Glo My Kobo Glo keeps losing books

MinaReads · 09-10-2014, 09:36 AM

Hi all - I'm a newbie here, and not very tech-savvy I'm afraid, but hoping someone can help me.

I've had my Kobo Glo for around 2 years and been very happy with it, but recently it keeps losing my books. Sometimes just the ones I've loaded from Calibre, but sometimes the Kobo store ones as well. It happens after I connect to my computer to charge up - I load books, but when I disconnect my Kobo it says my library is empty. I've tried looking inside its folders next time I connect it to my computer, and the books are still there - I just can't access them from the Kobo.

I've lost count of how many times I've done a factory reset, and I've also tried uninstalling both Calibre and the Kobo software and re-installing. That's about the limit of my expertise!

Any ideas, anyone? Or is it time to go shopping for a new e-reader?

ETA: Apologies if this is in the wrong forum/thread/thingy - I'm afraid I'm not very forum-savvy either. *facepalm*

davidfor · 09-10-2014, 09:52 AM

These are symptoms of a corrupt database on the device. You will probably see something similar if you power off and on. As you are using calibre, you can check this with my Kobo Utilities plugin. It has an function to check the database and report if there are any problems with it.

The solution is to logout of your Kobo account on the device. This will create a new empty database, restart and prompt you to login. Then it will reload the sideloaded books and download the books from Kobo.

Sometimes this doesn't work. In that case, do a factory reset. That will completely clean everything up and you are back to an out-of-the-box device.

MinaReads · 09-10-2014, 10:12 AM

Thanks, davidfor, but I've already done a factory reset several times and the problem keeps coming back, so I'm guessing there's something that keeps corrupting the database?
I tried logging out and resetting as you suggested, and it DID restore the ability to delete books from the Kobo, so... *crosses fingers*

Thanks for helping!

meeera · 09-10-2014, 12:02 PM

A couple of things, just because you say you're not tech-savvy, and sorry if they're obvious: are you completely sure you're doing a factory reset, not a simple pinhole reset? And what exact procedure do you use when disconnecting your Kobo from the computer after adding books? (What do you do on the computer, what do you do with which cable plug and when, what does the Kobo show straight after?) Sometimes incorrect disconnections can cause issues.

MinaReads · 09-10-2014, 06:46 PM

Fair question. The pinhole reset hasn't been helping, so I've been doing the reset with the power and light switches where you have to faff around setting the whole thing up again afterwards. I've done that at least 5 times.

My usual sequence of events is:
1. plug in USB and tap "connect" on Kobo Glo
2. open up Calibre and add some books to the reader - either epubs I've bought or downloaded from AO3 (fanfic archive), or Kindle books I've converted in Calibre
3. close Calibre
4. open Kobo software because they say you have to (sometimes this comes before 3, sometimes not)
5. either let Kobo sync or be too impatient to wait
6. eject ereader via Kobo software
7. unplug ereader (which shows no sign of having been ejected, but then it never has)
8. wait several minutes for the mise a jour
9. read "your library is empty"
10. weep bitter tears over screen
11. do the reset thing again; rinse and repeat

I have recently tried replacing steps 4-6 with ejecting the ereader from windows using the thingy in the bottom right of the computer screen, and I don't think it's misbehaved yet when I do it that way.

The problem has only happened in the last couple of weeks, so I wondered if it might possibly be down to some software update that wasn't meshing Calibre properly with Kobo. *scratches head*

davidfor · 09-10-2014, 08:12 PM

I recommend not using calibre and the Kobo desktop application in the same connection session. It should be OK, but, I had some problems early on and now avoid it. Running both at the same time is definitely a bad idea.

Unless you are syncing books with Kobo and don't have WiFi, the desktop app isn't very useful. About the only time I use it is after a factory reset and if I wan't to remove a lot of kepubs from the device. The app is better for this than the device UI.

I usually eject from within calibre. Then I make sure Windows has ejected it before disconnecting. And to make the eject easier, I use the SmartEject plugin to give me a nice button to press. That has some other options, but I turn them off.

MinaReads · 09-11-2014, 04:07 AM

Heh, this is why a little knowledge is a dangerous thing! I didn't even know there was an eject function in Calibre - have found it now.

Thanks so much for the help!

09-10-2014, 09:36 AM	#1
MinaReads Junior Member Posts: 4 Karma: 10 Join Date: Sep 2014 Location: UK Device: Kobo Glo, Sony 350	My Kobo Glo keeps losing books Hi all - I'm a newbie here, and not very tech-savvy I'm afraid, but hoping someone can help me. I've had my Kobo Glo for around 2 years and been very happy with it, but recently it keeps losing my books. Sometimes just the ones I've loaded from Calibre, but sometimes the Kobo store ones as well. It happens after I connect to my computer to charge up - I load books, but when I disconnect my Kobo it says my library is empty. I've tried looking inside its folders next time I connect it to my computer, and the books are still there - I just can't access them from the Kobo. I've lost count of how many times I've done a factory reset, and I've also tried uninstalling both Calibre and the Kobo software and re-installing. That's about the limit of my expertise! Any ideas, anyone? Or is it time to go shopping for a new e-reader? ETA: Apologies if this is in the wrong forum/thread/thingy - I'm afraid I'm not very forum-savvy either. facepalm Last edited by MinaReads; 09-10-2014 at 09:38 AM. Reason: apology

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09-10-2014, 09:52 AM	#2
davidfor Grand Sorcerer Posts: 24,907 Karma: 47303748 Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Sydney, Australia Device: Kobo:Touch,Glo, AuraH2O, GloHD,AuraONE, ClaraHD, Libra H2O; tolinoepos	These are symptoms of a corrupt database on the device. You will probably see something similar if you power off and on. As you are using calibre, you can check this with my Kobo Utilities plugin. It has an function to check the database and report if there are any problems with it. The solution is to logout of your Kobo account on the device. This will create a new empty database, restart and prompt you to login. Then it will reload the sideloaded books and download the books from Kobo. Sometimes this doesn't work. In that case, do a factory reset. That will completely clean everything up and you are back to an out-of-the-box device.

09-10-2014, 10:12 AM	#3
MinaReads Junior Member Posts: 4 Karma: 10 Join Date: Sep 2014 Location: UK Device: Kobo Glo, Sony 350	Thanks, davidfor, but I've already done a factory reset several times and the problem keeps coming back, so I'm guessing there's something that keeps corrupting the database? I tried logging out and resetting as you suggested, and it DID restore the ability to delete books from the Kobo, so... crosses fingers Thanks for helping!

09-10-2014, 12:02 PM	#4
meeera Grand Sorcerer Posts: 5,659 Karma: 66420972 Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Australia Device: Kobo Libra 2, iPadMini4, iPad4, MBP; support other Kobo/Kindles	A couple of things, just because you say you're not tech-savvy, and sorry if they're obvious: are you completely sure you're doing a factory reset, not a simple pinhole reset? And what exact procedure do you use when disconnecting your Kobo from the computer after adding books? (What do you do on the computer, what do you do with which cable plug and when, what does the Kobo show straight after?) Sometimes incorrect disconnections can cause issues.

09-10-2014, 06:46 PM	#5
MinaReads Junior Member Posts: 4 Karma: 10 Join Date: Sep 2014 Location: UK Device: Kobo Glo, Sony 350	Fair question. The pinhole reset hasn't been helping, so I've been doing the reset with the power and light switches where you have to faff around setting the whole thing up again afterwards. I've done that at least 5 times. My usual sequence of events is: 1. plug in USB and tap "connect" on Kobo Glo 2. open up Calibre and add some books to the reader - either epubs I've bought or downloaded from AO3 (fanfic archive), or Kindle books I've converted in Calibre 3. close Calibre 4. open Kobo software because they say you have to (sometimes this comes before 3, sometimes not) 5. either let Kobo sync or be too impatient to wait 6. eject ereader via Kobo software 7. unplug ereader (which shows no sign of having been ejected, but then it never has) 8. wait several minutes for the mise a jour 9. read "your library is empty" 10. weep bitter tears over screen 11. do the reset thing again; rinse and repeat I have recently tried replacing steps 4-6 with ejecting the ereader from windows using the thingy in the bottom right of the computer screen, and I don't think it's misbehaved yet when I do it that way. The problem has only happened in the last couple of weeks, so I wondered if it might possibly be down to some software update that wasn't meshing Calibre properly with Kobo. scratches head

09-10-2014, 08:12 PM	#6
davidfor Grand Sorcerer Posts: 24,907 Karma: 47303748 Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Sydney, Australia Device: Kobo:Touch,Glo, AuraH2O, GloHD,AuraONE, ClaraHD, Libra H2O; tolinoepos	I recommend not using calibre and the Kobo desktop application in the same connection session. It should be OK, but, I had some problems early on and now avoid it. Running both at the same time is definitely a bad idea. Unless you are syncing books with Kobo and don't have WiFi, the desktop app isn't very useful. About the only time I use it is after a factory reset and if I wan't to remove a lot of kepubs from the device. The app is better for this than the device UI. I usually eject from within calibre. Then I make sure Windows has ejected it before disconnecting. And to make the eject easier, I use the SmartEject plugin to give me a nice button to press. That has some other options, but I turn them off.

09-11-2014, 04:07 AM	#7
MinaReads Junior Member Posts: 4 Karma: 10 Join Date: Sep 2014 Location: UK Device: Kobo Glo, Sony 350	Heh, this is why a little knowledge is a dangerous thing! I didn't even know there was an eject function in Calibre - have found it now. Thanks so much for the help!