FGA - Frequently Given Answers

[knc1]

1. My Kindle seems to be broke:
   • Re-charge the battery.
2. My Kindle is in some way non-responsive:
   • It is the Indexer routine in the Kindle firmware.
   • Picture: https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...postcount=1272
3. My Kindle is responsive, but very sluggish:
   • How hot is it? The Kindle will slow its operation to prevent over-heating.
4. The Update_<whatever>.bin file does nothing and then disappears.
   • If running series 5.6.x firmware, see #11 below.
   • Update file is not intended for your model of Kindle.
   • See: https://wiki.mobileread.com/wiki/Kindle_Serial_Numbers
     to match the first four numbers of your serial number to the Mobileread, Kindle, nicknames.
5. My Kindle has some sort of connection problem:
   • Disable Network Manager if running Linux on your PC.
6. I was not able to find ... :
   • While logged in, leave top right search box empty, press 'search' button.
7. What is the thread prefix for my Paperwhite Gen-1?
   This one is a bit dated, but it is the way it is.
   The PW-1 began life very close to the K5 in both hardware and firmware.
   It probably should change, now that the PW-1 (along with all touchscreen devices **except** the K5) is running 5.6.x firmware.
   • The PW1 is under the K5 prefix, the PW2 is under the PW2 prefix (different SoC).
8. There are so many threads here, I can't find something on <topic>
   • https://wiki.mobileread.com/wiki/Prefix_Index
9. Should I upgrade my PW2?
   This one is a bit dated now that everything touchscreen (except the K5) is running firmware series 5.6.x, but left here as a matter of history.
   • Short answer: Probably not.
   • Long answer: https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...81&postcount=6
10. My screensaver image(s) will not display.
    • Image troubleshooting (sized for: PW-2):
      https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...postcount=1675
    • The library change, libpng12 -> libpng16
      https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...postcount=1681
    • Binaries of ImageMagick:
      http://www.imagemagick.org/script/binary-releases.php
    • What size must they be?
      • K2, K3, K4, K5, KT-2
        600x800
      • PW-1, PW-2
        758x1024
      • PW-3, KV
        1072x1448
      • DX, DXi, DXG
        824x1200
    • IM Command (sized for: PW-2):
      https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...postcount=1684
11. The sort by 'Recent' option does not work correctly.
    • Set the correct date/time on the Kindle.
    • Example for FW series 5.x:
      https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...7&postcount=10
12. I installed the jail break in my series 5.6.<something> firmware but I can't install packages.
    • You must use the MrPI (Mobileread Package Installer), KUAL extension with series 5.6.x firmware.
    • You may use KUAL/MrPI with other firmware series also.
    • Get your KUAL and MrPI packages from this thread:
      https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...7&postcount=10

[knc1]

• Why can't I create a file or directory?
  • https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...9&postcount=20

[knc1]

• How can a flash chip fail?
  • https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...8&postcount=24
  • https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...12#post2810612
  tl;dr:
  Running out of power (such as from a low capacity battery) before its internal sequencing of erase/read/merge/re-program actions complete.
  

[knc1]

Added link to image of indexer caught in the act of behaving stupidly.

[NiLuJe]

• I wanted to restore my device to its default state, so I did a Factory Reset, was that enough?:
  • No. A factory reset only actually resets your settings (including account information), and the content of the userstore (ie. what you see when the Kindle is plugged over USB). If the intent was to get rid of hacks, it will only succeed in preventing them to work, but part of them will still be installed. Always use the uninstall method recommended by the author of a hack.
    For completeness' sake, I will simply add that a full official update [ie. anything >= 5.3] (or a recovery full update) in conjunction with a factory reset will mostly restore your device to its vanilla state.

*Plugged this thread into the "Where Do I Start?" sticky*

[knc1]

First: , then ...

Tread carefully, there be dragons lurking in this forest.

• Protect yourself from OTA updates
• Turn Airplane Mode ON
  Do it now!
• Do you have KUAL installed already?
  • Yes
    Install the backdoor lock and lock it.
  • No
    • If you're already Jailbroken, consider installing KUAL along with the Backdoor lock and lock it.
    • If you're not Jailbroken yet, either install the following manual OTA rename or Jailbreak now and then revisit this post.
• Do you have the manual OTA rename installed already?
  • Yes
    Good! Leave it! It does not interfere with the KUAL / Backdoor lock above.
  • No
    Either install it or install the KUAL / Backdoor lock and lock the back door.
    Installation of the manual OTA rename does not require the device to be Jailbroken first.
• Note: You may use both, the Backdoor lock and the manual OTA rename.

• Your current PW2 firmware version is:
  • 5.4.0 or older:
    • 5.4.0 is the most recent firmware that provides decent support for our Collections Manager.
    • If our collection manager is important to you, stay with this version.
    • If Amazon's cloud collections manager is important to you **and nothing else** proceed to installing version 5.6.1 of the firmware **AFTER** installing the most recent jailbreak.
  • 5.4.3.2 or older:
    These are the most recent firmware versions that can be Jailbroken.
    Is your device Jailbroken?
    • Yes
      Continue with this selection matrix, the JB will survive (if most recent version).
    • No
      Jailbreak your device now, then re-visit this selection matrix.
  • 5.4.5 or older:
    If also more recent that 5.4.3.2, the device can be jailbroken by downgrading to an older version firmware.
    Is your device Jailbroken?
    • Yes
      Continue with this selection matrix, the JB will survive (if most recent version).
    • No
      • Downgrade to version 5.4.3.2 or older.
      • Re-visit this selection matrix.
  • 5.6.0 or newer:
    Hope you enjoy adding and using a serial port, because other than that, you're screwed (unless previously jailbroken).
    Of course, people are working to change that.
• References:
  • Manual OTA rename:
    https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...41&postcount=3
    Note: Not effective when running 5.6.x series firmware.
  • Backdoor Lock:
    https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=205666
    Note: Recently updated to be effective when running 5.6.x series firmware.
  • Downgrade HowTo:
    https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...2&postcount=12
  • How to get older firmware versions:
    https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...postcount=1301
  • De-bricking a PW2:
    (Note: not yet confirmed with the devices using the 5.6.1 firmware version.)
    Open spoiler at: https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...98&postcount=6

Hard to believe, but it took me over two hours to write this little post.

[knc1]

Added reference link to 2013-PW2 (prior to firmware 5.6.1) debricking post.
Note: Not yet confirmed on devices running the 5.6.1 firmware version.

[knc1]

Edited to include recommendation to use the most recent JB before updating to 5.6.1

[knc1]

Added firmware 5.6.x series related notes in the References section on the OTA controls.

[knc1]

Manually set date/time on series 5 firmware:

Bring up home page search bar:
Home -> Search

Enter the command:
;st <date> <time> <optional tz>

Example:

;st 2015-11-03 08:04 -0500

Note: the semi-colon is part of the command.

Checking the system log for actions taken:
(Home -> Search, enter: ;dm)
Note: the semi-colon is part of the command.

The ;dm command will create four log(book)s.
The titles will include the (new) current time of the ;dm command in their titles.

Note that the timezone in the title may or may not be what you passed to the ;st command.
But the rest of the title will show the local date/time.

Open the "all_system_logs ..." book, scroll to end of the log and then back up to find:

121202:181939 kb[1544]: I kb:close:data=com.lab126.pillow,log_candidate_selected=0:hide keyboard
121202:181940 kb[1544]: I kb:draw:id=0,language=en_US,languages=en_US,lang=4,diacritical=0:redraw keyboard
121202:181940 system: I setdate:prechange:old=1354497699,new=1446563160,delta=92065461:

151103:080400 lipc-send-event[21612]: I lipc:evts:name=timeChanged, origin=com.lab126.time, fparam=92065461:Event sent
151103:080400 system: I setdate:postchange:old=1354497699,new=1446563160,delta=92065461:

Log format is: YYMMDD:HHMMSS on the left.

Translate the new timestamp (the timezone is taken from the PC this command is entered on):

$ date -d @1446563160 +"%F %T %z"
2015-11-03 09:06:00 -0600

Which does correspond to the date and TZ entered.
I am not quite sure how the title TZ is getting messed up in this example.
The example was run on FW-5.3.4 but should apply to all series 5 firmwares.

[knc1]

Refreshed the list and added two more FGA entries.

[knc1]

I got tired of looking for these links myself.

@NiLuJe:
I could not find a list you had made of the sizes for each of the touchscreen devices.
If you can find it, I'll add it to the new #10

[NiLuJe]

@knc1:

K2_SCREEN_SIZE="600x800"
KDX_SCREEN_SIZE="824x1200"
TOUCH_SCREEN_SIZE="600x800"
PW_SCREEN_SIZE="758x1024"
KV_SCREEN_SIZE="1072x1448"

K3 == K4 == K2
DX == DXi == DXG
K5 == KT2
PW == PW2
KV == PW3

[rogerinnyc]

How about these for FGA?

I can't get my sideloaded books to sync between my Kindle and my mobile phone?

Send a .mobi version as an email attachment (or through Calibre) to your send-to-kindle email address.

OK, but now I don't have a thumbnail cover image?

See this thread.

OK, but it's showing as a DOC and I want it to show as an Ebook?

Umm...I haven't solved this one yet....

[knc1]

I have never had to give those answers.

But your welcome to edit in the third answer when you have it.