Clara HD Hiding Kobo "cloud" books

[Marg1780]

I just purchased a Clara HD, my first eReader. I picked it because I want to manage my eBook library through Calibre. However, I immediately ran into a (major!) gotcha, and I can't find a way around it...

In order to configure the new device, I need to sign into my Kobo account. Otherwise, it never gets past the "Download Kobo Desktop" screen on the device.

So, I downloaded their app. I then stopped it from sync'ing all my (1100-plus) Kobo purchases to the device and told it to delete the ones it had already downloaded. Then I deleted the Kobo app, which I don't use, and loaded a few books from Calibre to play with. That part was easy.

Unfortunately, it retained my entire book list and if I try to do an author search, it shows me ALL of it. So if I load 50 books from calibre, say, then look at the authors listing, it shows me 1150 author records... Not very useful, since it makes working with the 50 real books impossible.

I tried the Kobo help line, and their only advice was to archive every one of my purchased books (and as far as I can figure it can only be done one at a time), and resync....

Please, please, tell me there's a way around this. Either a way to get it into working mode without signing into my Kobo account, or a way to completely hide the Cloud books from all sorts and searches and work only with what is actually aboard the device.

[davidfor]

The simplest thing is to sign into the device using a different account. Just create an account using a dummy email address. Kobo do not validate it.

There is also discussion here about bypassing the registration. Because of the above, it never seems worth the hassle. A search will find it.

And, from memory, you can do the archiving books quickly from the Kobo desktop application. That allows multiple selection and you can select all and do the archive.

[pghaworth]

Originally Posted by Marg1780

Please, please, tell me there's a way around this. Either a way to get it into working mode without signing into my Kobo account, or a way to completely hide the Cloud books from all sorts and searches and work only with what is actually aboard the device.

this was what I wanted to avoid so I used a fake registration on the device and have no cloud books on my Clara, or access to anything Kobo. love it. if that doesn't fit your needs you could create a new registration that has no books attached.

if you do a factory reset, I believe, you should be able start all over.

[davidfor]

Originally Posted by pghaworth

this was what I wanted to avoid so I used a fake registration on the device and have no cloud books on my Clara, or access to anything Kobo. love it. if that doesn't fit your needs you could create a new registration that has no books attached.

if you do a factory reset, I believe, you should be able start all over.

There is no need to do a factory reset. Just sign out of the current Kobo account, then sign in using the new one. That will remove all downloaded books and Pocket articles. It also resets things like the saved WiFi networks and Adobe authorisation. After signing in, the sideloaded books will be reimported.

[Marg1780]

... for the advice, Everyone. I've made a second Kobo account and used that. Clunky and dumb, but way better than the alternates (including the elaborate hacky one talked about on another thread - if I tried that, I know I'd end up with a cute little Kobo-logo'd paperweight...)

Now, if I can just find a good "how to" manual on the Calibre side, I'm rocking. I can do a simple load, but all the fancy stuff people talk about here makes my eyes cross - but sounds useful. For one thing, I really need to figure out how to make series work...

Thanks again!

[petercreasey]

As a longtime Sony, then Kobo Aura One user, I have used Calibre for many years. I have happily never used Calibre for anything but loading ebooks onto my KA1.

[pghaworth]

Originally Posted by Marg1780

... for the advice, Everyone. I've made a second Kobo account and used that. Clunky and dumb, but way better than the alternates (including the elaborate hacky one talked about on another thread - if I tried that, I know I'd end up with a cute little Kobo-logo'd paperweight...)

Now, if I can just find a good "how to" manual on the Calibre side, I'm rocking. I can do a simple load, but all the fancy stuff people talk about here makes my eyes cross - but sounds useful. For one thing, I really need to figure out how to make series work...

Thanks again!

spend time reading a bit on the Calibre forum and it will come.

for series, and others may do it differently, I created a column called Series and I track them there. when I send my books they come over perfectly. Calibre is very powerful.

[davidfor]

Originally Posted by Marg1780

... for the advice, Everyone. I've made a second Kobo account and used that. Clunky and dumb, but way better than the alternates (including the elaborate hacky one talked about on another thread - if I tried that, I know I'd end up with a cute little Kobo-logo'd paperweight...)

The likelihood of it not working is high. But, it is pretty hard to completely brick a Kobo device. If you screw up, a factory reset will usually solve things.

Now, if I can just find a good "how to" manual on the Calibre side, I'm rocking. I can do a simple load, but all the fancy stuff people talk about here makes my eyes cross - but sounds useful. For one thing, I really need to figure out how to make series work...

At the basic end, it is just a matter of using it. Most of the things you might want to do a fairly simple and well discussed. Just work out what you want to do and search or ask.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by pghaworth

spend time reading a bit on the Calibre forum and it will come.

for series, and others may do it differently, I created a column called Series and I track them there. when I send my books they come over perfectly. Calibre is very powerful.

What's wrong with the existing Series column?