How does one tell if an ebook is DRM'd?

AlexBell · 04-26-2009, 01:56 AM

I broke my Cybook a couple of days ago and am waiting for my next one to arrive. While I am waiting I plan on removing DRM from my ebooks so that I can read them on the new Cybook without having to download them again.

I have a lot of ebooks, and unfortunately did not keep a record of whether they have DRM or not. Some I know do, some I know do not, and some I'm not sure.

Is there a simple way of checking?

I know I can try to reformat the books through Calibre, and Calibre will tell me if it cannot proceed if the book has DRM. But it's cumbersome, and if the book can be reformatted I have a copy in a format I don't want.

I've been advised to try to read the book in FBReader, but haven't been to find it.

Regards, Alex

wallcraft · 04-26-2009, 02:15 AM

Try my Python script, kindledrm.py, see Kindle Books From Amazon Without DRM. This works for AZW and MOBI DRM.

You can instead try to view the MOBIs in Calibre or FBReader. Note that FBReader will fail on MOBIs with MOBI-specific high compression.

AlexBell · 04-26-2009, 02:46 AM

Thanks, Wallcraft, that's most helpful and very prompt.

I've downloaded your python script and FBReader setup. But just after I posted I thought I'd try putting a definitely not DRM'd ebook through the script which removes DRM but must not be named, and found it complained of a bad header. So that's an even simpler test.

Regards, Alex

HarryT · 04-26-2009, 09:49 AM

Wouldn't simply trying to open it in a reader which doesn't support Mobi DRM, such as uBook or FBReader, be even easier?

wallcraft · 04-26-2009, 10:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

Wouldn't simply trying to open it in a reader which doesn't support Mobi DRM, such as uBook or FBReader, be even easier?

Its easier if you want to check a single ebook. The kindledrm script is designed to put in a loop over many ebooks. If I was more familiar with Python, it would have taken a directory as an argument rather than a MOBI/AZW and do the looping internally.

delphidb96 · 04-26-2009, 12:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AlexBell

I broke my Cybook a couple of days ago and am waiting for my next one to arrive. While I am waiting I plan on removing DRM from my ebooks so that I can read them on the new Cybook without having to download them again.

I have a lot of ebooks, and unfortunately did not keep a record of whether they have DRM or not. Some I know do, some I know do not, and some I'm not sure.

Is there a simple way of checking?

I know I can try to reformat the books through Calibre, and Calibre will tell me if it cannot proceed if the book has DRM. But it's cumbersome, and if the book can be reformatted I have a copy in a format I don't want.

I've been advised to try to read the book in FBReader, but haven't been to find it.

Regards, Alex

I usually stick the tip of my tongue to one end of the ebook. If I get a (tiny) shock, I know it's been DRM-locked.

Derek

AlexBell · 04-27-2009, 07:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

Wouldn't simply trying to open it in a reader which doesn't support Mobi DRM, such as uBook or FBReader, be even easier?

Yes it would, Harry.

But I've downloaded the FBReader Windows XP installation file several times and found that all I get when I double click on it is that it disappears, and I can't get any response from the FBReader forums.

And I can't even find ubook.

Regards, Alex

AnemicOak · 04-27-2009, 09:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AlexBell

And I can't even find ubook.

µBook can be found here...

http://www.gowerpoint.com/uBook_main.html

jruschme · 04-27-2009, 12:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

Wouldn't simply trying to open it in a reader which doesn't support Mobi DRM, such as uBook or FBReader, be even easier?

Maybe it's just me, but my wife has managed to buy a couple of books where are not supposed to have DRM, but get flagged by Calibre as having DRM.

I assume the problem is that the DRM bytes are set even though the book is not encrypted, so is there a better test?

wallcraft · 04-27-2009, 08:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jruschme

Maybe it's just me, but my wife has managed to buy a couple of books where are not supposed to have DRM, but get flagged by Calibre as having DRM.

Were these MOBI ebooks? MOBI has a DRM mode where there is no PID but the ebook is encrypted and can only be read by MobiPocket's own Reader. See Content Encryption.

AlexBell · 04-29-2009, 12:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AnemicOak

µBook can be found here...

http://www.gowerpoint.com/uBook_main.html

Thanks, Brian. I've downloaded it and licensed it, but find it very difficult to use. It's not the world's most user friendly software, in my opinion anyway.

My new Cybook should be here by the end of the week, so I guess I'll know what ebooks on my SD drive are DRM'd by the fact that they won't open.

Regards, Alex

04-26-2009, 01:56 AM	#1
AlexBell Wizard Posts: 3,413 Karma: 13369310 Join Date: May 2008 Location: Launceston, Tasmania Device: Sony PRS T3, Kobo Glo, Kindle Touch, iPad, Samsung SB 2 tablet	How does one tell if an ebook is DRM'd? I broke my Cybook a couple of days ago and am waiting for my next one to arrive. While I am waiting I plan on removing DRM from my ebooks so that I can read them on the new Cybook without having to download them again. I have a lot of ebooks, and unfortunately did not keep a record of whether they have DRM or not. Some I know do, some I know do not, and some I'm not sure. Is there a simple way of checking? I know I can try to reformat the books through Calibre, and Calibre will tell me if it cannot proceed if the book has DRM. But it's cumbersome, and if the book can be reformatted I have a copy in a format I don't want. I've been advised to try to read the book in FBReader, but haven't been to find it. Regards, Alex

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04-26-2009, 02:15 AM	#2
wallcraft reader Posts: 6,975 Karma: 5183568 Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Mississippi, USA Device: Kindle 3, Kobo Glo HD	Try my Python script, kindledrm.py, see Kindle Books From Amazon Without DRM. This works for AZW and MOBI DRM. You can instead try to view the MOBIs in Calibre or FBReader. Note that FBReader will fail on MOBIs with MOBI-specific high compression.

04-26-2009, 02:46 AM	#3
AlexBell Wizard Posts: 3,413 Karma: 13369310 Join Date: May 2008 Location: Launceston, Tasmania Device: Sony PRS T3, Kobo Glo, Kindle Touch, iPad, Samsung SB 2 tablet	Thanks, Wallcraft, that's most helpful and very prompt. I've downloaded your python script and FBReader setup. But just after I posted I thought I'd try putting a definitely not DRM'd ebook through the script which removes DRM but must not be named, and found it complained of a bad header. So that's an even simpler test. Regards, Alex

04-26-2009, 09:49 AM	#4
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383043 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	Wouldn't simply trying to open it in a reader which doesn't support Mobi DRM, such as uBook or FBReader, be even easier?

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