PW3 acting different after registering with amazon account

bj784 · 06-24-2023, 12:40 PM

I'm running a PW3 with FW 5.14.2, jailbroken. I spend almost all my time using KO Reader through KUAL. I've been using it (unregistered) for about a year, and it's been great.

Last week I registered for the first time with my amazon account to get a book, and since doing that my kindle hasn't been the same. It is still running the same firmware, but it changed something in the basic kindle system so that at least once a day KO Reader would be exited.

After a few days I de-registered, which has helped a little, but there are still problems. This morning I tried to sleep KO Reader, and it wouldn't do anything. Eventually I exited to the kindle system, and found it on a screen saying something had gone wrong and that I needed to either deregister (which I had done days ago) or do a reset.

I just held down the power button until I got the reboot option, and after a reboot it seems okay...for now.

The basic kindle home screen has also been rendered completely useless. Before registering it used to show me my recent books, and now the whole screen is just a "register" page. It's not a big deal because I almost never use it except to open KUAL on rare occasions ... but it's annoying that now it takes multiple clicks to get to KUAL.

I'm starting to wonder if I should try to re-install the 5.14.2 firmware to overwrite whatever happened when I registered. Has anyone else been through this? Is there an easier way? Maybe there are just a few files that got changed that could be restored (if there's a way to get/extract those files)?

If the only way is a complete firmware re-install, can I re-install the 5.14.2 firmware with MRPI (mobile read package installer)?

If so, will it do a factory reset, and wipe the whole device? Or would it leave my books and KUAL/KO Reader stuff alone?

Thanks in advance!

j.p.s · 06-24-2023, 01:41 PM

If you are spending all your time in koreader, why run FW 5.14.2?

Whatever you think about the UI, kindle firmware has been getting more hostile to jailbreak, with the rate steepening with 5.11.x and higher.

See this thread for downgrading:
https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sh...d.php?t=347165

bj784 · 06-24-2023, 03:44 PM

I used the downgrader KUAL extension to downgrade to FW 5.10.3.

https://s3.amazonaws.com/firmwaredow...ite_5.10.3.bin

It said the downgrade was successful, but now when the kindle starts, the screen is completely blank.

If I press the power button the screen saver comes up, and if I plug in the USB the USB screen comes up. I've tried rebooting (the long press power button menu also works), but the screen is still completely blank.

Any ideas on how to fix it? Really hoping I didn't just brick my kindle!

j.p.s · 06-24-2023, 04:01 PM

The best places to get help with downgrade problems are the downgrader thread and the thread referenced in its first post. Read both, someone might have had and fixed the same problem. If you need to ask, be sure to give details, including the exact steps you followed.

bj784 · 06-24-2023, 06:15 PM

I tried several more upgrades (5.11.2, 5.12.3) with the same results. I finally thought to try a factory reset (with empty DO_FACTORY_RESTORE file at root of storage), and after that the kindle screen came up functional again!

Unfortunately now that I'm on 5.12.3, I seem to have lost my jailbreak. I used the JB Hotfix when I first jailbroke on 5.14.2, and it said it was successful. I tried using the `Update_jailbreak_hotfix_1.16.N_install.bin` again, once I did the factory reset on 5.12.3, but it failed with "Update Error 4."

So I think I need to upgrade again to at least 5.13.4 so that I can use WatchThis to jailbreak again. (Unless there's another way) But at least the kindle isn't bricked!

bj784 · 06-24-2023, 06:26 PM

I tried several more upgrades (5.11.2, 5.12.3) with the same results. I finally thought to try a factory reset (with empty DO_FACTORY_RESTORE file at root of storage), and after that the kindle screen came up functional again!

I'm trying another downgrade from 5.12.3 -> 5.10.3, now that I figured out the factory reset thing.

bj784 · 06-24-2023, 07:31 PM

Success...the downgrade worked perfectly, running 5.10.3 (which I actually like better), and I've got KO Reader and all my KUAL plugins reinstalled. OTA blocking applied (both KUAL helpers and rename OTA).

I was running the rename OTA on the FW 5.14.2 also, which I guess had been working pretty well, until I signed in to my amazon account. I was using ssh/sshfs over wifi from time to time, with no FW updates.

But after signing in to my amazon account, something happened, maybe amazon was able to push through a GUI update even though the FW didn't change.

Not in any big hurry to try signing in again, even on 5.10.3. I probably won't try it until/unless I get a DRMed book on amazon that I want to read...and even then I might just read it on my phone.

06-24-2023, 12:40 PM	#1
bj784 Junior Member Posts: 6 Karma: 10 Join Date: Feb 2023 Device: kindle pw3	PW3 acting different after registering with amazon account I'm running a PW3 with FW 5.14.2, jailbroken. I spend almost all my time using KO Reader through KUAL. I've been using it (unregistered) for about a year, and it's been great. Last week I registered for the first time with my amazon account to get a book, and since doing that my kindle hasn't been the same. It is still running the same firmware, but it changed something in the basic kindle system so that at least once a day KO Reader would be exited. After a few days I de-registered, which has helped a little, but there are still problems. This morning I tried to sleep KO Reader, and it wouldn't do anything. Eventually I exited to the kindle system, and found it on a screen saying something had gone wrong and that I needed to either deregister (which I had done days ago) or do a reset. I just held down the power button until I got the reboot option, and after a reboot it seems okay...for now. The basic kindle home screen has also been rendered completely useless. Before registering it used to show me my recent books, and now the whole screen is just a "register" page. It's not a big deal because I almost never use it except to open KUAL on rare occasions ... but it's annoying that now it takes multiple clicks to get to KUAL. I'm starting to wonder if I should try to re-install the 5.14.2 firmware to overwrite whatever happened when I registered. Has anyone else been through this? Is there an easier way? Maybe there are just a few files that got changed that could be restored (if there's a way to get/extract those files)? If the only way is a complete firmware re-install, can I re-install the 5.14.2 firmware with MRPI (mobile read package installer)? If so, will it do a factory reset, and wipe the whole device? Or would it leave my books and KUAL/KO Reader stuff alone? Thanks in advance!

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06-24-2023, 01:41 PM	#2
j.p.s Grand Sorcerer Posts: 5,526 Karma: 100606001 Join Date: Apr 2011 Device: pb360	If you are spending all your time in koreader, why run FW 5.14.2? Whatever you think about the UI, kindle firmware has been getting more hostile to jailbreak, with the rate steepening with 5.11.x and higher. See this thread for downgrading: https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sh...d.php?t=347165

06-24-2023, 03:44 PM	#3
bj784 Junior Member Posts: 6 Karma: 10 Join Date: Feb 2023 Device: kindle pw3	I used the downgrader KUAL extension to downgrade to FW 5.10.3. https://s3.amazonaws.com/firmwaredow...ite_5.10.3.bin It said the downgrade was successful, but now when the kindle starts, the screen is completely blank. If I press the power button the screen saver comes up, and if I plug in the USB the USB screen comes up. I've tried rebooting (the long press power button menu also works), but the screen is still completely blank. Any ideas on how to fix it? Really hoping I didn't just brick my kindle!

06-24-2023, 04:01 PM	#4
j.p.s Grand Sorcerer Posts: 5,526 Karma: 100606001 Join Date: Apr 2011 Device: pb360	The best places to get help with downgrade problems are the downgrader thread and the thread referenced in its first post. Read both, someone might have had and fixed the same problem. If you need to ask, be sure to give details, including the exact steps you followed.

06-24-2023, 06:15 PM	#5
bj784 Junior Member Posts: 6 Karma: 10 Join Date: Feb 2023 Device: kindle pw3	I tried several more upgrades (5.11.2, 5.12.3) with the same results. I finally thought to try a factory reset (with empty DO_FACTORY_RESTORE file at root of storage), and after that the kindle screen came up functional again! Unfortunately now that I'm on 5.12.3, I seem to have lost my jailbreak. I used the JB Hotfix when I first jailbroke on 5.14.2, and it said it was successful. I tried using the `Update_jailbreak_hotfix_1.16.N_install.bin` again, once I did the factory reset on 5.12.3, but it failed with "Update Error 4." So I think I need to upgrade again to at least 5.13.4 so that I can use WatchThis to jailbreak again. (Unless there's another way) But at least the kindle isn't bricked!

06-24-2023, 06:26 PM	#6
bj784 Junior Member Posts: 6 Karma: 10 Join Date: Feb 2023 Device: kindle pw3	I tried several more upgrades (5.11.2, 5.12.3) with the same results. I finally thought to try a factory reset (with empty DO_FACTORY_RESTORE file at root of storage), and after that the kindle screen came up functional again! I'm trying another downgrade from 5.12.3 -> 5.10.3, now that I figured out the factory reset thing.

06-24-2023, 07:31 PM	#7
bj784 Junior Member Posts: 6 Karma: 10 Join Date: Feb 2023 Device: kindle pw3	Success...the downgrade worked perfectly, running 5.10.3 (which I actually like better), and I've got KO Reader and all my KUAL plugins reinstalled. OTA blocking applied (both KUAL helpers and rename OTA). I was running the rename OTA on the FW 5.14.2 also, which I guess had been working pretty well, until I signed in to my amazon account. I was using ssh/sshfs over wifi from time to time, with no FW updates. But after signing in to my amazon account, something happened, maybe amazon was able to push through a GUI update even though the FW didn't change. Not in any big hurry to try signing in again, even on 5.10.3. I probably won't try it until/unless I get a DRMed book on amazon that I want to read...and even then I might just read it on my phone.