Need Help Deleting Paperwhite Files

jessesmith · 06-11-2016, 08:52 PM

Having searched numerous forums, I now realize I did a bad thing - deleted books and documents from my Kindle Paperwhite's "documents" folder using Windows Explorer across a USB link. Too bad Paperwhite doesn't come with a warning not to do this. I thought it was fine because that's how I sideloaded the mobi files to the Paperwhite "documents" folder, as these were not Amazon purchases. Now, no matter what technique I use to "delete" these books, including touchscreen delete menu and Reset Device, they always reappear in my Paperwhite's "documents" folder when I turn it on - presumably because their sidecar files are restoring them.

Note - these books are not stored on the cloud and they are not detected by Manage Your Content. So where are these sidecar files, and how can I delete them to keep these books and documents from constantly being restored to my "documents" folder? (BTW - Kindle tech support is useless - the techs I have spoken with are clearly not "techs," merely working off scripts with no intimate knowledge of the inner workings of the Kindle file system.)

Thanks for any help!

knc1 · 06-11-2016, 09:07 PM

You don't mention your Paperwhite model, so I will assume the oldest.

No - the 'side car' files can not restore the books.

What you are seeing is the effect of a bad eMMC chip.

jessesmith · 06-11-2016, 09:21 PM

Does it make a difference that any new books I add behave normally, I can delete them, etc. Only the 37 files I deleted via Windows Explorer keep coming back.

And another thing - "Update Your Kindle" is always grayed out.

According to http://blog.the-ebook-reader.com/201...rations-apart/ I have a 2nd Gen Paperwhite.

knc1 · 06-11-2016, 10:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jessesmith

Does it make a difference that any new books I add behave normally, I can delete them, etc. Only the 37 files I deleted via Windows Explorer keep coming back.

And another thing - "Update Your Kindle" is always grayed out.

According to http://blog.the-ebook-reader.com/201...rations-apart/ I have a 2nd Gen Paperwhite.

Yes, it can.
Those are two different access paths in the Kindle's operating system.

So put them back, use the Kindle to delete them.

"Update Your Kindle" is only used to install Amazon update packages - what are you trying to use it for?

You are not at that site, what model do you have according to:
https://wiki.mobileread.com/wiki/Kindle_Serial_Numbers
Our site uses only our own nicknames.
Sometimes other sites (even Amazon in their urls) will use our nicknames, but we do not make any effort to use other site's nicknames.

HarryT · 06-12-2016, 03:51 AM

There's no problem at all in deleting files from the "documents" folder with Explorer; it's a perfectly valid way to delete books.

knc1 · 06-12-2016, 08:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

There's no problem at all in deleting files from the "documents" folder with Explorer; it's a perfectly valid way to delete books.

Correct.
But the question was, was there a difference.

jessesmith · 06-12-2016, 02:20 PM

I have a 9017 SN, so Kindle PaperWhite 2.
Re: "Update Your Kindle" is only used to install Amazon update packages - what are you trying to use it for?" I was experimenting to see if a software Upgrade or Downgrade->Upgrade would "refresh" the OS and let me delete the books.
Re: "So put them back, use the Kindle to delete them." They always reappear after a Reset or Restart.
Re: "There's no problem at all in deleting files from the "documents" folder with Explorer; it's a perfectly valid way to delete books." In another forum, a user warned not to delete via Explorer as it could "mess up the file system." That sure sounded like what happened to me.
The latest: I deleted the 37 offending books yet again via the touchcreen delete command. Then I looked in the "documents" folder via Explorer, and they were still there. So I deleted them again via Explorer.
I bet they would reappear, as they have before, if I did a Reset or Restart - which I had only been doing to try to delete them - so I'm just going to see how long I can go without ever having to do a Reset or Restart for any reason.
Luckily the books do not reappear after a simple Screen Off and wake up.
Thanks for all your comments - I don't want to waste any more of your time.

knc1 · 06-12-2016, 03:46 PM

Is the USB cable plugged into your Kindle and your PC when you 'restart' the device?

'reset' - - **SHOULD** delete all contents of the visible USB root (and other things) . . .
Does it?

jessesmith · 06-14-2016, 09:54 PM

Until just now, I had never Restarted or Reset with the USB cable plugged in.
No, "Reset" never, ever deletes these books. On the contrary, as I have tried to make clear, "Reset" is what makes them reappear.

Just now, I was reading a book and it wouldn't advance to the next page - although I was able to skip ahead. The intervening pages must have been corrupt. Eventually, the screen went white, and I was forced to Reset - AND THE BOOKS CAME BACK AGAIN. ALL 37 OF THEM. Sorry for the caps - I'm so angry.

Oh, by the way - the 38th book? The NEW one I was reading - the one that got stuck? THAT one WAS deleted.

Anyway, not knowing what your question about the USB cable was getting at, I DID do the Reset with the cable attached - and, as I say, the books came back.

Now I'll delete them yet again - for about the 20th time - using both the touchsreen and the documents folder, and the next time I have to Reset for whatever reason, they will return.

Is there no way to wipe this stinking drive clean?

Cinisajoy · 06-14-2016, 09:57 PM

Where exactly did you find this reset?
Did it say reset to factory defaults?

jessesmith · 06-14-2016, 10:01 PM

"Reset to Factory Defaults" is not an option on this model. What I have is:

menu / Settings / menu and then a choice of:
Shop Kindle Store
Update Your Kindle (always grayed out)
Restart
Reset Device
Device Info
Legal
Sync and Check for Items

Please note in my edited revision of #9 that this most recent Reset DID DELETE the new book I was just reading. The 37 other books are somehow burned permanently onto the device ... keep coming back.

knc1 · 06-14-2016, 10:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jessesmith

"Reset to Factory Defaults" is not an option on this model. What I have is:

menu / Settings / menu and then a choice of:
Shop Kindle Store
Update Your Kindle (always grayed out)
Restart
Reset Device <<-- "to factory defaults" it hasn't had the full phrase for years now.
Device Info
Legal
Sync and Check for Items

Please note in my edited revision of #9 that this most recent Reset DID DELETE the new book I was just reading. The 37 other books are somehow burned permanently onto the device ... keep coming back.

If the system can not delete the contents of the visible USB storage, the storage device is defective.

No ifs, ands, special conditions, buts or maybes - that eMMC chip is toast.

jessesmith · 06-14-2016, 10:56 PM

So, I'm curious - is this a product that's a piece of crap likely to fail as soon as the warranty period is over ... or, like that commentor in another forum suggested - did I damage it by using Windows Explorer to delete books?

Have you heard any other talk of deleting books via Explorer "messing up the Kindle file system"?

Yourcat · 06-14-2016, 11:55 PM

I lost two USB memory sticks this (or in a similar) way.
Deleting itself is usually save, no matter who initiates it. Voltage peaks, kV-discharges or HF via USB may cause damage.

jessesmith · 06-15-2016, 02:12 AM

Wow. Oh well, I guess I'll kiss $100 goodbye. Thanks, Amazon!

06-11-2016, 08:52 PM	#1
jessesmith Junior Member Posts: 7 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jun 2016 Device: Kindle Paperwhite	Need Help Deleting Paperwhite Files Having searched numerous forums, I now realize I did a bad thing - deleted books and documents from my Kindle Paperwhite's "documents" folder using Windows Explorer across a USB link. Too bad Paperwhite doesn't come with a warning not to do this. I thought it was fine because that's how I sideloaded the mobi files to the Paperwhite "documents" folder, as these were not Amazon purchases. Now, no matter what technique I use to "delete" these books, including touchscreen delete menu and Reset Device, they always reappear in my Paperwhite's "documents" folder when I turn it on - presumably because their sidecar files are restoring them. Note - these books are not stored on the cloud and they are not detected by Manage Your Content. So where are these sidecar files, and how can I delete them to keep these books and documents from constantly being restored to my "documents" folder? (BTW - Kindle tech support is useless - the techs I have spoken with are clearly not "techs," merely working off scripts with no intimate knowledge of the inner workings of the Kindle file system.) Thanks for any help!

06-11-2016, 09:21 PM	#3
jessesmith Junior Member Posts: 7 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jun 2016 Device: Kindle Paperwhite	Does it make a difference that any new books I add behave normally, I can delete them, etc. Only the 37 files I deleted via Windows Explorer keep coming back. And another thing - "Update Your Kindle" is always grayed out. According to http://blog.the-ebook-reader.com/201...rations-apart/ I have a 2nd Gen Paperwhite. Last edited by jessesmith; 06-11-2016 at 09:51 PM.

06-14-2016, 10:01 PM	#11
jessesmith Junior Member Posts: 7 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jun 2016 Device: Kindle Paperwhite	"Reset to Factory Defaults" is not an option on this model. What I have is: menu / Settings / menu and then a choice of: Shop Kindle Store Update Your Kindle (always grayed out) Restart Reset Device Device Info Legal Sync and Check for Items Please note in my edited revision of #9 that this most recent Reset DID DELETE the new book I was just reading. The 37 other books are somehow burned permanently onto the device ... keep coming back. Last edited by jessesmith; 06-14-2016 at 10:03 PM.

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06-11-2016, 09:07 PM	#2
knc1 Going Viral Posts: 17,212 Karma: 18210809 Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Central Texas Device: No K1, PW2, KV, KOA	You don't mention your Paperwhite model, so I will assume the oldest. No - the 'side car' files can not restore the books. What you are seeing is the effect of a bad eMMC chip.

06-12-2016, 03:51 AM	#5
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383099 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	There's no problem at all in deleting files from the "documents" folder with Explorer; it's a perfectly valid way to delete books.

06-12-2016, 02:20 PM	#7
jessesmith Junior Member Posts: 7 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jun 2016 Device: Kindle Paperwhite	I have a 9017 SN, so Kindle PaperWhite 2. Re: "Update Your Kindle" is only used to install Amazon update packages - what are you trying to use it for?" I was experimenting to see if a software Upgrade or Downgrade->Upgrade would "refresh" the OS and let me delete the books. Re: "So put them back, use the Kindle to delete them." They always reappear after a Reset or Restart. Re: "There's no problem at all in deleting files from the "documents" folder with Explorer; it's a perfectly valid way to delete books." In another forum, a user warned not to delete via Explorer as it could "mess up the file system." That sure sounded like what happened to me. The latest: I deleted the 37 offending books yet again via the touchcreen delete command. Then I looked in the "documents" folder via Explorer, and they were still there. So I deleted them again via Explorer. I bet they would reappear, as they have before, if I did a Reset or Restart - which I had only been doing to try to delete them - so I'm just going to see how long I can go without ever having to do a Reset or Restart for any reason. Luckily the books do not reappear after a simple Screen Off and wake up. Thanks for all your comments - I don't want to waste any more of your time.

06-12-2016, 03:46 PM	#8
knc1 Going Viral Posts: 17,212 Karma: 18210809 Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Central Texas Device: No K1, PW2, KV, KOA	Is the USB cable plugged into your Kindle and your PC when you 'restart' the device? 'reset' - - SHOULD delete all contents of the visible USB root (and other things) . . . Does it?

06-14-2016, 09:54 PM	#9
jessesmith Junior Member Posts: 7 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jun 2016 Device: Kindle Paperwhite	Until just now, I had never Restarted or Reset with the USB cable plugged in. No, "Reset" never, ever deletes these books. On the contrary, as I have tried to make clear, "Reset" is what makes them reappear. Just now, I was reading a book and it wouldn't advance to the next page - although I was able to skip ahead. The intervening pages must have been corrupt. Eventually, the screen went white, and I was forced to Reset - AND THE BOOKS CAME BACK AGAIN. ALL 37 OF THEM. Sorry for the caps - I'm so angry. Oh, by the way - the 38th book? The NEW one I was reading - the one that got stuck? THAT one WAS deleted. Anyway, not knowing what your question about the USB cable was getting at, I DID do the Reset with the cable attached - and, as I say, the books came back. Now I'll delete them yet again - for about the 20th time - using both the touchsreen and the documents folder, and the next time I have to Reset for whatever reason, they will return. Is there no way to wipe this stinking drive clean? Last edited by jessesmith; 06-14-2016 at 09:59 PM.

06-14-2016, 09:57 PM	#10
Cinisajoy Just a Yellow Smiley. Posts: 19,161 Karma: 83862859 Join Date: Jul 2015 Location: Texas Device: K4, K5, fire, kobo, galaxy	Where exactly did you find this reset? Did it say reset to factory defaults?

06-14-2016, 10:56 PM	#13
jessesmith Junior Member Posts: 7 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jun 2016 Device: Kindle Paperwhite	So, I'm curious - is this a product that's a piece of crap likely to fail as soon as the warranty period is over ... or, like that commentor in another forum suggested - did I damage it by using Windows Explorer to delete books? Have you heard any other talk of deleting books via Explorer "messing up the Kindle file system"?

06-14-2016, 11:55 PM	#14
Yourcat Groupie Posts: 175 Karma: 54048 Join Date: Mar 2016 Device: PW3 5.6.5-usbnet	I lost two USB memory sticks this (or in a similar) way. Deleting itself is usually save, no matter who initiates it. Voltage peaks, kV-discharges or HF via USB may cause damage.

06-15-2016, 02:12 AM	#15
jessesmith Junior Member Posts: 7 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jun 2016 Device: Kindle Paperwhite	Wow. Oh well, I guess I'll kiss $100 goodbye. Thanks, Amazon!

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