Instructions for patching firmware 3.2.0

[ayush]

Originally Posted by DNSB

Personally, I would recommend going to firmware 3.8.0 instead. If you prefer to use 3.2.0, choose the setup with computer option, allow the Kobo desktop app to do it's setup stuff. When it is finished, do not eject your Aura HD. Instead open your favourite file browser and delete the upgrades directory, the KoboRoot.tgz and manifest.md5sum files from the .kobo directory in the root of it's internal storage. If you are on a Mac or Linux box, you will have to enable showing directories whose name starts with a ".". After deleting those items, open the 3.2.0 firmware.zip file and copy the contents to the .kobo directory.

If you go with 3.8.0, the directions are the same save for using the 3.8.0 firmware file.

Regards,
David

Originally Posted by DNSB

1. I don't make much use of the web browser on my Aura HD but I haven't noticed that much flickering. A caution is that I use the web browser to connect for downloading ebooks from a few sites. I do not hit sites that have much in the line of images, animation, videos, etc.

2. You have to download the .zip file from Kobo's site. There is no firmware.zip file on your ereader. The Aura HD uses the Mark 4 firmware packages so to download the 3.2.0 firmware release, you would use:

http://download.kobobooks.com/firmwa...date-3.2.0.zip

to download the 3.8.0 firmware release, you would use:

http://download.kobobooks.com/firmwa...date-3.8.0.zip.

If you are upgrading to a newer firmwware version, once you have the firmware package downloaded, connect your Aura HD to your computer, open the downloaded firmware package and copy the upgrades directory and the KoboRoot.tgz and manifest.md5sum files from the update file into the .kobo directory. Once the copy has finished, safely disconnect your Aura HD from the computer. Shortly after the disconnection, the firmware update procedure should start.

To downgrade, the procedure is a bit more complicated. The first step is to do a factory reset. After the reset is finished, connect your Aura HD to your computer and run the Kobo desktop application. Do the setup which will be likely to include downloading a new firmware version. Once the Kobo app has finished it's setup, do not eject your Aura HD. Instead close the Kobo app, locate the .kobo directory on your Aura HD and delete the existing upgrades directory and the KoboRoot.tgz and manifest.md5sum files. You then copy the directory/files from the file for the firmware version you want to install, safely disconnect your Aura HD from the computer and let the firmware update procedure run.

In either case, the end of the update on your Kobo ereader deletes the upgrades directory and the KoboRoot.tgz and manifest.md5sum files from it's file system.


You will then have to avoid syncing over WiFi. If you use the Kobo desktop app to sync, before ejecting, locate the .kobo directory on your Aura HD and delete the directory and files as in the downgrading firmware procedure before ejecting your Aura HD.

Regards,
David

Dear David,

Thanks a lot for this informative reply, I am really grateful to you for helping me out.
I will definitely follow your instructions for trying both the firmwares. Thanks for sending me the straight download links.
Keeping my fingers crossed and hoping that this 3.2 firmware should install properly as you mentioned and would provide the same experience as before. Because now that the device has been updated to 3.3 I dont know how it will behave after I downgrade to 3.2, however I am pulling out all the stops to make the web browser work like before in a more stable manner. And seriously if 3.8 helps then I would be more than happy, but presently i know I am screwed up and happiness is the distant reality
Kobo must look at fixing this issue with the web browser in near future.

Shall update you no sooner I update the device in next few days.
I am really thankful for all your help David.

Thanks
Ayush

[gc24a3]

Originally Posted by GeoffR

This is a patch for firmware 3.2.0 to fix a longstanding problem with the way the epub reader sets the line spacing. See this thread for a test epub and screenshots that demonstrate the problem.

Spoiler:

<Patch>
patch_name = `Unitless ePub line height`
patch_enable = `yes`
replace_bytes = 1181F3C, 65 6D, 20 20
</Patch>

Hi GeoffR, I have kobo aura, how do I use this Patch of yours? both threads here are long and confusing.

[GeoffR]

Originally Posted by gc24a3

Hi GeoffR, I have kobo aura, how do I use this Patch of yours? both threads here are long and confusing.

This thread is only for firmware version 3.2.0, is that the firmware you are using? (Things are a bit simpler with more recent firmware versions.)

Edit:

For firmware version 3.2.0, you should follow the instructions in post #1 (for Windows) or post #3 (for Linux), but copy and paste the `Unitless ePub line height` patch into the kpg.conf file (Windows) or patch32lsb.conf file (Linux) after it is downloaded.

If the `Unitless ePub line height` patch is the only patch you want, then change patch_enable = `yes` to patch_enable = `no` for all the other patches.

The important thing is to use the correct patch and instructions for the firmware version on your device. If the firmware version is wrong then the device might not boot and you will probably have to do a factory reset.

(It has been a while since I have done this for 3.2.0, I can't remember exactly what has changed, but post here if you need clarification.)

[gc24a3]

I think it's 3.11.0, when I first turned it on it said it applied newest updates I thought it included the firmware as well.

How do I upgrade to newer one, before the patch?

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by gc24a3

I think it's 3.11.0, when I first turned it on it said it applied newest updates I thought it included the firmware as well.

How do I upgrade to newer one, before the patch?

3.11.0 is, at this time, the newest released firmware.

[davidfor]

Originally Posted by gc24a3

I think it's 3.11.0, when I first turned it on it said it applied newest updates I thought it included the firmware as well.

How do I upgrade to newer one, before the patch?

The firmware version is on the "Device information" page of the settings. If you have just had an updated, it will probably be 3.11.0. If it isn't, you can manually install it. There's a sticky that has links and instructions.

[gc24a3]

It did update on the first time I turned it on to 3.11. I think I am just going to leave it as it is. I got used to it now. I just removed all the margins (top and bottom) so now it nicely uses whole screen.

One thing that is a bit bothering are the organised lists <ol> the numbers on my Aura appear skewed. Not like italic just like the left side of the number is pulled down a bit it makes look them broken. This is the case with all font types even with Arial I uploaded myself onto the kobo. Has anyone noticed this?