KOBO Firmware question

LordP · 06-28-2022, 04:13 AM

So I've had a lot of family things going on and I just recently updated my Clara to firmware 4.33.19611, but I realized that I had missed 4.33.19608.

I think I have the battery issue and I'd like to install 19608 and then 19611 after that - is this safe to do or do I need to somehow uninstall 19611 first?

Thanks.

Deobulakenyo · 06-28-2022, 04:49 AM

You can install 19608 manuaaly then update via wifi or manual again to 19611

John F · 06-28-2022, 07:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LordP

So I've had a lot of family things going on and I just recently updated my Clara to firmware 4.33.19611, but I realized that I had missed 4.33.19608.

I think I have the battery issue and I'd like to install 19608 and then 19611 after that - is this safe to do or do I need to somehow uninstall 19611 first?

Thanks.

I'm not an expert on this, but I believe you do not need to install previous version of firmware when installing a newer firmware.

And what is the battery issue?

LordP · 06-28-2022, 07:53 AM

@John F
While charging, the display might say 75%, but if I remove the power and put it back in, it might then say 93% - which makes me think that the level is being measured, or reported, inaccurately.

Besides, how can I tell which reading is correct 75% or 93%?

@Deobulakenyo

Thanks, I've never done this so I wasn't sure if it would mess something up - I'll try it.

JSWolf · 06-30-2022, 09:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LordP

@John F
While charging, the display might say 75%, but if I remove the power and put it back in, it might then say 93% - which makes me think that the level is being measured, or reported, inaccurately.

Besides, how can I tell which reading is correct 75% or 93%?

@Deobulakenyo

Thanks, I've never done this so I wasn't sure if it would mess something up - I'll try it.

This sounds to me like the battery needs replacing more so then a firmware problem. I've seen this sort of problem on my iPhone 6s before I had the battery replaced.

John F · 06-30-2022, 09:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JSWolf

This sounds to me like the battery needs replacing more so then a firmware problem. I've seen this sort of problem on my iPhone 6s before I had the battery replaced.

I don't believe it is a battery problem. A change was made in some version that didn't update the battery level while charging in sleep mode (until it got to 100%). I believe a later version changed the behavior back.

JSWolf · 06-30-2022, 09:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by John F

I don't believe it is a battery problem. A change was made in some version that didn't update the battery level while charging in sleep mode (until it got to 100%). I believe a later version changed the behavior back.

If that is the case, then the OP should not be having a problem being on the latest firmware. I'm on the first 4.33 and I am not having a problem with the battery level indicator.

davidfor · 06-30-2022, 09:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JSWolf

If that is the case, then the OP should not be having a problem being on the latest firmware. I'm on the first 4.33 and I am not having a problem with the battery level indicator.

What the OP has probably forgotten to mention is sleep. One of the recent firmware changed things so that the charging level did not update if the device was sleeping. When you woke it, the update happened. And as unplugging the device wakes it, the charging level will get updated as well.

Another firmware version changed this again so that the charge level can be updated while sleeping. But, I don't think it is a constant update, so it might jump several percent rather than going up by one. I don't know exactly how it works at the moment because I just connect it to the PC when updating and that usually is enough charge until the next time. Or I plug it in and forget about it for a while.

LordP · 06-30-2022, 06:27 PM

@davidfor

Interesting. I just tried it, the unit was displaying "Sleeping: Charging 82%", I unplugged and plugged it back in, and now it says "Sleeping: Charging 94%".

So, the problem remains, but it claims "Sleeping" in both instances.

BookCat · 06-30-2022, 09:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LordP

@davidfor

Interesting. I just tried it, the unit was displaying "Sleeping: Charging 82%", I unplugged and plugged it back in, and now it says "Sleeping: Charging 94%".

So, the problem remains, but it claims "Sleeping" in both instances.

But you've woken it up in between. During it's awake time, the battery indicator calibrated.

davidfor · 06-30-2022, 10:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LordP

@davidfor

Interesting. I just tried it, the unit was displaying "Sleeping: Charging 82%", I unplugged and plugged it back in, and now it says "Sleeping: Charging 94%".

So, the problem remains, but it claims "Sleeping" in both instances.

I think this is a deliberate change on Kobo's part. To update the charge level while the device is sleeping means the device has to wake enough to do this, update a small amount of the screen and then go back to sleep. Or, it means th device never actually goes to sleep. Neither seem like a good idea to me. To me, the constant update of the charge level seems fairly pointless. I just plug the device in and let it charge. And unplug it when I want to do something else with it. It doesn't matter if I leave it in after the charging is finished. And if I want to use it before it is fully charged, I unplug it and use it.

LordP · 07-01-2022, 06:03 AM

@BookCat
I should have mentioned that when the power is unplugged, the unit says "Sleeping" with no "charge" percentage showing. To be clear, the unit displays "Sleeping", unplug and shows "Sleeping", plug back in and it says "Sleeping".

@davidfor
That actually makes some kind of sense but it means that the charge display is meaningless, or at least minimally useful. I think I'll try my Onyx and see if it handles this function the same way.

LOL, my Onyx Boox doesn't even try, it simply shows the Cathedral screen, no charge percentage at all - it has been a long while since I've used it.

John F · 07-01-2022, 06:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by davidfor

...

Another firmware version changed this again so that the charge level can be updated while sleeping. But, I don't think it is a constant update, so it might jump several percent rather than going up by one. I don't know exactly how it works at the moment because I just connect it to the PC when updating and that usually is enough charge until the next time. Or I plug it in and forget about it for a while.

I was under the impression also that it was changed back (reporting much more often), but I just tried it on a Clara, and after 30 minutes of charging in sleep mode, there was no change on the sleep screen of the charging %. I plugged it in at 61%, and when I unplugged it and checked the battery level it was at 94%.

Quoth · 07-01-2022, 06:52 AM

I find none of my Kobos reliably display charge %, on many FW, while asleep. They update when awake. This makes sense otherwise the ereader would either not really be asleep or need a Hardware timer interrupt to wake it occasionally. I remember this being discussed in context of a "sleep screen clock/calendar", which really is a oxymoron given that updates to screen need cpu awake and it's one of the more power hungry activities. Obviously if there was a HW clock tick that only momentarily woke the CPU while external PSU detected on USB then more accurate sleep screen % charge and clock/calendar (with maybe only minutes) would be possible. I note on one of my Android devices if the time/date is wrong I can go to settings and change it but the Home Screen display shows the old time and date till the next minute change occurs!

LordP · 07-01-2022, 07:11 AM

@Quoth
I'm not sure how an Android phone quite manages it, but I know my Pixel 6 does show the charge correctly when asleep, and I'm pretty sure my older phones worked the same. Ebook readers are a different beast I guess.

Still, it seems dumb to have the charge % displayed if it is going to be incorrect at some point.

Frankly, the Kobo has probably always worked this way, I just happened to notice it one day and kinda fixated on it for some reason.

No biggie, thanks to everyone for all for your input.

06-28-2022, 04:13 AM	#1
LordP Zealot Posts: 139 Karma: 1341124 Join Date: Aug 2010 Device: Kindle 3	KOBO Firmware question So I've had a lot of family things going on and I just recently updated my Clara to firmware 4.33.19611, but I realized that I had missed 4.33.19608. I think I have the battery issue and I'd like to install 19608 and then 19611 after that - is this safe to do or do I need to somehow uninstall 19611 first? Thanks.

07-01-2022, 06:03 AM	#12
LordP Zealot Posts: 139 Karma: 1341124 Join Date: Aug 2010 Device: Kindle 3	@BookCat I should have mentioned that when the power is unplugged, the unit says "Sleeping" with no "charge" percentage showing. To be clear, the unit displays "Sleeping", unplug and shows "Sleeping", plug back in and it says "Sleeping". @davidfor That actually makes some kind of sense but it means that the charge display is meaningless, or at least minimally useful. I think I'll try my Onyx and see if it handles this function the same way. LOL, my Onyx Boox doesn't even try, it simply shows the Cathedral screen, no charge percentage at all - it has been a long while since I've used it. Last edited by LordP; 07-01-2022 at 06:33 AM.

07-01-2022, 06:52 AM	#14
Quoth the rook, bossing Never. Posts: 11,150 Karma: 85874891 Join Date: Jun 2017 Location: Ireland Device: All 4 Kinds: epub eink, Kindle, android eink, NxtPaper11	I find none of my Kobos reliably display charge %, on many FW, while asleep. They update when awake. This makes sense otherwise the ereader would either not really be asleep or need a Hardware timer interrupt to wake it occasionally. I remember this being discussed in context of a "sleep screen clock/calendar", which really is a oxymoron given that updates to screen need cpu awake and it's one of the more power hungry activities. Obviously if there was a HW clock tick that only momentarily woke the CPU while external PSU detected on USB then more accurate sleep screen % charge and clock/calendar (with maybe only minutes) would be possible. I note on one of my Android devices if the time/date is wrong I can go to settings and change it but the Home Screen display shows the old time and date till the next minute change occurs! Last edited by Quoth; 07-01-2022 at 06:58 AM.

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06-28-2022, 04:49 AM	#2
Deobulakenyo Guru Posts: 703 Karma: 2153490 Join Date: Aug 2021 Location: Stupid Philippines Device: Kobo Libra 2, Boyue Likebook P78	You can install 19608 manuaaly then update via wifi or manual again to 19611

06-28-2022, 07:53 AM	#4
LordP Zealot Posts: 139 Karma: 1341124 Join Date: Aug 2010 Device: Kindle 3	@John F While charging, the display might say 75%, but if I remove the power and put it back in, it might then say 93% - which makes me think that the level is being measured, or reported, inaccurately. Besides, how can I tell which reading is correct 75% or 93%? @Deobulakenyo Thanks, I've never done this so I wasn't sure if it would mess something up - I'll try it.

06-30-2022, 06:27 PM	#9
LordP Zealot Posts: 139 Karma: 1341124 Join Date: Aug 2010 Device: Kindle 3	@davidfor Interesting. I just tried it, the unit was displaying "Sleeping: Charging 82%", I unplugged and plugged it back in, and now it says "Sleeping: Charging 94%". So, the problem remains, but it claims "Sleeping" in both instances.

07-01-2022, 07:11 AM	#15
LordP Zealot Posts: 139 Karma: 1341124 Join Date: Aug 2010 Device: Kindle 3	@Quoth I'm not sure how an Android phone quite manages it, but I know my Pixel 6 does show the charge correctly when asleep, and I'm pretty sure my older phones worked the same. Ebook readers are a different beast I guess. Still, it seems dumb to have the charge % displayed if it is going to be incorrect at some point. Frankly, the Kobo has probably always worked this way, I just happened to notice it one day and kinda fixated on it for some reason. No biggie, thanks to everyone for all for your input.

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