Customize the 700?

[JeffElkins]

Is it possible?

Probably, but not owning one I can't swear to it. I'd really appreciate someone trying to rip their firmware and sending me a copy.

Download PRSCustomizer and send me a copy of your image files to study. Do NOT attempt to customize your Reader. Choose option #3 and see if you can backup your firmware to send to me. This should be a no-damage-possible thing for you to try.

Thanks!

[el.astrologo]

I second this man's notion. I would definitely send you my firmware alas I haven't received my 700 and won't for couple of months (a friend of mine is buying it in the States and she will return around march... so I have a long waiting ahead of me) but I would endorse any attempts made in the name of customizing this future belonging of mine :P
Hopefully some other poster will provide...
Cheers

[hieubg]

How can i rip my firmware with PRSCustomizer? If you send me the guide i will try to rip my reader firmware for you.

[JeffElkins]

<variable name="PRSVersion" value="1.0.00.10060"/>

This is what's reported...

[porkupan]

Originally Posted by JeffElkins

Is it possible?

Yes, it is possible. However, the PRS-700 is not fully executable-image-compatible with PRS-505 and PRS-500, so some enhancements would be needed for the Universal Flasher. At the Russian the-ebook forum we have already developed the method of flashing the PRS-700, but I am rather reluctant to make it available for the general hacking public for fear of bricking the expensive device (there is no Sony firmware loader available as of yet to recover from the bricked state).

Besides a different ELF image format, the PRS-700 runs the 2.6 kernel (as opposed to the 2.4 in 500 and 505), and the Sony-specific application resides with the general OS stuff in the Root filesystem. This last fact makes flashing somewhat more dangerous, as the Rootfs flashing is needed in order to provide improvement for what used to be Fsk.

There are ways to debug the FW changes without flashing, so not everything is bad (however the way known to me involves cleaning out the /Data filesystem, as in "formatting internal memory"). I would wait a while before releasing the 700 customization process to the public.

If you wish to examine the original Rootfs CRAMFS image, you can get it here. My guess is igorsk is already working on the Universal Flasher for PRS-700, but at this moment there isn't one available, so all customization requires assembling the CRAMFS image outside the Reader.

BTW, I am a bit surprised that the moderators haven't started the Dev. Corner for PRS-700 yet.

[JeffElkins]

Interesting, Porkupan, thanks!