[7" Kindle Fire HD Q&A, Help & Troubleshooting] markbc01:
#1. TWRP is a GOOD OPTION FOR YOU: I have to agree with Protomartyr that if you are not tied to Amazon "ecosystem" & you use your KFTT it as a tablet more than an Amazon-content-delivery-machine, then other roms perhaps offer a bit more flexibility. & To get other roms you'll need TWRP.

#2. USE HASHCODE's THREAD TO INSTALL TWRP: My advice is not to use Fireflash or other automated routines like Kindle Fire Firstaide kit to install TWRP. These tools are really great, but this is a tricky and "higher risk" change to your KFTT. It makes better sense to take control of the installation process it yourself. If you do it step by step you will see the results as they unfold; and you will know that they worked --or where/why they did not work. The automated routines don't debug; nor do they appear to have a capability to adjust for individual situations as well as you yourself could. Also, Hashcode's thread on installing a 2d bootloader explains each step and includes comments and the "how-to" for the workaround in loading TWRP when you have Amazon rom 7.3/7.3.1 installed. It is a straightforward process. You probably have seen the thread, but here is the link to it again:

http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=2128848

#3. USB DRIVERS FOR FASTBOOT & ADB. perhaps the easiest place to find the Fastboot and ADB drivers is on Prokennexusa's Kindle Fire Firstaide Kit thread. He offers two different drivers to chose from and if you can't see your device using a command prompt in Windows then perhaps your drivers are not quite right. Please see his Kindle Fire Firstaide Kit thread ( http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?t=2096888 ) post numbers # 2212, 341 or #119 (alternative driver).

#4. FACTORY CABLE: Regardless of what you're doing now, I recommend either building or buying a Factory Cable (they really should be called "fastboot cables" since that's what it does!) It WILL save your bacon if you are going to do rom flashing or recovery alterations and all that! I've used mine several times in the process of making my KFTT "better" :victory: . XDA user Skorpn makes fine Factory Cables for KFTT 7." I purchased mine from him and it has worked flawlessly more times than I ever expected to need it. Here is a link to one of his posts on the cable: http://xdaforums.com/showthread.php?p=20380015#post20380015 It's post #9 on that thread and he accepts orders via Personal Message (PM) on XDA. Also see post #s 11 & 12 on that thread for more information. Also see post #15 which has a diagram and simple instructions to help if you want to make the Factory cable yourself.

#5. ROMS: KINOLOGY, CYANOGENMOD10.1 (Informal) and (maybe) JELLYBAM. On XDA it appears that for our KFT, our rom choices are: Kinology (a modified Stock rom), and Hashcode's CM 10.1 (an evolving CM10.1). I've tried both and they deliver a nice feeling on the KFTT. Of course Kinology is close to Amazon stock and the HC CM10.1 is still being improved (by Hashcode) to get it to "official" status as a CM device. One more possible option --and I am not sure, but will raise it for you to check out, is Jellybam (4.2.2). I just tried that rom on my phone, and noticed that (among other devices) they appear to have a JellyBam version for the Kindle Fire HD! Now, I did not have time to check it out yesterday, but will when their site maintenance is over and I can again access their KFTT rom. . . Not sure if it is really for our model, since "Kindle Fire HD" is becoming an ambiguous term! But there is potential.

Good Luck!

:cowboy: