Adobe Digital Editions--Aaaarrrr!

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by gentlemanbeggar

Well, thanks to Adobe's ineptitude, the ebook reader world has potentially lost a very lucrative customer. TWGW (The World's Greatest Wife) has sworn off e-reading entirely because of a glitch in the Adobe DRM. She bought a book last night from the Kobo site. It was an Adobe Digital Editions ePub. Well, she went to download the file and when ADE came up, it asked her to activate her computer (like it has every time she's opened the program)--so she typed in her adobeID and password...

"Too many activations"

So now, we have to submit a trouble ticket to Adobe and ask them to reset her activations. That will allow her to get the book, but after she logs into the program 5 or 6 times, she's just going to get locked out again. I've searched the web and the only discussion I can find of this same issue had its last post over a year ago. The only solution I've seen thus far is advice from a senior adobe tech saying "create a new user account and reinstall ADE under that user name." ಠ_ಠ

I really despise DRM. It's stuff like this that makes honest people into pirates.

I'm thinking there is something wrong with your computer. I have ADE installed and activated on two different computers and neither of them ever ask for me to activate it. So try to find out what's wrong with your computer. The info for the activation is stored in the registry. What version of Windows unless you are on a MAC.

[Killing Floor]

For what it's worth, on my work computer, whereI tried to download a DRM protected library book (via the .ascm file), I received a "too many activations" message- I first de-authorized the computer, and used a different Adobe digital ID. Then I received the "Adapt_10" error message.

I uninstalled ADE, reinstalled it, got a NEW Adobe Digital ID, double-clicked the .ascm file, ADE loaded, and I was able to download the book. Maybe my netbook will work now, who knows. But the uninstall/reinstall/new Adobe ID seemed to have worked. Hopefully for your wife as well.

[Killing Floor]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

The info for the activation is stored in the registry. What version of Windows unless you are on a MAC.

I was thinking there was a possible registry problem also. Here's a link to a registry hack from Adobe: http://forums.adobe.com/thread/698321

If you're not comfortable hacking your registry, don't do it; you can hose your OS.

[speedlever]

On my Win7/64 computer, I've only had to authorize ADE once. FWIW, I have found Adobe CS responsive. I just emailed them about changing the default download directory away from the C:\ drive. They responded within 24 hours and told me that was not an option. So I've requested that be an option in future versions.

I don't like to put any data on my C:\ (OS) drive unless forced to. (It's also an SSD.)

I just bought a book from Borders within the last couple of days. Naturally I had to use ADE to bring the ebook into my computer. From there, calibre (with plug-ins) took care of getting it to my K3... less than 4 minutes to do so.

[Killing Floor]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

I'm thinking there is something wrong with your computer. I have ADE installed and activated on two different computers and neither of them ever ask for me to activate it. So try to find out what's wrong with your computer. The info for the activation is stored in the registry. What version of Windows unless you are on a MAC.

I agree with you after what I've gone through today. When I was able to activate my work computer with a new Adobe I.D. I then went home, uninstalled ADE (de-authorizing it wouldn't allow me to re-authorize it with a different I.D. My old I.D. just automatically came back). Only on re-installation was I able to change my home netbook to the same ID I had at work. However, after changing my Adobe ID, I wasn't able to open up any library books that was associated with my old ID where I was able to open up borrowed books on my desktop that had my old ID (still following me here?). SO, I again uninstalled ADE on my netbook, to try to put back the original Adobe ID, which I was able to accomplish. However, I wasn't able to download any books, yet again, on my netbook,* so I was going back and forth with the 2 different Adobe IDs (multiple uninstallations and reinstallations) an re-authorizations. I finally got a "too many activations" message as in the OP. Which suggests this to me: despite authorizing it on the same device, Adobe must be interpreting that as activating it on multiple devices. There's no other explanation, if you're allowed 6 IDs, as I only had my original ID on my netbook, desktop, work computer, and now my e-reader. That's only 4 devices for sure. So something must be up with gentlemanbegger's wife's computer. I was never prompted to authorize any computer more than once.

*I made another discovery- there's a possibility you may get a "too many activations" error from not only constantly authorizing the same device, how your browser is is set up to the net can affect your ability to download books. This is a bit off topic, but I think possibly related to the "too many activations" topic; figured I'd throw this in, in case Gentleman's wife has trouble downloading more books after her activations are reset, or again gets prompted to authorize over and over again. If you connect to the net through a proxy server, this can screw up authorizations, and the ability to download books is prevented. I was googling all over the place for a solution to my netbook's problem in downloading books after getting the .ascm ticket. Anyway, you'll have to change how your browser connects to the net in the options>connections>settings area of your browser. Generally by default, it's set to "no proxies" but I discovered on my netbook, I did have it setup to go through a proxy as an added layer of security on my wireless netbook. An easier solution might be to simply use a different browser while downloading a book. Hope I made some sense here. I think I'm feeling everyone's pain over this DRM thing, as it's pretty new to me, and in the 5 days I've had my e-reader, I've had a fair number of headaches to the degree I now know how to strip the DRM protection if I wish. Now I have to get get Adobe to allow me more activations. This reminds me of Windoze. I had to learn to be my own tech support person because it was so glitchy, I just learned how to fix things on my own, instead of waiting hours for tech support. It only took 5 days to become a possible criminal after dealing with this DRM stuff.

[kiwipippa]

Originally Posted by Killing Floor

Here's a link to Adobe that may speed up the process. I just noticed in your original post that you said your wife had to activate her computer "every time"- http://kb2.adobe.com/cps/405/kb405200.html

Check out the link Killing floor posted. Looks like it could be the problem - although the link is from 2 years ago they may not have fixed it.

[gentlemanbeggar]

Originally Posted by kiwipippa

Check out the link Killing floor posted. Looks like it could be the problem - although the link is from 2 years ago they may not have fixed it.

It's entirely unreasonable to have to log into the computer under a different account just to be able to download a book. Coincidentally, when logged into the computer under a second account, the activation holds just fine--log out, and log back in under my wife's account, and it asks for activation again.

Reinstalling the program did nothing to help.

[taming]

Your e-reader will only allow books from one ADE account to be on the reader and usable at one time. Books from the other account will be locked. If you are removing the DRM after the download and adding them to the reader without DRM, then this is not a concern.

Books downloaded from the Kobo website using Adobe account #1 cannot be downloaded again from the website using Adobe Account #2. Kobo can reset all of your books so they are associated with the Adobe account you intend to use all of the time. If you are getting rid of your wife's broken account and will not be using it again, I would suggest making a list of all of the books under account 1, and putting them on a Kobo web ticket--either through help.kobobooks.com or by email. Explain that they are associated with account 1 (give the login) and as that account is permanently broken and will never be in use again, you need to have the associations changed to account 2 (give the login). Been there, done that.

This is not a Kobo issue, per se, but rather an Adobe Adept DRM "feature". It keeps people from sending each other ADE files and loading them onto each other's readers.

[HarryT]

Originally Posted by gentlemanbeggar

It's entirely unreasonable to have to log into the computer under a different account just to be able to download a book. Coincidentally, when logged into the computer under a second account, the activation holds just fine--log out, and log back in under my wife's account, and it asks for activation again.

Reinstalling the program did nothing to help.

That would seem indicate that the problem lies with your computer, and not with the software. If the problem persists on reinstallation, it seems likely that there's duff information in the registry for that user.

[gentlemanbeggar]

Originally Posted by HarryT

That would seem indicate that the problem lies with your computer, and not with the software. If the problem persists on reinstallation, it seems likely that there's duff information in the registry for that user.

Sure, I accept that the problem is somewhere in my wife's profile. My question is, is there some way to pinpoint where the problem lies? I would think that maybe Adobe could at least show me what to look--a missing registry entry perhaps?

I apologize if I come across as adobe bashing. I know it's just some technical little problem, but it's very frustrating. My wife resisted the e-book phenomenon for some time, holding to the "feel of a physical book" argument, and when she finally dips her toe into the e-book waters, she gets bogged down with a glitch brought on by DRM. It's all very frustrating.

I appreciate everyone's input and advice, and I want everyone to know that I find this site to be an invaluable resource, despite my whining.

[ProfCrash]

I understand that you want to avoid DRM issues as much as possible. But if you want your wife to enjoy a smoother e-reading process and your current unit is still in a time frame that you can return it I would do so and buy her a unit that does not require the ADE when you want to buy a book.

The Nook sells EPub books that can be downloaded without having to use the ADE software. You would still have the ability to sideload non-DRMed EPub books to the Nook but you would have a much smoother experience buying a book. You would still be able to use the library but would have to use ADE.

I understand your frustration. I hope that your wife does not give up on the e-reader experience as a whole.

[gentlemanbeggar]

Originally Posted by ProfCrash

I understand that you want to avoid DRM issues as much as possible. But if you want your wife to enjoy a smoother e-reading process and your current unit is still in a time frame that you can return it I would do so and buy her a unit that does not require the ADE when you want to buy a book.

The Nook sells EPub books that can be downloaded without having to use the ADE software. You would still have the ability to sideload non-DRMed EPub books to the Nook but you would have a much smoother experience buying a book. You would still be able to use the library but would have to use ADE.

I understand your frustration. I hope that your wife does not give up on the e-reader experience as a whole.

I don't think she's going to give up on it. She just spent yesterday evening loading ~70 books from manybooks on it. It's just a little disappointing that the process for more modern books hasn't been a smoother transition.

[ProfCrash]

Originally Posted by gentlemanbeggar

I don't think she's going to give up on it. She just spent yesterday evening loading ~70 books from manybooks on it. It's just a little disappointing that the process for more modern books hasn't been a smoother transition.

LOL awesome.

[Sunlite]

Originally Posted by gentlemanbeggar

Sure, I accept that the problem is somewhere in my wife's profile. My question is, is there some way to pinpoint where the problem lies? I would think that maybe Adobe could at least show me what to look--a missing registry entry perhaps?

If you follow the link to the Adobe site given up-thread, you can find a section called "Troubleshooting your machine". In it they describe how you can try to find out what on your computer reacts badly with ADE.

I think it is a very sad state of the software, that this is still needed more than two years later, but it might be your best chance. The wait for their solution might get long.

[Killing Floor]

Originally Posted by kiwipippa

Check out the link Killing floor posted. Looks like it could be the problem - although the link is from 2 years ago they may not have fixed it.

fwiw, I've been through that, and other troubleshooting links at Adobe. I'm fairly computer literate, so I hacked my registry, and everything Adobe suggested. Nothing. I opened up a web case. If I don't hear from them in a few days, I'll simply create yet another Adobe ID, and be careful how, and what devices I activate. In attempting to recapture ID #1, which failed, I've now lost ID #2.

Originally Posted by HarryT

That would seem indicate that the problem lies with your computer, and not with the software. If the problem persists on reinstallation, it seems likely that there's duff information in the registry for that user.

Not necessarily. I found on one of the Adobe troubleshooting pages that, if you authorize/deauthorize on the same device, you'll get the "too many activations" error message. Like in an earlier post of mine, I suspected that may have been the case with my netbook. Because I couldn't download a book, I deauthorized, and reauthorized numerous times. That seems to have created a "too many activations" situation.

For myself, this isn't nearly the hassle as many, who may have many books associated with a specific ID, as I haven't purchased that many books. I can see the frustration many may have. Quite frankly, if I was in that situation, I'd just strip the DRM.