Installing Koreader on Kobo Aura H2O
*Project Log
Why would I want to install something on a more-than-150-euro reader while voiding the warranty and risk bricking it?Kobo Aura H2O is a great reader in terms of screen diagonal, processing speed and extras. But the whole point of buying a 7 inch reader is to read scientific PDFs on it... and the Kobo Aura H2O's built-in pdf reader is plain useless. So it's Koreader or brick.
These guidelines are copied from the mobileread wiki https://wiki.mobileread.com/wiki/Kobo_Reset:_Aura_H2O, post https://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=266821 and the update from https://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?p=3389190#post3389190. The last part is from koreader install page. The italic notes are my comments.
- Should anything go wrong, here is the "last resort" way to reset
- Start with a fully-charged battery
- Force the eReader to turn off by holding the power button in the off position for about 20 seconds.
- Turn the eReader on but continue to hold the power button down.
- Quickly tap both bottom corners of the screen.
- When the screen changes, stop tapping the screen and release the power button.
- The factory reset should start.
- Prepare to install KSM8
- Fully charge the Kobo Aura H2O
- Download the archive KBStartMenu_08.zip to your pc and extract the content.
- Connect the Kobo to the PC
- Copy the folder kbmenupngs to the root of the device (e.g. K:\)
- Eject safely and disconnect
- check that all images (exit_nickel.png, switchtokoreader.png, etc.) are listed in the library and their thumbnails are displayed there, and at least once as tiles on the home screen (Open and close some items/books until the reader has indexed them. One tile as a group. Not separately.). Only then proceed to the next step
- Install KSM8
- Connect the Kobo device to the PC
- Copy KoboRoot.tgz to the folder .kobo of the device
- Eject safely and disconnect
- Wait until the update is finished (do not interrupt it, even if it takes some time).
If there is a problem and you cannot interact with KSM, force the reader to power off (by holding the power button in the off position for 20 seconds), and power on again. Connect from nickel via usb to the pc. Change the value of "runmenu" in .adds\kbmenu_user\runsettings.txt to "never" - Update KSM8
- Extract KoboRoot.tgz from archive KSM08_ext_aura_one_04e.zip
- Copy the extracted KoboRoot.tgz into .kobo of your device
- Safely eject and disconnect your device
- Select (in KSM home) "handle update" > "install update" (do not select "install partial update")
- Wait until the device has rebooted
This update made the screen worryingly black and took quite a bit of time. - Add koreader
- Download either the latest stable version (https://github.com/koreader/koreader/releases/tag/v2015.11-stable) or one of the nightly builds of KOReader (http://build.koreader.rocks/download/nightly).
I have used koreader-kobo-arm-linux-gnueabihf-v2015.11-stable.zip - Extract the koreader folder of the zip into the .adds directory of your device. You don't need KoboRoot.tgz or koreader.png unless you're using the older installation based on Filemonitor. If you are using a version of KSM older than version 8, please extract to the .kobo folder instead.
- Addons
- Nickel is the native Kobo Software
- Install the nickel-koreader swithch. (After that you can enter koreader from nickel's logo of koreader.)
- Install the koreader-nickel switch. (Now, when you close Koreader, you will go directly to Nickels.)
- Comments
- Should you install any FW updates in the future, use the "Install partial update" command
In general there is no reason to install any updates. Why change something that is working. - Should any update go wrong, return to the first point in this list (as it happened to me and all those people: http://blog.the-ebook-reader.com/2017/02/24/new-firmware-update-available-for-kobo-ereaders/)