Assigning Kobo reader to a new owner, but keep books.

oldyellr · 01-06-2015, 02:00 PM

I was just given an old Kobo wireless e-reader, Model N647. I've had a Vox for years and read it regularly. Turns out this reader is still registered to the original owner and now I'm the 4th one I think. It had about half a dozen books on it, none that interested me a lot.

The first thing I did was connect to my WiFi and it downloaded the latest software, then froze unpacking, but it installed okay after I restarted it.

Next I wanted to just change the email address to my own so it would be linked to my accounts, but saw no way to do that. I would assume if I went to Settings > Advanced > Reset Device Now, it would reset it to factory defaults with no books and I'd be able to configure it from scratch with my own accounts and email.

Before attempting the reset, I went to Update Library and and it found 36 more books, obviously ones that the original owner had added. Some of these I may actually want to read.

Now, I have Kobo Desktop on my desktop computer, but when I connect this reader to the USB port there, it isn't recognized because it's a different account. However, I can explore the reader and "see" the books in the kepub folder, but they're in encrypted Kobo format, not .epub files, so I probably can't save them.

So, it looks like I have 2 options, keep the reader as is and read the books, or reset it and lose the books. Any thoughts (other than shaking your fingers and accusing me of piracy)? I realize the previous owner(s) should have reset and wiped the reader before selling it or giving it away, but these things, just like computers, are worth a lot more for what's on them, rather than the bare hardware.

filmo · 01-06-2015, 03:17 PM

Any public domain books without DRM you can keep. Any books with DRM you should loose. Can not discuss how to remove copy protection from DRM ebooks here and I don't do that anyway. As I remember original Kobo came loaded with 100 public domain books but not the Kobo Wifi. I at one time had a link to download those books.

Dr. Drib · 01-06-2015, 04:08 PM

If the books on that reader are copyrighted ebooks purchased by someone else, then you have no business reading them or having them available to you.

IF THAT IS THE CASE, then you will need to delete them. If not, that is called stealing.

Lynx-lynx · 01-06-2015, 04:32 PM

My thinking is that if the previous owner's account details are still on the device and that account is still active, that every time that you wifi sync you're going to get a copy of every purchase that person makes.

It may also mean that if you buy a book through the device, that the previous owner would be charged for it.

So that suggests to me that you would be knowingly committing fraud.

I would delete the previous owners account info post haste ..... it's just not worth it.

khalleron · 01-06-2015, 06:09 PM

Do a factory reset, ASAP. The person who gave it to you without doing that is either ignorant or stupid, but that's no reason to take advantage of them.

I seriously hope you didn't post here expecting us to tell you to go ahead and steal the books.

oldyellr · 01-06-2015, 06:13 PM

Thanks for the responses, even though I specifically said no copyright nagging.

I've no idea at this point which books were freebies or free downloads from Kobo and even if they were I have no way of saving them if I reset to factory default, which I probably will. I have hundreds of books on my Vox I can share through my own account.

01-06-2015, 02:00 PM	#1
oldyellr Evangelist Posts: 486 Karma: 26106 Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Canada Device: Kobo Vox, Amazon Fire 7	Assigning Kobo reader to a new owner, but keep books. I was just given an old Kobo wireless e-reader, Model N647. I've had a Vox for years and read it regularly. Turns out this reader is still registered to the original owner and now I'm the 4th one I think. It had about half a dozen books on it, none that interested me a lot. The first thing I did was connect to my WiFi and it downloaded the latest software, then froze unpacking, but it installed okay after I restarted it. Next I wanted to just change the email address to my own so it would be linked to my accounts, but saw no way to do that. I would assume if I went to Settings > Advanced > Reset Device Now, it would reset it to factory defaults with no books and I'd be able to configure it from scratch with my own accounts and email. Before attempting the reset, I went to Update Library and and it found 36 more books, obviously ones that the original owner had added. Some of these I may actually want to read. Now, I have Kobo Desktop on my desktop computer, but when I connect this reader to the USB port there, it isn't recognized because it's a different account. However, I can explore the reader and "see" the books in the kepub folder, but they're in encrypted Kobo format, not .epub files, so I probably can't save them. So, it looks like I have 2 options, keep the reader as is and read the books, or reset it and lose the books. Any thoughts (other than shaking your fingers and accusing me of piracy)? I realize the previous owner(s) should have reset and wiped the reader before selling it or giving it away, but these things, just like computers, are worth a lot more for what's on them, rather than the bare hardware.

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01-06-2015, 03:17 PM	#2
filmo Wizard Posts: 1,326 Karma: 1077205 Join Date: Jun 2011 Device: Kobo Touch, Sony T1, Kobo Mini	Any public domain books without DRM you can keep. Any books with DRM you should loose. Can not discuss how to remove copy protection from DRM ebooks here and I don't do that anyway. As I remember original Kobo came loaded with 100 public domain books but not the Kobo Wifi. I at one time had a link to download those books.

01-06-2015, 04:08 PM	#3
Dr. Drib Grand Sorcerer Posts: 45,441 Karma: 59592133 Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Peru Device: KINDLE: Oasis 3, Scribe (1st), Matcha; KOBO: Libra 2, Libra Colour	If the books on that reader are copyrighted ebooks purchased by someone else, then you have no business reading them or having them available to you. IF THAT IS THE CASE, then you will need to delete them. If not, that is called stealing.

01-06-2015, 04:32 PM	#4
Lynx-lynx Treachery of images ... Posts: 4,122 Karma: 93720365 Join Date: May 2012 Location: Australia Device: Sony 650, Kobo Glo, H2O, Aura One, Forma, Libra 2, Libra Colour	My thinking is that if the previous owner's account details are still on the device and that account is still active, that every time that you wifi sync you're going to get a copy of every purchase that person makes. It may also mean that if you buy a book through the device, that the previous owner would be charged for it. So that suggests to me that you would be knowingly committing fraud. I would delete the previous owners account info post haste ..... it's just not worth it.

01-06-2015, 06:09 PM	#5
khalleron Kate Posts: 1,700 Karma: 3605799 Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: Oregon, United States Device: MeeBook, Kobo Libra Colour	Do a factory reset, ASAP. The person who gave it to you without doing that is either ignorant or stupid, but that's no reason to take advantage of them. I seriously hope you didn't post here expecting us to tell you to go ahead and steal the books.

01-06-2015, 06:13 PM	#6
oldyellr Evangelist Posts: 486 Karma: 26106 Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Canada Device: Kobo Vox, Amazon Fire 7	Thanks for the responses, even though I specifically said no copyright nagging. I've no idea at this point which books were freebies or free downloads from Kobo and even if they were I have no way of saving them if I reset to factory default, which I probably will. I have hundreds of books on my Vox I can share through my own account.

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