Forma Kobo sometimes freezes while reading

[Joliet Jake]

I have a recurring problem with my device. I actually used to have the same problem with my Nook, so I doubt it's Kobo-specific.

The software version is 4.19.14123 (bf36b8c11a, 12/10/19) which is a bit older than I expected. (I updated Kobo, but it turns out I only updated Kobo Desktop.) I doubt the software version is the issue, due to running into the same problem with two separate Nooks. (But if that's the case, how do I update? The wi-fi is always off to conserve power.)

While reading any type of book, the e-reader may suddenly freeze. The page buttons don't work, tapping the screen doesn't work, closing the sleep cover and reopening it doesn't work. The only fix is to hold the power button for about 30 seconds, then again for about 15 seconds, and then it will restart. When this happens, I "lose pages". So the Kobo doesn't remember what page I was on, and I might find I've "lost" five pages, or 100 pages, etc.

Because I know this will happen, I memorize the page when the Kobo freezes so I can go right back.

I wondered if overusing the sleep function is at fault. The device is "asleep" most of the time, and being read the rest of the time. I never restart or turn off the Kobo (except when it freezes like that).

What confuses me is how persistent the problem was, across devices. I had two old Nooks and they did not have sleep covers. Again, they were asleep most of the time and being read the rest of the time. I think my old Kobo Aura had the same problem, but it's been too many years. This is not happening more often than before, so I don't think the Kobo is "getting old".

(It's not a huge problem. I just hate it because the restart procedure is almost identical to the Nook's factory reset procedure. Each time I do that I keep thinking I'm going to erase it when I see the three dots on the screen, even though that isn't going to happen: Kobo has a totally different factory reset procedure. My Nooks accidentally factory reset at least twice because the procedure is just way too easy.)

[kiwik]

I also have the exact same experience on both my Aura One, and my current Forma.

Just like you I also memorise the page number then go through the restart.

Nothing useful to add sorry, just so you know other people experience this also.

[enuddleyarbl]

Same problem here on both our new Formas.

[Sirtel]

I haven't had this issue with my Libra, and it's always asleep when not in use, I've never turned it off. My books are all sideloaded from Calibre and unnecessary css/html entries have been removed. I don't know if that's the reason, though.

[Ripplinger]

I've never had that issue either on my Glo HD from any firmware. I'm currently using firmware 4.24.15676, but I did use 4.19.14123 when it was current. I do add a lot of patches, and like Sirtel, all of my books are sideloaded only through Calibre.

Could it a badly formatted book causing that issue? I think we'd have heard a lot more complaints if it was a hardware issue for the Forma or other newer Kobo readers.

Edit just to add that my reader only goes to sleep in a sleep cover. It is never turned off or restarted.

[Janet56]

I have that problem with my Aura H2O Edition 2 and it's been happening every week or so since I got it a few years ago. Never have had the problem with my other Kobos - Forma, Libra or Glo HD. All have the same firmware on them - no patches, books sideloaded from Calibre. All have sleep covers. So why just one, and never the others?

[Cootey]

This sounds like a corrupt database issue, but others will know better. When my Kobo freezes up, which has happened after a bad WiFi upgrade or when I've been tinkering under the hood, I'll do one of the following things. They're listed from least destructive to most destructive. (By destructive, I mean wiping your settings and libraries.):

1. Repair your account: Go to (More>)Settings>Device Information and tap on "Repair" near the bottom on the right. I do this whenever book rentals have gotten out of sync between my Kobo and Overdrive.

2. Log out: Go to (More>)Settings>Accounts and tap on "Sign out". This will erase your current session, but, unless something has gone horribly wrong, will often leave side-loaded content intact. Just sign back into your Kobo account, and set your Overdrive, Pocket, etc. accounts back up.

3. Factory reset: This is going nuclear, but sometimes nothing short of this will fix the problem. Nuking everything from space just to be sure is enabling developer mode and doing a factory reset in there. It wipes your Kobo to its original firmware. (Type "devmodeon" and tap on "Go" in the Kobo's search page if you want to play around with it. You'll find it in Settings>Device Information)

[Joliet Jake]

I updated the firmware. Then I developed different problems, logged out and back in on the Kobo. That seems to have fixed it.

I now have some cover problems. I wonder if it's because I'm using Kobo Touch Extended and not just Kobo Touch or Kobo Utilities. (I think KTE uses a different way of transferring the cover. I have to edit the books themselves as it ignores the cover metadata.)

[davidfor]

Originally Posted by Joliet Jake

I now have some cover problems. I wonder if it's because I'm using Kobo Touch Extended and not just Kobo Touch or Kobo Utilities. (I think KTE uses a different way of transferring the cover. I have to edit the books themselves as it ignores the cover metadata.)

If you are sending covers to the device, then they are handled in exactly the same way. Other than kepub related things, the KoboTouchExtended driver is using KoboTouch driver.

But, covers in kepubs and epubs are handled differently on the device. For epubs, the first page is rendered and used as the cover. For kepubs, the cover image in the book is marked as a cover and extracted. That is one of the things the KoboTouchExtended driver does when changing the book to a kepub, it adds an extra property attribute that the device is expecting to the image marked as a cover. But, if there is no image correctly marked as a cover, that doesn't happen. As you are editing the books to fix this, it means the cover was not marked properly for the driver to see and hence the device to use.

[PeterT]

I've occasionally experience a hanging Kobo while reading and I've always put it down to a partial screen tap being detected

Normally I have to force a power off / on sequence to get it back working

Sent from my Pixel 4a using Tapatalk

[Joliet Jake]

Originally Posted by davidfor

If you are sending covers to the device, then they are handled in exactly the same way. Other than kepub related things, the KoboTouchExtended driver is using KoboTouch driver.

But, covers in kepubs and epubs are handled differently on the device. For epubs, the first page is rendered and used as the cover. For kepubs, the cover image in the book is marked as a cover and extracted. That is one of the things the KoboTouchExtended driver does when changing the book to a kepub, it adds an extra property attribute that the device is expecting to the image marked as a cover. But, if there is no image correctly marked as a cover, that doesn't happen. As you are editing the books to fix this, it means the cover was not marked properly for the driver to see and hence the device to use.

Thank you for the clear answer.

For the ones protected by DRM, I will probably delete them from the Kobo, temporarily disable KTE and use KT, then send them that way. (I had to do that once for a book that simply couldn't be transferred with KTE. To be fair, that was just once, and the cover wasn't really an issue there.)