Help! My Kindle is Frozen!

[roperld]

A system download automatically came to my DX a few days ago and it has not frozen since then. Before it was freezing several times a day.

Dave Roper

[bbaloun]

I received, what appears to be a software update judging by my screen.  However, the Kindle 2 locked up as it is downloading and now I can't reset it any way I try.  Any thoughts out there?  It doesn't appear to be responding at all to the reset with the on/off slide button.

[pidgeon92]

I received, what appears to be a software update judging by my screen.  However, the Kindle 2 locked up as it is downloading and now I can't reset it any way I try.  Any thoughts out there?  It doesn't appear to be responding at all to the reset with the on/off slide button.

Plug it in for a few hours. Then try resetting it again. If you have a hack installed on the Kindle, you will need to remove it prior to using the software update.

[bbaloun]

Thanks for the quick reply.    Have tried that all through this past week.  While it should have a full charge it doesn'[t respond to anything.

[Luvmy4brats]

Thanks for the quick reply.    Have tried that all through this past week.  While it should have a full charge it doesn'[t respond to anything.

Can you hold the slider over for awhile? (sometimes it takes like 45-60 seconds)

[bbaloun]

Yes, I've held it for as long as 3-5 minutes, still no luck 

[pidgeon92]

Next step is to call customer service.

Amazon Kindle customer service: 1-866-321-8851

More CS information: How do I contact customer service?

[Edward C. Patterson]

Sorry I'm late. When you do a reboot, be sure you have your Kindle unplugged from the charger.

Ed Patterson

[angelicGrace]

*sighs* I've had my K3 less than 18 hrs and it frozen. I had only been on the browser twice (once myself and the dh once) and had only added a handful of books so far. I'm not impressed. I tried the alt+shift+R reset but that didn't work.

I could power it down and it comes right back to the page I was on. This last time I held the slider for a good 2 min. Then it can back to the Kindle update screen. It appeared to be downloading something or at least the status bar is moving as if it was. When it came back up it was working properly. But yeah for a good 15 min. I was about to go out of my mind.

[history_lover]

*sighs* I've had my K3 less than 18 hrs and it frozen. I had only been on the browser twice (once myself and the dh once) and had only added a handful of books so far. I'm not impressed. I tried the alt+shift+R reset but that didn't work.

This topic is originally from 2 years ago, long before the the K3 came out so alt+shift+R was probably a function for an older Kindle model which does not apply to the K3. You might want to check out this thread instead: http://www.kindleboards.com/index.php/topic,34163.0.html (I don't know why it's not been moved to the Troubleshooting section).

I could power it down and it comes right back to the page I was on. This last time I held the slider for a good 2 min. Then it can back to the Kindle update screen. It appeared to be downloading something or at least the status bar is moving as if it was. When it came back up it was working properly. But yeah for a good 15 min. I was about to go out of my mind.

I think you only need to hold the slider over for about 20 seconds. The last time mine frozen, holding the slider didn't work the first time but it did the second time so that might have been the case for you. If it doesn't work within 20 second the first time, I would stop and try again instead of holding it steady for 2+ mins.

[angelicGrace]

I tried holding the slider for a whole range of different times from a few seconds (which just got the standard power down and back up) to the full 2 minutes. I wouldn't have even tried holding it that long if another post on a similar forum from a Google search hadn't suggested it. I'm glad it did. Otherwise I might still be very upset.

It was just a momentary glitch I realize, but one would hope it's not a sign of things to come.

[Joyce]

angelicGrace - same thing with me. The K3 froze three times last night (possibly a fourth - the first time I saw the "power bar" - for lack of knowing what it is really called, I didn't realize that it was "coming back" from probably a freeze...)  Ended up calling CS - mostly because I'd set a password that had numbers in it. Worked okay 'til it was time to enter the number.  Pressing "SYM" brought up the symbols and numbers, but the 5-way would not move the cursor to the numbers I needed - wouldn't move at all).  Of course, when I got CS on the line, then it worked.  Sheesh.  Talk about feeling dumb...  But I disabled the password - for now.  If I bring it back, I will not have a number or symbol in it.

Hopefully it was a momentary glitch and not a portent of things to come.  Incidentally - it had just arrived yesterday, so this was after the initial charging of the battery.

[chilady1]

Here's how to restart a frozen Kindle DX (I had such a panic moment last wek and called CS, who walked me through it). No more panic.

Hold the top on/off switch sliding it toe the left nd keep to the left, while counting to 80. Release it. Wait a minute - the DX will flash onece or twice (be patient). Then the screen will go black and then the main Kindle screen (the guy sitting under the tree) will apper and the start up thermomenter bar. Once that's completed, the main menu will come on, and your books will be rstored in batches over the next few minutes. If you have a gazillion like I do, it will take four minutes.

And that's it. No cardiac arrest.

Edward C. Patterson

OH THANK YOU - this sooooo worked!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[angelicGrace]

Mine has now frozen 8 times. I'm starting to get a little concerned by this. Today's worst episode, it didn't want to 'reboot'. I held the slider the full 80 count and released and got a black screen. Quick slide got no results. Held again for another 80. Got nothing. On the 3 long hold I finally got the main Kindle screen. I love it but if this is going to be a daily event...well lets just pray it isn't.

[chilady1]

Mine has now frozen 8 times. I'm starting to get a little concerned by this. Today's worst episode, it didn't want to 'reboot'. I held the slider the full 80 count and released and got a black screen. Quick slide got no results. Held again for another 80. Got nothing. On the 3 long hold I finally got the main Kindle screen. I love it but if this is going to be a daily event...well lets just pray it isn't.

You might want to call Cust Service on that - mine was simply hitting one to many keys and the Kindle couldn't deal with it and it got hosed up.  Your issue sound much bigger and I have seen that some people have had so much freezing up that they have had to request a replacement.  In all the time I had my Kindle 2, I think it froze a total of maybe 3 times, to me that was 3 times to many.  If you have had consistent freezing (8 times to me is consistent) - personally I would be on the phone with Amazon discussing that issue.  That seems a little out of the norm for me.  Good Luck!

[SophieD]

A system download automatically came to my DX a few days ago and it has not frozen since then. Before it was freezing several times a day.

Dave Roper

While mine was not freezing several times per day it did freeze once in a while but I also noticed that when I got my automatic download it has not frozen since.

[Edward C. Patterson]

Mine has now frozen 8 times. I'm starting to get a little concerned by this. Today's worst episode, it didn't want to 'reboot'. I held the slider the full 80 count and released and got a black screen. Quick slide got no results. Held again for another 80. Got nothing. On the 3 long hold I finally got the main Kindle screen. I love it but if this is going to be a daily event...well lets just pray it isn't.

Very important to have the device unplugged when you hold the slider. Otherwise a reboot will not work.

The DX will index your newly download books continuously while or each time wifi is on if you have books from a K1 or K2. This draws down the battery and will freeze the device. However, once the indexing (indicing) is complete, the battery will hold a full charge and the freezing symptom disappears.

Ed Patterson

[noname]

How do you know which version of Kindle you have?

[Ann in Arlington]

This is the software update page at Amazon. . . click the type of device and you'll see information to determine which version you have based on the serial number. . . .

http://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html/ref=hp_k2land_rec_update?nodeId=200324680

[heidisatwork]

I've had my Kindle for just over a month and the past 3 weeks it has continually frozen. Sometimes when just turning a page, sometimes it wont wake from sleep.
Called customer service ...the first time, he did something that completely reset it, the second time they had me update the software version and the last time (today) they offered to replace it. Free shipping both ways, one day mail, absolutely no hassle. He was very nice, polite and ready to help. Thanks Amazon.

I love my kindle and cant believe I have made it thru this much of my life without one...although, I really want the Pink Kindle!!

[Taylorminty]

You should try a soft reset or a hard reset:

The soft reset is to press the Alt-Shift-R keys at the same time.

For a hard reset, take the cover off the back and insert a paperclip in the little hole. Hold for 10 seconds.

Thank you =]
I tried the soft reset, and it worked! How do you take the cover off, though?

[pidgeon92]

Thank you =]
I tried the soft reset, and it worked! How do you take the cover off, though?

The cover was removed for the original Kindle only. If you have a Kindle 2 or Kindle 3, just hold the slider switch for 15-40 seconds until the Kindle reboots.

[eserafino]

If you return a kindle that freezes after you have had it for at least 30 days they will send you a replacement overnight.  The replacement will be a kindle returned to them by someone else.  The only way that the excellent customer service people can arrange to get you a new unused kindle is to charge your credit card again and credit the card when you return the defective unit.   Since most people won't get this far into the discussion with the CSR they will take the quick offer for a "new" unit overnight.  It seems like great customer service but they are just recycling kindles that freeze up and creating the mass of horror stories below.   It is apparent that whatever refurbishment is being done to the defective units is not effective.  Based on experience just downloading a later operating  system will not fix the problem either.  So do yourself a favor and take the refund and get a truly new unit shipped to you.  Or take the credit and switch to another e-book provider.   

[angelicGrace]

Mine has stopped freezing up but has started rebooting itself now. It's the strangest thing ever. It move from one issue to the next. Every time it reboots, it loses the farthest read record on whatever I've read. It's getting old. I don't have the money to do the refund/exchange but that makes the most sense to me if that's what's going to be required to get one that hasn't be refurbished in some way.

[pidgeon92]

Mine has stopped freezing up but has started rebooting itself now. It's the strangest thing ever. It move from one issue to the next. Every time it reboots, it loses the farthest read record on whatever I've read. It's getting old. I don't have the money to do the refund/exchange but that makes the most sense to me if that's what's going to be required to get one that hasn't be refurbished in some way.

Are you using a cover with hinges? If so, remove it and see if the problem goes away.