata at all.

kovidgoyal · 03-25-2007, 07:40 AM

The bug should be fixed in 0.3.10

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02-09-2007, 04:17 PM	#139
kovidgoyal creator of calibre Posts: 43,839 Karma: 22666666 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Mumbai, India Device: Various	Hmm you may be right scotty, they may have completely disabled access to non data areas in which case reflashing may be the only alternative. But it seems to me that having at least read access via USB to the file system would be a convenience to the SONY devs, so they may have left it in.

02-09-2007, 05:09 PM	#140
igorsk Wizard Posts: 3,442 Karma: 300001 Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Belgium Device: PRS-500/505/700, Kindle, Cybook Gen3, Words Gear	What is this "unlock" you're talking about? As for how the reflashing works, you can take a look at my ebook.py's "um" and "pwrite" commands.

02-09-2007, 08:12 PM	#142
igorsk Wizard Posts: 3,442 Karma: 300001 Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Belgium Device: PRS-500/505/700, Kindle, Cybook Gen3, Words Gear	Yes, I'm using the Sony DLL to handle USB communications but I still need to prepare the packets. As for the root fs limitation I'm going to have a look but I agree that most probably it's hard-coded. However, there are other ways to get into the device

03-19-2007, 10:04 AM	#146
Christopher Junior Member Posts: 6 Karma: 10 Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Nashville, TN Device: Sony PRS500	So far I am liking what I see with the program. I'm having some issues with the graphical which I don't think will be too long in figuring out but I posted the error in question anyways. One thing I would like to know is if the makelrf could be enhanced to include zipped html and not just rar'd. It be nice to be able to do so. I have a website that has all of this tpe of stuff and I have it download content in PDF, HTML, and zipped HTML. Anyone know of a good PHP plugin or filter to make databased content into LRF?

03-20-2007, 02:39 AM	#147
kovidgoyal creator of calibre Posts: 43,839 Karma: 22666666 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Mumbai, India Device: Various	I'm travelling at the moment, so I'll look into that error when I get back which should be in about a week. Yes, it is normal for the program to rename files when they are uploaded to the reader. I'm planning to do a complete rewrite of the makelrf code to support images and links in the LRF file as well as support for HTML books that have been split into multiple little files at some point (so much to do so little time ;-), when I do that adding support for zipped HTML files will be easy. I'd recommend you open a bug about it at the libprs500 site so I remember.

03-21-2007, 02:41 AM	#149
kovidgoyal creator of calibre Posts: 43,839 Karma: 22666666 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Mumbai, India Device: Various	The books are stored internally in a database, and the program doesn't keep track of the original file names. Instead it stores meta information about the files. Hence the need for automatically generated file names. Also since the program aims to be cross platform and each platform (read windows) has its file name related idiosyncracies, i thought it safer not to mess with file names that convey metadata at all.

03-25-2007, 07:40 AM	#150
kovidgoyal creator of calibre Posts: 43,839 Karma: 22666666 Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Mumbai, India Device: Various	The bug should be fixed in 0.3.10

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