Help with Glo wirless set up after factory reset

RoninTech · 01-25-2020, 04:29 AM

Wife's Glo was acting up (constantly powering off) so we factory reset it. After the reset it is asking for a wireless or computer setup and no longer powers off. Unfortunately we cannot complete the wireless setup because we get a network error after we successfully connect to the Wi-Fi. We know it isn't the wifi as I connected my Glo to it and it successfully updated the FW. We are travelling and only have our phones so only wireless setup is possible. I even enabled a VPN back to Canada on our travel router in case the network error was something to do with geo location but we get the same error. Anyone have any ideas?

davidfor · 01-25-2020, 06:54 AM

You might be stuck. Early last year, Kobo removed support from their servers for older security protocols. This was because they are no longer considered to be secure. Unfortunately, when you do a factory reset of an older device such as the Glo, the factory firmware only supports these older protocols and cannot connect to the Kobo server. The usual advice is to either use the Kobo desktop application to do the setup, or manually install a firmware version that does have the newer security protocols. That means using firmware version at lease 3.19.

If you can borrow a PC or use an internet cafe, you could download the firmware and put it on the device. You should then be able to do the setup. If you have an OTG adapter, you should be able to connect the Glo to the phone and copy the firmware to the device. Doing this has been discussed, but, I don't know how well it works.

RoninTech · 01-25-2020, 07:35 PM

Thanks for the response. That explains what I'm seeing perfectly. I'll look into borrowing a laptop or using a PC somewhere as Internet Cafes are a thing of the past.

I actually do have an OTG cable with me (for using a thumbdrive with my Amazon FireTV stick). Unfortunately I couldn't find any details on how to load FW on a reset Glo with it.

davidfor · 01-25-2020, 08:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RoninTech

I actually do have an OTG cable with me (for using a thumbdrive with my Amazon FireTV stick). Unfortunately I couldn't find any details on how to load FW on a reset Glo with it.

If you can see the device when it is connected, it is the same as when connected to the PC. Download the update, and copy the contents to the ".kobo" directory on the device. After you eject it, it should update.

rtiangha · 01-25-2020, 09:51 PM

See if there's a public library or a hotel or hostel in your area that'll let you borrow time on a workstation. That's saved my butt if I ever needed to print something in an emergency, which means they'll probably let you plug in via USB.

RoninTech · 01-26-2020, 02:19 AM

Interesting. If I plug in my Pixel phone to my working Glo I see the .kobo directory. When I plug it into my wife's Factory reset Glo, I get an "unsupported Kobo USB drive" message, as thought the Factory reset Kobo drive isn't fat32.

So there's no .kobo directory available for me to copy to after the factory reset. If I format it, create a .kobo drive and copy the contents of the latest FW release, it just drops back to the Welcome screen asking for a wireless or computer setup.

So it appears that after a factory reset the kobos uSD card has no Android accessible partitions. After setup (like on my Glo), I can access the uSD with my OTG cable no problem.

davidfor · 01-26-2020, 05:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RoninTech

Interesting. If I plug in my Pixel phone to my working Glo I see the .kobo directory. When I plug it into my wife's Factory reset Glo, I get an "unsupported Kobo USB drive" message, as thought the Factory reset Kobo drive isn't fat32.

So there's no .kobo directory available for me to copy to after the factory reset. If I format it, create a .kobo drive and copy the contents of the latest FW release, it just drops back to the Welcome screen asking for a wireless or computer setup.

So it appears that after a factory reset the kobos uSD card has no Android accessible partitions. After setup (like on my Glo), I can access the uSD with my OTG cable no problem.

That isn't what is supposed to happen. I have done many factory resets and connected to a PC before doing the setup. With what you said was happening before doing the factory reset, I suspect the card is failing. At this point, I'd usually suggest getting a new card and writing an image to it. But, I doubt you will be able to do that from the phone.

RoninTech · 01-26-2020, 08:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by davidfor

That isn't what is supposed to happen. I have done many factory resets and connected to a PC before doing the setup. With what you said was happening before doing the factory reset, I suspect the card is failing. At this point, I'd usually suggest getting a new card and writing an image to it. But, I doubt you will be able to do that from the phone.

Thanks davidfor. If this proves to be the case, where could I find an image for a new, blank Glo uSD card?

davidfor · 01-27-2020, 12:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RoninTech

Thanks davidfor. If this proves to be the case, where could I find an image for a new, blank Glo uSD card?

I have sent you PM with the link to the image.

RoninTech · 01-28-2020, 01:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by davidfor

I have sent you PM with the link to the image.

Much appreciated davidfor! I will report back once I source a computer and give this a whirl.

RoninTech · 01-30-2020, 11:01 AM

Managed to borrow a laptop for an hour. It was a bad internal uSD card. Cracked the unit open, put in another 2gb card and restored davidfor's image. Then I was able to use Kobo desktop to load the latest FW.

Thanks again for the help!

01-25-2020, 04:29 AM	#1
RoninTech Groupie Posts: 168 Karma: 1000036 Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Citizen of the World Device: iPod Touch, Nook Colour, Kobo Touch, Kobo Glo, Nexus 7, Nexus 5, Pixel	Help with Glo wirless set up after factory reset Wife's Glo was acting up (constantly powering off) so we factory reset it. After the reset it is asking for a wireless or computer setup and no longer powers off. Unfortunately we cannot complete the wireless setup because we get a network error after we successfully connect to the Wi-Fi. We know it isn't the wifi as I connected my Glo to it and it successfully updated the FW. We are travelling and only have our phones so only wireless setup is possible. I even enabled a VPN back to Canada on our travel router in case the network error was something to do with geo location but we get the same error. Anyone have any ideas?

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01-25-2020, 06:54 AM	#2
davidfor Grand Sorcerer Posts: 24,906 Karma: 47303822 Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Sydney, Australia Device: Kobo:Touch,Glo, AuraH2O, GloHD,AuraONE, ClaraHD, Libra H2O; tolinoepos	You might be stuck. Early last year, Kobo removed support from their servers for older security protocols. This was because they are no longer considered to be secure. Unfortunately, when you do a factory reset of an older device such as the Glo, the factory firmware only supports these older protocols and cannot connect to the Kobo server. The usual advice is to either use the Kobo desktop application to do the setup, or manually install a firmware version that does have the newer security protocols. That means using firmware version at lease 3.19. If you can borrow a PC or use an internet cafe, you could download the firmware and put it on the device. You should then be able to do the setup. If you have an OTG adapter, you should be able to connect the Glo to the phone and copy the firmware to the device. Doing this has been discussed, but, I don't know how well it works.

01-25-2020, 07:35 PM	#3
RoninTech Groupie Posts: 168 Karma: 1000036 Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Citizen of the World Device: iPod Touch, Nook Colour, Kobo Touch, Kobo Glo, Nexus 7, Nexus 5, Pixel	Thanks for the response. That explains what I'm seeing perfectly. I'll look into borrowing a laptop or using a PC somewhere as Internet Cafes are a thing of the past. I actually do have an OTG cable with me (for using a thumbdrive with my Amazon FireTV stick). Unfortunately I couldn't find any details on how to load FW on a reset Glo with it.

01-25-2020, 09:51 PM	#5
rtiangha Evangelist Posts: 496 Karma: 356531 Join Date: Jul 2016 Location: 'burta, Canada Device: Kobo Glo HD	See if there's a public library or a hotel or hostel in your area that'll let you borrow time on a workstation. That's saved my butt if I ever needed to print something in an emergency, which means they'll probably let you plug in via USB.

01-26-2020, 02:19 AM	#6
RoninTech Groupie Posts: 168 Karma: 1000036 Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Citizen of the World Device: iPod Touch, Nook Colour, Kobo Touch, Kobo Glo, Nexus 7, Nexus 5, Pixel	Interesting. If I plug in my Pixel phone to my working Glo I see the .kobo directory. When I plug it into my wife's Factory reset Glo, I get an "unsupported Kobo USB drive" message, as thought the Factory reset Kobo drive isn't fat32. So there's no .kobo directory available for me to copy to after the factory reset. If I format it, create a .kobo drive and copy the contents of the latest FW release, it just drops back to the Welcome screen asking for a wireless or computer setup. So it appears that after a factory reset the kobos uSD card has no Android accessible partitions. After setup (like on my Glo), I can access the uSD with my OTG cable no problem.

01-30-2020, 11:01 AM	#11
RoninTech Groupie Posts: 168 Karma: 1000036 Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Citizen of the World Device: iPod Touch, Nook Colour, Kobo Touch, Kobo Glo, Nexus 7, Nexus 5, Pixel	Managed to borrow a laptop for an hour. It was a bad internal uSD card. Cracked the unit open, put in another 2gb card and restored davidfor's image. Then I was able to use Kobo desktop to load the latest FW. Thanks again for the help!

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