Font, ScreenSaver & USBNetwork Hacks for Kindle 2.x, 3.x & 4.x

[NiLuJe]

@sirca:

Originally Posted by NiLuJe

Note for Kindle >= 3.2.1 Users:
Please use the file corresponding to your kindle model suffixed by -3.2.1, the other one won't work on these newer FW versions, while the -3.2.1 file won't work on older FW versions. Check your Settings page if you're unsure of what FW your Kindle is running.

[sirca]

Sorry, I didn´t see the simbol >=

So the correct file for Kindle Keyboard Wifi with 3.3 firmware is "update_jailbreak_0.10.N_k3w-3.2.1_install.bin" , isn´t it?

Later install the last screensaver hack

Thanks for your patience, I promise to study more English

[NiLuJe]

@sirca: Yep, that's it .

[Dick Cheeseman]

Originally Posted by NiLuJe

Keep in mind that a factory reset will also kill (almost, if not) all relevant log files . (I missed/forgot about the factory reset mentions in the original post, but as long as it's done once everything's gone, you should end up with a nearly vanilla Kindle).

Have followed your kind suggestions, inameiname & NiLuJe. Uninstalled screensaver and jailbreak and did the factory reset. All traces of them (at least to my untrained eye!) have disappeared and the kindle looks like new, except for the wonky display. Happy days.

Now to return the ******** thing to Amazon under warranty. Will post an update when they respond to me.

Thanks again for all your help. Maximum kudos.

[inameiname]

Originally Posted by Dick Cheeseman

Have followed your kind suggestions, inameiname & NiLuJe. Uninstalled screensaver and jailbreak and did the factory reset. All traces of them (at least to my untrained eye!) have disappeared and the kindle looks like new, except for the wonky display. Happy days.

Now to return the ******** thing to Amazon under warranty. Will post an update when they respond to me.

Thanks again for all your help. Maximum kudos.

Haha, good to hear. Hopefully everything will go smoothly for you.

[Shikhin]

Hello,

Well, my problem is sort of weird, and might end up with me looking dumb, but I’d just continue.I had used the 3.2.1 jailbreak, as provided here. Then, I’d also installed the usbNetwork “hack”. I messed a lot with my kindle, played with stuff, made a temp debian distro which I’d chroot to and mess around – but in the end, I got bored, and reverted back to other stuff.

Now, I again came back to it – and was confused a lot. I ended up doing “Revert to factory defaults” and cleaning it up. But, I’m still not sure the state of the Kindle. When I try to install any jailbreak, it gives me U007.

I tried installing usbNetwork. U007. Then I thought that maybe it was still installed. So I tried the screensaver hack which I had never tried ever before. U007.

I've also tried reinstalling several the jailbreak given here several times - each time after a restart.

Here’s the result of “;dumpMessages” – http://www.sendspace.com/file/nx6wos (keep in mind that it’s 2.8MiB or something) (and, um, it's a bit old - doesn't include several restarts).

P.S. Mine is a Kindle 3 Only Wifi No Ads, Running 3.3
P.P.S. If it makes any difference, I have the Kindle registered and password protected. I’m not too sure about the latter, so I’m going to try WITHOUT the password once..
P.P.P.S Oh – and doing “~usbNetwork” still opens the Kindle in normal mode via USB..
P.P.P.P.S. Um, I've tried installing several jailbreaks, all found on the vast interweb.. I'm not sure what I've done wrong, but I need assistance!

[NiLuJe]

@Shikhin: Put the linkjail folder from the latest jb package back in your userstore. A facory reset doesn't uninstall anything, it just clears the userstore & /var/local, which *breaks* most stuff, bust doesn't remove them at all.

[Shikhin]

Hi,

By "userstore" your are referring to the root of the Kindle, right? I have already done that, and after that, tried reinstalling the jailbreak and installing the usbNet hack. It failed with U007.

So.. ..the reset to factory defaults permanently broke stuff in there?!

Regards,
Shikhin

[Shikhin]

Hi,

I've attached the logs after putting in linkjail and usbnet (found from trash ). I've chopped the starting of the log a bit - to make it fit in 1MiB.

Regards,
Shikhin

[Shikhin]

Hi,

In my half dreamy state, I did several stupid things, attempting to fix the error myself. Basically, I don't know if I'm wrong (I must be - it still doesn't work), but I figured that linkjail is fired up each time before a update. So, I tried uninstalling usbnet and the jailbreak through linkjail.

I basically imitated the entire uninstallation method, as done in the original scripts. Then, I did a factory reset (makes me feel clean), and a ;dumpMessage. I still found traces of linkjail and usbnet there. I was heart-"broken".

I don't know why there are small traces of linkjail and usbnet still there - I seemed to have done everything properly (rm -f'ed each file I think should have been removed - as per the original uninstallation script). I tried a install of the jailbreak again - didn't work..

Just to educate myself - is it because linkjail is only given rw permission for /mnt/us/? (because, the uninstall *DID* remove the usbnet directory in /mnt/us/ - as I wanted) I've attached the dumped messages - could someone help by telling me how to clean the Kindle out?

Regards,
Shikhin

[Shikhin]

Hi,

Being the restless jerk I am, I don't even wait for someone's advice. So, basically, in linkjail, just before uninstalling, I did "mntroot rw". And well, it made me happy. But not for long.

After running linkjail twice - once for uninstalling usbNetwork and once for the jailbreak, I did ";dumpMessages". And lo! - since I had "uninstalled" usbNetwork in my own hackish way, there was no mention of usbNetwork, and similarly, since I had "uninstalled" jailbreak in my own hackish way, there was no mention of linkjail anywhere.

But, soon, when I tried to install the jailbreak again, the happiness ended. I still got a U007. Afaik, one can only get the U007 on fw >= 3.2.1 if the default keys aren't in use, but the jailbreak is broken/something. But, I had switched back to the default keys via something like:

Spoiler:

# Remove our custom key
rm -f /etc/uks/pubhackkey01.pem

# Switch back to default keys
if grep "^fsp /etc/uks/pubprodkey01.pem" /proc/mounts > /dev/null 2>&1 ; then
umount -l /etc/uks/pubprodkey01.pem
fi

I suppose that should have done the job.

I'd just try setting it to factory defaults once and try again - but till then, I'd wait for someone to tell me how it was fixable before, but I have made it unfixable and non-jailbreakable

EDIT: I seem to be updating too fast - so.. "I'M NOT A TROLL!" (just to make it clear). Anyway, I've attached the dumped messages - and I can't find anything strange in them. I also tried updating via the amazon provided files - updating from 3.3 to 3.3 (just to make sure it works with them, and it does). So, anyway, I'm not too sure why it's not working - it should, I suppose..

Regards,
Shikhin

[Shikhin]

Hi,

I think I had done:

mv /etc/uks /etc/uks.disabled

so as to prevent automatic updates, but I'm not sure. Have I somehow stopped it from updating in the future?! I again tried the amazon file to make sure, but this time, the update button is just greyed out, and the file is deleted when I connect the Kindle.

Someone please help! I'm tensed now!

Regards,
Shikhin

[Shikhin]

Hi,

Seems like the issue from the beginning was the absence of the uks directory. And with the way I uninstalled the jailbreak & usbnet, I seem to have lost ALL chances of repairing my kindle. Or so I think. I could use it with 3.3, but when Amazon offers a update, I guess I'll have no way to update and would be stuck with 3.3.

Also, when I was previously trying the official update and it worked, I think I MIGHT have pressed restart. So..

The three options I can think of are:

a) I seem to remember installing kiterm - so I'd investigate into that. Perhaps it'd help me, and I could use it to somehow fix things.

b) One of you analyses the latest demuped messages and helps me fix the issue.

c) I build a Kindle serial to USB cable, and fix everything.

Any help?

Regards,
Shikhin

[hfpop]

With usb networking and root access to Kindle Keyboard is there a way to programmatically play with the collections sorting issue, or I am too optimistic?

I am thinking at three scenarios:
- change the way collections are sorted;
- assuming a "name/name" naming scheme, change the way collections are displayed and simulate subcollections;
- create a way to load books by walking through the directory structure itself.

[Shikhin]

Hi,

So well, sorry for all the lengthy posts. I had kiterm installed, and I used it to move uks.disabled to uks. And lo! Jailbreaks installed! Everything fixed! Woot.

Regards,
Shikhin