Kindle Fire HD/ Root

[Pezzy]

Hi all.........and carnageX (if you're out there, 'cause you've helped me before with this).

I posted a message on this forum back in March; I gave up trying to root my Kindle Fire HD 8.9" back then from lack of progress & frustration. Since then, I made a little more headway but have still run into an obstacle.

My previous thread is here: http://www.techist.com/forums/f64/kindle-fire-hd-movie-folder-270121/

The only change, really, since then, is that I tried a different cable (micro to USB). I was able to advance further in the rooting procedure from these instructions over at XDA Developers: [ROOT][HOW TO] Root the Kindle Fire HD and 2 with Windows - Noob (Simple) Version - xda-developers

I go through the instructions/ procedures, my Kindle device reboots a couple of times, and now there's a new App installed on it from the procedure; it's called "Root Check Basic". However, when I launch the App and try to use it by pressing on the button labeled "Verify Root Access", I receive a message back in a red-colored font that says: "Sorry! This device does not have proper root access."

From what I've read in the instructions (and also saw on a video on YouTube on rooting the Kindle), if this part was successful, I would then get an App called "Superuser". I would then have full root access to my device. But I don't have this App, I think, because, I did not pass the "Root Check Basic/ Verify Root Access".

Any ideas or info? I've gotten further in the rooting process since last time I was here
Pez

 

[carnageX]

Did you try using C-1 or C-2 method in that guide you posted?

 

[Pezzy]

Thanks for replying!

Oh my gosh....that was it; I'm almost there, getting so close!!

I had used the C-1 method (it says it's the "Preferred" method), and hadn't even thought of using the C-2 method.

I used C-2.....it worked; I'm rooted!!

This time when I use Root Check Basic and click on Verify Root Access.....I have access!!

I now also have that other App that showed up: SuperSU.

But now let me query this: One of the main reasons I wanted to do this (to root this Kindle Fire HD device) was to be able to access all its system/ internal files/ folders. I had downloaded an HD movie to this device (not in the "cloud", I mean actually on the device), and I want to be able to copy this video file and save it on my computer's hard drive.

When connecting the device to my computer via a USB cable, shouldn't I be able to find it now?

I know it's somewhere there on the device. Prior to downloading this HD movie file, I had about 12GB's of free space; now I have only about 4GB.

Shouldn't I be able to browse the folders on the Fire HD device via a USB cable and find it?
Pez

P.S. Thanks again, carnageX!!

 

[carnageX]

Thanks for replying!

Oh my gosh....that was it; I'm almost there, getting so close!!

I had used the C-1 method (it says it's the "Preferred" method), and hadn't even thought of using the C-2 method.

I used C-2.....it worked; I'm rooted!!

This time when I use Root Check Basic and click on Verify Root Access.....I have access!!

I now also have that other App that showed up: SuperSU.

But now let me query this: One of the main reasons I wanted to do this (to root this Kindle Fire HD device) was to be able to access all its system/ internal files/ folders. I had downloaded an HD movie to this device (not in the "cloud", I mean actually on the device), and I want to be able to copy this video file and save it on my computer's hard drive.

When connecting the device to my computer via a USB cable, shouldn't I be able to find it now?

I know it's somewhere there on the device. Prior to downloading this HD movie file, I had about 12GB's of free space; now I have only about 4GB.

Shouldn't I be able to browse the folders on the Fire HD device via a USB cable and find it?
Pez

P.S. Thanks again, carnageX!!

Even if you're rooted, you're still only going to be able to view the directories you were able to view before via USB.

If you want to explore the other directories, then download ES File Explorer

Then enable the Root explorer by swiping left on the toolbar at the bottom (that says "New, Search, Refresh, View, Windows"). This will bring up the sidebar menu. Tap 'Tools' -> scroll down -> on Root Explorer tap it to turn it to On. Wait a bit, and it should prompt you for Superuser access (tap Grant when you see the Deny/Grant message pop up).

I'd also turn Gesture off, and Show hidden files to On.


Then, on the top directory bar, you should be able to tap the "/" section and it will take you to the root directory of the device. So you should be able to explore all the directories of the device from there .

Once you find the movies, then you can copy or move it from the directory its in, and move it to a directory that's visible to the computer when hooked up via USB.

 

[Pezzy]

Hi!!

That "ES File Explorer" is mentioned on that XDA Developer's web site.

I used the Silk browser that's included with the Kindle device, did a search for it, found it, but it won't download onto my device. Isn't it a Google Play app? I don't think they're compatible with Kindle Fire devices, are they?

Is there a way to side-load ES File Explorer onto the Fire HD device? I want to get this app installed onto my device, because from what you describe, this should be what I need in order to be able to "see" other directories on the device.....including that HD movie I downloaded!!

So, if you would, please, some instructions on how to install ES File Explorer?

Thanks!!
Pez

 

[carnageX]

Make sure you can enable Unknown Sources. Settings -> Security -> make sure Unknown Sources is checked.

I'll attach the APK that you can download and install manually. You should be able to find it on the Play Store, or the Amazon AppStore if you don't have Play Store on your KFHD.

Edit: here you go
*link removed*

Let me know when you get it downloaded, so I can remove the link since it's to my personal server .

 

[Pezzy]

DUH! Nevermind.....I went about it the wrong way. On the device, I clicked on Apps, then went to Store. I DL'd it, installed it, and now I'm going about following the rest of your instructions.

I'm browsing the folders on the device now. I'll pop back later and let you know how the search went.

Thanks again!!

 

[Pezzy]

Hey there; been a while since I've been back here on this thread. Yeah, I gotta admit, it's bugged me that I've never been able to get around this conundrum, but, I guess it just wasn't a top priority.

I'd like to take another crack at it and give it another go-round.

carnageX: you still out there??

To bring things up-to-date:

I have the Kindle Fire HD; it's been rooted.

I've downloaded an HD movie onto the device (it's not just "in the cloud", but is on the device itself). I would like to make and keep an archival copy of this movie/ video onto my computer's hard drive (or perhaps my external HDD). I would transfer this file via a USB cable from the Kindle device.

However.....

When downloading an HD movie from Amazon, it does not download into an obvious folder like "Movies" or "Videos". Here is a screen capture of my Kindle device when plugged into my computer via a USB cable; these are the folders that are able to be seen:

http://i289.photobucket.com/albums/ll217/PezzyDude/KindleFHD1_zpsfa290c98.jpg

You can see those two folders with red arrows; no, the HD video that I downloaded is not in either of them

As you already know, the Kindle is based on the Android OS, so, there will be files/ folders that will not be visible in the Windows OS when connected by the USB cable.

On the Kindle, I downloaded a couple of Apps: DiskUsage and ES File Explorer. With DiskUsage, I was able to pin down where this 8GB HD video file was located; with ES File Explorer, I believe I was able to navigate my way towards it.

I don't know if it's possible to do screen captures using the Kindle device, so, what I did instead was to get my camera and.....take a picture of the screen

Here's some screen shots:

http://i289.photobucket.com/albums/ll217/PezzyDude/KindleFHD2_zps5183c73e.jpg

Now, inside of this amazon.avod folder was this other folder labeled "trickplay":

http://i289.photobucket.com/albums/ll217/PezzyDude/KindleFHD3_zps2a53e4ec.jpg

Inside of this "trickplay" folder was not what I would call typical video files (like MP4, or even an .avi file):

http://i289.photobucket.com/albums/ll217/PezzyDude/KindleFHD4_zps54661e21.jpg

No, instead - if you can see it in the picture - is a series of .jpg's. And I mean A LOT of .jpg's!!! If I scroll down that screen that you can see, it scrolls for A WHILE.

Are these jpg's how Amazon does an HD movie? Are these pictures somehow run together and the movie itself is somehow played??

Like I mentioned, I'm pretty sure this is where the movie is located on the device; I used that DiskUsage App and this seemed to be where that 8GB was located.

Now: something else I found kind of strange.

When using the ES File Explorer App, there's this feature where you can press and hold on a file or folder, and a menu shows down the bottom of the screen; from here, you can choose to do things like "Hide", "Copy to", or "Move to".

http://i289.photobucket.com/albums/ll217/PezzyDude/KindleFHD5_zpsa1a219b1.jpg

What I wanted to do was to "Move" the folder containing what I think is the HD movie, and Move it to a folder that I am able to see in the Widows OS when the device is connected via a USB cable. I wanted to Move it to one of those folders that I showed up above in that first pic/ screen capture; I'd Move it to "Movies" or "Video".

But......

There's always a "but", right?

In the Windows OS, when you "Move" a file or folder, it's being relocated. It's not being "copied" where you make a duplicate of it; and, if you copied it, you be taking up more space on your drive. Say your drive has 160GB of available space. Then say you copy of 2GB file; you'll now have 158GB of space available.

But if you merely move a file or folder, you're not taking up more space, just relocating it to another location.

Well....when I use the ES File Explorer feature of "Move to", it starts to move that folder I selected (trickplay); I want to move it to the "Movies" folder that is visible in the Windows OS when connected via a USB cable. But during that moving process, an error pops up stating that there is not enough space on the device. But remember: I'm not "Copying", but rather "Moving".

Any ideas what's going on?

First of all, am I wrong on this slew of .jpg images? There are a ton of them in that folder. Is this the movie? Or am I wrong and it's in a nearby folder? If the movie is in a different folder, then what's up with all of those .jpg images?!?!

And why can't I "Move" that folder without getting an error message of not enough space?

And just to let you know, I've been to some other forums presenting my dilemma, but no luck there, either. I've been to Android Forum for Mobile Phones, Tablets, Watches & Android App Development - XDA Forums; Kindle Formats - MobileRead Forums; I've even been to some Android forums since the Kindle is based on the Android OS.

Why the heck does Amazon bury and hide this HD movie so deep as to make it inaccessible?

Any info or insight? Help!
Pez

 

[carnageX]

Yup, I'm still here .

Is the trickplay folder the one that DiskUsage said all the space was allocated to?

In the trickplay folder, tap View at the bottom and sort by Size (descending) so that the largest files are on top. It's possible you missed a video file while scrolling through the pictures. Also, tap the 3 lines in the top left to open the menu > tap Tools > make sure Show HIdden Files is enabled.

It's possible it's some kind of anti-piracy measure...though not sure how only 700 jpgs would make up a full length movie.

As for Move/Copy...it's possible that it's trying to allocate temporary storage for the Move operation (depends on how ES handles file moves - I've never had an issue doing a move, but I've also never tried to move that much data).

As for screenshots...if they're enabled on the device, it's *usually* Power+Vol Down at the same time while on the screen you want to screenshot.

 

[Pezzy]

Hey, carnageX, so you are still out there

That was a good suggestion about changing the View to sort by Descending; hadn't thought of that!!

But, I guess I may have been wrong about this "trickplay" folder; after arranging the View so largest files were first and then they descended, it was still .jpg images at the top of the list, nothing like a large video file.

And yes, I had already had "Show Hidden Files" enabled.

And yup, maybe it's some kind of anti-piracy measure, although, I paid for the movie, just like I would a Blu-ray disc. If it were a disc, I could play it in my Blu-ray player....a relative's player....a friend's.....you get the point. It's my disc, so I can play it where I want. I didn't say anything about copying said disc.

I just think I should have access to this video that I legally downloaded from Amazon and be able to make a backup, archival copy of it on my HDD.

As for trying to "Move" the folder? Maybe since the file's so big, it can't handle it. I have the 16GB Fire HD, not the 32GB. And out of the 16GB, there's really only 12GB available for the end user. That kinda ticked me off when I found that out after purchasing it. If Amazon knows that its OS and "necessary" apps are going to take up 4 Gigs of space, then why not just create a 20GB drive, minus the 4GB, then you truly would have 16GB of available space to the user.

Anyway, with the 12GB available to me, minus the 8GB of the video, that leaves 4GB as a "buffer"......and maybe that's not enough to handle the "Move".

How about this: From some searching I did, isn't there some software program called VirtualBox? Can the Android OS be installed through there (since it's free/ open-source), then I could "look" at the Kindle Fire HD's drive, and perhaps copy the files over to my Windows-based folder?
Pez