TL;DR: Dropped Kindle Fire won't boot to OS or recovery, even after flashing FFF and "successfully" flashing TWRP. Broken flash chip?
More Info:
My brother gave me a non-functioning Kindle Fire from a friend of his. (FYI, I do not believe it to be stolen). When I got it, it would turn on to a static Kindle Fire logo for about a second, then the screen would get a little brighter, then go completely dead.
After derping around trying to get it to boot or be recognized (to no avail), I followed these instructions (USB boot shorting trick) to get into USB boot mode, then these instructions (Firekit bootloader and recovery installation utility) to install FFF and TWRP while the Kindle was in USB mode. Now, it boots to the yellow fire triangle, but after 10-20 seconds, it still gets a little brighter and then dies. NBD, I haven't installed a new ROM yet. However, if I press the power button again to get into recovery, the button goes orange, but then the screen gets brighter and dies again. Same happens when I try to fastboot into recovery. Firekit says sending, writing, loading, and booting recovery all worked, but the above continues to happen.
The device looks like it has been dropped; the glass on the lower edge of the screen is cracked, and it is generally scuffed and scratched around the edge. There is no visible damage to the motherboard or any components (no cracking, etc.). But these symptoms look to me like a bad flash chip. Any other thoughts?
deutschigmann said:
TL;DR: Dropped Kindle Fire won't boot to OS or recovery, even after flashing FFF and "successfully" flashing TWRP. Broken flash chip?
More Info:
My brother gave me a non-functioning Kindle Fire from a friend of his. (FYI, I do not believe it to be stolen). When I got it, it would turn on to a static Kindle Fire logo for about a second, then the screen would get a little brighter, then go completely dead.
After derping around trying to get it to boot or be recognized (to no avail), I followed these instructions (USB boot shorting trick) to get into USB boot mode, then these instructions (Firekit bootloader and recovery installation utility) to install FFF and TWRP while the Kindle was in USB mode. Now, it boots to the yellow fire triangle, but after 10-20 seconds, it still gets a little brighter and then dies. NBD, I haven't installed a new ROM yet. However, if I press the power button again to get into recovery, the button goes orange, but then the screen gets brighter and dies again. Same happens when I try to fastboot into recovery. Firekit says sending, writing, loading, and booting recovery all worked, but the above continues to happen.
The device looks like it has been dropped; the glass on the lower edge of the screen is cracked, and it is generally scuffed and scratched around the edge. There is no visible damage to the motherboard or any components (no cracking, etc.). But these symptoms look to me like a bad flash chip. Any other thoughts?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The battery may be low... Try using the factory charger (not USB).
If that doesn't work, let me know. This sounds like an issue a lot of people are having, and maybe I could work something out with you so I can get a failing KF to debug.
Also which command did you use in firekit? Try again with usb_fix_parts_and_install_fff_twrp. You may have a screwed up partition table. Since the LED changes color and the screen comes on, your first stage boot loader should be working.
pokey9000 said:
The battery may be low... Try using the factory charger (not USB).
If that doesn't work, let me know. This sounds like an issue a lot of people are having, and maybe I could work something out with you so I can get a failing KF to debug.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
We've had it plugged into a charger for a Samsung smartphone. I wasn't given an actual KF charger. Right now it's plugged into my iPad charger, which is closer to the KF charger output, but it's still USB. I'll leave it there for a bit and let you know what happens. I don't think it's a battery issue because it's had enough power to do this on/off cycle numerous times, but who knows. When plugged in, it does it again, dies, and makes no indication that it is charging or anything, just like it does with a PC. I have a multimeter, so I could check the voltage/amperage across the battery, but I don't know which wires to do lol.
pokey9000 said:
Also which command did you use in firekit? Try again with usb_fix_parts_and_install_fff_twrp. You may have a screwed up partition table. Since the LED changes color and the screen comes on, your first stage boot loader should be working.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I started with usb_fix_parts_and_install_fff_twrp, and then tried usb_boot_twrp, then some of the fastboot commands. I think they all said they worked at each step. The boot command always said something like 0.003 s, not sure if that is a normal time.
It's been plugged into the iPad charger for a few hours now, and the behavior has not changed.
deutschigmann said:
We've had it plugged into a charger for a Samsung smartphone. I wasn't given an actual KF charger. Right now it's plugged into my iPad charger, which is closer to the KF charger output, but it's still USB. I'll leave it there for a bit and let you know what happens. I don't think it's a battery issue because it's had enough power to do this on/off cycle numerous times, but who knows. When plugged in, it does it again, dies, and makes no indication that it is charging or anything, just like it does with a PC. I have a multimeter, so I could check the voltage/amperage across the battery, but I don't know which wires to do lol.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Yeah, it was a crapshoot, but a few people have had some weirdnesses resolved by making sure the battery's charged. I guess the fact that you get through the TWRP install rules this out.
I started with usb_fix_parts_and_install_fff_twrp, and then tried usb_boot_twrp, then some of the fastboot commands. I think they all said they worked at each step. The boot command always said something like 0.003 s, not sure if that is a normal time.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
One theory I've had is that either something is being missed by the partition recreator, or there's some assumption that the emmc is blanked when the device is initially flashed. If you have no attachments to any data that might be on this Fire, you could try zeroing (or 0xFFing as erased flash would be) the flash while in TWRP (via adb). Then redo the usb_fix_parts_blah_blah which should leave you with bootloaders and recovery.
I'm not sure if this would work, but without knowing where and why the bootloader is dying I can only guess.
I just erased each partition through fastboot (fastboot erase boot, system, cache, userdata, recovery) and it seemed to work, or at least think it was working, as they each took a proportional amount of time from 2 s for boot to 118 s for userdata. Ran install_fff_twrp, it went through all the motions, then died when it tried to boot as before. Tried using the power button to get to TWRP, same thing.
Edit: Just found a list of the partitions. Went through in fastboot and deleted xloader, bootloader, dkernel, dfs, recovery, backup, boot, splash, system, userdata, cache, and media. Reran install_fff_twrp, same effect as before. Oh whoops, now it won't boot at all. Probably need to do the shorting trick again.
Hmm, I may have borked it a bit more than I intended. Right now, doing the USB trick, running usb_fix_parts... it says:
Loading FFF through USB...
?
waiting for OMAP44xx device...
I let it sit, then Ctrl+C, redid, tried again, hung after "?" and seemed unwilling to Ctrl+C, redid, hung at "waiting" again.
Edit: Did it one more time, seems to have worked (as well as earlier). Hung for a while on "Resetting bootmode to standard boot...", but it said it only took 0.079 s. Whatever the case all steps said "OKAY" and the screen got brighter, then all went dead.
Is there a way to do a full wipe of the disk through fastboot, other than doing partition-by-partition?
OK so it looks like the weird hangings and stuff were probably due to using a-port USB extender on my laptop. Tried on my desktop and everything went quickly, but the KF still died.
After all the deletions and stuff it still won't boot into recovery, but instead of dying when trying to do a normal boot, it just gets hung on the bootloader screen, and won't allow me to try to go into recovery. I'm not sure if that's better or worse. I guess it means the deletions really erased something, but then why won't it write/boot?
deutschigmann said:
Hmm, I may have borked it a bit more than I intended. Right now, doing the USB trick, running usb_fix_parts... it says:
Loading FFF through USB...
?
waiting for OMAP44xx device...
I let it sit, then Ctrl+C, redid, tried again, hung after "?" and seemed unwilling to Ctrl+C, redid, hung at "waiting" again.
Edit: Did it one more time, seems to have worked (as well as earlier). Hung for a while on "Resetting bootmode to standard boot...", but it said it only took 0.079 s. Whatever the case all steps said "OKAY" and the screen got brighter, then all went dead.
Is there a way to do a full wipe of the disk through fastboot, other than doing partition-by-partition?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Can you still get into TWRP after the usb_fix_parts... finishes? If so, try:
adb shell
When you get a prompt, do:
tr "\000" "\377" < /dev/zero | dd of=/dev/block/mmcblk0
***WARNING THIS COMMAND WILL STEAL YOUR CAR AND USE YOUR
***CUPHOLDERS FOR A URINAL. IT WISHES YOUR FAMILY ILL AND IS
***RESPONSIBLE FOR PUTTING INDUSTRIAL WASTE IN IMPORTED PET
***FOOD. IT IS SERIOUS BUSINESS. DON'T DO THIS UNLESS YOU
***ABSOLUTELY KNOW WHAT YOU'RE DOING.
It might take a few hours for this to run. At the end your flash will be fresh from the factory clean. If you hold down the power button long enough, your Fire should go into USB boot mode regardless of shorting the test point. Now try the usb_fix_parts_... again.
I wish I could, but I've never been able to get it into recovery. Just bootloader.
deutschigmann said:
I wish I could, but I've never been able to get it into recovery. Just bootloader.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
So when you run usb_fix_parts_and_install_fff_twrp, it doesn't reboot into TWRP when it's done? You don't have to get it to run recovery from the flash, just run recovery at all. Unfortunately FFF doesn't know how to wipe everything at the level I described.
No, it says it does each step and gives the status OKAY, but when it tries to boot the recovery, the screen gets a little brigher and then everything dies, just like when I try to get to it using the power button.
deutschigmann said:
No, it says it does each step and gives the status OKAY, but when it tries to boot the recovery, the screen gets a little brigher and then everything dies, just like when I try to get to it using the power button.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Does "usb_boot_twrp" work instead of usb_fix_parts...?
Nope, same result. Gets brighter, dies. Hmm...
Tried another copy of TWRP and ./fastboot boot twrp....img, same thing. Flashed TWRP 2.1.1 from another post, still dies.
Is it possible to boot to USB storage, similar to the other USB boot trick? So that I could use the linux distro's system to write to the disk?
deutschigmann said:
Is it possible to boot to USB storage, similar to the other USB boot trick? So that I could use the linux distro's system to write to the disk?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
No, unfortunately. The USB boot is part of the on-chip bootrom. It's not smart enough to do much more than boot off SD & soldered down flash chips, serial, and the simple USB device protocol.
What's making this hard is not being able to see where it's dying: is it in the kernel or in FFF? It seems like your Fire is now in the same state as everyone who was bitten by the latest CWM.
Since it had the same behavior before and after installing FFF, I feel like that's probably not it. It seemed like it likely hadn't been modded before, since it was stuck on the stock KF logo.
pokey plz make it working again the kindle is still in waiting for device
hey plz solve the firekit issue of being stuck in waiting for device issu
I got this kindle fire that I am trying to fix for my kid. I don't know what firmware was in. The KF has never been rooted. We tried to call Amazon for a replacement, but since I didn't remember which email account was tied to this KF and I couldn't find the Serial Number either, I got stuck with it. If could make this device to boot one more time to see the amazon account or the serial number that will be great.
Well anyways, these are the symptoms. After lots of hours of reading about bricked Kindle Fires I decided to order a factory cable suspecting the problem was a low battery KF going into a 5 second loop. The process went good. I was able to flash FFF 1.4a and TWRP 2.2.2.1 by going into fastboot mode, but the problem is that the KF does not want to start in recovery mode, nor in normal mode.
At this point, I think I can rule out a battery low problem, but I am not sure.
No matter what I do, I cannot enter to adb mode, and this is the real problem I don't seem to find an answer. If there was a way that I could upload the firmware from fastboot mode or a tool that forces recovery mode.
As I said this KF was always stock until today that I tried to unbrick it by installing the FFF and the TWRP. The TWRP never started.
As I said earlier my only objective at this point is to recover the serial number or the account email associated with my KF.
Question 2, how can I revert to the stock bootloader if everything else fails?
Any suggestions, links, ideas will be welcome.
gwmadrigal said:
I got this kindle fire that I am trying to fix for my kid. I don't know what firmware was in. The KF has never been rooted. We tried to call Amazon for a replacement, but since I didn't remember which email account was tied to this KF and I couldn't find the Serial Number either, I got stuck with it. If could make this device to boot one more time to see the amazon account or the serial number that will be great.
Well anyways, these are the symptoms. After lots of hours of reading about bricked Kindle Fires I decided to order a factory cable suspecting the problem was a low battery KF going into a 5 second loop. The process went good. I was able to flash FFF 1.4a and TWRP 2.2.2.1 by going into fastboot mode, but the problem is that the KF does not want to start in recovery mode, nor in normal mode.
At this point, I think I can rule out a battery low problem, but I am not sure.
No matter what I do, I cannot enter to adb mode, and this is the real problem I don't seem to find an answer. If there was a way that I could upload the firmware from fastboot mode or a tool that forces recovery mode.
As I said this KF was always stock until today that I tried to unbrick it by installing the FFF and the TWRP. The TWRP never started.
As I said earlier my only objective at this point is to recover the serial number or the account email associated with my KF.
Question 2, how can I revert to the stock bootloader if everything else fails?
Any suggestions, links, ideas will be welcome.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I hate to ask this question but do you know how to access recovery by using the power button to get the boot menu then selecting recovery? If you are using the boot menu to attempt to access recovery and its not cooperating it`s possible that points to a broken bootloader or a broken recovery. When you flashed both fff and twrp did you see that it sent and physically wrote each one? maybe explain how you flashed them so we can see if a error was made there. What level do you believe the battery is at? Possible it could be playing a role in your present issue.
Thepooch said:
I hate to ask this question but do you know how to access recovery by using the power button to get the boot menu then selecting recovery? If you are using the boot menu to attempt to access recovery and its not cooperating it`s possible that points to a broken bootloader or a broken recovery. When you flashed both fff and twrp did you see that it sent and physically wrote each one? maybe explain how you flashed them so we can see if a error was made there. What level do you believe the battery is at? Possible it could be playing a role in your present issue.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have done a lot of experiments with my SGS2 about installing ROMS using ODIN or CWR, backing up my own images and making backups. Most of the work I do though is in CWR. I haven't dealt with TWR yet. I also installed ICS on my HP Touchpad. So, even though this is the first time I deal with the KF, I already some experience working with ROMS and images.
Back to the process. I installed the FFF using the Kindle Fire Utility. The KF was forced to fastboot mode via the factory cable. At first I could see on the KF splash screen with the black and orange logo, and now the KF is booting using a Black and Blue kindle fire logo with 1.4a on top. At the bottom of the splash I see instructions of the bootloader selector indicating to press the power button and select the mode that I want to boot. Either Normal Mode or Recovery Mode.
I flashed the TWRP 2.2.2.1 in fastboot mode using my command prompt by putting this code:
Code:
fastboot -i 0x1949 flash recovery [path]\openrecovery-twrp-2.2.2.1-blaze.img
I was following the instructions on this guide.
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1638452
I got stuck on step 3 after attempting to boot into recovery mode.
I can select which boot mode I want to go, but none of them work. I only get on the bottom of the screen saying Booting... and then the KF shuts down.
I suspect the battery had a good level of charge, but I can't tell for sure.
Thanks for everything.
Download TWRP again, check the md5, reinstall, and post whatever error messages (if any) that are in your command window here.
In the meantime, enter the following command and let me know what happens after you reboot.
Code:
fastboot oem idme bootmode 5001
fastboot reboot
soupmagnet said:
Download TWRP again, check the md5, reinstall, and post whatever error messages (if any) that are in your command window here.
In the meantime, enter the following command and let me know what happens after you reboot.
Code:
fastboot oem idme bootmode 5001
fastboot reboot
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
All commands were successful.
When I'm doing instead of the fastboot reboot is to remove the factory cable. Shutdown the KF by holding the power button. Then I connect a regular USB cable. The KF starts the boot process. It enters the first splash screen. Then it moves to booting, but the booting fails. The only thing that I see is that the button light turns from green to yellow and then it shuts down. And the boot process starts again going into a boot loop.
gwmadrigal said:
All commands were successful.
When I'm doing instead of the fastboot reboot is to remove the factory cable. Shutdown the KF by holding the power button. Then I connect a regular USB cable. The KF starts the boot process. It enters the first splash screen. Then it moves to booting, but the booting fails. The only thing that I see is that the button light turns from green to yellow and then it shuts down. And the boot process starts again going into a boot loop.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
What happens when you change the bootmode to 5001?
soupmagnet said:
What happens when you change the bootmode to 5001?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It accepts the command.
The command prompt responds saying something like it took 0. something seconds to execute the command.
Thanks for reading my thread.
If upon rebooting, the result is the same after changing the bootmode, it is possible the bootloader isn't working properly. If that's the case, flashing a new bootloader (with md5 verified) might not work, but it's worth a shot.
If that doesn't work, you should be able to change the bootmode to USBboot (4003) and use Firekit to replace the bootloader, but that's speaking theoretically. I've never tried it so I couldn't tell you whether it would work or not. But then you could always pull the back cover off the device and use the shorting trick to use Firekit in USBboot.
If installing a bootloader with the Firekit doesn't work, you're likely looking at a hardware issue, and there's not much we can do about that.
soupmagnet said:
1. If upon rebooting, the result is the same after changing the bootmode, it is possible the bootloader isn't working properly. If that's the case, flashing a new bootloader (with md5 verified) might not work, but it's worth a shot.
2. If that doesn't work, you should be able to change the bootmode to USBboot (4003) and use Firekit to replace the bootloader, but that's speaking theoretically. I've never tried it so I couldn't tell you whether it would work or not. But then you could always pull the back cover off the device and use the shorting trick to use Firekit in USBboot.
3. If installing a bootloader with the Firekit doesn't work, you're likely looking at a hardware issue, and there's not much we can do about that.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
2 sounds too complicated. I will need to read more.
I'm at work. I am going to try number 1 when I get home.
One more question, how can I revert the KF so when the it boots it shows the original orange white logo?
Thanks for everything.
gwmadrigal said:
2 sounds too complicated. I will need to read more.
I'm at work. I am going to try number 1 when I get home.
One more question, how can I revert the KF so when the it boots it shows the original orange white logo?
Thanks for everything.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you have any questions about using Firekit, don't be afraid to ask.
Get your device working properly before attempting to revert the bootloader back to stock. Contrary to what you may think, the custom bootloader is much better for you in this situation.
gwmadrigal said:
All commands were successful.
When I'm doing instead of the fastboot reboot is to remove the factory cable. Shutdown the KF by holding the power button. Then I connect a regular USB cable. The KF starts the boot process. It enters the first splash screen. Then it moves to booting, but the booting fails. The only thing that I see is that the button light turns from green to yellow and then it shuts down. And the boot process starts again going into a boot loop.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I suspect your battery is still depleted because it still sounds like a 5 second boot loop. Try this hold the power button down till it`s off and plug it to your pc for a few hours to see if you cannot get some power to your battery.
Thepooch said:
I suspect your battery is still depleted because it still sounds like a 5 second boot loop. Try this hold the power button down till it`s off and plug it to your pc for a few hours to see if you cannot get some power to your battery.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think that would be the case if the device just rebooted. The OP is saying the device shuts down when FFF starts to load the operating system (Booting...) or recovery, which is why I think it is either the bootloader or some hardware issue.
soupmagnet said:
If you have any questions about using Firekit, don't be afraid to ask.
Get your device working properly before attempting to revert the bootloader back to stock. Contrary to what you may think, the custom bootloader is much better for you in this situation.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I tried reloading the u-boot using fastboot and the upload was successful. But it's doing exactly the same.I guess my only question right now, do you know of any good guide that I should start reading to get my feet wet on what the firekit is and how to get started?
Thepooch said:
I suspect your battery is still depleted because it still sounds like a 5 second boot loop. Try this hold the power button down till it`s off and plug it to your pc for a few hours to see if you cannot get some power to your battery.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I have nothing to lose. This KF is already bricked. I can certainly try anything. Which cable do you suggest I use? the Factory cable or the USB cable?
I think I answered my own question now. Using a regular USB cable puts the KF in the bootloop. I will use the factory cable instead. I shut down the KF, put the factory cable connected to my computer and the KF. Right now the KF is in the KindleFire splash screen waiting for fastboot commands of for me to use the button to tell it which mode to boot. I will leave it plug overnight.
Thanks for replying on my thread and trying to help me.
soupmagnet said:
I think that would be the case if the device just rebooted. The OP is saying the device shuts down when FFF starts to load the operating system (Booting...) or recovery, which is why I think it is either the bootloader or some hardware issue.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I posted a video in utube of what the KF is doing, so you can see what I'm seeing.
Link
Thanks for coming back several times to reply on my thread.
That looks like your battery. From what I can tell, the device is just rebooting, not shutting down.
Unplug the device and hold the power button to perform a hard shutdown.
Plug the device in (it should power up on it's own) and hold the power button to shut it down again.
Leave it plugged into the computer until sometime tomorrow and try again.
Same thing I was thinking 5 second bootloop Thank you the video was very helpful to see just how its acting. Use stock cable to charge not factory.
OKay. I'm glad I came to check the thread one more time before going to bed. I removed the factory cable and put the regular usb instead. The KF was rebooting. I shut down the KF by holding the power button without unplugging the cable. Now the KF appears to be shut down, but the cable is still plugged. The yellow light does not appear as it normally would if it was charging though. I don't know if this is normal.
gwmadrigal said:
OKay. I'm glad I came to check the thread one more time before going to bed. I removed the factory cable and put the regular usb instead. The KF was rebooting. I shut down the KF by holding the power button without unplugging the cable. Now the KF appears to be shut down, but the cable is still plugged. The yellow light does not appear as it normally would if it was charging though. I don't know if this is normal.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I think you're fine let it rest.
I want to wipe everything off my Kindle including the recovery and bootloader, is there a command I can issue to do this? (I'll be using firekit /w the short trick and adb push to reinstall my rom/bootloader/recovery)
I can't even begin to tell you why that's a bad idea and completely unnecessary.
Do you mind me asking what you are trying to accomplish with this and why you think it's necessary?
I had the old version of TWRP and bricked my Kindle, I got it to load the new version of TWRP with firekit and it unbricked my Kindle. Next, I set boot mode to normal because I wanted to flash a new rom, however then I got the blinking yellow triangle of death again, I ran usb_fix_parts_and_install_fff_twrp (how I unbricked it before) and shorted it but this time it didn't work and I got the blinking triangle again. So I though if it worked before with new version of TWRP maybe if I removed it completely and the re-ran "usb_fix_parts_and_install_fff_twrp" it would unbrick my Kindle again
Sorry for the long explanation
Oh I forgot, The reason I put it back in normal mode is because I thought I fixed everything and thought the battery would begin to recharge again, so I figured just downloading the rom to kindle itself would be easier than using adb push to transfer it from my computer, but then I couldn't even get back to twrp after the first time
The blinking triangle is due to a dead battery, not the bootloader installation.
Unplug the device and hold the power button until it shuts down completely.
Plug the device into your computer's USB (2.0) port and immediately hold the power button until it shuts off again.
If you can get it to shut down without starting up again, leave it plugged in for at least half a day to let it charge.
aullys and
I'll try that, thank-you