Amazon Kindle First Generation Troubleshooting

Your First Generation Kindle may not turn on for any number of reasons. The most common reason is because the battery may have died. Even if you are not actively using the Kindle, it is using power, even more so if the wifi is turned on. Other possible reasons include a glitch in the software due to movement of the device, humidity in the air, or no specific reason at all. If the Kindle fails to turn on, it may need a new motherboard, in which we suggest you upgrade as buying a new motherboard may cost you just as much as a new Kindle.

Allow your device to fully charge and attempt to turn it on.

Reboot the device by holding the power button for about 30 seconds. Wait about 3 minutes for the device to reboot. After this, try to turn the device on.

Plug device into a power source for 15 minutes. Then attempt to reboot the device while the device is still plugged in. This will ensure it has enough power supply to reboot.

These problems may require a reset back to factory defaults. This will erase all of your information and require you to restore it. Follow the link below for more information about how to reset your Kindle.
Reset the device.

Any messed up screen display is most likely caused by a temporary glitch in the program. Your best option is to attempt to reboot and reset the device first. If the problem still persists, you may have to replace your screen.

Reboot the device by holding the power button for about 30 seconds. Wait about 3 minutes for the device to reboot. After this, try to turn the device on.

Power down the device and allow it to charge fully. Then turn it back on.

Reset the device.

Replace the screen. See "Replacing the Screen"

If you can still read on your cracked screen and it doesn't bother you, you can still use your Kindle. If not, your only real option is to replace your screen.

Replace the screen. See "Replacing the Screen"

Before purchasing a new battery, make sure yours truly is dead. Over time batteries lose their ability to hold a charge. If this is the case, you may need to replace yours.

Plug in the device and allow it to fully charge for 2 hours.

Replace the battery of the device. See "Replacing the Battery of the Kindle"

'' Whether you eat while your read or not, the buttons on your Kindle are bound to get sticky and maybe even stuck. This may be because of crumbs or other loose particles between the keys, or have been caused by a sticky sticky substance.

Remove Loose Debris
1. Shut down your Kindle.
2. Tilt the device upside down and shake it to remove any loose debris. If you have a can of compressed air, you can spray it in between the keys as well.

Clean the Keys
1. Dip a cotton swab into some gentle isopropyl alcohol (rubbing alcohol) and brush it in the area surrounding each key. You may need to use multiple swabs, depending on the amount of dirt. If you’re unsure of the alcohol's strength, try it on a small, inconspicuous area first to make sure that it doesn’t cause discoloration or remove the lettering on the keys.
2. Dip a cloth or towelette into the isopropyl alcohol, and brush it along the tops of all the keys and surfaces, taking care to scrub heavily used areas (such as the Enter key and spacebar) to remove buildup. For particularly dirty spots, you can use a toothpick.
3. Use a dry, lint-free cloth to remove dust and polish the keyboard.

Replace Keyboard. See “Replacing the Keyboard”

When choosing a password, think about who using your device, and a password that will be easy for you to remember. If you forget your password, don't worry, there are ways to retrieve a new one.

Try the following passwords until the device allows you to reset/restore the Kindle.
1. resetmykindle
2. 111222777
3. 111333777
Then continue to restore your device.

Reset the device.

Glitches like these are programming errors most likely caused by either old software which is incompatible with the format of the e-book, or a faulty download.

Update your Kindle
1. Check to make sure the wifi is switched on and that the wifi is connected.
2. Log into the Kindle store using your user login and password.
3. Click on the "software updates" link on the About My Kindle page.

Redownload the e-book.

The First Generation Kindle is the only Kindle to allow the reader to expand the memory of the device. If the device stops reading the card, you may lose some of your e-books. This malfunction may be caused by a technical glitch, a fried memory card, or broken hardware in your device.

Attempt to remove and insert the memory card from the back of the device.

Obtain a new memory card or reformat your existing card.

Reset the device.

Replace the memory card reader. See "Replacing the Memory Card Reader".

Check to see if the memory card has been corrupted while in the device.

If your audio jack doesn't work, you may want to first check your headphones / speakers to ensure that the problem does not lie within them. If they work, there may be a lack of connection due to dirt or the audio jack of your Kindle may be broken.

Attempt to unplug and replug the audio cable to the device.

Obtain another audio device and test the devices audio jack with an audio cable to ensure that the problem lies within the Kindle.

Replace the audio jack of the Kindle. See "Replacing the Audio Jack".

The device may connect to the Kindle Store because of other processes running, like downloads or updates. The problem may also be caused by a temporary glitch in the program.

Check to make sure the wifi is switched on and that the wifi is connected.

Connect your device to a power source and allow it to fully charge.

Reboot the device by holding the power button for about 30 seconds. Wait about 3 minutes for the device to reboot. After this, try to turn the device on.

Reset the device.

The Kindle accesses a specific wifi called the Kindle Whispernet which is powered by Sprint's high speed data network. Because of this, you cannot access wifi on the Kindle if you are out of Sprint's provided network.

Ensure the wifi switch is in the ON position.

Connect your device to a power source and allow it to fully charge.

Reboot the device by holding the power button for about 30 seconds. Wait about 3 minutes for the device to reboot. After this, try to turn the device on.