Preserve reading stats over a factory reset?

dmapr · 02-18-2014, 01:31 PM

Is this possible? I think I've been bit by the battery bug in 3.0.1 and I would like to see if a factory reset will help, but I'd rather not lose my reading stats if I can help it. So I was wondering if the following procedure should get me there -- does anyone have any experience with this?

Delete all the books from the device
Reboot
Back up the database
Factory reset
Upgrade to the same firmware version I have now (3.1.1)
Restore the database
Reboot
Put the books back

Does it sound reasonable or am I in for an unpleasant surprise?

dclauzel · 02-18-2014, 02:03 PM

When you sync your ereader, your reading stats are stored into Kobo's servers, and are therefore restored when you sync after your factory reset.

paola · 02-18-2014, 03:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dclauzel

When you sync your ereader, your reading stats are stored into Kobo's servers, and are therefore restored when you sync after your factory reset.

however the sync will not restore any info related to sideloaded books (i.e. books not bought from Kobo).

dmapr · 02-18-2014, 07:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by paola

however the sync will not restore any info related to sideloaded books (i.e. books not bought from Kobo).

Exactly, meaning none of my stats will be covered since I sideload even the books bought from Kobo.

davidfor · 02-18-2014, 07:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dmapr

Is this possible? I think I've been bit by the battery bug in 3.0.1 and I would like to see if a factory reset will help, but I'd rather not lose my reading stats if I can help it. So I was wondering if the following procedure should get me there -- does anyone have any experience with this?

Delete all the books from the device
Reboot
Back up the database
Factory reset
Upgrade to the same firmware version I have now (3.1.1)
Restore the database
Reboot
Put the books back

Does it sound reasonable or am I in for an unpleasant surprise?

That should work but it also depends on what you are after.

The reading stats and the book status are stored in different places in the database. The table "content" has a row for each book. This has the reading status (unread, in progress and finished) plus the current position in the book. The table "Event" holds rows for events that happen with the book. This records when you open a book, close a book, finish a book, how many time you turn the page for each book and lot of other things.

If you simply want to keep the reading stats, that should work. But, if you want to keep the reading status status of the books, it won't.

The way I have done this in the past is to backup the complete user partition, do the factory reset and upgrade and the testing I wanted to do. Then I restored the complete user partition.

The alternative is using calibre and my Kobo Utilities plugin. This can store the reading status for all the books that are on the device and in the library. After the factory reset and restoring the books, it can set their reading status.

There is an added complication for books kepubs from the Kobo server. I'm not sure what state these will be in after your method. There is a good chance they will be listed in the library but will give errors when you open them.

dmapr · 02-18-2014, 10:13 PM

David, thanks for such a detailed reply and the user partition suggestion. That one would be everything visible on the mounted drive and nothing else, correct?

I basically want to keep the accumulated stats (total number of books, hours) and Reading Life awards. I only read one book at a time, so I'm perfectly happy to do it in-between books. But if backing up the whole user partition is a sound approach then maybe I'm over-engineering the solution to the problem

I've already deleted the kepubs from the library. I downloaded and sideloaded the epub versions of those books I bought, so I didn't need the kepubs coming back after every sync

davidfor · 02-18-2014, 10:51 PM

Yes, backing up the user partition will work. I have done an occasional factory resets so that I could reinstall firmware like you are doing. The last couple of times I have done it by backing up the user partition and restoring it later.

The only concern with this method is if the battery issues are caused by something on the user partition. It shouldn't be, but, there is a small chance it is. The only reasons I can think of for that to happen is if there was a bad book that caused lots of extra CPU usage when reading, or something causing a lot of writes to the partition. The only reason I can think of for the latter is if the database is corrupt, can't be written to properly and the firmware keeps trying to. If this was the case, then what you are doing won't work because the database will be corrupt when it is read afterwards. Doing a check on it is a good idea.

Also, make sure you get everything from the partition. There are several directories whose name start with a dot. These will be hidden on a Linux or Mac system.

dmapr · 02-19-2014, 01:46 AM

Good suggestions, thanks. Any tool that can verify the database integrity?

Most of the battery drain occurs during sleep. This could be an indication of the system not going to sleep properly, I suppose. Perhaps I should see what happens if I power it down instead.

davidfor · 02-19-2014, 01:58 AM

My Kobo Utilities plugin for calibre has an option to do it. Otherwise, any SQLite database viewer/manager will probably have an option to do it. At the least they will let you run "PRAGMA integrity_check" against the database.

dmapr · 02-19-2014, 02:05 AM

Many thanks!

Database says it's OK.

02-18-2014, 01:31 PM	#1
dmapr Evangelist Posts: 469 Karma: 600816 Join Date: Sep 2009 Device: Kobo Aura HD, Kobo Aura One	Preserve reading stats over a factory reset? Is this possible? I think I've been bit by the battery bug in 3.0.1 and I would like to see if a factory reset will help, but I'd rather not lose my reading stats if I can help it. So I was wondering if the following procedure should get me there -- does anyone have any experience with this? Delete all the books from the device Reboot Back up the database Factory reset Upgrade to the same firmware version I have now (3.1.1) Restore the database Reboot Put the books back Does it sound reasonable or am I in for an unpleasant surprise?

02-19-2014, 02:05 AM	#10
dmapr Evangelist Posts: 469 Karma: 600816 Join Date: Sep 2009 Device: Kobo Aura HD, Kobo Aura One	Many thanks! Database says it's OK. Last edited by dmapr; 02-19-2014 at 02:09 AM.

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Glo Reading Life Reading Stats inaccuracy	Uschiekid	Kobo Reader	18	02-08-2014 08:57 PM
Mini How to do a factory reset ?	MrBook69	Kobo Reader	15	07-26-2013 05:31 PM
Glo How to access Reading Menu Stats reading sideloaded epubs	cinetici	Kobo Reader	23	05-27-2013 07:43 AM
What happens when you do a factory reset?	Cameronpaterson	Kobo Reader	16	12-20-2011 09:48 PM
Factory Reset!	sammieb77	enTourage Archive	55	03-18-2011 09:07 PM

02-18-2014, 02:03 PM	#2
dclauzel Enthusiast Posts: 47 Karma: 11516 Join Date: Sep 2013 Location: France Device: Kobo Aura HD	When you sync your ereader, your reading stats are stored into Kobo's servers, and are therefore restored when you sync after your factory reset.

02-18-2014, 10:13 PM	#6
dmapr Evangelist Posts: 469 Karma: 600816 Join Date: Sep 2009 Device: Kobo Aura HD, Kobo Aura One	David, thanks for such a detailed reply and the user partition suggestion. That one would be everything visible on the mounted drive and nothing else, correct? I basically want to keep the accumulated stats (total number of books, hours) and Reading Life awards. I only read one book at a time, so I'm perfectly happy to do it in-between books. But if backing up the whole user partition is a sound approach then maybe I'm over-engineering the solution to the problem I've already deleted the kepubs from the library. I downloaded and sideloaded the epub versions of those books I bought, so I didn't need the kepubs coming back after every sync

02-18-2014, 10:51 PM	#7
davidfor Grand Sorcerer Posts: 24,905 Karma: 47303824 Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Sydney, Australia Device: Kobo:Touch,Glo, AuraH2O, GloHD,AuraONE, ClaraHD, Libra H2O; tolinoepos	Yes, backing up the user partition will work. I have done an occasional factory resets so that I could reinstall firmware like you are doing. The last couple of times I have done it by backing up the user partition and restoring it later. The only concern with this method is if the battery issues are caused by something on the user partition. It shouldn't be, but, there is a small chance it is. The only reasons I can think of for that to happen is if there was a bad book that caused lots of extra CPU usage when reading, or something causing a lot of writes to the partition. The only reason I can think of for the latter is if the database is corrupt, can't be written to properly and the firmware keeps trying to. If this was the case, then what you are doing won't work because the database will be corrupt when it is read afterwards. Doing a check on it is a good idea. Also, make sure you get everything from the partition. There are several directories whose name start with a dot. These will be hidden on a Linux or Mac system.

02-19-2014, 01:46 AM	#8
dmapr Evangelist Posts: 469 Karma: 600816 Join Date: Sep 2009 Device: Kobo Aura HD, Kobo Aura One	Good suggestions, thanks. Any tool that can verify the database integrity? Most of the battery drain occurs during sleep. This could be an indication of the system not going to sleep properly, I suppose. Perhaps I should see what happens if I power it down instead.

02-19-2014, 01:58 AM	#9
davidfor Grand Sorcerer Posts: 24,905 Karma: 47303824 Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Sydney, Australia Device: Kobo:Touch,Glo, AuraH2O, GloHD,AuraONE, ClaraHD, Libra H2O; tolinoepos	My Kobo Utilities plugin for calibre has an option to do it. Otherwise, any SQLite database viewer/manager will probably have an option to do it. At the least they will let you run "PRAGMA integrity_check" against the database.

Advert

Advert