MobileRead Forums - Reader Troubleshooting http://www.mobileread.com/forums Hardware- and software-related problems, bugs, solutions en Sat, 07 Nov 2009 16:50:46 GMT vBulletin 60 http://www.mobileread.com/feeds/images/mr/misc/logo.gif MobileRead Forums - Reader Troubleshooting http://www.mobileread.com/forums Fixing the volume control. http://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=61499&goto=newpost Fri, 06 Nov 2009 17:12:30 GMT Okay, so shortly after I bought my 505 it locked up on me and I couldn't turn it off. Rather than wait for however many weeks it would take the battery to run down on its own without any page turns - or, foolishly, just the 30 minutes it did take to turn off on its own - I decided to treat it like a computer or any other electronic device with this problem and proceeded to take it apart. (With the idea of disconnecting the battery altogether to force a reset.)

This didn't work (I couldn't take it apart enough to get to the battery - at least without any destructive method I could think of), and I ended up putting it back together again with it still locked. (To be followed about 10 minutes later by it finally shutting itself down.)

As a result of me having taken it apart, though, my volume button on the bottom is no longer "firm" like it used to be. Instead, it "flops" back and forth. It works, it's just doesn't have that "spring loaded" feel to it. I never listen to MP3s on my 505 so I really don't care about this at all. Except that it's always a very minor annoyance in the back of my head that I think of whenever I look at the bottom of my reader.

If anybody has any concrete idea what I did wrong, and how I can go back in and fix it, let me know. (I did open it back up a 2nd time, but wasn't able to figure out what I'd messed up or or how to correct it.) ]]> Reader Troubleshooting JasonB http://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=61499 PRS 505 - unusual freeze http://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=61320&goto=newpost Wed, 04 Nov 2009 20:35:41 GMT Hello again,

My second thread here ane second hope to find any help... Luckily JeffElkins was able to help me first time. (THANKS again ;) )

So...

I am using my PRS 505 since July 2008. I imported it from US and my guarantee is now expired.

I was using it during this year without any problems. It was runing on 1.0 firmware and with some minor customization. Few weeks ago it suddenly freezed during the startup but luckily yellow led was blinking (STARTING UP screen). After some recharging I was able to unbrick it. Firstly I thought that it was caused by flat battery (it happened to me few times before) and recharging will do the trick. But freezes came up again and again...

Few days ago i finally unbricked PRS and formatted internal memory, erased card, downloaded and upgraded to 1.1 firmware and used PRScustomizer. I thought that changing soft will fix all my problems but I was wrong... :( I fully charged my reader and started reading. After... maybe 15 pages it simply freezed. Switching the power button only makes that yellow LED lights on now (NO blinking).

I read many posts about soft/hard reset, unbricking reset (10 times), 2sec-10sec-3sec reset. When I connect to PC via USB nothing happens except charging. After hour red LED turns off and yellow lights on. After few hours it turns OFF and red lights on...

I even tried overnight charging via standalone charger with no result. Now I'm a bit confused and I don't know what to do...

:help:

Sorry for my english. I assume it might be quite awkard. ]]> Reader Troubleshooting Ekhtelion http://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=61320 <![CDATA[PRS-500 - stuck "Updating Firmware Now..."]]> http://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=61259&goto=newpost Wed, 04 Nov 2009 03:24:09 GMT Hi all! I'd love some advice on getting my beloved reader back from an attempted flash with the UF 2.1. I've tried all the common fixes to revive the device. This is the sequence of events:
  • Latest Sony FW on the prs-500
  • Ran UF 2.1
  • Press 5 - success
  • Press 6 - failed (error while flashing partition)
  • Power off\on - hard\soft reset - Stuck at "Starting up"
  • Reset 10x - success
  • Screen at "Updating Firmware now..."
  • Full overnight charge
  • Cannot trick updater into enabling "Update" button
  • Screen still at "Updating Firmware now..."

I ran igor's ebook python script, but that did not help either. It did put the reader back to the frozen "Starting up" page, and a 10x reset got me back to the "updating firmware now" page.

I have searched for the original firmware without success. I no longer have the original installation disc to attempt a reinstall as someone pointed out in another thread.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

:help: ]]> Reader Troubleshooting silentspoon http://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=61259 Invalid Syntax Error http://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=61246&goto=newpost Tue, 03 Nov 2009 22:08:26 GMT I have a Sony PRS-300 and I think I've broken it :(

I downloaded calibre and was messing about changing the metadata on some of the PDFs. Now when I use ebook library it can see my reader but when I click on it it says Invalid Syntax

Any idea's what I've done? ]]> Reader Troubleshooting msprang http://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=61246 Problem with Sony PRS-505 http://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=60753&goto=newpost Thu, 29 Oct 2009 10:19:35 GMT Having a problem with the display of book titles on a new reader. I cannot find any way of modifying the PDF file name prior to loading the reader. No problem if the name is the book name, but occasionally there is a long preamble in the filename and that ends up as the book title on the reader. Looking at a title like 06728837263_-_libro.R_ can be a bit confusing... I have tried changing the file name on the PC but the reader always displays the PDF filename, not the PC file reference. Having a problem with the display of book titles on a new reader. I cannot find any way of modifying the PDF file name prior to loading the reader. No problem if the name is the book name, but occasionally there is a long preamble in the filename and that ends up as the book title on the reader. Looking at a title like 06728837263_-_libro.R_ can be a bit confusing... I have tried changing the file name on the PC but the reader always displays the PDF filename, not the PC file reference. ]]> Reader Troubleshooting sirivor http://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=60753 PRS-505 with memory stick and SD card http://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=60735&goto=newpost Thu, 29 Oct 2009 03:10:27 GMT With my PRS-505 I have been using a 2GB SD card. It appears like a USB peripheric with the name "Sony Reader storage card".

I bought yesterday a 4GB memory stick. It appears exactly under the same name "Sony Reader storage card" which I find confusing.

This is inconvenient because I use a syncing program and I need to individualize the name of these cards before I make a backup mistake.

Is this a way just to do it? I would be happy to read for example:
- Sony Reader memory stick
- Sony Reader SD card.

Any tip welcome. Any Linux tip most welcome. :) ]]> Reader Troubleshooting roger64 http://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=60735 Repost:To remove ebook library 3.0 and go back to 2.5 http://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=60197&goto=newpost Fri, 23 Oct 2009 12:56:24 GMT People are having trouble finding this thread so I am reposting it in the correct forum

:)To remove ebook library 3.0 and go back to 2.5
My system kept shutting down 3.0 when I tried to transfer books this is how the sony tech had me reinstall 2.5.

In the control panel unistall the ebook library 3.0

Then go to computer (be sure to be able to view hidden files, to do this click organize in the upper left corner, then folder and search options, then click view, then show hidden files and folders.)

Okay back to the instruction. Go to Computer and click drive C:
Click ProgramData
Delete the files Kinoma and Marlin

Go back to C:
Click Users
Click your Name
Click AppData
Click Local
Delete the files Kinoma and Sony Corporation

Here is the link to reinstall the 2.5 Library:
http://download.sony.com/prs/ebookli...0Installer.exe

I don't know if this has been posted but for those who really can't get ebook library to work I hope this helps.

Tiffany ]]> Reader Troubleshooting autumnsong http://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=60197 Reading Sony books on another device http://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=60104&goto=newpost Thu, 22 Oct 2009 15:27:34 GMT Hi everyone - quick question...I decided to sell my Sony PRS-505 and get a new B&N nook - BUT I currently have a purchased book from sony that I'm reading on the sony and don't think I can finish it before I have to send it to the guy who won the auction on eBay - the book is also on my sony library software on my computer, but that would be a pain to read on the computer screen...is there anyway to transfer this purchase or break the DRM so I can put it on my soon-to-ship nook?

Thanks!
Mark. ]]> Reader Troubleshooting mcsmithnyc http://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=60104 PRS-505 NO BATTERY! http://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=60067&goto=newpost Thu, 22 Oct 2009 05:21:51 GMT As I live in Chau Doc, a very laid back town in the province of An Giang, Vietnam, and there isn’t a library with foreign language books, I needed a backup for my e-book reader, a Cybook. I bought an used PRS-505 in the States on eBay less than a year ago using a friend of mine to have it delivered to Italy. When I got it (one month after I bought it) I immediately noticed that there was some problem with the battery as it did not last very long, let’s say one-two days using the reader only for reading 2-4 hours a day. I was disappointed but I really did not care too much as I am never far from a computer where to recharge the reader. Two weeks ago I stopped using the PRS-505 because I needed the lookup feature of my other e-book reader, the Cybook. Getting back to the PRS-505 I found it with the message of low battery. I put it in charge (via USB) and, as it was not used for long time the USB connection screen did not come up but the red light switched on. After a while the USB connection screen came up as expected. In the morning I found the reader off with the ghost of the reader starting page on the screen. No lights were on. I repeated the process a couple of time getting all the time the same result. I tried to disconnect the USB cable when the USB connection screen was on and got the attached screen with a NO BATTERY message (funny, the Sony engineers provided a screen for a situation in which the reader shouldn’t even start). I even tried some soft reset with non result. So I’m stuck with a PRS-505 paperweight. I’m correct assuming that the fault is the battery and by changing it everything should go back to normal? Do you think that if I buy an external charger it would be possible to read with the reader connected to the plug? :help: As I live in Chau Doc, a very laid back town in the province of An Giang, Vietnam, and there isn’t a library with foreign language books, I needed a backup for my e-book reader, a Cybook.

I bought an used PRS-505 in the States on eBay less than a year ago using a friend of mine to have it delivered to Italy.

When I got it (one month after I bought it) I immediately noticed that there was some problem with the battery as it did not last very long, let’s say one-two days using the reader only for reading 2-4 hours a day.
I was disappointed but I really did not care too much as I am never far from a computer where to recharge the reader.

Two weeks ago I stopped using the PRS-505 because I needed the lookup feature of my other e-book reader, the Cybook.

Getting back to the PRS-505 I found it with the message of low battery. I put it in charge (via USB) and, as it was not used for long time the USB connection screen did not come up but the red light switched on. After a while the USB connection screen came up as expected. In the morning I found the reader off with the ghost of the reader starting page on the screen. No lights were on.
I repeated the process a couple of time getting all the time the same result.

I tried to disconnect the USB cable when the USB connection screen was on and got the attached screen with a NO BATTERY message (funny, the Sony engineers provided a screen for a situation in which the reader shouldn’t even start).

I even tried some soft reset with non result.

So I’m stuck with a PRS-505 paperweight.

I’m correct assuming that the fault is the battery and by changing it everything should go back to normal? Do you think that if I buy an external charger it would be possible to read with the reader connected to the plug?
:help:
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]]> Reader Troubleshooting seamad http://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=60067 Dead PRS-500? http://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=59970&goto=newpost Wed, 21 Oct 2009 08:32:09 GMT After switching on my PRS-500 from standby the other day, it said that the battery was empty when the previous day was at 2 lines out of 4. Anyway, after a few hours of recharging by plugging it to the mains, I switched it on again. It froze at "Starting Up..." screen.
I restarted it by simple pinhole resetting. Still frozen.
Then followed the instructions for "How to revert to factory settings" from the Wiki. No luck, there was no "Page" button lightning blue for me.
Next, I tried resetting ten times by simple pinhole resetting (not in the Wiki, but found it searching the forum). No luck either.
Then, I tried "Recovering From Catastrophic Failure (Unbricking)" from the Wiki. It would stay at "Updating Firmware" for a good fifteen minutes.
Then decided to let the battery drain slowly so it would shut down completely. After two days, I got fed up of waiting and gave it a good recharge through the night. The message changed to something like "Bad firmware upgrade, try again".
Just in case, I also tried the Universal Flasher 2.1 from igorsk. It would not even load, as it does not have anything to load from.

I have had my PRS-500 for three years (thanks to geekraver!), and I am still perfectly happy with its functionality. Does anyone have any ideas to recover it from the dead? :bulb2: ]]> Reader Troubleshooting lordvetinari2 http://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=59970 On Switch http://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=59885&goto=newpost Tue, 20 Oct 2009 16:39:52 GMT was enjoying a throroughly trashy novel earlier in day, sony ebook working fine. Turned off but when came to turn it on again the slide 'on switch' was misaligned and now it just won't come on at all. Argh!
I think it had plenty of charge, but will charge as soon as I get home. The button just seems to rock and not slide properly. Anyone else had a similar problem? Any thing I can do? Typically it is 2 weeks past being a year old, so out of warranty! ]]> Reader Troubleshooting debbiew http://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=59885 Stuck in firmware update mode http://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=59674&goto=newpost Sun, 18 Oct 2009 13:59:39 GMT Hello everyone,

I'd appreciate if you could look at my problem and maybe offer suggestions as to what I can do before sending the unit over to Sony...

I have a prs-505, with the 1.1.01.25200 firmware on it. It all started in Mongolia, where I noticed that sometimes plugging the usb to a computer would not charge the unit... It would say that windows didn't manage to install a correct driver for it, or that there was a malfunction with the device and it appeared as "Uknown Device". Sometimes when the battery was very low it did manage to charge but other times no.

Coming back home, I wanted to add new books so I connect it to my computer and laptop - it used to work on both of them - but the same message crops up - a malfunction - and no drives appear under my computer.

It kind of bummed me so I thought maybe the problem was that a virus put itself on the book (since some of the computers in Mongolia fucked up my disk on key and iaudio player that way), so I wanted to flash the device.

I downloaded the latest universal flasher, and it loaded the menu, but then I accidently pressed the "enter update mode" option. And since then, the prs-505 is stuck in that mode and I can't get it out.

I bought a PSP charger so battery is no problem. Tried the soft reset 10 times, tried a hard reset (doesn't do shi*), tried to put the same SD card in - no luck.

It is either in the "update failed" screen when not connected to a computer through usb or in the "updating now" screen when connected - but since as a usb device it "malfunctions", the official updater doesn't recognize the device.

Is there some way for a lower access through the usb? forcing it to install a driver or something? An even harder reset? Anything?? Is there a way to reverse the "enter update mode"?

Hopefully someone can help I'm open to ANY suggestion...

E.W. ]]> Reader Troubleshooting JurassicPunk http://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=59674 How to keep author and title info when dragging-and-dropping RTF files http://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=59521&goto=newpost Fri, 16 Oct 2009 14:14:27 GMT I am trying to transfer my books in RTF format to PRS-505 directly from Windows Explorer, by dragging and dropping. When I drop the file it says that Document Summary Info might be lost if I proceed, so I have to say OK and as a result the title and author are not correctly displayed: the Reader takes the author info from User Information in Microsoft Word and title from the first line of text within the file. The Reader completely disregards the file name. So where should I have the title and author info so the Reader gets it right? Of course, I don’t want to change User Information in Microsoft Word for every book I dump to the Reader. Nor would I like to install a program (like Sony Ebook) just to dump files to the Reader. Is this possible or am I asking too much? I am trying to transfer my books in RTF format to PRS-505 directly from Windows Explorer, by dragging and dropping.
When I drop the file it says that Document Summary Info might be lost if I proceed, so I have to say OK and as a result the title and author are not correctly displayed: the Reader takes the author info from User Information in Microsoft Word and title from the first line of text within the file. The Reader completely disregards the file name.
So where should I have the title and author info so the Reader gets it right? Of course, I don’t want to change User Information in Microsoft Word for every book I dump to the Reader. Nor would I like to install a program (like Sony Ebook) just to dump files to the Reader.
Is this possible or am I asking too much? ]]> Reader Troubleshooting alexmobile http://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=59521 Prs505 not seeing all books http://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=59437&goto=newpost Thu, 15 Oct 2009 12:56:37 GMT I have a prs505, which I love dearly. I have a sizeable collection of texts that I maintain, most of which are scanned archival documents (I am a historian), but also some books I purchased and a collection of journal articles. I use an 8GB SDHC card to accommodate a total of around 520 texts.

For the past few weeks, I have been unable to normally add new texts. I would transfer an article and it would simply not show up in the reader at all. I normally do this via calibre, but I also tried the sony software. With the latter, I have been able to transfer these texts if I do them one by one and even then, sometimes they do not show up.

I have tried several options, including wiping the SD card and transfering the whole library anew: the result of that is invariably that it will take a long time for the reader to index them, but then only shows a portion of the texts I transferred: about half of them. The results are the same using calibre and sony software. I did a soft reset as well as a hard reset, and even simply transferred all the texts manually, to no avail.

I tried using a different card (also 8GB SDHC) with the exact same results. It's driving me crazy. The whole point of owning this thing is so that I can carry a large library of stuff with me.

Any suggestions? ]]> Reader Troubleshooting Mr. Coconut http://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=59437 Can someone help me please http://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=59292&goto=newpost Wed, 14 Oct 2009 10:57:22 GMT This morning I uploaded a book to my PRS-505, it did that ok. I then disconnected the reader and found the book on the reader, it said formatting a long the bottom of the screen. When it finished formatting i then went back to the main menu screen and now it wont do anything...I've had it plugged in to my AC power charger so I know the battery isnt flat, I've tried pressing the reset button on the back but nothing has worked......I've even tried plugging it in to my USB port in the hope it might jump start it. But nothing has worked......I dont know what to do........:help: ]]> Reader Troubleshooting smunchy http://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=59292