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Stardate: 20220102.1205
Location: The Lab
Input Device: pisendai
Audio: New Dreams Ltd.
Visual: Lab clutter, I should clean up.
Emotional State: Tired
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NOTE: I started this on 20210102 but didn't post until 20210106.
I have two 7" 5th Generation (2015) Kindle Fire tablets that needed
repurposing. The stock FireOS needed to go, so I decided to try
putting LineageOS on them. After several attempts, I was finally
able to finish one of them. I will probably get to the other one
later this week. In general, here are the steps I used to get
LineageOS 14.1 on the Kindle fire tablet:
1. Install python3, PySerial, adb and fastboot on Debian laptop.
2. Download and extract amonet-ford-v1.4.1.zip (see [1])
3. Download LineageOS 14.1 ROM (see [5])
4. Remove back cover of tablet.
5. Remove metal shield covering pin that needs to be shorted.
(see pic [1])
6. Attach USB cable to laptop.
7. Run command "sudo ./bootrom-step.sh"
(from extracted amonet-ford-v1.4.1.zip)
8. Script will show "Waiting for bootrom."
9. Short pin with paperclip and plug in other end of USB cable into
tablet.
10. When instructed, remove short and hit ENTER.
11. After script is done, the tablet will reboot into hacked fastboot
state.
12. Run command "sudo ./fastboot-step.sh"
(from extracted amonet-ford-v1.4.1.zip)
13. Tablet will reboot into TWRP (Team Win Recovery Project.)
14. Transfer LineageOS 14.1 ROM to tablet via adb
(which can be done with TWRP running on the tablet)
15. In TWRP, go to WIPE and Factory Reset.
16. Install LineageOS via TWRP.
17. Device will reboot into LineageOS when done.
18. Replace metal shield, back cover, and remove USB cable.
19. Bob's yer uncle.
Below are some links that I found helpful. [1-5]
Quite frankly, I found the install to be very cumbersome. There
wasn't a single document that I went through that allowed me to
install LineageOS from start to finish. Some of the documentation
was old, but parts of each were still very useful. My specific
install was a little different since I was on a more recent version
of FireOS, in which some steps in some of the articles did not
work. This is sometimes part of the challenge and fun of trying
to repurpose old hardware, especially for loading custom firmware
from quite some time ago. Sometimes the documentation is
incomplete, sometimes I have to parse through pages and pages of
forum posts, sometimes I cannot understand some of these posts,
sometimes the tools are missing, etc. Definitely an exercise in
sleuthing and patience.
So far, my experience in LineageOS 14.1 is super fast compared to
FireOS. Many thanks to those who have worked on getting LineageOS
on this device and the community for providing me with the puzzle
pieces to breathe new life into these aging pieces of hardware!
[1] https://forum.xda-developers.com/t/unlock-root-twrp-unbrick-
downgrade-fire-7-ford-and-austin.3899860/
[2] https://www.getdroidtips.com/lineage-os-14-1-amazon-fire-7-2015/
[3] https://www.ashik.cc/amazon-fire-7-hacking-twrp-lineageos-5th-
7th-gen/
[4] https://gist.github.com/Juul/ac03f4e8c7f8e7cc2d67d40bf2174f4f
[5] https://forum.xda-developers.com/t/rom-unlocked-ford-austin-
lineage-14-1-17-jan-2021.3962457/
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