Hacks Factory reset/rollback kindle in case of failed jailbreaking step?

[RequisiteAngle]

How to reset/rollback kindle in case of failed jailbreaking step?

I'm in the process of jailbreaking my unused Kindle Scribe on firmware version 5.16.1. Since I cannot bypass the registration process, I am stuck in the last registration step, which is forcing a firmware upgrade. If this upgrade completes, the firmware version would be too high for languagebreak to work. I want to know if there are ways to roll back jailbreaking steps in case they are unsuccessful, or are there instances where steps are irriversible? I would like to be able to roll back to factory settings with firmware 5.16.1 when all else fails.

Specifically, I am trying to follow this guide found here: https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sh...&postcount=484, but some parts are not clear to me. Namely:

It seems like steps 4 and 5 in that post refers to steps 2 to 17 in the Jailbreak section under the thread's OP, and then the original step 18 no longer applies?

In step 6 of that post, I don't know what the two hotfixes are. I assume Marek's is the one referred to in Post Jailbreak step 2 in the OP (ie. Update_hotfix_languagebreak___.bin), but I couldn't find any reference to NiLuJe's hotfix. Are both installed the same way (copying the file to root directory? Maybe Marek's hotfix refers to "update_hotfix_languagebreak" hotfix from LanguageBreak, and NiLuJe's hotfix is JailBreak-1.16.N-FW-5.x-hotfix.zip? Am I correct in that this is following cordon's post here: https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sh...postcount=431?

The bottom line is that I want to be able to stay at firmware 5.16.1 if any step fails.

I would really appreciate any help.

[shamanNS]

You can't "roll back" / downgrade firmware without having a working jailbreak

[RequisiteAngle]

Right, but what if something messes up before a firmware update goes through, but also before a successful jailbreak? The thread that contained the instructions from Mergen had a bunch of attempts of him trying something and "rolling back", is it known how he would recover from failures during jailbreak attempts like that?

[shamanNS]

The only thing you can do with partially "broken" software provided that Kindle at least still exports the Kindle storage drive over USB cable is create "DO_FACTORY_RESTORE" file that would on a forced reboot trigger a factory reset or alternatively if the drive gets exported for long enough to copy the whole firmware bin update file (that is the same of newer version than currently installed firmware, so no downgrades to older firmware!) you could do that copy + force a reboot by holding the power button for the 20+ seconds and that should trigger the firmware update / firmware install.
And then you hope that something of those 2 thing would return your Kindle back to normal functionality.

When you manage to do a proper brick there is no even that hope as you usually don't get to that moment where it exports the storage over USB cable.
That happened for 2 of my Kindle PW5...

[RequisiteAngle]

Thanks shamanNS, that's really helpful! Now I have a failsafe in case I make a mistake. Besides that, do you know anything about those two hotfix files mentioned in the instructions? I scoured the original thread and neighbouring comments but I found no clues...

[shamanNS]

The first hotfix is the one packaged within LanguageBreak archive (actually there are multiple bin files for different language and you choose one of those). That package does some "clean up" after using demo mode and stuff + the actual "setup jailbreak bridge" that the second (@Niluje's hotfix) hotfix also does and that is the main point of installing the hotfix.

Basically the first hotfix is a customised version of now older version of the second / main hotfix that does some extra stuff needed to be done once just after the that particular "LanguageBreak" jailbreak procedure.

The second hotfix is from @NiLuJe's snapshots thread. The reason for using that one is that one is actively maintained and has fixes added if and when the need arises in the future... and the one packaged with LanguageBreak archive is less like (even unlikely) to be updated.

Snapshot thread is the place where you'll always find the latest version of hotfix package. And it would be nice habit to develop for you to check say every 3-4 months if there was new version released and if there was then download and install it.
Better safe than sorry

[ereaderlover123]

How do I find out the filmwear on the scribe without registering it?

[j.p.s]

All Settings -> Device Options -> Device Info

[Frogm4n]

Can that be accessed before registering? IIRC, the Scribe forces registration to be used.

[mergen3107]

Originally Posted by ereaderlover123

How do I find out the filmwear on the scribe without registering it?

Yes, here is the caveat.
Kindle Scribe requires to complete registration/sign-in to even access Settings.

On that screen, connect the cable, Kindle storage should show up.
Then type in manually in the address bar to go to E:/system folder (where E is the drive letter of Kindle storage). There look for version.txt file, it will tell you.

[mergen3107]

If it is 5.16.2.1.1 or lower, then you are in luck! Follow these tedious instructions to get JB... https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sh...&postcount=484

[mergen3107]

See my replies in bold:

Originally Posted by RequisiteAngle

It seems like steps 4 and 5 in that post refers to steps 2 to 17 in the Jailbreak section under the thread's OP, and then the original step 18 no longer applies?

Correct.

In step 6 of that post, I don't know what the two hotfixes are. I assume Marek's is the one referred to in Post Jailbreak step 2 in the OP (ie. Update_hotfix_languagebreak___.bin), but I couldn't find any reference to NiLuJe's hotfix. Are both installed the same way (copying the file to root directory? Maybe Marek's hotfix refers to "update_hotfix_languagebreak" hotfix from LanguageBreak, and NiLuJe's hotfix is JailBreak-1.16.N-FW-5.x-hotfix.zip?

Yes.

The bottom line is that I want to be able to stay at firmware 5.16.1 if any step fails.

Here you might need to forcefully update to 5.16.2.

Easiest way to factory reset is to put a file DO_FACTORY_RESTORE in the Kindle storage and restart.

Make sure you are NOT doing this on a new firmware before reverting the JB first! Otherwise you will loose JB for good.