Ponder_installation

Ponder is an alternative linux operating system for the Kindle, it has been developed on the Kindle PaperWhite 3. It replaces the main OS and uses an updated linux kernel. Apart from the original u-boot which is used as a 1st boot loader it is possible to replace all the Amazon elements of the Kindle.

Concept

• Boot Process
  • Stock u-boot -> u-boot-wario uImage -> Linux Kernel 6.15 uImage -> Alpine Image on p2
• To preserve your files currently Ponder installs to a small partition (p2) that isn't really used, it means that the original kindle OS still exists (p1) and also your kindle books still exists (p4). The partition is very small so limited so likely you'll want to take over p4.

Status

• Updated u-boot ✅
• Linux kernel 6.15 boots ✅
• Max77696 MFD ✅
  • Max77696 EPD Regulator ✅
  • Max77696 Backlight ✅
• Max77696 Battery Driver ✅
• Cherrypicked https://github.com/akemnade/linux/tree/kobo/drm-merged-6.15 ✅
• Cherrypicked cyttsp4 touchscreen drive from flipperdevices/rockchip-linux v6.1 ✅
• Created imx6sl-kindle-pw3 dts ✅
• Installation scripts from jailbreak to boot ✅

TODO

• Install KOReader or other eReader software
• Improve Wifi
• Power saving
• See if will work on other kindles

Installation

1. Start by jailbreaking the kindle - checkout https://kindlemodding.org/jailbreaking/WinterBreak2/ for details
2. Connect to your local WiFi
3. Get shell access, using telnet is likely the easiest option - https://github.com/Foskya/kindle-telnet
4. Use telnet to get shell access
5. cd /usr/share/nh - this gets us into a spare partition
   • If /usr/share/nh doesn't exist you might be running an older firmware, we are working on fixing the installation script to work with this setup.
6. curl https://forge.solarcene.community/smallsolar/Ponder_installation/raw/branch/main/first_stage_install.sh --output first_stage_install.sh - this is an install script that grabs alpine linux, kernel, modules etc
7. sh first_stage_install.sh
8. chroot /usr/share/nh
9. sh second_stage_install.sh - execute this from within the chroot, this will setup alpine a bit more as well as wifi ssid and password. Please note that this script will ask if you are ready to write u-boot/kernel/dtb which is permenant.
10. Reboot
11. Once rebooted you should be able to ssh in.

Examples