# Kindle DX: Frozen on loading screen - [Update: My issue resolved itself...]



## annnnnt (Dec 6, 2009)

*The digest:*
Kindle DX freezes while loading. Resetting doesn't seem to work.
*
The Rest: (It's long, I'm sorry?)*
I try my best to be reasonable and search for my solution among the mass of other posts before I ever resort to bringing up the topic myself but nothing has helped so here we go;

I bought a Kindle DX and I've had it for the better part of two days. My only intent was to read pdf's with it so the first thing I did was turned off wireless. I then proceeded to plug it into my computer and transfer files to it. I assumed folders for organizing my pdf's were OK, so I made a few and they worked out fine, even though the Kindle didn't display them, they helped me know what was there.

If I had started to do other things and then went back and tried to access the Kindle drive my computer would be slow or unresponsive about it. I don't know whether it was windows 7, my usb ports, microusb transfer rates, kindle's disk access rate or some combination of them all but I've had to just unplug (without ejecting) and plug back in my kindle so I could transfer files. For successive attempts to plug in my kindle, windows 7 would occasionally prompt me to scan and fix the drive, something I did once earlier but then skip every next time it asked.

On my last attempt to access kindle's contents I created a folder. I then tried to copy a folder with the same name into my kindle which resulted in some error, the message of which I ignored. I assumed it had something to do with being unable to copy the folder into the directory due to the preexisting folder. I then decided to open up the folder I made on the kindle and I found a few oddly named files. I thought they were a part of the earlier process which failed so I tried to delete them. That didn't work due to the names of the files. I thought windows must have issues deleting files with nonstandard file names so I planned to boot into Linux later and get rid of them. I then opened up the folder with the same name on my desktop and copied the contents (another folder) into my kindle. A new bunch of files and folders spawned with nonstandard file names. When I say nonstandard I mean not ASCII characters, weird symbols and such...

After failing (still in windows) to delete these as well I figured it might be alright to just leave them and hope whatever is running the kindle ignores them. At this point I don't think it does... The kindle freezes on the loading screen at the same place in the bar. Resetting the device is useless as it still proceeds to the loading page and will freeze on at the same point. USB doesn't seem to work while the kindle is still loading so I can't do anything there. I was hoping there would be some sort of factory reset but from all I see it's just hold the slider and restart the device. Holding it up to 80+ seconds will still only cause it to restart and go to the loading screen where it will then freeze. I don't think there is anything else I can try.

As much as I'd like to call customer support and troubleshoot this through or have a replacement sent I'm not sure how kindly they would take to what I've done with it during my ever so short period of ownership. Physically the device is in perfect condition but if memory of my brief reading of the manual serves, they were very opposed to playing with the software. Pretty much the 4th thing I did was find a way to customize screen savers. Right at the top of that guide I saw:
==============================================================================
WARNING: Use at your own risk! This is an UNOFFICIAL update to allow custom
Kindle DX Screen Savers. This file is NOT from Amazon.com and any harm it
causes your Kindle2 will be your own fault.
==============================================================================

The update worked fine and I had it cycling through images but I also read a different method involving a \pictures\My Pictures directory which I wanted to try. In fact, this is the process that it died on. "pictures" was created in my kindle, pictures with My Pictures inside was click-dragged from my desktop and I got an error. Badness ensues.

Whether the freezing is directly my fault (poorly handling kindle with windows 7's folder management/my computer's hardware, improperly unplugging without ejecting, the screen saver hack...) or not doesn't change the fact I was screwing with my kindle and now it's broken. Worst case, I call in and they congratulate me on my $600 paperweight. Before that, I pray that some one among you knows the way to make everything right.

In the meantime, I'm leaving my kindle plugged in. Maybe after long enough it will sort through the contents of the junk and get to a point where I can plug it in and delete off all the trash. That and wait on a response are about all I can think to do at this point. I'll let you guys know how it turns out regardless. Thanks in advance.


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## annnnnt (Dec 6, 2009)

I went off and did things. Apparently the kindle got over it because I came back to find it on a screen saver. It was really slow, unresponsive and I almost gave up but I managed myself towards the factory reset and now it seems happy again. I suppose the lesson I've learned is patience solves a lot of kindle's problems...


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

Yes. .. .patience is, indeed, a virtue.   The other lesson is:  don't do too much at one time.  You want to load a bunch of books?  Load 'em in small batches or the subsequent indexing will slow you down to a crawl.  Same with either of the "hacks".  Do one, make sure everything is happy for a day or so and then do the other.  And leave it plugged in overnight after something like that so running out of juice isn't an issue as well!

As to folders: as long as the folders contain readable files, Kindle ignores the fact that there are sub-folders in it's "documents" folder.  Note, however, that Amazon has said that they will be providing an update "in the first half of 2010" that will provide some sort of organization method.  Don't know if having made your own folders already will confuse that and, as we have learned, updates do not get automatically applied if there is a "hack" present.

For the record, when I have loaded PDF's I make sure they have very descriptive file names.  So piano music starts with the word "Piano", flute music with the word "Flute", tax publications with the word "Tax", etc.  That way if I sort on "title" I can find all of the same sort of stuff in the same bunch.  Since it's my own content, it's very easy to name the file however I want it to show before I move it to the DX.


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## drenee (Nov 11, 2008)

I'm happy to hear your problem resolved.  
Welcome to KindleBoards.  
deb


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## annnnnt (Dec 6, 2009)

Thank you for the welcome.

I suppose I'm far too used to the fast paced world where things get done more quickly. I'll try and keep the load on my kindle to a minimum for now.

Since I was never really interested in buying books and reading them I turned off the wireless for additional battery time. I suppose another thought in the back of my mind was I wanted to avoid updates that might detect my changes and report me. I think Microsoft with their xbox 360 product did a line of that? I figure the only management my kindle will receive is my own unless this organization update proves to be awesome.


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