Hacks Amazon Kindle Hack: Read DRM-protected Mobipocket content

[Kintar]

Does anyone know if Amazon changed something about the DRM'd AZW files with their latest update to the Kindle? I'd been very happily purchasing (way too many) eBooks, then removing the DRM and adding the files to my backup archives. I spent the last month or so catching up on a bunch of things that precluded reading, though, and have just recently purchased two new books. MobiDeDrm still chews on the files and spits out a supposedly decrypted file, but now the Kindle claims it can't read the decrypted file.

Anyone else having this issue?

EDIT: I should probably clarify; these are books I've purchased on Amazon.com for use on my Kindle, and as such they come down as .azw files. I'm not trying to move them to a different reader, just back them up un-encrypted in case Amazon implodes, decides they're not supporting it anymore, etc., etc.

[Alisa]

I hope not. It wasn't a .tpz file, was it?

[Kintar]

Originally Posted by Alisa

I hope not. It wasn't a .tpz file, was it?

Nope. Everything I've bought to date has been .azw. I just realized, though, that it's got to be something that MobiDeDrm just isn't handling right. Of the last three books I tried to decrypt, one worked. I bought a book three weeks back, last week, and yesterday, and the one I bought last week decrypted properly. *shrug* Maybe I need to finally track down version 0.2 of MDD.

[Nate the great]

Are you sure the file had DRM to be removed?

Rule of thumb: If the filename is all numbers, it probably doesn't have DRM.

[Kintar]

Originally Posted by Nate the great

Are you sure the file had DRM to be removed?

Rule of thumb: If the filename is all numbers, it probably doesn't have DRM.

*opens mouth, pauses, closes it* Well, I was assuming they were DRM'd since they're both very recent titles. (Thud, by Terry Pratchett, is only about 2 years old, and The Host was just released a few weeks ago.) But now that you mention it, I haven't actually tried to read them in anything but my Kindle.

One thing I just noticed; the filename for The Host is "The Host-asin_B000VMHHMQ-type_EBOK-v_0.azw". That v_0 at the end is typically v_1, if I recall correctly.

I'll grab the mobipocket reader for my PC and try it. Maybe the author/publisher just doesn't believe in DRM? (Yeah...right. *grin*)

EDIT: Realized that when I copied the filename, Vista was "helpful" and removed the extension. :P

[daffy4u]

I'm confused about this script. I tried reading the whole thread but around page 5, my eyes started to glaze over with the DRM arguments. I'm sure the answer is obvious but I'm not finding it.

I'm a new Kindle owner, I have no ebooks purchased from a source other than Amazon. I have downloaded a couple of the TOR freebies and a few from feedbooks.

Do I need this script? If I purchase a book from Mobipocket (I've downloaded the software so I have my PID) that is not available on Amazon, wouldn't I just be able to copy the file onto my Kindle or email the file for conversion?

[wallcraft]

Originally Posted by daffy4u

Do I need this script? If I purchase a book from Mobipocket (I've downloaded the software so I have my PID) that is not available on Amazon, wouldn't I just be able to copy the file onto my Kindle or email the file for conversion?

You don't need the script. If you have a MOBI file without DRM it can be read on your Kindle "as is". If you have a MOBI file with DRM, Amazon won't convert it for you but, if it is from a few ebook sources (which don't include mobipocket.com), you can get it authorized for your Kindle's PID and then kindlefix.py will allow it to be read on your Kindle without removing the DRM. There are other techniques that allow you to strip the DRM from MOBI ebooks, but these are thought to be illegal in the US and some other countries. Igor's script is thought to be legal, although of limited utility because MobiPocket (owned by Amazon) has blocked authorizations of MOBI files for a Kindle PID from its servers. Note that the Kindle is capable of reading DRMed MOBI files (without the kindlefix.py update) and MobiPocket is capable of authorizing DRMed MOBI files with a Kindle PID. Not allowing DRMed MOBI files on the Kindle is a sales choice made by Amazon, and they had to do more work to make sure this was not possible.

The best (shorter) guide to this is A Beginner's Guide to Kindle Content.

[daffy4u]

Thank you very much Wallcraft. That makes sense. And thanks for the link as well.

[renoel]

Hi Techies,
I have a new Kindle. I got the beginner's guide and tried to do everything right. Interestingly enough, Mobipocket reader gave me a Kindle PID with a $ sign instead of an asterick. However, I can't get the Mobipocket to send anything to the Kindle. It has recognized the Kindle and given it a PID, but now it says there is nothing plugged in. I have two things from Mobipocket (one purchased, one free trial) and one thing from Feedbooks which I downloaded and now shows up on the Mobipocket site.

BTW, Mobipocket never asked me for my PID. I bought the book and it just downloaded it .

I downloaded Igorsk's file, the python interpretor, etc., etc. (although I haven't a clue what to do with them), but I'm stuck. Anyone able to help?

Thanks!
Renoel

[pilotbob]

Was the book not available on the Kinde store? The book you bought is probalby keyed to the software on your PC... I assume you can read it there.

BOb

[Nate the great]

The PID with a $ probably belongs to your computer, not your Kindle. I'm pretty sure all Kindles have a * in the PID.

It sounds like you bought the ebook through Mobipocket Desktop. You need to open a browser and go to the site where you bought it. Enter your PIDs and download it again.

[renoel]

Hi,
I don't know if the book was available on the kindle store or not. I bought an inexpensive book off of Mobipocket in order to be able to register and (I thought) give them my PID. But, that didn't happen.

I think you may be right. It may think my PC is a device. Any ideas why it's not registering my Kindle?

Renoel

[pilotbob]

Originally Posted by renoel

Hi,
I don't know if the book was available on the kindle store or not. I bought an inexpensive book off of Mobipocket in order to be able to register and (I thought) give them my PID. But, that didn't happen.

I think you may be right. It may think my PC is a device. Any ideas why it's not registering my Kindle?

Renoel

Do you have version 6.0? I think the later versions don't support it. Check out this thread.

https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...ghlight=kindle

Search the kindle store and see how much the book is... that should always be the first place you look with a Kindle... why do the extra work?

BOb

[renoel]

Hi Bob,
I only bought the book because I wanted to register on Mobipocket. I didn't even want the book. (It cost $5.99). I think my computer is not even recognizing the kindle. I think I'm going to try it on my laptop.

Any other ideas?

Renoel

[pilotbob]

Originally Posted by renoel

Any other ideas?

Are you connecting to the Kindle while it is on? Also, what are you expecting to see when you connect your kindle? You should see an additional drive mounted in Windows Explorer... basically the same as when you plug a thumb drive into it.

BOb