Locked XTEINK X4 Firmware Upgrade

Earlier this year, I purchased an XTEINK X4 Pocket eReader, one of those small ebook readers that have gotten quite popular. This blog entry discusses the device itself as well as how to update the firmware via SD card.

I quite like the device itself. The size is very convenient. The screen fits enough text that I do not feel like I am turning the page too frequently. The model I purchased does not have a touch screen, which I prefer, as I am not a fan of touch screens on ebook readers. The buttons feel nice. It is lightweight, but not too lightweight. It easily fits into my pocket, making it very easy to take with me when I know I will be waiting to pick up kids, etc.

One of the reasons why I purchased an XTEINK is that one is able to change the firmware, and there is an open-source community that creates various compatible firmware. The most popular is probably CrossPoint, which a lot of other firmware is based on. The Brick Club provides a list of compatible firmware. I am currently using Inx firmware.

I thought that I was purchasing an unlocked device, and I was somewhat disappointed to find that my device is locked. Unlocked devices expose a TTY via USB, making it very easy to work with. I had esptool ready and was disappointed that I would not be able to use it. Firmware on locked devices can be changed/updated using the SD card, at least.

If purchasing today, I would be more careful to purchase an unlocked device, even if it costs a bit more. For example, at the time of writing, the XTEINK X4 Classic (X4 V2) Pocket eReader is currently available on the XTEINK website, and the product page explicitly states that it is unlocked.

Firmware Update Via SD

Most instructions that I have found are for unlocked devices, and it was difficult to determine what I should do on my locked device. This section describes what works on my device.

I did the following to install Inx on my device:

1. Put the device in sleep mode.
2. Download the update.bin file from the unlock page, and copy the file to the root of the SD card.
3. Hold down the up button and press the power button to boot the device in update mode.
4. Following the on-screen instructions to update the firmware.
5. Put the reader in sleep mode.
6. Copy the desired firmware to the root of the SD card, renaming the file to update.bin.
7. Hold down the up button and press the power button to boot the device in update mode. In my case, the firmware updated automatically.

After doing this, holding down the up and power buttons no longer works. I suspect that it is a feature of the firmware and the Inx firmware that I am using simply does not support it, but that is just a guess.

With Inx firmware installed, I update firmware as follows:

1. Copy the desired firmware to the root of the SD card. The filename should indicate the firmware version; it does not need to be renamed to update.bin like in the initial install.
2. In old versions, navigate to the “Settings” tab and select “Actions.” In new versions, navigate to the “Device Management” tab.
3. Select “Check for updates” and then select “SD card firmware.”
4. Navigate to the desired firmware file and select it.
5. Select “Install” to install the selected firmware.

Escape Hatch

There is some minimal firmware called Escape Hatch, which is just used to update firmware via SD card. If my guess about how my device is working is correct, I do not think that this firmware would make it any easier to manage my device, but I am keeping my notes about it in case it comes in handy in the future. I was able to find the firmware in the crosspoint-tools repository, in the firmware directory.