Troubleshooting Mobi files won't work on Kindle now

RoverGal · 04-18-2011, 10:04 PM

Did Amazon do an automatic download of a software upgrade in past month or two that would be making my .mobi files not work anymore?

I had a number of books from my library that I'd "fiddled" with and loaded onto my Kindle, and they worked fine. Now I can't open any of them, and I can't get any new ones to work either.

If anyone has figured out a fix for this, I'd really appreciate it if you could point me in the right direction of that solution.
TIA,
Cindy

osnova · 04-19-2011, 12:43 AM

RoverGal, you are first to report an issue with this. I do not see any problems with my own mobi files (although I do have .prc extension because I use Mobipocket Creator).

A couple of questions to troubleshoot this:

So, you are saying that the .mobi files that you have previously read on your Kindle have stopped opening?

Have you tried deleting them from the Kindle and putting them again in the Documents from your computer via the USB cable?

Do they still appear in the Home screen and just don't open? Or did they disappear altogether even though they are still on the Kindle?

What did you use to create .mobi files? Calibre? Kindlegen? Mobigen?

Try renaming the extension from .mobi to .prc and see if this helps.

avantman42 · 04-19-2011, 03:24 AM

I'm running version 3.1 (558700031) and I've got several .mobi files on there that open without any problems. Most are created in Calibre, one was bought from O'Reilly, one is My Own Kind of Freedom, downloaded from MR.

fulltimer · 04-19-2011, 04:11 AM

The file would not open for me either but I added it to Calibre and reconverted it and then it worked just fine on my Kindle and my Kindle 4 PC.

DiapDealer · 04-19-2011, 06:04 AM

I think the OP is talking about DRM'ed library mobi's and the old method of "fixing" the DRM so it works on the Kindle. I don't have any info regarding the issue, but perhaps others might--provided I've properly decoded her post.

avantman42 · 04-19-2011, 06:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

I think the OP is talking about DRM'ed library mobi's and the old method of "fixing" the DRM so it works on the Kindle. I don't have any info regarding the issue, but perhaps others might--provided I've properly decoded her post.

Ah, in that case I can't help

pdurrant · 04-19-2011, 06:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RoverGal

Did Amazon do an automatic download of a software upgrade in past month or two that would be making my .mobi files not work anymore?

I had a number of books from my library that I'd "fiddled" with and loaded onto my Kindle, and they worked fine. Now I can't open any of them, and I can't get any new ones to work either.

If anyone has figured out a fix for this, I'd really appreciate it if you could point me in the right direction of that solution.

The older library books have, presumably, simply expired. The new ones are a puzzle. Perhaps your Kindle's clock is wrong? If it hasn't had a wireless connection for a while, the clock can get set to an incorrect date.

Paulinafrica · 04-19-2011, 01:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RoverGal

I had a number of books from my library that I'd "fiddled" with and loaded onto my Kindle, and they worked fine. Now I can't open any of them, and I can't get any new ones to work either.

I hope that I haven't misunderstood your post - perfectly possible, I presume by "fiddled" that you have removed the DRM? Could this simply be a case where you need to update your ''tools'' from Alf, re-load the books into Calibre and then put them on your Kindle?
Cheers
Paul

pdurrant · 04-19-2011, 02:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Paulinafrica

I hope that I haven't misunderstood your post - perfectly possible, I presume by "fiddled" that you have removed the DRM? Could this simply be a case where you need to update your ''tools'' from Alf, re-load the books into Calibre and then put them on your Kindle?

I thought he was referring to supplying the library with the fixed PID for his Kindle, and then running the kindlefix script on the library books, to turn on the "I'm a kindle book" settings.

If it isn't a clock problem, then it probably is a new DRM tweak that kindlefix doesn't know about.

Stripping DRM would be one solution, but would require remembering to manually delete the ebooks when the loan expires.

RoverGal · 04-19-2011, 10:12 PM

Yes, they are library books that I've used the Kindle MobiPocket Converter on, then put into Calibre and loaded onto my Kindle.

It does seem like the loan has expired, but that didn't happen when I first downloaded these - I had many of these books for a couple months and they were accessible, but then suddenly none of them would open.

DiapDealer · 04-19-2011, 10:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RoverGal

It does seem like the loan has expired, but that didn't happen when I first downloaded these - I had many of these books for a couple months and they were accessible, but then suddenly none of them would open.

You're not going to get a lot of help with this by admitting that you intend to keep library loaned ebooks indefinitely. I'm not judging... I'm just sayin'.

RoverGal · 04-19-2011, 10:35 PM

Not indefinitely, just until I have time to read them!

My epubs don't expire - I didn't expect the mobipocket books to expire either... If that's just my problem, then I'll have to start only checking these out when I have time to read them.

bumble e · 04-20-2011, 11:00 PM

No judginess here. I understand how difficult it can be to get your paws on a library ebook with the protracted waiting times (I've been 76th in line for a bestseller). When the book is available you have to grab it, even if you aren't prepared to read it this week, or this month.

Quote:

Originally Posted by RoverGal

Yes, they are library books that I've used the Kindle MobiPocket Converter on, then put into Calibre and loaded onto my Kindle.

Have you tried converting with Calibre? It's an incredibly simple process. If you require assistance, feel free to PM me.

tomsem · 04-20-2011, 11:33 PM

I think I read somewhere that you can't fiddle with the metadata that controls the Kindle/mobipocket enablement any more without stripping the DRM entirely - they have started hashing that in. So I don't think calibre mobi-to-mobi will work either.

But I could easily be wrong.

DiapDealer · 04-21-2011, 07:06 AM

Quote:

I think I read somewhere that you can't fiddle with the metadata that controls the Kindle/mobipocket enablement any more without stripping the DRM entirely - they have started hashing that in. So I don't think calibre mobi-to-mobi will work either.

Yes, you can no longer change the TTS flag or the Clipping Limit (mobi2mobi) AND still leave the DRM intact. The book won't function if you do. Basically, if you want to enable TTS and/or increase the Clipping Limit, you have no choice but to remove the DRM first. That changed back in February.

04-18-2011, 10:04 PM	#1
RoverGal Member Posts: 10 Karma: 10 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Albany, NY Device: Kindle 3	Mobi files won't work on Kindle now Did Amazon do an automatic download of a software upgrade in past month or two that would be making my .mobi files not work anymore? I had a number of books from my library that I'd "fiddled" with and loaded onto my Kindle, and they worked fine. Now I can't open any of them, and I can't get any new ones to work either. If anyone has figured out a fix for this, I'd really appreciate it if you could point me in the right direction of that solution. TIA, Cindy

04-19-2011, 10:35 PM	#12
RoverGal Member Posts: 10 Karma: 10 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Albany, NY Device: Kindle 3	Not indefinitely, just until I have time to read them! My epubs don't expire - I didn't expect the mobipocket books to expire either... If that's just my problem, then I'll have to start only checking these out when I have time to read them. Last edited by RoverGal; 04-19-2011 at 10:38 PM.

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04-19-2011, 12:43 AM	#2
osnova Kindler of the Flame Posts: 582 Karma: 646016 Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: US of A Device: K DX,3,KT,KP,KF, KFHD; Nook C, PRS600, iPad, Xoom, N900, N810, Zaurus	RoverGal, you are first to report an issue with this. I do not see any problems with my own mobi files (although I do have .prc extension because I use Mobipocket Creator). A couple of questions to troubleshoot this: So, you are saying that the .mobi files that you have previously read on your Kindle have stopped opening? Have you tried deleting them from the Kindle and putting them again in the Documents from your computer via the USB cable? Do they still appear in the Home screen and just don't open? Or did they disappear altogether even though they are still on the Kindle? What did you use to create .mobi files? Calibre? Kindlegen? Mobigen? Try renaming the extension from .mobi to .prc and see if this helps.

04-19-2011, 03:24 AM	#3
avantman42 Wizard Posts: 1,090 Karma: 6058305 Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: UK Device: Kindle Paperwhite	I'm running version 3.1 (558700031) and I've got several .mobi files on there that open without any problems. Most are created in Calibre, one was bought from O'Reilly, one is My Own Kind of Freedom, downloaded from MR.

04-19-2011, 04:11 AM	#4
fulltimer Enthusiast Posts: 26 Karma: 23438 Join Date: Nov 2009 Device: K2, K3(3G-WIFI), Fire	The file would not open for me either but I added it to Calibre and reconverted it and then it worked just fine on my Kindle and my Kindle 4 PC.

04-19-2011, 06:04 AM	#5
DiapDealer Grand Sorcerer Posts: 27,546 Karma: 193191846 Join Date: Jan 2010 Device: Nexus 7, Kindle Fire HD	I think the OP is talking about DRM'ed library mobi's and the old method of "fixing" the DRM so it works on the Kindle. I don't have any info regarding the issue, but perhaps others might--provided I've properly decoded her post.

04-19-2011, 10:12 PM	#10
RoverGal Member Posts: 10 Karma: 10 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Albany, NY Device: Kindle 3	Yes, they are library books that I've used the Kindle MobiPocket Converter on, then put into Calibre and loaded onto my Kindle. It does seem like the loan has expired, but that didn't happen when I first downloaded these - I had many of these books for a couple months and they were accessible, but then suddenly none of them would open.

04-20-2011, 11:33 PM	#14
tomsem Grand Sorcerer Posts: 6,464 Karma: 25996225 Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: USA Device: iPhone 15PM, Kindle Scribe, iPad mini 6, PocketBook InkPad Color 3	I think I read somewhere that you can't fiddle with the metadata that controls the Kindle/mobipocket enablement any more without stripping the DRM entirely - they have started hashing that in. So I don't think calibre mobi-to-mobi will work either. But I could easily be wrong.

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