The Epistemist

38 responses so far ↓

• 1 Madam Hooligan // Mar 28, 2008 at 11:25 pm

  I really hope this works!! I’m lost without my Kindle and Tech Support will not be available for until tomorrow Pacific Time!

• 2 jkj // May 1, 2009 at 11:29 pm

  OK, I’m having the same issue – I have it plugged in but the light which normally shows that it’s charging is not on. I talked to support and they said it was charging but would need several hours.

• 3 EP // Aug 9, 2009 at 12:29 am

  thank you soooo much. what a scary feeling when i was just about to delve into my nightly reading

• 4 Steve A // Aug 11, 2009 at 12:03 am

  This is just dumb how do the instructions on the kindle contradict what they tell you on the phone. Annoying.

• 5 subboy // Aug 29, 2009 at 12:04 am

  I had the same problem, and charged for 4 hours with no results. I tried the above fix in proper order…and it works wonderfully. Many thanks to 1st poster.

• 6 pk // Sep 9, 2009 at 12:29 am

  thank you for this post. i was not sure what to do with my kindle cos i encountered now what you just narrated.

  again, thank you.

• 7 David Kay // Dec 1, 2009 at 12:05 am

  I just did a review of the Kindle tech support site as part of a benchmarking analysis for a customer. I agree — as good as their self-service is overall (“where’s my stuff?”), the Kindle tech support site is really, really thin.

  They need some Knowledge-Centered Support, I was thinking.

• 8 walt schillinger // Dec 2, 2009 at 12:17 am

  same problem but results are nill any sother suggestions?

• 9 Victoria // Dec 21, 2009 at 12:17 am

  Thank you so much for the sequence. Like subboy I had been charging my K2 for hours with no result. It is relieving to see the old familiar charging screen come up.

• 10 JOhan // Jan 14, 2010 at 12:18 am

  Thanks! I had the exact same problem. Your excellent customer service really helped me.

  Recomendations to Amazon
  1) Fix the defaulted hardware problem
  2) Provide a FAQ on the website
  3) Incorporate a Zappos service culture
  3) Hire Epistemist

  Thanks!

• 11 kindlegirl // Jan 20, 2010 at 12:19 am

  Thank you for your message. Your directions for resetting my “critical battery” message worked like a charm!

• 12 How To Fix Your Kindle 2 When It Won // Jan 25, 2010 at 12:19 am

  [...] I was able to find a solution to this problem. (Whew!) I followed these steps, and within a couple of hours, I was back in action. 1. Slide the power button and hold it for 30 [...]

• 13 Eddie // Jan 25, 2010 at 12:20 am

  Whoa, Thanks! Saved my Kindle from certain death. You’re the best!

• 14 John // Jan 26, 2010 at 12:20 am

  I had this exact same problem and thought my Kindle was a goner – decided to do a quick google search before calling Amazon support and found this.

  Worked like a charm – my kindle is now happily gulping down electrons and I don’t have to deal with Amazon support. Thanks for posting this.

• 15 Laurent // Jan 27, 2010 at 12:21 am

  My problem is that after the 20 sec of<step 2, the screen of my kindle does not begin to flash … looks like nothing happens. I am desperate.

• 16 Arturo // Jan 31, 2010 at 12:18 am

  Worked like clockwork, inded, exactly clockwork! Amazing, Thanks! I live in Spain, so the prospect of sending it for repair is a painful one.
  Cheers.

• 17 bob // Feb 12, 2010 at 12:27 am

  held for 30 seconds, flashed, plugged in during flash, same critical error message. Any suggestions? Heading to maui in the morning! help!!!

• 18 Cecily // Feb 22, 2010 at 12:27 am

  Wish I could join the party but the fix didn’t work for me! Any other magic out there?

• 19 SBK // Feb 25, 2010 at 12:28 am

  I am having the same problem but the solution suggested here has not worked for me. I tried four times.

  Is there any other solution?

• 20 aaa // Feb 25, 2010 at 12:30 am

  The wall charger never did work for me, even when I followed the steps…. however, it did work when I used my computer and the USB cord….. Now I have my books back!!! Thanks for the help!

• 21 ShaybraMom // Mar 21, 2010 at 12:21 am

  Thanx to the first poster, had the same problem with my Kindle yesterday. I haden’t had time to read in a good long while and the battery was empty- so my Kindle wouldn’t start- just the message. A friend of mine I had told about my Kindle was in town and asked me if she could see it again, to get a feel for weight and stuff before she buys it!, had the smae message and everything!

  I followed the instructions and it sure did work like a charm! Thank you so much

• 22 Dawit // Mar 23, 2010 at 12:25 am

  I had never used a kindle until one came to me with the above problem(People think i can fix everything) and after spending hours googling – your solution is the one that worked,

  Thanks – you saved my day!

• 23 steve // Mar 24, 2010 at 12:25 am

  My kindle is dead and holding the start switch for 2 minutes does nothing. Does anyone have a different fix? Steve

• 24 Dan // Mar 26, 2010 at 12:24 am

  I’m with Lauren. On a cruise and my Kindel is dead. I may go overboard. I tried the hard reset, plugging into a computer and into an outlet. Nothing. No flash after the 20 second step 2. The amber light comes on for about 40 minutes but the message remains the same.

• 25 Troy // Mar 26, 2010 at 12:26 am

  I’ve tried the sequence three times and no luck. Any other ideas?

• 26 Tweets that mention Critical Battery on Kindle 2: Hard Reset -- Topsy.com // May 18, 2010 at 8:21 am

  [...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by John Jørgensen, John Jørgensen. John Jørgensen said: My tamagotchi, I mean #kindle died. I failed keeping it warm with power and now it will not recharge! Shall try this… http://bit.ly/aqgYVe [...]

• 27 Ria Prinsloo // Jun 27, 2010 at 4:42 am

  I have the same problem as Lauren and Dan. The steps won’t work. Any other suggestions? Please I’m dying to use my kindle.

• 28 ishepperd // Jul 1, 2010 at 11:24 am

  I was in the situation like some others where the 3-step reset did nothing. Here’s what finally did. I would plug in my Kindle 2 and the charge light would come on for a few minutes, then go out. When it did I would disconnect for about 2 seconds and reconnect. I did this repeatedly, perhaps 10 times, and it finally started charging for real.

• 29 Grateful Googler // Jul 5, 2010 at 3:02 am

  My kindle did not show a critical battery warning (which I have seen before), it just displayed an author in regular sleep mode but wouldn’t turn on. After a few tries it went to a complete blank screen (something I’ve never seen). Your instructions were the only successful solution. Thanks!

  Also, this happened when my battery was fully charged… Note to others, these instructions are worth a shot even if your problem isn’t exactly the same.

• 30 Kindle Jo // Jul 17, 2010 at 1:02 am

  THANK YOU!

  I’m leaving on vacation tomorrow and I’d have been lost without my books!

  I’m pretty much ready to weep with relief!

  THANK YOU!

• 31 Antigen // Jul 18, 2010 at 2:46 am

  OK I have been through the whole procedure with two Kindle DX’s now, both had issues with charging, where it showed CRITICAL BATTERY and would not charge. The orange light would come on and then go out. I did it all, including the key sequences, holding this, pressing that. Called Amazon support, who were really helpful and knowledgeable, and pleasant too. Honestly. But after two Kindles doing the same thing, a bit odd isnt it??

  I THINK I HAVE IT WORKED OUT.

  The Kindles are picky about the USB ports they will charge with. I tried charging on two different PCs, using the USB ports hardwired to the motherboard and on the case front, no dice. Then as a last ditch effort I decided to plug into the LCD monitor, which has its own USB ports. And BINGO, after 5 minutes or so the thing started charging again and has worked fine since. The USB standard dictates limits on how much current they will provide to devices connected to them, and my guess is that some ports are more compliant than others. In the end when I gave the Kindle to my father, since the USB ports on his PC did not charge the device, I gave him the USB charger that Amazon sell, ie. the device that plugs into the mains and has a USB port on the back. It charges fine with that.

  Amazon sell the charger separately. You can also buy third party USB mains chargers cheap on Ebay etc. but be careful, they are Chinese and cheap. Probably stick with the Amazon one though, its is pretty cheap as well, and designed to work with the Kindle. To those who are having this problem but are reluctant to return their Kindle to Amazon, please try this method. Plug into as many USB ports as you can before giving up. Try your desktop, try your laptop, try your neighbor’s PC, try your work PC. Or just order a mains to USB charger. It was worth the effort for me.

• 32 Pale Lemon // Jul 18, 2010 at 2:19 pm

  http://www.kindleboards.com/index.php/topic,5967.msg544887.html#msg544887

  Try this if the above fails.

• 33 Ed // Jul 21, 2010 at 11:45 pm

  Nothing worked for me. Tried the 30sec/20sec-no help- Plug it in for hours in wall socket.
  Until I saw the message that to use the usb port on computer and now the charge light came on.
  I think this is going to work. Could it be that the charge adapter is faulty under certain conditions ??

• 34 Donna // Jul 22, 2010 at 7:48 am

  YAY! Worked for me on the second try. THANK YOU!

• 35 Jenn // Jul 24, 2010 at 1:06 pm

  Thanks worked great for my new DX when I let the battery go flat! I used the wall to charge it; though USB sounds like a viable option but I think it charges slower.

• 36 Jerry // Jul 26, 2010 at 7:10 am

  Thanks for the tip!! Screen flashed and in midst of a charge.

• 37 Robert Davies // Jul 26, 2010 at 2:59 pm

  I have had the same problem with the empty battery error message and nothing would work until I found my misplaced Amazon charger.

  Apparently, the Amazon charger is a better match for the Kindle, as it charged the battery enough to reboot the Kindle automatically after about ten minutes. I had been using Apple iPod and generic chargers successfully for nearly a year, but when the battery error message appeared, only the Amazon charger worked.

• 38 Melissa // Jul 29, 2010 at 10:58 am

  All great advice. Nothing worked for me EXCEPT this so I thought I would pass it on. Plug your kindle into powered USB on computer. If the orange light does not come on when it is supposed to be charging, then hold the power switch to the right for a few seconds while it is plugged in. This forced the kindle to somehow reboot. It is working fine now. Hope this helps someone who is having similar issues.

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