Been a long time lurker here, a nasty problem somewhat forced me to register an account here :(

I was reading a book I converted from html with the mobipocket creator. Suddenly I find that the "next page" button no longer responds. "Another crash" I think and I look for something I can use to hit the reset button.

After resetting I turn on the device again. It shows the "Cybook Gen3" splashscreen and....nothing else. It just stays stuck at this screen and the green light is lit up as well. I tried removing the SD card (the memory of the reader contains only the manual), resetting multiple times and even taking out the battery, but nothing helps. It just stays stuck at the splashscreen :(

Anyone knows what is going on here?

How long is it since the last time you charged it?

I charged it yesterday, and now it is charging again as we speak.
The fact that the green light stays lit is also a good indication that this shouldn't be a battery problem.

left it charging another full night, just be sure, but...nothing :(

I've sent a mail to bookeen support. Hopefully I'll get a replacement fast.

ok, they replied once, asking for more information. Then....nothing :(

Can you view the file structure of the Cybook when you plug it into your computer?

So your CyBook is charging (red light) when plugged into USB?
Have you tried holding the reset button for more than 5 seconds and then restart the CyBook without the SD card?
Can you access the internal memory from your computer via USB?
Have you deleted any files from the system folder on the internal memory?

Pressing reset for over 5 seconds doesn't work. Same problem with AND without the SD card.
When connecting the device to my pc, it detects nothing (wich seems normal as it hasn't even booted in to the OS yet).

I deleted no files at all. I was reading a book when it suddenly froze. From then on I haven't been able to boot the cybook.

Still no answer from bookeen support either, right now I just have a really expensive brick, and I REALLY wish they would bother answering my mails...

*really displeased*

sent another mail to support@bookeen.com, but still no answer...
Anyone knows a phone number where I could reach them? My French is pretty fine.
I should get a replacement dammit, I'm getting more and more pissed about this.

sent another mail to support@bookeen.com, but still no answer...
Anyone knows a phone number where I could reach them? My French is pretty fine.
I should get a replacement dammit, I'm getting more and more pissed about this.

On 2/18 Knightmail posted bookeen's phone number on Mobileread. See: http://www.mobileread.com/forums/showthread.php?t=19491&highlight=45654256&page=4

well, after giving them several kicks in the back I finally got a RMA number and I've sent them my cybook. Can't wait until I get a replacement :)

Hi All
After much trying with e-mail i finally found bookeen's phone number on the delivery invoice

it is 0033 1 45654256

and a 'real' voice (who speaks/understands english was very helpful)

p

I had the same problem and they had to take ot back in as well......BTW the replacement is working absolutely fine....must be a manufacturing bug.....if these bugs continue would it not be pertinent to ask Bookeen for an extension of the warranty?

especially as they take so long to respond (1 month in my case) and surely they should share some of the liability

Standard warranty is 2 years, no? Should be more than enough.
How long did it take to get your new reader? They received mine at 5/03

Has *anyone* had a cybook stuck on the splash screen that could be recouped without sending it back???? Mine bricked after updating the firmware, and I'm trying to 'downgrade' to the previous version but so far no luck.

I had the same problem. My cybook got stuck on the splash screen. It keeps rebooting itself without showing the library catalog. I've tried every method you guys mentioned but nothing worked.

I got it just three days ago and just had it updated... Can I get a replacement?

Have you tried re-applying the firmware update?

yes, I have. nothing changed.

Does the Gen3 show up on your PC when you plug in the USB cable? It sounds as if you may, perhaps, have a corrupt file system.

It doesn't show up on my pc when plugged in. If I do have a corrupt file system, what can I do with it?

Have you got an SD card in the machine? If so, try taking it out.

I've taken it out, but still my cybook just keeps rebooting.

Unfortunately it sounds as if the internal partition is corrupt. No way to reformat it unless it'll get as far as mounting as a USB device. I think you may, unfortunately, have to send it back to Bookeen :(.

Anyone else have any suggestions?

Have you tried re-applying the firmware update?

yes, I have. nothing changed.

Which version of the update did you try?

Did the unit go through the motions of loading the update or did the update not even start?

That's what I thought. I've sent messages to Bookeen twice but no replies yet.....

Thanks anyway, Harry.

Cybook Gen3 Firmware Upgrade Version 1.1 (Build 685)

It did go through the process of updating, but after that. . . . same problem.

Updating the firmware doesn't reformat the internal file system. Regretably this has all the hallmarks of a corrupt file system. You didn't disconnect it from your PC without using the "Safely Remove Hardware" tool, did you?

I don't know if Bookeen will be able to tell you any way of doing a full "reset" which will reformat the file system.

If they've not answered your e-mail, try sending from a different address (eg a hotmail or yahoo one); they're generally pretty good at responding to genuine cries for help.

Try updating with 538, that should fix it. Your unit will at least go through the update procedure and 538 contains much more (in size not features). Version 538 is approx. 16MB whereas 685 is approx. 6MB

See this wiki entry (http://wiki.mobileread.com/wiki/Cybook_Gen3_Tips_and_Troubleshooting#Cybook_Freeze s_Before_The_Library_Page)

Updating the firmware doesn't reformat the internal file system.


I believe that 538 does. When I used it all the books that I had on the internal memory had been deleted. I think they changed this with 685 so that users wouldn't complain about where their books had gone.

You're absolutely right - looking back at the 538 reflash instructions it does indeed say "this will fully reformat the internal flash". In that case, it should fix the problem.

adamtaurus - see your PM for some info which might be relevent to you.

PM means?

PM = "Private Message". Go into "User Control Panel" (link at the top of the screen - "User CP") and then "Private Messages".

Do I have to ask Bookeen for Version 538?

The answer is in your private messages.

Please read the message that I've sent you!

Unfortunately it sounds as if the internal partition is corrupt. No way to reformat it unless it'll get as far as mounting as a USB device. I think you may, unfortunately, have to send it back to Bookeen :(.

Anyone else have any suggestions?

But it seems a bit strange that you do not see the disk (if your partition is corrupt you do not see it but you should se the raw disk). I have tested to remove significant files and I also tested to totally corrupt the file system (changed it to ext2 which could not be mounted by the Cybook) and in booth cases I could reformat it via the USB cable by connecting the cable and then turning the Cybook on.

If the cybook keeps rebooting, you may have a shot. Mine doesn't get that far--it is stuck on the very first splash page, and doesn't cycle at all. When I push the reset it turns the LED off, but the page is still showing(I know, this is how it's supposed to work) so I can't get off of the page at all. I have tried 'downgrading' but I don't think it gets far enough in the firmware to allow that--nothing happens.

I think a trip back to Bookeen is in the cards---:(:(:(
Anyone know how long it'll take?? Once they contact me, anyway.

If the cybook keeps rebooting, you may have a shot. Mine doesn't get that far--it is stuck on the very first splash page, and doesn't cycle at all. When I push the reset it turns the LED off, but the page is still showing(I know, this is how it's supposed to work) so I can't get off of the page at all. I have tried 'downgrading' but I don't think it gets far enough in the firmware to allow that--nothing happens.

I think a trip back to Bookeen is in the cards---:(:(:(
Anyone know how long it'll take?? Once they contact me, anyway.

Let's see... For me, sending *FROM* California, using FedEx, it took a week to get there. And about 4 days to get back. Your mileage may vary.

Derek

Adamtaurus,

Can you explain exactly what happened when you tried installing version 538?
Did the display look different while installing 538 compared to 685?

Problem solved by PM. It was due to corrupt file systems on both the internal partition AND the SD card. Reflashing with 538 and reformatting the SD card sorted it.

HELP!

Last night my Cybook was down to 60% when I attached it to the USB cable to charge. This morning I had a checkerboard pattern of black, medium grey, light grey, white on the screen.

It will not shut off.
It will not reset.
My SD slot never worked (& Bookeen wants me to pay to fix it) so I can not load the new firmware.

Besides waiting for the just recharged battery to run down and e-mailing Bookeen support, what can I do?

Susan

Problem solved by PM. It was due to corrupt file systems on both the internal partition AND the SD card. Reflashing with 538 and reformatting the SD card sorted it.

How do you know it was a corrupt internal file system? Did you try to reflash with 1.1 after reformatting the SD card? And what happened then?

Installing 538 reformats the internal partition. With that done, the machine booted with the SD card removed, but failed to start correctly with the SD card in. Reformatting the SD card has, I believe, sorted the problem, and the machine has been successfully reflashed to firmware 685.

HELP!

Last night my Cybook was down to 60% when I attached it to the USB cable to charge. This morning I had a checkerboard pattern of black, medium grey, light grey, white on the screen.

It will not shut off.
It will not reset.
My SD slot never worked (& Bookeen wants me to pay to fix it) so I can not load the new firmware.

Besides waiting for the just recharged battery to run down and e-mailing Bookeen support, what can I do?

Susan

You get a checkerboard pattern if you remove some system files or if the internal partition is not readable for some reason. Connect an USB cable to the Cybook and then turn it on. Wait until the disk appear on your computer. Restore the system files from backup or reformat the disk and restore the files. I guess you need to reformat it.

If you have not saved the system files you can find them here:

egad.dyndns.org/cybook/firstbuild/

It will not shut off.
It will not reset.


Are you sure? press the reset button (nothing should happen). The turn it on with the power button.

You get a checkerboard pattern if you remove some system files or if the internal partition is not readable for some reason. Connect an USB cable to the Cybook and then turn it on. Wait until the disk appear on your computer. Restore the system files from backup or reformat the disk and restore the files.
Are you sure? press the reset button (nothing should happen). The turn it on with the power button.

I looked at the reflash video http://www.justread.de/Videos/, followed the directions to reflash, and pressed the power button, but there was no change in the screen. To load the system files from my backup, I hooked the cybook to a computer and everything worked as just soon as the USB connection was made. I did not even need to load the system fiiles.

Thank you, Tommy!
:thanks:

Problem solved by PM. It was due to corrupt file systems on both the internal partition AND the SD card. Reflashing with 538 and reformatting the SD card sorted it.

Yes. My problem has been solved by reflashing with 538 and reformatting the SD card.

Thanks to Harry and M.H.

Hi,

My cybook crashed this evening trying to upgrade to firmware 685. It now gets stuck at the splash screen and the internal disk and SD card do not appear when I connect it to the PC.

From the posts here it sounds like I need to reflash back to firmware 538. However, I don't have the firmware file and I can't see where to down load it from the bookeen site. Does anyone know where I can get it from?

Thanks
John

Hi,

My cybook crashed this evening trying to upgrade to firmware 685. It now gets stuck at the splash screen and the internal disk and SD card do not appear when I connect it to the PC.

From the posts here it sounds like I need to reflash back to firmware 538. However, I don't have the firmware file and I can't see where to down load it from the bookeen site. Does anyone know where I can get it from?

Thanks
John

Go here: http://egad.dyndns.org/cybook/. Download the update_kernelb538fmt.zip file. Re-install and SIN NO MORE!!! :D :D :D

Derek

Hi,

My cybook crashed this evening trying to upgrade to firmware 685. It now gets stuck at the splash screen and the internal disk and SD card do not appear when I connect it to the PC.

From the posts here it sounds like I need to reflash back to firmware 538. However, I don't have the firmware file and I can't see where to down load it from the bookeen site. Does anyone know where I can get it from?


How did it crash? Was it during the update?

Sometimes when you have done strange things you need to connect the USB cable first and then turn the Cybook on to see the disks.

How did it crash? Was it during the update?

Sometimes when you have done strange things you need to connect the USB cable first and then turn the Cybook on to see the disks.

Yes, I was applying the 1.1 firmware (685?), it started the update and everything looked fine, after about a minute the progress bar stopped moving. I left it for about 15 more minutes and decided that it was broken. I tried to switch off/switch on: nothing, then reset and still nothing.

It would stick at the splash screen and then not respond to any keys including power. When I reset it, then I can press the power button and the screen blanks and then comes back to the splash screen.

I've now tried to reflash back to 538 with two different SD cards but nothing seems to work. I suppose that it has to go back to Bookeen - at least I'm in the UK so hopefully it won't take too long to get there and back.

- John

My condolences, John. This is almost what happened to me--mine looked like the update worked, then froze in the same way.
Once they contacted me, they had me re-try a bunch of things I *told* them I'd already tried--it took several days of back-and-forth before they offered me a return number. So...my cybook is going on a trip.:)

I phoned Bookeen last Friday and spoke with a very nice French lady in their support department. She asked me to try a few things, including a reflash back to 538. When that didn't work she sent me an RMA later that afternoon.

Mine's currently sitting in a post office in Paris waiting to be delivered to Bookeen for repair.

Hopefully it won't be long coming back.

John

Geez... This topic is making me unsecure about buying the Cybook. :(

Well, I received a cybook back from Bookeen today and I must say that I'm impressed by their support.

They sent me an RMA within an hour of me speaking with them and they dispatched a new cybook back to me on the day that they received mine back to them.

So all can say is well done Bookeen, I'm a very happy customer. :2thumbsup

(What's more the new cybook they sent me is one of the new ones with 512M internal memory).

Yes the original had a problem, but that can happen to any product - and reflashing is notoriously error prone (indeed do Amazon or Sony provide updates at all?). The important thing in my mind is that when I needed support I got great customer service.

Cheers
John

Yes the original had a problem, but that can happen to any product - and reflashing is notoriously error prone (indeed do Amazon or Sony provide updates at all?). The important thing in my mind is that when I needed support I got great customer service.


Indeed they do. There has been one firmware update for the PRS-500 and one firmware update to the Kindle. As far as I know the PRS-505's shipping firmware has not been updated. Then again, none of these devices had such visible and severe bugs to fix either.

BOb

Indeed they do. There has been one firmware update for the PRS-500 and one firmware update to the Kindle. As far as I know the PRS-505's shipping firmware has not been updated. Then again, none of these devices had such visible and severe bugs to fix either.

BOb

There have been two updates for the 500 and - forgive me for disagreeing, Bob - but the initial firmware of the 500 had some pretty major bugs. RTF files of any real complexity would crash (and RTF was what we all used to read before we got the tools to create LRF files) and the machine had a VERY nasty habit of losing all its bookmarks randomly when you used the "Connect" desktop software. The initial firmware update fixed those bugs, but "broke" the battery meter. The 2nd firmware update fixed the battery meter again (but it took them about 4 months to do so!).

There have been two updates for the 500 and - forgive me for disagreeing, Bob - but the initial firmware of the 500 had some pretty major bugs. RTF files of any real complexity would crash (and RTF was what we all used to read before we got the tools to create LRF files) and the machine had a VERY nasty habit of losing all its bookmarks randomly when you used the "Connect" desktop software. The initial firmware update fixed those bugs, but "broke" the battery meter. The 2nd firmware update fixed the battery meter again (but it took them about 4 months to do so!).

Sorry, your right... there were two, I forgot about that. However, I never read RTF's so never had a problem.

However, the person I replied to was implying that Sony and Amazon don't even do firmware updates, which is just not true.

BOb

Hi,

I want to add my ¢2, too:

I experienced the same problem. After reading a lot of threads about this problem, I believe the file system in my Cybook was corrupt. So far I tried everything, including a firmware flash with version 538. Finally I succeeded.

But after all this also shows me, where the real problems are: If simple reading with the device can destroy the file system (at least this is what I think was causing the problems) rendering the device useless, than something is really, really wrong. Sure, hardware can become defective. This is true for your dishwasher as well as for the Cybook. It's not nice, but it happens.

But software (the supposed cause of these problems) cannot become defective, it can only be defective from the beginning. I am a professional Windows and backup software administrator and have also some basic Linux skills. I know how operating and file systems work. I have seen corrupt NTFS partitions as well as pink screens on Linux machines. File system corruption can occur. But, and this is a big BUT, the Cybook is, compared to the servers I administer, not more than a pocket calculator when it comes to complexity and power. It has only to do some very limited routines. Frankly, using a Linux kernel for a book reader is quite an overkill. But anyway, a device that is out for the mass market as a book reader simply must not have this kind of problem.

I consider myself quite resourceful and I am able to at least try to solve many problems before giving up. But think about the average user. He won't be able to flash firmware nor will he be able to rebuild a file system on his reading device. He will either throw away the device or will go to the painstakingly slow process of contacting Bookeen, requesting an RMA number and sending it to Bookeen.

So I urge Bookeen to look into this kind of problem - the most serious one - in order to prevent future problems of this nature.

Alan

Alan,

What makes you believe that the problem lies with the device rather than the user? Writing to memory and then unplugging the USB cable without doing a "Safely Remove Hardware" on a Windows machine can all-too-easily result in a corrupt file system, and that's not Bookeen's fault.

If your problem was a corrupt file system, did you really need to reflash? Wouldn't simply reformating the internal disk have fixed it?

What makes you believe that the problem lies with the device rather than the user? Writing to memory and then unplugging the USB cable without doing a "Safely Remove Hardware" on a Windows machine can all-too-easily result in a corrupt file system, and that's not Bookeen's fault.

You may be right. But I always safely remove my Cybook from a Windows machine. And the file system corruption occurred long, long after the last connection to a Windows computer.

If your problem was a corrupt file system, did you really need to reflash? Wouldn't simply reformating the internal disk have fixed it?

In order to get a connection to the internal memory of a Cybook, the OS has to run so that the memory can be mounted to an external computer. But the OS was constantly rebooting, thus preventing the memory to be accessible for mounting.

I do not know, why Bookeen designed its device in a way, that the internal memory cannot be accessed without the OS running. It would have been so much easier to just reformat and restore the last backup.

Alan

I see the problem. Fortunately, the most common result of file system corruption is a boot to a "chequerboard" pattern on the screen, in which state it will mount via USB and allow reformatting. As you say, if it's constantly rebooting, that's not an option!

I agree that it would have been a LOT more sensible to have the firmware on a purely "internal" partition that the user couldn't access, and which would thus have been immune to corruption.

What makes you believe that the problem lies with the device rather than the user? Writing to memory and then unplugging the USB cable without doing a "Safely Remove Hardware" on a Windows machine can all-too-easily result in a corrupt file system, and that's not Bookeen's fault.

If your problem was a corrupt file system, did you really need to reflash? Wouldn't simply reformating the internal disk have fixed it?

The problem with the software is that a corrupt file system can cause these kind of problems. A corrupt file system should in most cases be fixed when booting and if that fails an instruction should be printed how to fix it.

That this does not happen is defiitely Bookeens fault. From my point of view we see problems that occurs on these kind of system when inexperienced programmers have worked on them.

just following M.H.'s instructions i fixed this re-booting problem i had today
due to my foolish deletion of some fonts ,i guess system fonts

....respect to M.H.:):):)

the steps are the following:
1. put out sd card

2. copy this file to your sd card
or to a new sd card in case it is corrupted
http://rapidshare.com/files/170531216/update_kernelb538fmt.rar

3. put sd in your cybook

4. press reset button on the back side of cybook

5. press on-off button on the top of cybook

6. when the first screen appears keep pressing the central button (the ok button)of the reader ,until it starts updating the firmware


this formats the disk,but you need to.....:bulb2:
7. .....re-flash it with latest version from bookeen site :

http://www.bookeen.com/support :rifle:

and ..... buy your self a beer ...you have fixed it......it works again


and a last step if you are left with no Fonts folder and only two fonts
choice do the following :


Adding New Fonts

Problem: You've added a new font and now when you try to look at font families, it's blank or your new font isn't there.

How to make new fonts show up:

1. Plug the cybook into your computer and open the Fonts folder. If your unit does not have a Fonts folder in its internal memory then create one but make sure it has a capital "F" since it is case sensitive.
2. Add your new fonts. The Cybook officially supports TTF (True Type Fonts), but it seems that some OTF (OpenType Fonts) will also work.
3. This step is unnecessary when using firmware build 708. Go to the Cybook's system folder and delete this file: .fonts.cache-1. It will be automatically recreated. You can save a backup copy on your hard drive first if it will make you feel better.
4. Close all windows using the Cybook files and unplug the Cybook from the computer after using "Safely Remove Hardware" (or equivalent).
5. You should now see your new fonts available in the Font Family menu.