Kindle Fire HD/ Movie Folder

[Pezzy]

Hi all.

I recently downloaded a movie from Amazon's Instant Video. It was a movie in HD and quite large (somewhere around 8GB). And no, it was not just on "the Cloud", but I downloaded it to the "Device".

However, when I connected the Kindle to my computer via a USB cable - and browsed all of the folders and sub-folders therein - I could not find the movie file. I know it's there, I've watched it (and like I said, I downloaded it to the Device, not on "the Cloud"), and I also know that my previous 12GB of available space dropped down to 4GB after the download.

I contacted Amazon Kindle tech support - and I've contacted them many times in the past (telephone, e-mail, and online chat) - and my experience with them hasn't been too good.

As an analogy: Say you saw someone wearing a wristwatch, and you asked them what time it was, and they answer you by saying, "It's 75 degrees outside, low humidity, and a slight breeze is blowing."

That may all very well be true, but it has nothing to do with what you just asked. This is the same kind of responses I get from Amazon tech support. I ask them specific, pointed questions.....and it's like they tell me about the weather

Anyway.....I think this may have something to do with DRM. Even so, why would the (movie) file be "invisible"? I have my computer set up in the Folder Options to "Show hidden files and folders".

The reason I'm trying to find this movie file on the device is so I can make a backup copy of it on my computer's hard drive......but like I said, DRM may be getting in the way.

But like I mentioned, would DRM render the file "invisible"? Or does this have to do with the particular version of the Android OS on this device?

carnageX: If you happen to be reading this, you've helped me and given me information before in an inquiry I had about the Kindle Fire HD. You have any insight into this? You also mentioned something about "rooting" the device. Would rooting the device enable me to see files & folders that I cannot as of now while looking at the files/ folders in a Windows 8.1 OS?

Would you have a recommendation of a particular piece of software for rooting a Kindle Fire HD device? Perhaps a link?

Thanks for any info.
Pez

 

[carnageX]

I doubt it's DRM, but more than likely it's stored in a separate partition/directory on the device that the stock ROM is not capable of viewing (due to folder permissions and such).

Not sure if the stock ROM will allow you to do this without rooting... but you could get a File Explorer app (I use ES File Explorer), and try to go to the root of the device (directory "/"), and see if there is an "/sdcard" and "/ext_sdcard". Could also look in the "/mnt" folder and see what is listed there, and browse each one and see if you can find the file that way.

Now, if the stock ROM won't let you do this... then yes, you'll most likely have to root the device and/or install a custom ROM on it. As far as rooting.. I'll have to look into it for you (near the end of the day at work, so I can't look too in depth at the moment). I'll look when I get home for you tonight.

 

[carnageX]

Ok.. so, which Kindle Fire HD do you have? 7" or 8.9"? And what is your system version?

 

[Pezzy]

OK, I have:

The Kindle Fire HD, 8.9 inch, 16GB;
System Version: 8.4.8_user_4849120

And btw: I looked in some "mnt" and "sdcard" folders that I was able to browse on the Kindle while hooked to my PC through a USB cable, but no: no movie file to be discovered there.
Pez

 

[carnageX]

Root only:
Option 1) How to root kindle fire any version (including 8.4.6) - xda-developers
Option 2) [ROOT][HOW TO] Root the Kindle Fire HD and 2 with Windows - Noob (Simple) Version - xda-developers

Root/Recovery/custom ROM:
[REF] Installing Kindle Fire HD 8.9" 2nd-Bootloader + TWRP Complete Tutorial - xda-developers

 

[Pezzy]

Hi carnageX; thanks for the links & info.

I'm going to go with your Option 2: [ROOT][HOW TO] Root the Kindle Fire HD and 2 with Windows - Noob (Simple) Version - xda-developers

It looks to be a pretty long, involved, and "complicated?" set of instructions

But even like the author of the thread themselves says, if you follow their steps exactly, you have a 99% chance of success; hopefully I won't fall into that 1%

What I've done so far as to get prepared is to download some of the necessities: from the info provided in the thread, I've downloaded Java SDK 64-bit; Kindle Fire ADB drivers; Kindle Fire First Aide 64-bit.

The instructions do appear rather lengthy and involved, so I think I'll start to attack it over the weekend.

But basically, if I follow these instructions to the "T", will this enable me to finally "see" those folders I can't see now on this Android OS? So I can find the folder that contains this movie file that I can't see now? So I can make a backup of it on my computer's hard drive?
Pez

 

[carnageX]

Hi carnageX; thanks for the links & info.

I'm going to go with your Option 2: [ROOT][HOW TO] Root the Kindle Fire HD and 2 with Windows - Noob (Simple) Version - xda-developers

It looks to be a pretty long, involved, and "complicated?" set of instructions

But even like the author of the thread themselves says, if you follow their steps exactly, you have a 99% chance of success; hopefully I won't fall into that 1%

What I've done so far as to get prepared is to download some of the necessities: from the info provided in the thread, I've downloaded Java SDK 64-bit; Kindle Fire ADB drivers; Kindle Fire First Aide 64-bit.

The instructions do appear rather lengthy and involved, so I think I'll start to attack it over the weekend.

Just make sure you read the guide fully before attempting anything. Reading the guide (and other guides) helps for questions during the process, as well as after. It will help avoid headaches later, for sure.

And honestly, the guide isn't really that "lengthy". It's just stepping everything out, one at a time to be very new-to-rooting friendly. A lot of the stuff is automated after you get the drivers installed - it's mostly just running tools that do the things for you.

Although, I would try Option 1 first, as long as it applies to your tablet still. It is an automated tool that should do pretty much everything for you, besides plugging the device in . Then you can install the Play Store with the Kindle Fire Aide thing.

Are you just going to root? Or are you going to put a custom ROM on there as well?

But basically, if I follow these instructions to the "T", will this enable me to finally "see" those folders I can't see now on this Android OS? So I can find the folder that contains this movie file that I can't see now? So I can make a backup of it on my computer's hard drive?
Pez

Yes, you should have full access to all directories on the tablet after rooting. After rooting, you'll want to install ES File Explorer and enable the Root feature. Then you can enable the "Enable browsing to /" option in settings as well, so you can browse all folders on the system.

 

[Pezzy]

Hi again, carnageX.

I went with your suggestion and tried Option 1.

I followed the instructions posted in the thread. After installing those ADB drivers, there was a message on screen saying they either didn't install properly or the system needed a reboot; so I rebooted.

I then unzipped that Bin4ry tool to my desktop. And according to the instructions so far, the Kindle should not be plugged in yet.

On my desktop, I right-click on this RunMe.bat file and choose to run it as Administrator. As per instructions, I choose #1, Normal.

And then according to the instructions, I'm supposed to see in the command prompt something saying to plug in my device; I don't. Here's a pic of what mine says:

http://i289.photobucket.com/albums/ll217/PezzyDude/RunMeBat_zps4afbf563.jpg

And if I "Press any key to continue...", then that command prompt window just closes.

And btw, just to let you know, there's a part in the instructions that says to open a CMD prompt and to perform a ping to "ping 4.2.2.2"; that was successful for me; no problems there.

Just to see, when that prompt window was open and it was supposed to say "plug in your device" - but mine didn't and just said Press any key to continue... - I tried plugging my Kindle in anyway. But, I did not get a window on my Kindle saying to "restore my credentials" according to the instructions in the post.

The post also mentions to make sure your Kindle is "Unlocked"; mine is.

Any experience with this? Am I missing something? Did I forget something critical?
Pez

 

[carnageX]

Maybe plug it in, and then choose Normal.

 

[Pezzy]

Hi; been away for a few days.

It's frustrating; I'm getting nowhere 'cause it's not working (rooting the device).

With the Option #1 link you provided, I'm able to do the part in the instructions that says to install the ADB drivers; it's the next part when running the RunME.bat file.

According to the instructions, after I choose #1 for Normal and press Enter, the command prompt should have some text telling me to plug in my device; it never says that. I even tried what you suggested and tried plugging in the device first and then choosing Normal; nope, nothing shows up on my Kindle screen which, according to the instructions, should be telling me to "Restore" and then enter my credentials.

I noticed at the top of these instructions for rooting, it says for version 8.4.6; my version happens to be 8.4.8. Who knows? Maybe that's why this isn't working.

I'm sure the Amazon (Kindle) company knows about people wanting to root their device, and they probably would rather you didn't do that and instead be locked into their proprietary features. So, maybe this latest version (8.4.8) is preventing me from being successful. The instructions in this posting for rooting is, after all, dated back on June 25 of 2013.

I see there's an Android forum with a sub-forum of "All Things Root" for the Kindle Fire HD: Kindle Fire HD - All Things Root - Android Forums Do you think I should try a posting there?

I even found a video on YouTube: How to Root & Convert Kindle Fire HD 8.9 into Pure Android Tablet! - YouTube But even this video was posted on August 14, 2013. The video is kind of long, but I would only need about half of it, just to get it rooted. But even following the video's instructions (plus links provided with the vid) I couldn't get it to root.

What do you think? Is it because I have version 8.4.8? Is Amazon making it harder to root their device?
Pez