Email from connect about "authorisation" problem

[ChrisAllenFiz]

So, I just received a mail from connect saying that my connect software needs updating to solve a technical issue. Did everyone get this, or just a select few?

[Stuart Young]

Me 2..

Dear Customer,



This e-mail is to inform you that Sony Connect recently experienced a now-resolved technical issue that resulted in problems for a small number of user accounts. Unfortunately, your account is among those few that were impacted. As a result, you may have received an incorrect license key required to: i) access the eBooks you purchased during this period; or ii) to authorize your PC and/or eBook Reader to your account.



To rectify this matter, please contact Customer Service at 866-919-7669 at your earliest convenience.



We have included the following instructions for you to follow when discussing the re-authorization of your PC and/or eBook Reader with our Customer Service Team. These instructions tell you how to delete the license keys on your PC and eBook Reader and to re-authorize each so that they can properly interact with the online store. Please note that you will get a credit for the exact amount required to re-purchase the eBooks you purchased during this period.



Step 1: Please make sure you can access the PC(s) which were authorized to your account (i.e., any PC on which you installed the Connect Reader software). You will need to delete a few folders on your hard drive:



You can do this by following the below steps:



1) Right-click on the Windows “Start” button on the lower-left hand corner of your screen.

2) Select “Explore”

3) Copy the address “C:\Program Files\Sony\CONNECT Reader” (or wherever Sony Connect Reader is installed) and paste it into the address bar – press enter

4) Right-click on “C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\kinoma” and select “delete”

5) Right-click on “C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Marlin” and select “delete”

6) Right-click on "C:\Documents and Settings\Personal User Profile [i.e., your user name for Windows, e.g., jsmith]\Local Settings\Application Data\kinoma" and select “delete”

7) Re-start the Connect Reader software application

8) Log-in with your user name and password – it will re-authorize your PC to your account (this will be counted as your only PC authorization)

9) Your PC should be ready to make purchases



Step 2: You will need to reset the device(s) which you have authorized to your PC. You can do this by following the below steps:



1) If the device is on, slide the "Power" so that it turns off. Look for a small pinhole on the back panel and press the reset button on the back using a pin.

2) Slide the “Power” button to turn it on. While the screen displays "Starting up ...", you will see the light above the "Power" button flash in yellow. Wait for 35 to 40 seconds, then proceed to hold down the “MARK” and “VOL +” buttons.

3) CONTINUE TO keep these 2 buttons pressed for about 5 to 10 seconds, until the round “PAGE” button makes a quick blue flash.

4) CONTINUE to keep these 2 buttons pressed for another 25 seconds, the screen will show a “Reset All” message, and ask to delete all content.

5) Press button '5' to clean up content, this could take several minutes if you have many files on the Reader. When the deletion completes, the Reader will turn off.

6) Press the "Power" button to turn it on; this could take several minutes if you have many files on the Reader.

7) Connect your device to your PC and log-in to the store.

8) Go to Account>Manage Devices – you will be asked if you’d like to authorize this device to your account. Please say yes.

9) Your device should be ready to read eBooks purchased from your account.



We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused. We certainly value you as a customer and are taking all necessary steps to ensure this does not happen again. To thank you for your patience, we will be sending you a gift certificate good for the purchase of any two individual eBooks in our store, compliments of the Sony Connect eBooks Team.



Regards,



Sony Connect eBooks Team

[ChrisAllenFiz]

I wonder if they accidentally messed up the DRM somehow. Seems suspicious somehow to me.

[Bob Russell]

Two free books is a nice peace offering. For us tekkie types, that's a great deal. Now I wish I had that problem! I just hope the non-tech folk out there don't just give up on it.

The rush to get people upgraded does remind one of MS trying to upgrade MS Reader users to get to an improved version of DRM (and they bribed people with free .lit books that summer). But this one seems to be more about malfunctioning DRM that they want to correct to avoid problems. Unless, of course, that wrong license is a skeleton key to any book.

[ChrisAllenFiz]

Originally Posted by Bob Russell

Two free books is a nice peace offering. For us tekkie types, that's a great deal. Now I wish I had that problem! I just hope the non-tech folk out there don't just give up on it.

The rush to get people upgraded does remind one of MS trying to upgrade MS Reader users to get to an improved version of DRM (and they bribed people with free .lit books that summer). But this one seems to be more about malfunctioning DRM that they want to correct to avoid problems. Unless, of course, that wrong license is a skeleton key to any book.

The only thing that worries me is that they may have tightened up thier non-US account checking. I don`t want to get locked out! I don`t care about stealing books, if you want to do that there are much easier ways.

[sarahw2275]

I've also received this email. I'm not particularly good with computers and i'm abit nervous about doing this. Has anyone else in the UK done this yet and if so did you have any problems? I've already used my $50 credit and loaded the books onto my reader. Am i going to lose them and my $50 credit?

[ultim8fury]

I feel really left out. I've not had an email from them yet.

[sarahw2275]

Ok, I'm having probems already!! I told you i wasn't good with computers. I've right clicked on the start menu, clicked explore, and then it tells you to copy an address into the address bar. What address bar!! I can't find one! I'm hoping someone who actually nows what they are doing will help me. Please!!
Ok i've found theaddress bar and entered the address stated in the e mail but the files they want me to delete aren't there!

[igorsk]

I would suggest doing the reset only if you cannot login into the shop (I was getting the message "this PC is already activated for another account"). "Don't fix what ain't broken" is my motto
And yes, that instruction is pretty confusing. Here's what I suggest to do instead of steps 3-6:

3. Paste "%ALLUSERSPROFILE%\Application Data" (no quotes) into the address bar and press Enter.
4. Delete folders "kinoma" and "Marlin" there
5. Paste "%USERPROFILE%\Local Settings\Application Data" (no quotes) into the address bar and press Enter.
6. Delete folder "kinoma"

And here's the address bar (next to the "Address" text):

[sarahw2275]

@igorsk . I appreciate you offering help. I've pasted the address you listed into the address bar but I'm getting the message "search is complete. No results to display"
I have another compuer. Would it work if i just installed the software onto that computer?

Sorry i've found those files!!
Now what do I do? Again I really appeciate this!!

[sarahw2275]

I'm trying to restart the connect software and log in, but now I'm getting the message invalid login or password!!

[sarahw2275]

Sorry about this guys!!
Ok i've managed to sort out the PC part of the email. I've logged in again and am now about to reset my reader. As this is going to delete all the books that i've purchased using my $50 credit, how do I get my credit or books back, or do i just lose them?

[igorsk]

They should stay in the PC library so you can upload them to Reader again. Or, in any case, you can redownload bought books from the "Account" page in the shop.

[sarahw2275]

Thanks for your help.
I've sorted it out and reclaimed my e books. I think that we deserve more than 2 free books for our trouble though, if they ever send us our gift certificates

[ChrisAllenFiz]

Originally Posted by sarahw2275

Thanks for your help.
I've sorted it out and reclaimed my e books. I think that we deserve more than 2 free books for our trouble though, if they ever send us our gift certificates

Glad to know you fixed it up. I feel a bit better about trying it myself now.