Aura H2O Problems with USB - won't eject safely and problem recognizing device

[Alan_S]

Recently I bought Aura H2O. I also use Win7 64 Ultimate.

On first installation when I plugged device in USB I received message to install desktop software from given link (on screen of device). I downloaded desktop software while I kept device plugged in USB.

Device wasn't recognized until I plugged device out of USB and plugged it in different USB port.

After that I have two problems:

a) I couldn't safely eject device, not with Kobo desktop, not with standard option. Only way (except just plugging it out) is to open explorer, choose eject on kobo drive letter, receive message that it can't be done and choose to continue, ignoring that it can't be done.

b) USB port that I first plugged device behaves strangely. Sometimes I receive message that USB device failed and it couldn't be used. This is more often than not. But sometimes works.

Other USB port works fine.

I tried do remove device drivers, but it didn't helped.

I asked Kobo, they said to uninstall desktop software and install it again. Is there some other advice? Has someone had similar experience with device?

[filmo]

Don't know why but sometimes a computer will have a USB port that doesn't behave properly while another USB port on that computer has no problems. Be happy it has USB port without problems. Some Original Asus EEPC netbooks had similar problem.

[JSWolf]

Try the following.. plug the H2O into the USB port that it is recognized with. Don't do anything. Just try to eject it. If it cannot be ejected, then you have some software running on your computer that's in the way. Find it and stop it.

[Alan_S]

@filmo, the USB port that misbehaves is my "favorite" one, i.e. I use it most of the time and with all other devices it works without problems.

So this is something related with installation process of Kobo drivers, something didn't worked out.

@JSWolf, yes, I couldn't eject it in any way but the one I described in first post. If you have suggestion how to find software that engages device in a way to disable safe ejecting it, it would be appreciated.

I have some devices that have no problem with ejecting, so it works with other devices. Also, Kobo desktop isn't running at all. I tried to eject it with it, but it also doesn't work.

So it could be that ejecting H20 couldn't be done (maybe something with drivers), or it could be there really is some program that blocks it. Can't tell.

EDIT:

I just tried what Kobo suggested and I uninstalled Kobo desktop software.

After that I could eject device without problem. On the other hand, after I tried ejecting, I tried USB port that behaves strangely.

Well, it was the same, notebook reported that USB device failed. Also, it somehow caused problems with reader, it looked like it wasn't registered (first screen that shows I need to download desktop software and installed it) and if there was no syncing between Kobo desktop and ebook reader. I mean, after failing to connect it to first USB port, I tried with second, working one and problems where there.

As I already had problems with sideloading lot of ebooks (dozens of them) and then I needed to reset device (I turned it off and then on, not actual reset), I turned it off and on. After that I needed to choose language.

Well, after choosing language it works seemingly fine, it even recognizes syncs I did in between.

It looks very strange, software, both reader and Kobo desktop looks very unstable, with lots of bugs that manifest itself pretty easily.

If someone has an idea how to get that USB port working with reader, please suggest. I will use other USB port, but this definitely is strange.

[cybmole]

One drastic cure that I know of for USB port issues is to remove them in device manager , reboot & let windows find them & re-install them. hat removes the "wrong" drivers that windows has managed to associate with specific devices in a specific port

but it's never obvious which port is which ,in device manager, if you have 5 or more of them!

but before you resort to that, it's possible to connect device to a good usb port then query what driver windows is using for it. then remove device, connect it to the "bad" port and query again. if a different driver is reported then that's your issues confirmed. if same drive is reported in both instances then time to think again ;-(

I don't have a device tested to check with but I think if the device si visible as a "disk" then you right click into properties then go to details and driver.... from there you may be able to update or roll back a wrong driver.

[Alan_S]

Yes, that's something I might try, looking what driver is used for device.

At the moment, when "USB device failes", there's no driver (I need to check this up). I tried to remove driver when device was in "good" USB port. That didn't helped.

On the other hand, at least I have USB port that works, that is good news.

[davidfor]

Try USBDeview. It will list all USB devices and drivers that have ever been connected to the PC. Find all the references to Kobo and remove them. If the issue was a driver being incorrectly installed, that should fix it.

[filmo]

I seldom use windows but when I do always refuse setting auto connect option for any device connected to a USB port. I prefer making my own right or wrong choice each time.

[Alan_S]

Originally Posted by davidfor

Try USBDeview.

Thanks this helped and it is interesting program.

But, plot thickens.

By USBDeview I saw two version of Kobo - Kobo eReader-3.7.0 and Kobo eReader-0.0.0

I deleted both and now I only have first one (3.7.0). My firmware was upgraded at first installation and now I see it as 3.12.0, but it originally came as 3.7.0. And USBDeview still reports it as 3.7.0.

Deleting both didn't solved problem, but I tried to play with USB cable.

Surprise was when with new (actually old cable from HTC mobile phone) cable I had two consecutive successful connections. I started to think that there's something wrong with kobo USB cable and this particular USB port.

But, as story goes, this isn't quite so. I tried working USB port and after that again problematic one. Well, again I received USB device failure.

Well, this is really strange, isn't it.

To make things even more interesting, I noticed one file: Fsck0000.rec and it has size of 8.192 bytes. It was in one moment in root of kobo reader. I didn't put it there. I also removed it from there, but luckily on my HDD.

I got strange idea to play with this file.

I put it back on reader when it was in working USB port. After that, when I put reader in not working USB port and NOT turning off (sleeping mod, not full turning off) reader, not working USB port worked like charm.

Strange thing is, kobo reader does something with this file. It disappears.

I cycled 4-5 times putting Fsck0000.rec on root of kobo reader while on working USB port and after that I could use not working USB port for one time.

Isn't it strange? This file certainly has something to do with how kobo and non working USB port react to each other. But kobo reader uses that file somehow and deletes it afterward.

It certainly looks like some good mystery novel, isn't it.

[PeterT]

The Fsck0000.rec is from a fsck (file system check) run by the Kobo and can be deleted.

[Alan_S]

And why it affects working with USB port, if you know?

[tshering]

Originally Posted by Alan_S

And why it affects working with USB port, if you know?

I would guess this is a coincidence. Maybe your usb cord has a loose connection or something like this and works only if in a certain position.

[JSWolf]

If you run Windows, try running Windows in safe mode. Then plug the HD into the working USB port and try to eject it. If it does eject, then you know it's some piece of software you run when the computer starts up.

[yayo]

I used to have a problem with my KOBO Aura (now I have a H2O) where my PC would recognize the reader's internal memory but wouldn't properly detect a microSD card inserted into the reader's external memory slot. Within a minute my PC would freeze and need a reboot to come back to life. Without the microSD card inserted everything would be fine, also there would be no problems if I connected the Aura to the PC in safe mode with the microSd card inserted. I remember asking here for advice but nobody was able to help me. In the end I found a solution which was reinstalling the USB Mass Storage Driver ( I have Win 7 64bit but I think there are also versions for Win 8) via a .bat file available here

[Alan_S]

Originally Posted by tshering

I would guess this is a coincidence. Maybe your usb cord has a loose connection or something like this and works only if in a certain position.

No, I'm sure it's not coincidence.

As you can see, I tested it enough to be sure that file Fsck0000.rec makes difference in problematic USB port. I tried and tried with same result.

Also, talking about USB cable, other devices on USB port that has problems work just fine, I'm sure in it.

So it isn't cable, file Fsck0000.rec makes real difference.

Originally Posted by JSWolf

If you run Windows, try running Windows in safe mode. Then plug the HD into the working USB port and try to eject it. If it does eject, then you know it's some piece of software you run when the computer starts up.

Actually, it's H2O, not HD, but, I resolved problem with ejecting device by following advice from Kobo. Deinstalling and installing Kobo desktop software again solved that problem.

Now I only have problem with one port sometimes malfunctioning (strange thing is that placing Fsck0000.rec file in device's root enables event problematic USB port to work flawlessly)

Originally Posted by yayo

I used to have a problem with my KOBO Aura (now I have a H2O) where my PC would recognize the reader's internal memory but wouldn't properly detect a microSD card inserted into the reader's external memory slot.

Thanks, but at the moment I don't have SD card at all in device and also there's no freezing of device nor notebook. I just get report that USB device malfunctioned.

This suggests that something is wrong with device. As I wrote, if I place Fsck0000.rec file in root of device, than everything is ok. Or, if I use different USB port, then also everything works.