Factory reset

[christopher22]

If I update my kobo firmware (touch from 1.9.6 to 3.11 plus some added books and read stats) and I would like to restore it to the state I bought it in (firmware 1.9.6 + everything back to original - books deleted, reading stats reset) does factory reset do that?

Is there a way to reset reading stats?

[davidfor]

A factory reset puts the device back in to the from factory state. If formats the root partition that the firmware is installed into, installs the factory firmware from the recovery partition and formats the data partition. Then it prompts for setup.

At this point, I would expect a Touch to be on either 1.9.11 or 1.9.12. I would have said 1.9.6 was a pre-Touch firmware and used by the WiFi. Are you sure you weren't on 1.9.16? From memory, my N905 Touch restores to 1.9.11.

If you don't want the latest firmware after the factory reset, you need to connect to a PC to do the setup. The Kobo desktop app will download the latest firmware files and put them on the device. You delete these if you want to stay on the factory reset firmware, or replace them with the files for the version you want to use. Direct Links to Kobo Firmware has the download links for a lot of different version.

There is no official way to reset the reading statistics. Deleting all the rows from the Event table in the database on the device will do it.

I probably should add that if you are serious about going back, you can do this by taking a copy of all files on the data partition of the device. After you do the factory reset, you restore all these files plus the files for the firmware you want to install.

[christopher22]

Thanks for the information.

Yes I believe it actually was 1.9.16 firmware.

One of the reasons I wanted to backtrack was because I had my kobo attached to the computer when I started calibre and it installed two directories on my kobo I did not want. After ejecting and reconnecting I deleted the two folders and when I start the kobo it flashes a blank white screen twice before going to the 5 square start up screen. I wondered if this was because I deleted those two folders, and I didn't recall it doing that before.

I wanted to start fresh again, reset my stats since I was just experimenting with it. Also to note the wifi didn't work until I updated the firmware through kobo desktop.

If I decide to factory reset, I will re-update the firmware to 3.11, not sure yet if I will go to 3.12 (as you described in my other thread)

The other reason I want to reset is because my daughter is using my Aura and I signed an account using the same email so the kobo touch synched with everything on my (err my daughters aura, she seems to own it now - can't seem to get my hands on it anymore). I guess I'll have to set up a new email so it's stats are more true to readings recommended for me.

[davidfor]

Originally Posted by christopher22

Thanks for the information.

Yes I believe it actually was 1.9.16 firmware.

One of the reasons I wanted to backtrack was because I had my kobo attached to the computer when I started calibre and it installed two directories on my kobo I did not want. After ejecting and reconnecting I deleted the two folders and when I start the kobo it flashes a blank white screen twice before going to the 5 square start up screen. I wondered if this was because I deleted those two folders, and I didn't recall it doing that before.

Was that a ".kobo" directory? If so, that was the cause. It contains the database of books in the device plus configuration files. When it goes missing, the device should restart and then prompt for the setup.

I wanted to start fresh again, reset my stats since I was just experimenting with it. Also to note the wifi didn't work until I updated the firmware through kobo desktop.

If I decide to factory reset, I will re-update the firmware to 3.11, not sure yet if I will go to 3.12 (as you described in my other thread)

Yes, you will end up on 3.11.0. That is the latest that has been released for the Touch. But. 3.12.0 works fine and I have no reason to think that 3.12.1 won't. I will be updating my Touch to this when I remember.

The other reason I want to reset is because my daughter is using my Aura and I signed an account using the same email so the kobo touch synched with everything on my (err my daughters aura, she seems to own it now - can't seem to get my hands on it anymore). I guess I'll have to set up a new email so it's stats are more true to readings recommended for me.

Some of the stats synced to the Kobo server. Most of this is for books purchased from them but there are a some non-book specific stats that are as well. If you are both logged into the same account, and reading books from Kobo, I am pretty sure that the total hours read will be for both of you. A separate account for you will separate them. But, it means you can't share these books.

As the ownership of the Aura, there are a few of us here in similar situation, though it is usually a wife. It does give you an excuse to buy yourself an Aura H2O, but, I somehow think that your daughter would be thanking you for upgrading her ereader. Unless there is someone who would beat her to it

[christopher22]

No it was not a kobo directory, as soon as you access the kobo there were two folders on the main level. Not worried too much about it, more curious than not.

re: stats ... there was a file in the .kobo Kobo directory called Analytics.conf file. It was not there in 1.9.16 firmware and I'm not sure if it's required for the 3.11 firmware. I don't know if I delete that file if it gets recreated and zeros the stats, or if it will cause problems? I looked at the file in notepad and it contained things like battery so it probably shouldn't be deleted. I thought I might copy the folder over to windows then delete it from the kobo and see what happens but I don't know if that would cause the kobo to become unresponsive?

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by christopher22

No it was not a kobo directory, as soon as you access the kobo there were two folders on the main level. Not worried too much about it, more curious than not.

re: stats ... there was a file in the .kobo Kobo directory called Analytics.conf file. It was not there in 1.9.16 firmware and I'm not sure if it's required for the 3.11 firmware. I don't know if I delete that file if it gets recreated and zeros the stats, or if it will cause problems? I looked at the file in notepad and it contained things like battery so it probably shouldn't be deleted. I thought I might copy the folder over to windows then delete it from the kobo and see what happens but I don't know if that would cause the kobo to become unresponsive?

As far as I know, the only two items that a simple connection to Calibre would generate would not be directories. You should see two files called driveinfo.calibre and metadata.calibre. If you transferred some books to your Touch from Calibre, it would depend on how you had Calibre configured if you would see any directories created. In my case, all sideloaded ebooks are stored on the external uSD card in an eLibrary directory.

AFAIK, the analytics.conf file is connected to Kobo's use of Google Analytics. You can find advice on how to disable Google Analytics but deleting the analytics.conf file is not the way to go.

And please... try not to delete files/directories when you don't know what they do. Spend the time to try to find out first, take backups and then delete. Be very careful with any directory with a name starting with a "." as they are the Linux equivalent of a Window system flagged directory. Microsoft is quite serious with the "These files are required to start and run Windows. Deleting or editing them can make your computer inoperable" message when you remove the "Hide protected operating system files" option.