Got Your Critical Amazon Kindle Update?

Can't find *anywhere* whether or not this applies to Kindle APP which was installed on about Dec. 2011 on my tablet. But it's still connecting & syncing ok as of 3/23 so I guess it's ok? (Thanx 4 the incomplete info, amazon.:p)

Just check my old Kindle. Using 5.3.7.3. Got a "sample" from the store, no issue. Thanks for the info.

I am lucky. My Kindle's battery had died months ago. I looked all over for a new one, for a reasonable price. About 2 weeks ago, I found a new battery for an excellent price, less than $14 + Shipping. I immediately ordered it. It took about 5 days, to arrive at my house. Put it in my Kindle & I had it back!

I received the email about the patch or update. I didn't realize that there was a March 22, 2016 deadline. I just happened to have charged up my Kindle, after installing the new battery, on March 20, 2016. I got online & read what I needed to do.

I got the update or patch early morning March 21, 2016. My Kindle was one of those that needed the update or patch. I am just so happy that my timing was right. :)

My Kindle is working & I am back reading.

Can anyone tell me how to determine my Paperwhite model or generation?

@Steve: You can determine your Model/Generation here; it worked for me.

I read, that this update was to prepare older Kindles for the upcoming new 'automatic' update which uses a new home screen - with reading lists (wish lists), preview lists, sharing, and recommended reads (and other small 'improvements' to make it easier to purchase from Amazon).

I updated mine last night. It hadn't been on in a long time. I rarely use it. I never got a notice about the patch but a Facebook friend posted an article about it.

STEVE -- Go to the link Bob provided, at the bottom of the box at the top is headline that says:
---->Kindle E-Readers that Require Updates

There is blue text there that asks what kind of Kindle Reader you have - WITH YOUR USB CONNECTING TO YOUR DEVICE - click there and it will tell you what generation your device is and the current firmware on it.

They will tell you which Kindle you have and the update that you need. (Before you start write that information down).

Go down the list and find your generation of Kindle, and there will be a link to download or it will tell you you are OK as is. If you need the update, click on it and it will download it to your computer (this can't be done over wi-fi for some reason).

AFTER you do the download, DO NOT OPEN FILE!!!!

I have Win 7 so here's how to do it in Win 7:

Go to start (the 'home button') --> open 'computer' and find your Kindle device. MINIMIZE THE WINDOW so that you can still see the Kindle device

RIGHT CLICK your mouse on your download arrow you will see the update there. Minimize your page so you can see the update file and the Kindle at the same time. Simply drag the downloaded file from the arrow to the Kindle device and drop it in. It will unpack and load, shut down, hot boot, and install.

Remember that number you wrote down before when you looked for your gen and update file? Well you wrote that down, right? Good. Now check to see if you have it:

From HOME --->menu---> settings---> Menu --->DEVICE INFORMATION. That should tell you the firmware that is on your reader and it should match the number (version) you wrote down. If you downloaded the correct version of firmware it will tell you (check that number against the one you wrote down - they should be the same).

You can also check to see if 'update' is black or grey. If black touch it for more updates (you may have missed one) and it will then finish up-gradeing your device.

Not as easy as the auto-update feature, but far faster than trying to get through to Kindle Support today!!!!!!!

DO let them check you Kindle Reader generation. I ordered mine RIGHT when the 'switch' happened. A VERY few of us got the previous gen by mistake. I didn't notice until I had a problem right around the expiration of the warranty and I had two techs tell me I has the version behind the one I ordered, and one told me "Be Thankful" what ever that means or is worth. I don't know the difference, but someone did.

If you download the wrong version it will go nearly to the end then tell you that the installation failed. It took only about 10 min once I got on line to when I finished. Most of that time was downloading the firmware update to my computer - about 5 minutes (our copper lines were laid in 1951). Then waiting for the update to load onto my PaperWhite and reboot.

Good luck.

Pretty simple, but it does take time.

I updated today but had the use my usb to do so; the patch did not automatically d/l AND my kindle *told me* that i already had the patch -- it did not work. Downloaded it manually, patched it, voila, it works ... I love my old kindle reader; it beats the tablet for reading!

I would update, but the Kindle Fire that Amazon sent to replace the Fire that didn't work stopped working. Very annoyed with Amazon right now.

Kindle/Amazon did a poor job of this, there was no notice of this at all. If I hadn't heard it on the news at 2330 new I would have any idea what happened. The next day I dug around for quite a while before I found the correct place on the web site for the update for my wife's Kindle FIRE. The number assured me I didn't need the update. I obviously did as I got the useless message, I downloaded it a followed the "upgrade" instruction and like magic all is well. The version number was the same, but connection to internet was now working. Poor Customer relations Amazon.

I am totally over Kindle. I cannot find my model in any of the info I have searched and even if I could, I can't find the menu or anything else in Kindle. Anyone in Australia who wants a free Kindle, just post your mobile number!

DFET, I too was frustrated looking for MENU, the word, like the rest of the words in their link instructions. It's the three-bar symbol in the upper right=had corner.

DFET, I too was frustrated looking for MENU, the word, like the rest of the words in their link instructions. It's the three-bar symbol in the upper right=had corner.