Possible Major Problem for PRS500 Mac people

rwsimon · 12-11-2009, 12:36 PM

I have two updated PRS500s, which work fine after the firmware upgrade.

I run the Library software in XP on a Mac using Parallels Desktop. No problems, until I installed the new Reader Library 3.1 software today. It won't launch on my machine. I've been in touch with Sony and, apparently, the new software "Is not supported in a virtual Windows operating system environment". I'm still talking to them, but it appears as though the new software somehow won't work on a virtual machine.

Of course, since the Mac version of the software evidently won't talk to the PRS500, I am completely screwed.

I am trying to see if I can reinstall 3.0, otherwise, my Readers are pretty much useless. Sony says 3.0 isn't available anymore. Help!

More info when I get it. Meanwhile, Mac folks with PRS500s: proceed with great caution!

HarryT · 12-11-2009, 12:39 PM

Sorry, I'm obviously missing something here, but why don't you install the Mac version of the Sony eBook Library software? It certainly should talk to an upgraded 500, since the upgraded 500 simply mounts as a USB mass storage device, just like the 505 does, yes?

rwsimon · 12-11-2009, 12:46 PM

I will try that with the new software. I can tell you that it didn't work with the previous version of the Library software. I don't know why not, but it didn't. The Reader showed up as "error" on the Library display. According to the Sony tech I've been talking to, "we do not have information regarding the firmware upgrade to the PRS500 with Macintosh Computer" (sic).

Scott_T · 12-11-2009, 12:55 PM

Yeah, its just a removable drive with the update, drag and drop at worst

rwsimon · 12-11-2009, 01:03 PM

Tried using Mac 3.1. It "sees" the PRS500 to the extent that the Reader software comes up when you plug in the Reader, but the reader shows as "error" on the software and you can't access it. It's annoying since you can indeed open the Reader as a drive and see all the books in there as LRF, ePub and so forth.

Anybody have the installation files for 3.0 for the PC? Sony only has 2.5 (??) available at this point.

rwsimon · 12-11-2009, 07:55 PM

I spent an hour on the phone with Sony tech support, but no luck. Apparently, 3.1 just doesn't want to run on a virtual PC. I (and they, evidently) have no idea why.

The only recourse at the moment is that I can run the Mac version of 3.1 and purchase books online that way. Then I can just use the PRS500 as an external drive and drag and drop the books into it from the Mac folder where the Sony software puts it. I guess that will work, although I have no idea what kind of mess the metadata will become at that point.

AprilHare · 12-11-2009, 09:59 PM

I notice that under Mac 3.1 comes up with "Error" when you connect your PRS-500 - however it also shows up the memory stick in reader at the same time

You can manage the contents of the memory stick that way!
Don't fret, just whinge at Sony and see if we can't get them to fix the library software for next release for firmware upgraded PRS-500..

seveng · 12-14-2009, 12:36 PM

Sony 3.0 and 3.1 with the updated PRS-500 work fine in XP Pro under VMware Fusion 3.0 and 3.0.1, I just have to manually attach the USB device to the VM. Anyone try it with Virtuabox, seeing as it's free?

rwsimon · 12-16-2009, 09:26 AM

Judging from seveng's post, I suspect that the VM is not necessarily the culprit in my case. Given the various threads here in which people are having the same problem of not being able to launch 3.1 on various Windows machines, it appears that this issue is more convoluted. What the various machines in which the software won't launch have in common is a mystery. I tried installing the newer build of the software to no avail. Perhaps some later version will work for me.

Meanwhile, for Mac users, running the Mac version of 3.1 does work. Once you have downloaded a book into Reader Library from the Sony Store, you can open up the PRS500 as an external drive and simply drag the book from its folder on the Mac into the media folder on the Reader. Not elegant, but it works fine.

AprilHare · 12-18-2009, 05:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rwsimon

Judging from seveng's post, I suspect that the VM is not necessarily the culprit in my case. Given the various threads here in which people are having the same problem of not being able to launch 3.1 on various Windows machines, it appears that this issue is more convoluted. What the various machines in which the software won't launch have in common is a mystery. I tried installing the newer build of the software to no avail. Perhaps some later version will work for me.

Meanwhile, for Mac users, running the Mac version of 3.1 does work. Once you have downloaded a book into Reader Library from the Sony Store, you can open up the PRS500 as an external drive and simply drag the book from its folder on the Mac into the media folder on the Reader. Not elegant, but it works fine.

Of course, this implies that whatever is wrong with Reader Library 3.1 should be easily correctable.. the only remaining question is: when will Sony's Mac team get around to fixing it?

RSaunders · 12-18-2009, 09:21 AM

On my Windows machine I couldn't get 3.1 to talk to my pre-upgrade 500 when I had the screen lock PIN enabled. I had to turn screen lock off to get it to work. This may or may not have anything to do with your experience. I really don't use the Sony Store any more, and I usually use Calibre to talk to the reader. It works fine on a Mac.

12-11-2009, 12:36 PM	#1
rwsimon Connoisseur Posts: 50 Karma: 288 Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Upstate New York Device: 2 Sony PRS-500s, iPad	Possible Major Problem for PRS500 Mac people I have two updated PRS500s, which work fine after the firmware upgrade. I run the Library software in XP on a Mac using Parallels Desktop. No problems, until I installed the new Reader Library 3.1 software today. It won't launch on my machine. I've been in touch with Sony and, apparently, the new software "Is not supported in a virtual Windows operating system environment". I'm still talking to them, but it appears as though the new software somehow won't work on a virtual machine. Of course, since the Mac version of the software evidently won't talk to the PRS500, I am completely screwed. I am trying to see if I can reinstall 3.0, otherwise, my Readers are pretty much useless. Sony says 3.0 isn't available anymore. Help! More info when I get it. Meanwhile, Mac folks with PRS500s: proceed with great caution!

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12-11-2009, 12:39 PM	#2
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383043 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	Sorry, I'm obviously missing something here, but why don't you install the Mac version of the Sony eBook Library software? It certainly should talk to an upgraded 500, since the upgraded 500 simply mounts as a USB mass storage device, just like the 505 does, yes?

12-11-2009, 12:46 PM	#3
rwsimon Connoisseur Posts: 50 Karma: 288 Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Upstate New York Device: 2 Sony PRS-500s, iPad	I will try that with the new software. I can tell you that it didn't work with the previous version of the Library software. I don't know why not, but it didn't. The Reader showed up as "error" on the Library display. According to the Sony tech I've been talking to, "we do not have information regarding the firmware upgrade to the PRS500 with Macintosh Computer" (sic).

12-11-2009, 12:55 PM	#4
Scott_T Groupie Posts: 154 Karma: 876 Join Date: Dec 2009 Device: Kindle 3 wifi, Sony PRS-300, Sony PRS-500, Reb1100(dead)	Yeah, its just a removable drive with the update, drag and drop at worst

12-11-2009, 01:03 PM	#5
rwsimon Connoisseur Posts: 50 Karma: 288 Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Upstate New York Device: 2 Sony PRS-500s, iPad	Tried using Mac 3.1. It "sees" the PRS500 to the extent that the Reader software comes up when you plug in the Reader, but the reader shows as "error" on the software and you can't access it. It's annoying since you can indeed open the Reader as a drive and see all the books in there as LRF, ePub and so forth. Anybody have the installation files for 3.0 for the PC? Sony only has 2.5 (??) available at this point.

12-11-2009, 07:55 PM	#6
rwsimon Connoisseur Posts: 50 Karma: 288 Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Upstate New York Device: 2 Sony PRS-500s, iPad	I spent an hour on the phone with Sony tech support, but no luck. Apparently, 3.1 just doesn't want to run on a virtual PC. I (and they, evidently) have no idea why. The only recourse at the moment is that I can run the Mac version of 3.1 and purchase books online that way. Then I can just use the PRS500 as an external drive and drag and drop the books into it from the Mac folder where the Sony software puts it. I guess that will work, although I have no idea what kind of mess the metadata will become at that point.

12-11-2009, 09:59 PM	#7
AprilHare Wizard Posts: 2,981 Karma: 11862367 Join Date: Apr 2008 Device: Sony Reader PRS-T2	I notice that under Mac 3.1 comes up with "Error" when you connect your PRS-500 - however it also shows up the memory stick in reader at the same time You can manage the contents of the memory stick that way! Don't fret, just whinge at Sony and see if we can't get them to fix the library software for next release for firmware upgraded PRS-500..

12-14-2009, 12:36 PM	#8
seveng Member Posts: 24 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Denver, CO Device: Sony PRS-500, Palm Pre	Sony 3.0 and 3.1 with the updated PRS-500 work fine in XP Pro under VMware Fusion 3.0 and 3.0.1, I just have to manually attach the USB device to the VM. Anyone try it with Virtuabox, seeing as it's free?

12-16-2009, 09:26 AM	#9
rwsimon Connoisseur Posts: 50 Karma: 288 Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Upstate New York Device: 2 Sony PRS-500s, iPad	Judging from seveng's post, I suspect that the VM is not necessarily the culprit in my case. Given the various threads here in which people are having the same problem of not being able to launch 3.1 on various Windows machines, it appears that this issue is more convoluted. What the various machines in which the software won't launch have in common is a mystery. I tried installing the newer build of the software to no avail. Perhaps some later version will work for me. Meanwhile, for Mac users, running the Mac version of 3.1 does work. Once you have downloaded a book into Reader Library from the Sony Store, you can open up the PRS500 as an external drive and simply drag the book from its folder on the Mac into the media folder on the Reader. Not elegant, but it works fine.

12-18-2009, 09:21 AM	#11
RSaunders Groupie Posts: 162 Karma: 2054 Join Date: Jan 2007 Device: Sony PRS-500	On my Windows machine I couldn't get 3.1 to talk to my pre-upgrade 500 when I had the screen lock PIN enabled. I had to turn screen lock off to get it to work. This may or may not have anything to do with your experience. I really don't use the Sony Store any more, and I usually use Calibre to talk to the reader. It works fine on a Mac.

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