[Nook Touch General] nmyshkin:
The Phoenix Project--Phase 1--The stock system, registered, unrooted

View attachment 6107998

Nook Simple Touch (BNRV300)

NST-US-Stock-Reg.zip (133 MB)

[MD5: 67e99606ec178434463ab318b4476e73]

NST-UK-Stock-Reg.zip (133 MB)

[MD5: 5495a88f33fe490cca19f0e5b4d2ec26]

Nook Simple Touch w/Glowlight (BNRV350)

NSTG-US-Stock-Reg.zip (133 MB)

[MD5: 2f55ba12707abdaa22be63b595e408aa]

NSTG-UK-Stock-Reg.zip (133 MB)

[MD5: 31b8160912481a22d2545e93c12f9885]

"What are these?"

Each download zip contains a CWM backup of a stock, registered, unrooted NST/G. This presents the device as it was meant to be, minus the connectivity with B&N to purchase/download books (no longer possible after June 2024). It will boot up as a newly registered device. You'll only need to set the time format and zone. You can side-load epubs. You can download epubs on your PC from your library Overdrive/Libby system, and then transfer them to the device using Adobe Digital Editions (for Windows I recommend ver. 3).

The registered backup was made by performing a factory re-image on the device and updating to FW 1.2.2. The device was registered to a new account opened solely for this purpose. Once all that was done, a CWM backup was created (/boot, /system, /data, /cache). Restoring this backup to another device leaves the /rom partition untouched so device hardware information (serial #, MAC address, etc.) remains unchanged.

I have cautious optimism about these backups. Years ago I cloned a device when I was having trouble with a particular app that was fine on one NST but refused to work on another. I used the cloned device for quite awhile, including accessing WiFi. I never had any trouble with it. Eventually I went back to the original and found that I could not "purchase" free books from B&N, although the device continued to function in every other way locally. At length I had to ask B&N to delete the account because I could not. But none of that matters in 2024. The only thing that does matter (I think) is having a valid "key" on the device as far as the B&N servers are concerned. Time will tell.

If this proves to be an epic "fail" I also have complete device backups from NookManager. These might succeed if the CWM backups do not.

"Who are these for?"

These backups are for people who have purchased an unregistered device after B&N ends registration for the NST/G in June of 2024. Running the device in an unregistered state with all the B&N stuff intact sets up a large amount of hidden activity which drains the battery quickly. Since it will be impossible to register an NST/G after June 2024, this is an attempt to ensure that the devices remain useful as designed, except for purchasing/downloading books from B&N.

These backups may also be useful to people who discover an NST/G at the bottom of a sock drawer and wonder if they can still use it. Only a device registered with FW 1.2.2 is likely to still work properly, so if the device has not been updated, this may be an avenue to restore it to a useful state.

Finally, these may be useful to people who want to start with the working stock system and root and customize to their own liking.

"What's the difference between the US and UK versions?"

There is no hardware difference. Any device can work as either. The US version splash screen at boot says "Read Forever". The UK version has a multilingual text display. In registering the UK version you set the device to display in one of the supported languages (English, French, Spanish, German, Italian). When I registered I chose "English", but you can change this in Settings. However...

The other main difference is the dictionary. The US version uses the Merriam-Webster Collegiate while the UK version uses a version of the Oxford English dictionary. People have their preferences. Unfortunately there is no way to get a non-English dictionary for the UK version to match a particular system language you might select for the device. There is a Settings option for additional dictionaries but it doesn't seem like it ever worked as there has never been any sign of these dictionaries on the various forums.

Also, while it is not possible to do anything with the dictionaries for the

stock

reader on non-rooted devices, it is possible to swap dictionaries on

rooted

devices--

but only for the US version

, as far as I know. The dictionary formats for the different versions are not the same and while I have been able to produce a number of non-English dictionaries for the US version, I have had no luck duplicating the format of the dictionary for the UK version. So what I am saying is that in terms of non-English capability, the UK version is basically just a show horse. System text will be in whatever language you select but you are stuck with an English dictionary whether or not you eventually root and customize--unless you were to remove all the B&N stuff.

Warnings

I cannot guarantee that these will work for you until I have gotten some useful feedback. They work for me. I cannot guarantee that these will work once a sufficient number of people are using them. I

can

say that they will definitely work if you

never

access WiFi, no matter how many people decide to avail themselves of these backups. I

think

they will also be fine with WiFi although if you are using the stock system after 2024 there's no reason at all to even use WiFi on the device.

"What do I have to do?"

The briefest possible description is: make a backup, wipe your device, restore the downloaded backup, reboot. Here's a little more detail, followed by a lot more detail (real instructions!):

1. Download the zip package of your choice and unzip

2. Copy the folder from the zip to the /clockworkmod/backup folder on your CWM card (didn't make one? go back to post #1)

3. Backup your device (CWM)

4. Wipe the device (CWM)

5. Restore the downloaded backup (CWM)

6. Reboot!

Note: there is no specific preparation required to use these backups. As long as the device is in working order and has about a 60% battery charge, you're good to go. It doesn't matter whether the device was currently registered in some older firmware, rooted, skipped OOBE. None of that matters as everything will be wiped.

To Restore an NST/G backup (the deets!)

1. Power down

2. Insert the CWM card with the backup image you downloaded

3. Power up.

If CWM fails to reach the first menu screen (i.e., is stuck on the splash screen), press the lower right hardware button.

To navigate in CWM: Upper Left hardware button > previous menu, Upper Right hardware button > move up, Lower Right hardware button > move down, "n" button > select

4. Select backup/restore

5. Press "n" to backup your device as it is now

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Backups end up in folders with dates for names, inside /clockworkmod/backup. You can rename these folders with the card in your PC. For example, you might rename this folder as "original" or similar (no spaces allowed in folder name). At the conclusion of the backup you should be returned to the main menu.

6. Select wipe data / factory reset

7. Confirm

View attachment 6107961

If after any wipe or restore operation CWM freezes, repeatedly press and hold the power button until the device reboots back into CWM. Don't panic. Hold the power button while counting to ten. Release it. If nothing happens, count to ten and try again. Eventually the device

will

reboot. This is the tool we have and it's not perfect, but it does work.

Spoiler content hidden.

8. Select advanced

9. Select Wipe Dalvik Cache

10. Confirm

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If CWM has frozen after the wipe, repeatedly press and hold the power button until the device reboots.

11. Select backup and restore

12. Select restore

13. Select folder to restore (you copied one onto the card, remember?)

14. Confirm.

View attachment 6107963

15. When restore is complete, remove the CWM card from your device and replace it with your regular storage sdcard if you are using one.

16. Press the "n" button to reboot.

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If CWM has frozen after the restore, repeatedly press and hold the power button until the device reboots.

17. Swipe the screensaver unlocker. Press the "n" button to bring up the QuickNav bar. Tap on "Settings". There tap on "Time" and select your desired time format and time zone. If by chance the time displayed on the device is not correct, you might try connecting to your home WiFi network briefly to see if that sorts it (Settings>Wireless).

18. If you're not familiar with how the device works, there are two user guides in the "Library". Most navigation is done via the QuickNav bar (press the "n" button), but if you're on the home screen you can access the most recent read by tapping on the book cover under "Reading now".

19. Just a final reminder: none of the stuff about shopping or previewing or downloading, etc., works. B&N has severed ties with these devices as of June 2024 except for a minimal server connection which allows the devices to continue operating without a fault if WiFi is used. But as I said, if you are using the stock configuration, there really is no need for WiFi at all.

You're done!