Update Button Greyed Out

[Althelney]

...Probably because I did something dumb.

Spoiler tags because probably none of this matters, other than the fact that what I am describing is probably an OTA update.

Spoiler:

So, I was very nervous about jailbreaking, made sure to do everything right, jailbroke, installed KUAL, K5 Rescue Pack, and the screensavers hack.

The SS hack worked fine, but KUAL didn't; I realized I was on 5.4.3 on a 9017 PW2 and updated to 5.4.5. Then, giddy with my success, I just sort of tried to install a bunch of stuff without paying very close attention. I installed KOReader, MR Installer, backdoorlock and a few other things. (This is the point at which I opened backdoor lock and pressed the locked the back door button.)

Only, the SS hack had stopped working. So I put the Update_python_0.11.N_uninstall.bin and Update_linkss_0.21.N_uninstall.bin in the root, hoping I could uninstall and reinstall them, ejected and launched MR Installer, which told me it couldn't find anything to install. I plugged my kindle back in and the .bin files were gone but the python and linkss folders were not, so I deleted them (like an idiot), hoping I could just do that and put the install .bins in. MR Installer still wasn't seeing any packages, so I gave up on the SS Hack and decided to try tinkering around with KOReader.

I ejected, got the Calibre Companion working, and sent over a bunch of stuff. Then I opened an ePub. About 4 pages in, the kindle totally froze and wouldn't respond to anything. I waited. I pushed the power button. Nothing happened. I held down the power button until the light flashed. Still nothing but a bright, glowing, frozen page. So I plugged it into the computer and it rebooted fine, much to my relief. The only thing is, now the update button is greyed out.

I'm not sure this was due to the KOReader incident; it may well have happened before, especially when I was fucking around with the SS stuff semi at random (not my finest hour), I didn't check it then. Is there any way to find out what (of the myriad of things I've probably done wrong) caused this to happen, and how to fix it?

Thanks.

PS: if there is a better troubleshooting thread feel free to direct me to it, I feel bad starting a whole thread just because I fucked something up



Update:
I am in 5.6.1. How did this happen?! I had backdoorlock! I locked the back door! AAAAAGH. Is there any way to get the SS hack or duokan installed on 5.6.1 with a working jailbreak and MR Installer?

Update Update: I now have the SS Hack working. I put the python and linkss updates in the mrpackages folder and installed them with MR Installer. It appears that it does not work to manually put an empty "covers" file in linkss, but selecting cover mode in KUAL worked like a charm.

Also, KOReader crashed again after about 6 pages of an epub, and it wasn't the okay kind of crash where you can just turn it off and back on again- it has to be plugged into a computer to restart properly (I think this may be working because of K5 Rescue Pack?) In any case, I won't be using KOReader anytime soon. : /

[shamanNS]

The key questions now are:

1) which version of jailbreak did you install?
2) can you still boot to diagnostics?

[Althelney]

Originally Posted by shamanNS

The key questions now are:

1) which version of jailbreak did you install?
2) can you still boot to diagnostics?

1) 1.14.N

2) How would I do that?

[shamanNS]

You wrote that you had installed Recue Pack (= ability to boot Kindle to diagnostics mode, and fix things). So if RP survived firmware update at worst case scenario you are still able to "downgrade" you PW2 to earlier firmware, that is if you are comfortable with SSH and Linux Terminal.

To boot into diagnostics mode you should create "ENABLE_DIAGS" file on Kindle Drive (=userstore = /mnt/us, aka what you see when you connect you Kindle to your PC), and then reboot your Kindle. It should start in diagnostics mode. If it does you've verified that you still have functional diagnostics/ Recue pack.

How to exit diagnostics mode

You can check that while you are waiting for @NiLuJe to read this thread. He will have better questions to ask you to help you know your options.

Also what build of KOreader are you using? Because there were couple of reports here about bugs causing Kindle restarts on one of the nightly build of KOreader.

[knc1]

Originally Posted by Althelney

- - - -
Update:
I am in 5.6.1. How did this happen?! I had backdoorlock! I locked the back door! AAAAAGH.
/

**Which** backdoor lock did you have installed or did you have both of them installed?

How much activity on your USB storage since this happened?
If not very much, there is a chance you could find the name of the deleted OTA update file for us.

Just use whatever FAT32 undelete tool you are comfortable with.

I ask this, because they must have changed their naming scheme to avoid our backdoor lock(s).

- - - - - -

Even better yet, if someone can catch the Kindle in the act of downloading the file (which isn't instantaneous over Wifi) -
then tell us what temporary name they are using ....

[NiLuJe]

I'm going to amend shamanNS's question to be a bit more precise: which JB version *had* you installed *before* getting the 5.6.1 update?

If the answer's still the same, then you appear to simply be using MRPI wrong: it expects packages in the mrpackages folder, not the root (where they *will* get wiped out by FW 5.6.1).


EDIT: But do answer knc1's query first, and avoid writing to the Kindle if at all possible (i.e., postpone everything until we have a better idea of what hit you).

[Althelney]

Originally Posted by knc1

**Which** backdoor lock did you have installed or did you have both of them installed?

How much activity on your USB storage since this happened?
If not very much, there is a chance you could find the name of the deleted OTA update file for us.

Just use whatever FAT32 undelete tool you are comfortable with.

I ask this, because they must have changed their naming scheme to avoid our backdoor lock(s).

- - - - - -

Even better yet, if someone can catch the Kindle in the act of downloading the file (which isn't instantaneous over Wifi) -
then tell us what temporary name they are using ....

Well, unfortunately there was kind of a lot of activity- once I gave up on KOReader I deleted all the epubs on the kindle and put a bunch of mobis on.

But in any case, I used a program to show the deleted files. It's possible that the update in the first image is the OTA one (the night of December 3 was when I first noticed the greyed out button) but on the other hand I also updated from 5.4.3 to 5.4.5 that afternoon.

I'm guessing the deleted files in the system folder aren't useful at all, but I've included them anyway just in case.



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Edit @NiLuJe:
Yes, I misunderstood how it worked. When I realized I was on 5.6.1 and nothing on the root would work, I put the stuff in the mrpackages folder and got it working.

Originally Posted by shamanNS

To boot into diagnostics mode you should create "ENABLE_DIAGS" file on Kindle Drive (=userstore = /mnt/us, aka what you see when you connect you Kindle to your PC), and then reboot your Kindle. It should start in diagnostics mode. If it does you've verified that you still have functional diagnostics/ Recue pack.

Also what build of KOreader are you using? Because there were couple of reports here about bugs causing Kindle restarts on one of the nightly build of KOreader.

To the first question: things definitely seemed to be happening when I rebooted- lots of screen flashes and things- but in the end it just settled back into regular USB mode, unfortunately. The same was true for when I unplugged it and restarted. : /

To the second one- koreader-kindle-arm-linux-gnueabi-v2014.04-1305-g0a94696, so the koreader-nightly-20141203 version.

[knc1]

None of those could be the 5.6.1 update file, all far too small.

[Althelney]

Originally Posted by knc1

None of those could be the 5.6.1 update file, all far too small.

:| Yeah, that's what I thought. Sorry I couldn't be of more help.

It seems like there are a number of people with this issue recently- maybe we could have a sticky or something outlining what to do immediately when you get a PW2? Like specifically saying to turn off the wifi, jailbreak, get KUAL and MR Installer and BackDoorLock and K5 Recovery Pack before doing anything else, and then what to do if you do get hit with an OTA (like keeping a FAT recovery program on hand and not moving stuff to the kindle, etc.)

[knc1]

Originally Posted by Althelney

:| Yeah, that's what I thought. Sorry I couldn't be of more help.

It seems like there are a number of people with this issue recently- maybe we could have a sticky or something outlining what to do immediately when you get a PW2?
- - - - -

Like, maybe we do?
"Where do I start? (sticky)" -> "FGA" -> "should I update my PW2?"
or
"Where do I start? (sticky)" -> "PW2 Index" -> "Sub-section name of your choice, contents of your choice" (Its a Wiki - fill it up)

Translation: I added the PW2, KT2, and KV pages this week - now you (and everyone else) start typing.
See existing model pages for worked examples.

[Althelney]

Originally Posted by knc1

Like, maybe we do?
"Where do I start? (sticky)" -> "FGA" -> "should I update my PW2?"
or
"Where do I start? (sticky)" -> "PW2 Index" -> "Sub-section name of your choice, contents of your choice" (Its a Wiki - fill it up)

Translation: I added the PW2, KT2, and KV pages this week - now you (and everyone else) start typing.
See existing model pages for worked examples.

Yes, I read and followed the "should I update my PW2?" section, with the exception of the manual OTA rename (this is no one's fault but mine, I acknowledge.) Though, looking back on it, it does say "Either install it or install the KUAL / Backdoor lock and lock the back door," which I did do.

On the other hand, that page was one of the last things I got to in the process of installing stuff- I took one look at the phrase "Should I upgrade my PW2? Short answer: Probably not." and I was like "Okay, got it." and went on installing things. It wasn't until I realized I had to update to 5.3.5 for KOReader that I even looked at it. Until then I didn't think it contained anything but the usual "this update breaks our exploit and here's why," which I've been conditioned enough from other jailbreaking/CFW to expect that I pressed cancel no less then four times after putting the jailbreak on my kindle because just the thought of it actually updating struck fear deep into my heart.

TBH you are right, though, that that page is pretty much everything you need to know w/ the exception of maybe K5 Recovery Pack. The only thing stopping me from putting something on the wiki page (I actually did think about that before you mentioned it) is, like, when it comes to this I am THE WORST PERSON. Not only do I know basically nothing about this stuff (I have only been at it for two days and besides that I misunderstood a ton of the instructions, clearly I don't know what I'm doing), I managed to fuck it up inside, what, maybe 4 hours? So I thought maybe anything I added would be confusing and do more harm than good.

But, at the same time, I understand that I am basically mooching off of your guys' hard work (thanks!) and if you are okay with me mostly plagiarizing that page, I will put some stuff on the wiki with some phrasing edits.

[knc1]

Well, start off easy -
Just add sections/sub-sections to the index page(s) with links to posts you found helpful.

NOTE: The "big thing" about the Wiki pages used as model indexes (indices) -
There you can represent the many-to-one relationship.

hardware -> K5 -> serial port -> a post on setting up the serial port
hardware -> PW2 -> serial port -> same post as above
hardware -> KT2 -> serial port -> same post as above
etc. etc.

Our 'select threads by prefix' feature at the top of the forum index handles the one-to-many relationship.

- - - - -

so to also answer an earlier question: "Where should I index the Windows/Putty/SSH HowTo?"
Ah, everywhere it applies (an entry in each of the model indices) -
Plus its own specific entry of Tools -> End User Tools -> Network Access -> Windows SSH
(The last reference chain does not exist (yet) - I am trying to get someone to take keyboard in hand and do that as a worked example).

The wiki (any of them) is one of the classic cases of "keyboard fear" -
but after doing one or two entries - the fear goes away.
It is real hard to damage a wiki - anything entered can be reverted and/or changed later.

[shamanNS]

Originally Posted by Althelney

:| Yeah, that's what I thought. Sorry I couldn't be of more help.

It seems like there are a number of people with this issue recently- maybe we could have a sticky or something outlining what to do immediately when you get a PW2? Like specifically saying to turn off the wifi, jailbreak, get KUAL and MR Installer and BackDoorLock and K5 Recovery Pack before doing anything else, and then what to do if you do get hit with an OTA (like keeping a FAT recovery program on hand and not moving stuff to the kindle, etc.)

The biggest problem is that 90% of new Kindle owners (who either are not Mobileread members or they found this forum only recently) will first shoot themselves in the foot (= unpack, turn on and go register their shiny new eReader, leaving the WiFi on) and only then they will come here to read "what's next" / "how do I get custom screensavers".

So it's not the lack of WIKI entries (or dedicated sticky thread that spells out step by step in "idiotproof" manner) that is the problem, it's people not reading & informing themselves in advance or just people not reading included README files multiple times (if needed) and doublechecking with @NiLuJe, @knc1 & co via PM before proceeding.

Bottom line, what you should take as a given for future, if you like to have choice for extra level on customization no matter what device and what (mobile) OS is this:

1) to be extra safe don't connect your device to internet, instead go Google, find forums and read until you get "the whole picture"

2) do not update to newer firmware before checking with forums like this one or xda-developers,

3) learn if it's possible to block OTAs

[Althelney]

Originally Posted by shamanNS

The biggest problem is that 90% of new Kindle owners (who either are not Mobileread members or they found this forum only recently) will first shoot themselves in the foot (= unpack, turn on and go register their shiny new eReader, leaving the WiFi on) and only then they will come here to read "what's next" / "how do I get custom screensavers".

So it's not the lack of WIKI entries (or dedicated sticky thread that spells out step by step in "idiotproof" manner) that is the problem, it's people not reading & informing themselves in advance or just people not reading included README files multiple times (if needed) and doublechecking with @NiLuJe, @knc1 & co via PM before proceeding.

Bottom line, what you should take as a given for future, if you like to have choice for extra level on customization no matter what device and what (mobile) OS is this:

1) to be extra safe don't connect your device to internet, instead go Google, find forums and read until you get "the whole picture"

2) do not update to newer firmware before checking with forums like this one or xda-developers,

3) learn if it's possible to block OTAs

Well, I came here a few days ago and I can attest that it is not idiot-proof, because I am an idiot. ; )

Edit: Also I will say in response to your first paragraph that I did read here extensively in the day before my kindle arrived and I did a cursory check of google for PW2 software (including here) before I even made the decision to buy it, and besides that there was a thread fairly recently from a person asking whether new PW2's shipped with a JB'able firmware. So I think people may be coming in before unboxing more often than you think; but at the same time people coming to see if custom software can be installed probably won't be digging very deep on their first visit. Plus if we really do want to catch a device mid-OTA update download, idiot-proof documentation might be in our best interests.

I think in general it is a major difference, though- as I said above I have some experience with other jailbreaks & similar (iPhone, PSP, DS, etc.- heck, I even put stuff on my TI-89) and while I'm very familiar with **DO NOT UPDATE** and **NEVER ACCEPT OTA UPDATES** and new devices not being jailbreakable without physical intervention, I've honestly never worked with anything where I had to worry about stealth OTA updates that you can't refuse and will install without any signal. Even the PS systems, which will hold your games hostage until you agree to an update, at least tell you they're doing it. I guess I should expect it from the people who had to be brought to court for changing book content OTA w/out warning or notice, though.

[shamanNS]

I find it hard to believe that anyone can spend more than 15 minutes reading this (Kindle Developer's Corner) section of forum without coming across someone "crying" about their Kindle autoupdating itself without notifying or asking for user confirmation, thus learning the fact "Kindles update themselves without user permission".

Also, you had installed rescue pack but at the same time you didn't learn how it is used? If someone doesn't learn all that from included README file how much more likely is same person to learn it from WIKI entries which the person has to go and search for?

How come I know about "ENABLE_DIAGS" file, and I've never used (I used Coward's rescue pack) that method of triggering boot to diagnostics?