Aura ONE Stubborn Overdrive ePub not syncing

[Cootey]

I’ve run into a sync issue on my KA1 with Overdrive that I haven’t been able to solve.

I borrowed a book from the library, but it won’t download onto my KA1. I have checked the following issues:
• I am connected to the internet
• Other ebooks sync just fine
• The ebook in question has an Adobe DRM ePub version on Overdrive available for lending
• The ebook isn’t on hold or borrowed from another library (I have three linked with Libby which causes sync issues if you borrow two different copies of the same ebook)
• The book is available in the Kobo store
• No, I haven’t sideloaded it yet. I’m trying to get syncing to work first because ADE wasn’t authorizing books for me last time I tried.

Am I missing something here? This book should sync. The only other issue I can think of is that the Kobo store edition is different from the Overdrive edition. How would I check for that? Can you think of anything else that might be causing this issue? Thanks.

~Dˢ



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

[Loves2Read4Fun]

I've had this happen as well. I've also had it happen where the book did sync but then a few days later it appeared as a preview of the book rather than borrowed even though the loan period wasn't over. Nothing I have done has corrected these situations. What happens is that it takes a few hours up to a day for it to sync correctly. Hopefully someone has a good solution!

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by Cootey

Am I missing something here? This book should sync. The only other issue I can think of is that the Kobo store edition is different from the Overdrive edition. How would I check for that? Can you think of anything else that might be causing this issue? Thanks.

The quickest way to check is to look at the ISBN on Kobo's site and on the library site. I've had that happen a couple of times when the editions were different.

[Cootey]

Originally Posted by DNSB

The quickest way to check is to look at the ISBN on Kobo's site and on the library site. I've had that happen a couple of times when the editions were different.

The editions are the same. Matching ISBNs.

BTW, when browsing the Kobo store from my KA1, it gives me the option to put the book on hold, so Kobo and Overdrive are communicating, but the library I’m borrowing from isn’t my main library. I’m borrowing the book through Libby.

When I borrowed another book last night, the status said downloading 1 of 2 books, but the second book, the one I’m taking about here, didn’t download. I’m beginning to suspect it’s a problem with the library’s database.

At any rate, I borrowed the book easily from Libby to my Kindle. ¯＼(º_O)/¯

Thanks for the suggestion. Keep more coming.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

[Cootey]

Originally Posted by Loves2Read4Fun

I've had this happen as well. I've also had it happen where the book did sync but then a few days later it appeared as a preview of the book rather than borrowed even though the loan period wasn't over. Nothing I have done has corrected these situations. What happens is that it takes a few hours up to a day for it to sync correctly. Hopefully someone has a good solution!

That would be frustrating. I suppose I’m spoiled. I expect to get what I want when I want it. Computers sometimes have other plans in mind.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

[davidfor]

Originally Posted by Cootey

The editions are the same. Matching ISBNs.

BTW, when browsing the Kobo store from my KA1, it gives me the option to put the book on hold, so Kobo and Overdrive are communicating, but the library I’m borrowing from isn’t my main library. I’m borrowing the book through Libby.

When I borrowed another book last night, the status said downloading 1 of 2 books, but the second book, the one I’m taking about here, didn’t download. I’m beginning to suspect it’s a problem with the library’s database.

Did it say what the other book was? The sync dialog should show the book title when it is being synced, but, you have to be watching it. The new books usually appear first when sorted by "Recent", so it should be visible. If it said it was downloading the book and it didn't appear, then you could try the account repair on the Device Information page of the settings. This was added for issues with downloading books. It clears the purchased book details and redownloads them. It should fix a problem like this.

But, I have feeling that this is working as designed. I don't know if Kobo knows about the other library attached to your Overdrive account. It depends on how this works. Does Overdrive tell Kobo whenever you borrow a book? Or, when you sync, does Kobo ask if there are any books for the account and library? I think it is more likely the latter. The reason for this thinking is that if you have multiple devices, and only one is signed into OD, then it has to sync the OD books before the other devices see books borrowed using Libby. This was discussed a while ago and I think that was the conclusion made. I just tested it and the results agree. What I did was:

1. Borrowed using Libby.
2. Synced on the Clara HD which doesn't have a OD library setup and the book didn't download.
3. Synced on the Aura ONE which does have the OD library and the book downloaded.
4. Synced on the Clara HD and the book downloaded.

It could be timing. The above took about five minutes. It might need more time for the book details to get to Kobo and there was just enough time for it to hit Kobo when I synced the Aura ONE. Maybe if I'd waited a bit longer, the Clara HD would have gotten it the first time. I don't use OD much, so I might have missed something.

If you have a second Kobo device, then I'd suggest logging in to different OD libraries on each. Then you just need to remember which to sync first to get all the books. But, a couple of syncs on each would do it.

It might work to sign-out of the current OD library and into the other. That might trigger the syncs for both libraries. That will depend on whether Kobo remembers the setup in their servers, or it is done by the device.

[GeoffR]

Originally Posted by DNSB

The quickest way to check is to look at the ISBN on Kobo's site and on the library site. I've had that happen a couple of times when the editions were different.

That usually works, but not always. I have seen different editions of a book with the same ISBN on sale at the same time. I guess the publisher uploaded a new edition and forgot to remove the old edition, so it wouldn't be surprising if such publishers ended up with different editions at different sites with the same ISBN.

E.g. these all have the aame ISBN:
https://www.kobo.com/nz/en/ebook/the-mirror-empire
https://www.kobo.com/nz/en/ebook/the-mirror-empire-2
https://www.kobo.com/nz/en/ebook/the-mirror-empire-4

[Cootey]

Originally Posted by davidfor

Did it say what the other book was? The sync dialog should show the book title when it is being synced, but, you have to be watching it. The new books usually appear first when sorted by "Recent", so it should be visible. If it said it was downloading the book and it didn't appear, then you could try the account repair on the Device Information page of the settings. This was added for issues with downloading books. It clears the purchased book details and redownloads them. It should fix a problem like this.

Unfortunately, the sync dialog never states the name of the book in question. It states “downloading 1 of 2 books”, states the first book’s name, downloads it, then finishes without downloading the second book. And I should have mentioned that I have already tried repairing the account. It was one of my first efforts to fix this issue.

Originally Posted by davidfor

But, I have feeling that this is working as designed. I don't know if Kobo knows about the other library attached to your Overdrive account. It depends on how this works. Does Overdrive tell Kobo whenever you borrow a book? Or, when you sync, does Kobo ask if there are any books for the account and library? I think it is more likely the latter. The reason for this thinking is that if you have multiple devices, and only one is signed into OD, then it has to sync the OD books before the other devices see books borrowed using Libby. This was discussed a while ago and I think that was the conclusion made. I just tested it and the results agree. What I did was:

1. Borrowed using Libby.
   
2. Synced on the Clara HD which doesn't have a OD library setup and the book didn't download.
   
3. Synced on the Aura ONE which does have the OD library and the book downloaded.
   
4. Synced on the Clara HD and the book downloaded.
   

It could be timing. The above took about five minutes. It might need more time for the book details to get to Kobo and there was just enough time for it to hit Kobo when I synced the Aura ONE. Maybe if I'd waited a bit longer, the Clara HD would have gotten it the first time. I don't use OD much, so I might have missed something.

Yes, whenever I borrow a book using any lonked overdrive library, the book downloads onto my Kobo (if that’s what you’re asking). That is why this instance is so puzzling. I only have the one Kobo, though I also use the iOS app. It behaves as the Clara in your example.

I have waited days. This isn’t a timing issue. There is a problem with the ePub file. I am almost certain of it.

Originally Posted by davidfor

If you have a second Kobo device, then I'd suggest logging in to different OD libraries on each. Then you just need to remember which to sync first to get all the books. But, a couple of syncs on each would do it.

That gives me a reason to buy the Clara HD! Or two of them. 😁 But generally, Libby makes all of this multilibrary borrowing fluid. The only time Libby gets confused with multiple libraries is if I’ve put the same book on hold from two different libraries. Then syncing stops altogether when one of the duplicate holds becomes available. So I don’t do that anymore.

Originally Posted by davidfor

It might work to sign-out of the current OD library and into the other. That might trigger the syncs for both libraries. That will depend on whether Kobo remembers the setup in their servers, or it is done by the device.

Since I log into my Kobo using my Overdrive ID, I’m not sure how to do what you suggest. In fact, I’m not sure how to make any particular library the main library. However, my Kobo treats the first library I ever linked to Overdrive as the main one. This is why I cannot renew or return ebooks on the Kobo that were borrowed from one of the other libraries. I have to use Libby for that. Then my Kobo syncs the changes.

💡Actually, I suppose I could log out of the Overdrive general account on my KA1, then log in with the specific library of the book that won’t download. Thanks for your thorough reply. I’ll report back with my findings.




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

[Cootey]

Thanks to davidfor’s suggestions, I thought to log out of Overdrive on my KA1 (I use my OD account to keep access to multiple libraries through Libby), and logged in via the library of the ebook I was trying to borrow.

As I suspected above, it is a problem with the ePub file itself. I’ve borrowed about eight books from that library today, either by browsing the library from within the Kobo store or from searching for the book directly. None had problems syncing to my KA1. In fact, I borrowed all the books from the series of the book in question (Michael Vey 1-4 & 6, they didn’t have book 5). All downloaded except book 1, again, plus now also book 2, which means the library has two ebooks with issues.

So unless you folks can think of a specific thing my KA1 is doing to snub these two particular ebooks, I’ll just email the library’s tech support and borrow them elsewhere. Thanks for all of your feedback.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

[davidfor]

Originally Posted by Cootey

Thanks to davidfor’s suggestions, I thought to log out of Overdrive on my KA1 (I use my OD account to keep access to multiple libraries through Libby), and logged in via the library of the ebook I was trying to borrow.

As I suspected above, it is a problem with the ePub file itself. I’ve borrowed about eight books from that library today, either by browsing the library from within the Kobo store or from searching for the book directly. None had problems syncing to my KA1. In fact, I borrowed all the books from the series of the book in question (Michael Vey 1-4 & 6, they didn’t have book 5). All downloaded except book 1, again, plus now also book 2, which means the library has two ebooks with issues.

So unless you folks can think of a specific thing my KA1 is doing to snub these two particular ebooks, I’ll just email the library’s tech support and borrow them elsewhere. Thanks for all of your feedback.

That's interesting. But, this isn't a problem for the library. It is a problem for Kobo. The borrowed book comes from the Kobo store and is in their kepub format. This is the reason for the earlier question about the edition. The book the library lends has to match the book that Kobo has. Then it is downloaded from there. If that download fails, then it is a problem with the book or the downloading and Kobo needs to look at it.

With the name of the book, I just had a look at it in the Kobo store. Nothing looks strange about it. Unfortunately, my library doesn't have it, so I can't check what happens when I borrow it. The preview downloaded OK, but that is a cut-down version of the book. Also, it is possible you are getting a different edition as the publisher is frequently tied to different countries.

[PeterT]

If the book in question is "The Book Thief" I've just borrowed it from the Toronto Public Library and it synced to my Clara HD from Kobo with no issues.

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk

[PeterT]

Oops I see it's book 2 of Michael Vey. Same issue for me. David; what info do we need to give Kobo?

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk

[Cootey]

Originally Posted by davidfor

With the name of the book, I just had a look at it in the Kobo store. Nothing looks strange about it. Unfortunately, my library doesn't have it, so I can't check what happens when I borrow it. The preview downloaded OK, but that is a cut-down version of the book. Also, it is possible you are getting a different edition as the publisher is frequently tied to different countries.

I have tried so many things to get this to work. Today I tried to borrow it from my daughter's Kobo, on an entirely different account. I used Libby, which successfully borrowed the book (and another for testing), but Michael Vey 1 refused to sync onto the Kobo. I was coming here tonight to see if other people could borrow those books on their end, but you beat me to it. Thanks for trying. The next thing I am going to try on my end is to borrow/put on hold the book from the Kobo store. Maybe *that* will work.

I was able to borrow Michael Vey 1 by downloading the epub from the web interface on my library's Overdrive site. Then I sideloaded the book onto my KA1 with ADE. Whatever the problem is, it occurs between the Kobo and Overdrive.

[Cootey]

Originally Posted by PeterT

Oops I see it's book 2 of Michael Vey. Same issue for me. David; what info do we need to give Kobo?

Michael Vey 1 AND 2 have the problem. Thanks for trying to download #2. It verifies what I was beginning to suspect—that this is an Overdrive/Kobo eReader issue, not a Douglas issue.

It is very difficult to contact Overdrive. They have designed their web page to repel all human contact. Any help support a user requests is directed to the library in question, not Overdrive. If anybody has a contact number or email, I'd love to have it to let Overdrive know about the issue. Who knows what other books have the same problem? It irks me that the Kindle gets its copy just fine whereas the Kobo does not, but griping about Overdrive's lack of public Kobo support is a matter for a separate thread.

[Cootey]

Originally Posted by Cootey

The next thing I am going to try on my end is to borrow/put on hold the book from the Kobo store. Maybe *that* will work.

Just a quick update. This failed to work. When selecting the "…" menu of "Michael Vey 1" on the Kobo Store, I was given the option to put the book on hold. This yielded a pop up "There seems to be a problem" dialog box. The same problem occurred with "Michael Vey 2", but not "Michael Vey 3", etc.

I am curious to hear if other people experience the same issue when trying to borrow the same eBooks through the Kobo Store. Thanks!