Sideload mode on kobo touch

[tei]

I found an old touch N905C at a thrift store that I first tried out Quill OS on, but wasn't really using it, so I would now like to set it up to give to a friend who wants an account-free device to read library books on. I got the kobo touch SD image and flashed it back to the card, but when I try to set it up, it asks either to set up over wifi (which then loops back and forth between asking for the time and the wifi password) or, when choosing to set up with a computer, it just shows a screen that says "Use your computer to visit www.kobosetup.com"

I recall it being possible to bypass all this by adding SideloadedMode=true to Kobo eReader.conf, but that doesn't seem to have any effect, I assume because the firmware is from before the sideload mode was added. I tried updating the firmware by downloading the latest update for touch and unzipping it into .kobo, but that also didn't work, I assume because the device doesn't "restart" fully. Is there any way to update the firmware or tun on sideload mode directly from the SD card?

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by tei

I found an old touch N905C at a thrift store that I first tried out Quill OS on, but wasn't really using it, so I would now like to set it up to give to a friend who wants an account-free device to read library books on. I got the kobo touch SD image and flashed it back to the card, but when I try to set it up, it asks either to set up over wifi (which then loops back and forth between asking for the time and the wifi password) or, when choosing to set up with a computer, it just shows a screen that says "Use your computer to visit www.kobosetup.com"

I recall it being possible to bypass all this by adding SideloadedMode=true to Kobo eReader.conf, but that doesn't seem to have any effect, I assume because the firmware is from before the sideload mode was added. I tried updating the firmware by downloading the latest update for touch and unzipping it into .kobo, but that also didn't work, I assume because the device doesn't "restart" fully. Is there any way to update the firmware or tun on sideload mode directly from the SD card?

You need to be registered and the Kobo needs to be authorized so it can handle library eBooks with DRM.

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

You need to be registered and the Kobo needs to be authorized so it can handle library eBooks with DRM.

Again, not quite accurate.

If you are willing to use ADE or calibre with the ACSM plugin, you can use them to download the library books and sideload them to your Kobo. If you connect your Touch to ADE, it can authorize the Kobo for the Adobe account ADE is configured for.

However, if you copied the upgrade directory, KoboRoot.tgz and manifest.md5sum to your Touch's .kobo directory, the updated firmware should be installed on the next restart regardless of registration.

There have been changes in the Kobo Desktop application and I'm not certain how well it would handle a Touch with older firmware but also might be worth a try. KDA is what the visit to kobosetup.com will allow you to download.

[rashkae]

The OP never specified *which* library.

In any case, after the firmware has updated, (you should clearly see the kobo installing an update after you eject the device with update files) and you modified the conf file to add sideloaded mode, you then have to power off the kobo with power button (hold to power off, not sleep.) to restart.

[John F]

Originally Posted by DNSB

Again, not quite accurate.

If you are willing to use ADE or calibre with the ACSM plugin, you can use them to download the library books and sideload them to your Kobo. If you connect your Touch to ADE, it can authorize the Kobo for the Adobe account ADE is configured for.

...

And if all else fails, you can deDRM the library books.

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by John F

And if all else fails, you can deDRM the library books.

Not something that I want to promote. While I have no problems removing DRM from books I have purchased, I have issues with removing DRM from loans be they public library, Kobo Plus or Kindle Unlimited loans.

Hmmm... I think I have beaten that horse several times before.

[rashkae]

Originally Posted by DNSB

Not something that I want to promote. While I have no problems removing DRM from books I have purchased, I have issues with removing DRM from loans be they public library, Kobo Plus or Kindle Unlimited loans.

Hmmm... I think I have beaten that horse several times before.

Everyone will have their own line of appropriate behaviour in this regard. But it's not really an appropriate place to discuss (or even bring up) since the discussion, by necessity, will be one sided.

[Aleron Ives]

Originally Posted by DNSB

While I have no problems removing DRM from books I have purchased, I have issues with removing DRM from loans be they public library

Didn't you just suggest using Calibre with the DeACSM plugin for library books, instead of ADE? If you have noDRM installed, that should automatically remove the DRM, shouldn't it?

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by Aleron Ives

Didn't you just suggest using Calibre with the DeACSM plugin for library books, instead of ADE? If you have noDRM installed, that should automatically remove the DRM, shouldn't it?

Yes, I suggested using calibre and the ACSM plugin. I made no mention of installing the DeDRM plugin. Did I somehow miss DeDRM becoming part of a base calibre install or the ACSM plugin now being able to remove DRM?

And just BTW, it is the ACSM plugin (the name was changed quite a while back) and the DeDRM plugin (noDRM is the author of the current active fork).

At one point in time before Kobo and Overdrive allowed me to sync library books directly to my Kobo, I used ADE to download library books and copy them to my Kobo ereaders to avoid removing DRM from them.

[Aleron Ives]

Originally Posted by DNSB

Yes, I suggested using calibre and the ACSM plugin. I made no mention of installing the DeDRM plugin. Did I somehow miss DeDRM becoming part of a base calibre install or the ACSM plugin now being able to remove DRM?

It seems like a distinction without a difference to suggest that people should use Calibre for their library loans, while also saying that it's unacceptable to remove DRM on them, when it's well known that Calibre is also an integral part of the DRM removal process, and many Calibre users here have it set up for that purpose. How are people supposed to redeem their library loans in an acceptable manner while also being able to remove the DRM on the books they purchase?

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by Aleron Ives

It seems like a distinction without a difference to suggest that people should use Calibre for their library loans, while also saying that it's unacceptable to remove DRM on them, when it's well known that Calibre is also an integral part of the DRM removal process, and many Calibre users here have it set up for that purpose. How are people supposed to redeem their library loans in an acceptable manner while also being able to remove the DRM on the books they purchase?

What a crock. I know several people who use calibre without the DeDRM plugin. You can also remove DRM without invoking calibre. Epubor is not the only company selling DRM removal software. Stating that some calibre users use DeDRM so all calibre users must use DeDRM is a logical fallacy and not a valid argument. Then you have the Kobo users who get their library loans OTA on their Kobos from the Kobo store.

Virtually all of my library loans are fulfilled through syncing with the Kobo store so neither ADE nor calibre come into play. I do keep my library loans in calibre but this as dummy book entries which serve to allow me to keep track of which books I have borrowed and read. Not removing the DRM does permit the library loan period to expire so I get notified that a book has expired on my Kobo.

What I have noticed is that for quite a few people who use calibre to fulfill library loans with DRM removal is that it seems to be very easy for them to slide down the slope of keeping the books in calibre for a possible future re-read. And, yes, I can see myself giving in to the "Who am I hurting by keeping a library loan?" so I prefer to keep temptation at arm's length.

I can feel sympathy for an American Kindle owner who wants to borrow a book that is not available in a Kindle format and so needs to remove DRM and format convert. Since most of my ereaders happily handle ePub and PDF ebooks, that is not a worry for me since those are the formats supplied by the local libraries.

[tei]

The device is for a friend who probably isn't up for the technical side of de-DRMing anything, so I had in mind the overdrive -> ADE -> kobo workflow. But it seems like the issue is deeper since even after setting it up from the kobo desktop app, it keeps getting stuck in a loop of resetting and asking to be set up again. I guess I'll try reinstalling the image and updating again.

[Frogm4n]

The ACSM plugin can be used to get books onto authorized devices without stripping DRM. If you prefer to manage your content via Calibre instead of dealing with ADE then it's a decent solution. Calibre does work just fine with DRM'd files, but you are obviously limited on what exactly can be done due to the DRM.

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by tei

The device is for a friend who probably isn't up for the technical side of de-DRMing anything, so I had in mind the overdrive -> ADE -> kobo workflow. But it seems like the issue is deeper since even after setting it up from the kobo desktop app, it keeps getting stuck in a loop of resetting and asking to be set up again. I guess I'll try reinstalling the image and updating again.

Are you using a new µSD card or the original Touch one? If the original, I would recommend a replacement instead.

[Aleron Ives]

Originally Posted by Frogm4n

The ACSM plugin can be used to get books onto authorized devices without stripping DRM.

Yes, but once you have DRM removal configured, you don't get asked whether you want to remove DRM or not. It happens automatically. I would expect this is the case regardless of whether you're redeeming a purchase or a loan, but I haven't tried redeeming a library book through Calibre yet to check.