Kindle Colorsoft can't open certain MOBI files

Vroo · 11-17-2024, 03:41 PM

I've had my Kindle Colorsoft for about 10 days, running firmware 5.18.0.1.

I have a large library of documents in the cloud and for the first week everything worked fine. I had no problem downloading and opening dozens of files.

But last Friday I noticed that my Colorsoft can't open certain MOBI files downloaded from the cloud.

Quote:

An error occurred. If you purchased this item from Amazon, remove the downloaded item and download it from the Cloud.

What files are affected: Hybrid MOBI files (old MOBI + KF8) created with Calibre or KindleGen.

These files also do not open when I copy them to the Documents folder.

If you want to reproduce the bug, here's a sample public domain file:
https://wolnelektury.pl/media/book/mobi/krzyzacy.mobi

The file is in Polish, but many Humble Book Bundle titles do not work either (e.g. Python books from No Starch Press).

What still does work:
- Files sent as EPUB via Send To Kindle in the last 2 years
- Pure old MOBI files
- eBooks purchased from the Kindle Store

Rebooting and resetting the device didn't help.

Is anyone else experiencing the same bug? If all Kindles have it with 5.18 software, it would be catastrophic for people with large libraries.

jhowell · 11-17-2024, 04:07 PM

I tried your file (krzyzacy.mobi) on my Colorsoft running 5.18.0.1 firmware. It opened for me without any errors.

tomsem · 11-17-2024, 06:02 PM

For troubleshooting purposes try side loading after downloading to your computer. Or try Restart.

Web browser uses some proxy in cloud to pre-digest web pages for recent Kindles and it does not surprise me too much that some things do not work consistently.

Vroo · 11-18-2024, 03:40 AM

It is possible that this is a false alarm.

I wrote an article on my Polish blog, rebooted the device just to be sure. And it turns out that the MOBI books that did not open are now working again! Did Amazon read the article and remotely fix the software? Actually, no.

I opened ten files, and on the eleventh it crashed again. I went back to the tenth and .... would not open either. After another reboot, it again seemed that some files were opened and some were not. Maybe there is a lack of memory that is not cleared after previous files?

It may also be an individual problem with my device. I'm going to replace it because of the yellowish stripe, so I'll check after I replace it.

11-17-2024, 06:02 PM	#3
tomsem Grand Sorcerer Posts: 6,939 Karma: 27060151 Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: USA Device: iPhone 15PM, Kindle Scribe, iPad mini 6, PocketBook InkPad Color 3	For troubleshooting purposes try side loading after downloading to your computer. Or try Restart. Web browser uses some proxy in cloud to pre-digest web pages for recent Kindles and it does not surprise me too much that some things do not work consistently. Last edited by tomsem; 11-17-2024 at 06:20 PM.

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11-17-2024, 04:07 PM	#2
jhowell Grand Sorcerer Posts: 7,073 Karma: 91577715 Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Charlottesville, VA Device: Kindles	I tried your file (krzyzacy.mobi) on my Colorsoft running 5.18.0.1 firmware. It opened for me without any errors.

11-18-2024, 03:40 AM	#4
Vroo Zealot Posts: 115 Karma: 1005242 Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Warsaw, Poland Device: a lot of Kindles, PocketBook HD3/InkpadX, inkBOOK, Kobo	It is possible that this is a false alarm. I wrote an article on my Polish blog, rebooted the device just to be sure. And it turns out that the MOBI books that did not open are now working again! Did Amazon read the article and remotely fix the software? Actually, no. I opened ten files, and on the eleventh it crashed again. I went back to the tenth and .... would not open either. After another reboot, it again seemed that some files were opened and some were not. Maybe there is a lack of memory that is not cleared after previous files? It may also be an individual problem with my device. I'm going to replace it because of the yellowish stripe, so I'll check after I replace it.

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