Kindle freezes

[Noughty]

I am just wondering if your Kindle NT freezes often? I had a couple serious freezes, when I had to restart (it restarted itself with lost data and all, none of the buttons worked) and a few when clicking next/previous page was unresponsive (I don't read in a cover so it's not the problem).

Of course I called amazon customer service. They as always were very nice. So she told me that if kindle freezes twice a day (or more than twice a day, can't recall correctly) they will replace your kindle. At the moment I am not interested in changing my kindle, why go through all the trouble again (no matter how small). But if it continues to freeze I won't care that it's just once a day - which apparently is normal according to amazon.
The freeze itself might be not such a big deal, but it also looses all the data of some time period - don't expect to continue from the place you were reading.

So just wanted to know how common the freezes were.

Other than that (and the user interface, which I do not like), I am really enjoying my kindle. Reading is really comfortable with it. And it is designed for reading, so it does the job. Now off to read some more, hope no freezes will ruin it for me

Off topic, from the email I got:

To reset your Kindle, press and hold the power button on the bottom of the Kindle for a full 30 seconds.

Once the 20 seconds have elapsed, release the power switch. The screen should go blank within a few moments, flicker or flash a few times, and then you'll see the main loading screen.

I though it's twenty seconds. Is where some difference between 20 and 30 seconds of holding the power button?

[Blossom]

Originally Posted by Noughty

I am just wondering if your Kindle NT freezes often? I had a couple serious freezes, when I had to restart (it restarted itself with lost data and all, none of the buttons worked) and a few when clicking next/previous page was unresponsive (I don't read in a cover so it's not the problem).

Of course I called amazon customer service. They as always were very nice. So she told me that if kindle freezes twice a day (or more than twice a day, can't recall correctly) they will replace your kindle. At the moment I am not interested in changing my kindle, why go through all the trouble again (no matter how small). But if it continues to freeze I won't care that it's just once a day - which apparently is normal according to amazon.
The freeze itself might be not such a big deal, but it also looses all the data of some time period - don't expect to continue from the place you were reading.

So just wanted to know how common the freezes were.

Other than that (and the user interface, which I do not like), I am really enjoying my kindle. Reading is really comfortable with it. And it is designed for reading, so it does the job. Now off to read some more, hope no freezes will ruin it for me

Off topic, from the email I got:

I though it's twenty seconds. Is where some difference between 20 and 30 seconds of holding the power button?

My K4 has only froze once while I was reading a book so I would get it replaced if it's freezing often.

Mine happen when I tried turning the page. I think it had something to do with the left page next button. So I haven't be more careful with it now. I didn't lose anything though just how much I've read since I opened the book which was like a chapter.

[Noughty]

I recently had a freeze in a very bad situation. Not only it was a 2x3 hours on a train but I had to read a paper before arriving and kindle froze, screen blanked out. I almost had a panic attack. After a few minutes it restarted. The problem is that it's no big deal to reset kindle. You lose the books, need to sync to get correct date settings... But what if you are away from home. Now I feel like kindle is very unreliable in a trip. When it should be something great for trips - multiple books in one device.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by Noughty

The problem is that it's no big deal to reset kindle. You lose the books, need to sync to get correct date settings... But what if you are away from home. Now I feel like kindle is very unreliable in a trip. When it should be something great for trips - multiple books in one device.

You don't lose your books if you reset the Kindle - a normal "hold the power in for 20s" reset just reboots it with all your books intact. The only way you'd lose them would be if you did a "Factory Reset", and there's no way that you could do that accidentally - it requires quite a long succession of menu operations to carry out.

I've owned three different Kindles, and they've all been EXTREMELY reliable - I honestly can't recall if I've ever had a freeze or a reboot (I know for sure that I've never had one with my current Kindle Touch).

The most likely cause for problems is a damaged book file. That's one reason that it's a good idea to only add books to your Kindle a few at a time. If you get problems after adding a specific book or books, delete them again. Also make sure that you let the Kindle finish indexing books that you add before using it.

If you are getting constant freezes, you really do need to contact Kindle CS. These are not normal.

[Shack70]

Originally Posted by HarryT

You don't lose your books if you reset the Kindle - a normal "hold the power in for 20s" reset just reboots it with all your books intact. The only way you'd lose them would be if you did a "Factory Reset", and there's no way that you could do that accidentally - it requires quite a long succession of menu operations to carry out.

I've owned three different Kindles, and they've all been EXTREMELY reliable - I honestly can't recall if I've ever had a freeze or a reboot (I know for sure that I've never had one with my current Kindle Touch).

The most likely cause for problems is a damaged book file. That's one reason that it's a good idea to only add books to your Kindle a few at a time. If you get problems after adding a specific book or books, delete them again. Also make sure that you let the Kindle finish indexing books that you add before using it.

If you are getting constant freezes, you really do need to contact Kindle CS. These are not normal.

Totally agree, if you are losing books and the date is off then there is something wrong and you need to contact Kindle CS.

[Noughty]

I did a reset once. You lose time settings in it - sync fixes it. If you are unable to connect to amazon account, when it's bad news for you. Date settings need to be sync, only time can be modified manually. Had a talk with customer support on that one and a few days with bad date (which messes with most recent view) since I couldn't connect to wifi then.
Now I can't remember if I lost books in that reset. Glad to know that in case this happens again I can do a reset without any fear.

As for freezes. Kindle support said that once or twice a day is normal. I disagree.

So far it had maybe 3 serious freezes, sometimes it doesn't turn the page when I click. I'm not interested in replacing kindle, if it become more frequent or annoying sure, but now not worth it.

This latest freeze would have been nothing, it just was at the worst possible time. That's why I wanted to clarify the danger of loosing books on kindle (I have them all on calibre, but while on a trip it doesn't help much). That day I did like 7 hours of reading, I would have been so lost and bored without kindle (the freeze happened about 15 mins in reading not after many hours). And that "book" was just a short txt file. I had to put some text on kindle and this seemed like the fastest way. Will need to figure out creating mobi files for stuff I need to read.

[Shack70]

Originally Posted by Noughty

I had to put some text on kindle and this seemed like the fastest way. Will need to figure out creating mobi files for stuff I need to read.

I use the Send to Kindle app from Amazon and my files get converted to a Kindle format. They seem to work great. Maybe give it a try and see if it helps? There may be something in the text files the Kindle just doesn't like.

Send To Kindle App

[Blossom]

Mine has froze up 3 times now all when reading a book. I looked at the book source code and nothing to make it do that. It's a random issue. My K3 has never done this.

[Joykins]

I have had the K NT for over a month now and haven't had any freezes at all yet.

I had a nook that repeatedly froze up, I sent it back and they sent me a new one without that problem. It turned out to be a problem with that particular nook.

For the record, I don't think once a day freezes are normal for an e-reader, and I would return an e-reader that exhibits that behavior. Once every couple of weeks, fine.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by Joykins

For the record, I don't think once a day freezes are normal for an e-reader, and I would return an e-reader that exhibits that behavior. Once every couple of weeks, fine.

Some readers are rather buggy, and DO freeze with some regularity - I've owned devices from Bookeen and Pocketbook that have done so. The Kindle however, does not do so (in my experience, at least).

[terencek]

I've had my K3 freeze up a few times, which I attribute to the known issue caused by the lugs on the leather non-light cover, which may apparently be making contact with the device's circuit board.

Because returning the cover would be such a hassle given that I live in Africa, I simply took a file to the lugs to make them very slightly shorter, then blacked the freshly-exposed metal with a felt-tipped marker pen. Been fine ever since!

[Noughty]

Originally Posted by Shack70

I use the Send to Kindle app from Amazon and my files get converted to a Kindle format. They seem to work great. Maybe give it a try and see if it helps? There may be something in the text files the Kindle just doesn't like.

Send To Kindle App

Already downloaded, will have to try it out. Thanks