If you use a Amazon Kindle Fire 2015 (45$) Generation “Ford” or other Android Tablets,Smartphones you must know some MAJOR Informations about the Firmware Handling.
- If you were asked by the Fire OS or Android to “Upgrade” the Firmware OS, DON’T PUSH YES it without READING DETAILS! I prefer ALWAYS NO FIRST!
- Use ALWAYS a SDCARD to hold the MAJOR Data of your Tablet, cause if bricked or damaged you can’t pull off the DATA!!!
- Android Firmware Images INCLUDE not only the OS, it includes DRIVERS, and the MAJOR BOOTLOADER!! Cause Android Devices use no real BIOS!!
- If you Upgrade, you can RUN into BIG TROUBLE! Broken Drivers like no WIFI connect, freezing Screens on Boot, or BRICKS like the “BLACK SCREEN of DEATH” which destory the Tablets cause you can’t reach the BOOTLOADER for RECOVERY MODE and SITELOAD the FIRMWARE again!
- UPGRADES to bigger Version Releases like 5.1 to 5.3.X CAN’T be DOWNGRADED! Cause the DOWNGRADE don’t force overwrite correctly the BOOTLOADER, or leave the NEW BOOTLOADER untouched which can’t find the old KERNELS Names!
- As MAJOR INFO you should know that the “adb shell tool” is a DEVELOPER TOOL which doesn’t ASK anything to confirm, if the Firmware File is wrong or damaged! It flashes without any testing and any protection check! YOU have to KNOW what you ENTER!
- You can’t reach anything, if the Tablet is BRICKED and you can’t reach the RESCUE MENU MODE! Cause NAND Chips need a connect from adb shell tool to USB then to EEPROM Chip!
- To be sure prevent the Tablet from reaching the Amazon Update Servers by blocking the Domains on a Blacklist at the Home Router
- A pulling out the Battery, does often NOT HELP on Tablet! You often don’t need to open the Case for this try!
- If you can, buy Tablets, without Bloatware, but with SDCARD Connector, with a more basic Android called “Stock” OS (have seen this on cheap No Name China Tablets)
- Check the Internet Media for Hardware Infos which Hardware allow easy root access, some Manufacter allow this like Fairphones with special opened OS.
- For Kids usage purge the Amazon Account on the Tablet, this prevent unallowed Setups
- Android Firmware EEPROM Chips mostly glued onto the Mainboard, if the Firmware writing fails the device is a toaster.. no normal User can plug out the EEPROM Chips to flash them outside!
- Opened Tablets can be seen here
.. never change a running System.. if you MUST not..
Remarks:
- If someone find a Solution to flash the NAND chips without the Recovery Mode then mail me please!
- This Firmware Handling is the SAME on all Android or Embedded Devices like Openmips, Openwrt Routers ..