MacOS Sonoma: Allegedly no free disk space on Kindles

Archibald Yates · 10-08-2023, 07:09 AM

When I wanted to copy the latest firmware update to my 11.th generation Kindle Paperwhite I could not do it because the Finder prompted me that the Kindle had zero bytes free space. Which is not true, it has about 22 GB free space.

I checked my 8th generation Oasis and got the same result.

Since the latter did not get any firmware updates recently my guess is that the faulty part is macOS Sonoma (14.0), released at the end of September. I wonder if this is a Kindle specific problem or with FAT 32 in general.

Any thoughts/observations?

PS: Copying the firmware update from my iPad to the Paperwhite just worked fine.

Dr. Drib · 10-08-2023, 08:07 AM

I never do a new firmware update when it's first released. I wait for Reports from people like you.

Thanks for the info!

Archibald Yates · 10-08-2023, 10:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dr. Drib

I wait for Reports from people like you.

Thanks for the info!

You're welcome.

tomsem · 10-08-2023, 10:31 AM

I did not run into any issues like this (no space).

However a couple of my Kindles didn't update after copying the .bin file over. Says the update file is corrupt. One is PW (11th gen) and the other is Scribe (USB mass storage and MTP respectively). But 3 other Kindles updated as expected.

I haven't tried using a different system to copy the update. I'll try that and report back.

tomsem · 10-08-2023, 08:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tomsem

I did not run into any issues like this (no space).

However a couple of my Kindles didn't update after copying the .bin file over. Says the update file is corrupt. One is PW (11th gen) and the other is Scribe (USB mass storage and MTP respectively). But 3 other Kindles updated as expected.

I haven't tried using a different system to copy the update. I'll try that and report back.

Everything worked when I used my MacBook Pro. Maybe it is an issue with the cable I used with my iMac. But apart from this, I have not knowingly had issues with the iMac+cable.

Archibald Yates · 10-09-2023, 02:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tomsem

Everything worked when I used my MacBook Pro. Maybe it is an issue with the cable I used with my iMac. But apart from this, I have not knowingly had issues with the iMac+cable.

Do you run Sonoma? And do you have an Intel Mac or Apple Silicon (me, the latter)?

I used the cables coming with the Kindles.

tomsem · 10-09-2023, 01:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Archibald Yates

Do you run Sonoma? And do you have an Intel Mac or Apple Silicon (me, the latter)?

I used the cables coming with the Kindles.

I have both, and both are on Sonoma (MacBook is on beta).

The iMac is Intel (cable is one that came with a Belkin accessory), the other is Apple Silicon (with Apple USB C charging cable that came with the MacBook).

I suspect Belkin cable may be the issue, but I use it all the time for data transfers of all kinds.

Archibald Yates · 10-30-2023, 12:12 PM

I managed to transfer the latest update for the Kindle Paperwhite from my Mac running Sonoma 14.0 by a pure USB-C cable.

This worked only once.

In the meantime I'm on Sonoma 14.1 but nothing has changed.

tomsem · 10-30-2023, 01:46 PM

I had no issues with getting update file copied to several Kindles with iMac/Intel and same cable I used before. It's still on Sonoma 14.0, so unclear what the issue was with the last one.

joh77 · 10-31-2023, 04:46 AM

No problems here. Tested on Sonoma 14.1 M1 and M2.

BanditoB · 11-01-2023, 05:54 PM

Didn't Amazon change the way Kindles mount into the file system of a computer a version or two back?

I found a utility for the Mac from Google called Android File Transfer and use it to connect to the Kindle and send files to it. That has worked for me.

For this most recent update, I used one of my PC laptops and had no issues.

I just checked again on my MacBook Air and the Kindle Scribe no longer mounts in Finder. I'm quite sure that it no longer appears to the OS as though it is a USB drive. Now it uses a proprietary format that Windows has built into the OS, but Apple has not. So, give the Android File Transfer app a go and you should be okay.

DNSB · 11-02-2023, 12:36 AM

Android File Transfer is likely to work with the Scribe unless Amazon has switched to using MTP on other models. For Windows, you can have multiple connections to a MTP device so the Scribe will show as a mounted drive and be available to calibre. For Linux and MacOS, it's a single connection to a MTP device, so either it can show as a mounted driver OR it can be used by calibre.

Agent · 01-27-2024, 09:42 PM

I have the same issue. It is fixed by rebooting the Mac, but I have to do it EVERY time I plug in the Kindle. I have a Voyager 7.

Archibald Yates · 01-28-2024, 02:09 AM

A little update from my side: I'm on Sonoma 14.3 now but the problem persists.

My solution: I use a Path Finder, a Finder alternative. It does show zero disk space on the Kindle too, but it copies files nonetheless.

Path Finder is not free and I am not using it for this one purpose only, of course.

deleted2 · 01-28-2024, 02:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Archibald Yates

A little update from my side: I'm on Sonoma 14.3 now but the problem persists.

My solution: I use a Path Finder, a Finder alternative. It does show zero disk space on the Kindle too, but it copies files nonetheless.

Path Finder is not free and I am not using it for this one purpose only, of course.

Maybe try the latest utility from Titanium software, Maintenance

I have MacOS Sonoma 14.3, on Apple Silicon, and no problem.

10-08-2023, 07:09 AM	#1
Archibald Yates Member Posts: 24 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jan 2012 Device: Kindle Paperwhite 11th. gen., Kindle Oasis 8th. gen., Kindle Touch	MacOS Sonoma: Allegedly no free disk space on Kindles When I wanted to copy the latest firmware update to my 11.th generation Kindle Paperwhite I could not do it because the Finder prompted me that the Kindle had zero bytes free space. Which is not true, it has about 22 GB free space. I checked my 8th generation Oasis and got the same result. Since the latter did not get any firmware updates recently my guess is that the faulty part is macOS Sonoma (14.0), released at the end of September. I wonder if this is a Kindle specific problem or with FAT 32 in general. Any thoughts/observations? PS: Copying the firmware update from my iPad to the Paperwhite just worked fine.

10-08-2023, 10:31 AM	#4
tomsem Grand Sorcerer Posts: 6,478 Karma: 26425959 Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: USA Device: iPhone 15PM, Kindle Scribe, iPad mini 6, PocketBook InkPad Color 3	I did not run into any issues like this (no space). However a couple of my Kindles didn't update after copying the .bin file over. Says the update file is corrupt. One is PW (11th gen) and the other is Scribe (USB mass storage and MTP respectively). But 3 other Kindles updated as expected. I haven't tried using a different system to copy the update. I'll try that and report back. Last edited by tomsem; 10-08-2023 at 08:08 PM.

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10-08-2023, 08:07 AM	#2
Dr. Drib Grand Sorcerer Posts: 44,748 Karma: 55645321 Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Peru Device: Kindle: Oasis 3, Voyage WiFi; Kobo: Libra 2, Aura One	I never do a new firmware update when it's first released. I wait for Reports from people like you. Thanks for the info!

10-30-2023, 12:12 PM	#8
Archibald Yates Member Posts: 24 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jan 2012 Device: Kindle Paperwhite 11th. gen., Kindle Oasis 8th. gen., Kindle Touch	I managed to transfer the latest update for the Kindle Paperwhite from my Mac running Sonoma 14.0 by a pure USB-C cable. This worked only once. In the meantime I'm on Sonoma 14.1 but nothing has changed.

10-30-2023, 01:46 PM	#9
tomsem Grand Sorcerer Posts: 6,478 Karma: 26425959 Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: USA Device: iPhone 15PM, Kindle Scribe, iPad mini 6, PocketBook InkPad Color 3	I had no issues with getting update file copied to several Kindles with iMac/Intel and same cable I used before. It's still on Sonoma 14.0, so unclear what the issue was with the last one.

10-31-2023, 04:46 AM	#10
joh77 Member Posts: 21 Karma: 10 Join Date: Apr 2022 Device: KO3	No problems here. Tested on Sonoma 14.1 M1 and M2.

11-01-2023, 05:54 PM	#11
BanditoB Enthusiast Posts: 26 Karma: 92594 Join Date: Dec 2022 Location: Chicago, IL Device: Kindle Scribe, Boox Tab Ultra, Boox Tab Ultra C, Kindle Oasis-9th Gen	Didn't Amazon change the way Kindles mount into the file system of a computer a version or two back? I found a utility for the Mac from Google called Android File Transfer and use it to connect to the Kindle and send files to it. That has worked for me. For this most recent update, I used one of my PC laptops and had no issues. I just checked again on my MacBook Air and the Kindle Scribe no longer mounts in Finder. I'm quite sure that it no longer appears to the OS as though it is a USB drive. Now it uses a proprietary format that Windows has built into the OS, but Apple has not. So, give the Android File Transfer app a go and you should be okay.

11-02-2023, 12:36 AM	#12
DNSB Bibliophagist Posts: 35,464 Karma: 145525534 Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Vancouver Device: Kobo Sage, Forma, Clara HD, Lenovo M8 FHD, Paperwhite 4, Tolino epos	Android File Transfer is likely to work with the Scribe unless Amazon has switched to using MTP on other models. For Windows, you can have multiple connections to a MTP device so the Scribe will show as a mounted drive and be available to calibre. For Linux and MacOS, it's a single connection to a MTP device, so either it can show as a mounted driver OR it can be used by calibre.

01-27-2024, 09:42 PM	#13
Agent Junior Member Posts: 1 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jan 2024 Device: Voyager	I have the same issue. It is fixed by rebooting the Mac, but I have to do it EVERY time I plug in the Kindle. I have a Voyager 7.

01-28-2024, 02:09 AM	#14
Archibald Yates Member Posts: 24 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jan 2012 Device: Kindle Paperwhite 11th. gen., Kindle Oasis 8th. gen., Kindle Touch	A little update from my side: I'm on Sonoma 14.3 now but the problem persists. My solution: I use a Path Finder, a Finder alternative. It does show zero disk space on the Kindle too, but it copies files nonetheless. Path Finder is not free and I am not using it for this one purpose only, of course.

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