B&N removed download option on all books in "My Nook" library

[JSWolf]

I did test out on of the free DRMed eBook linked to at B&N earlier on in this thread and the DRM was not removed when I imported it into Calibre. I then put in my details into the plugin three times. Once with my full name as on the web site, once with just my first name as on the website and once with my last name as on the website. I was then able to remove the DRM. I don't know which way did it. So I'll keep all three for now.

So yes, things have changed and yes, I was able to figure out that change.

[Fbone]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

I did test out on of the free DRMed eBook linked to at B&N earlier on in this thread and the DRM was not removed when I imported it into Calibre. I then put in my details into the plugin three times. Once with my full name as on the web site, once with just my first name as on the website and once with my last name as on the website. I was then able to remove the DRM. I don't know which way did it. So I'll keep all three for now.

So yes, things have changed and yes, I was able to figure out that change.

I tried what you did and it didn't work for me.

[rcentros]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

In order to use the Greasemonkey B&N script, you have to have a valid credit card associated with your account or the download link the script provides will not work even if you've download the eBook in the past. You cannot even use Nook for PC to download if the credit card on the account is not valid.

Okay. Now I understand. Thanks. I've always used the same credit card with B&N so I guess that has never been an issue.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by rcentros

Okay. Now I understand. Thanks. I've always used the same credit card with B&N so I guess that has never been an issue.

When the download button was removed, I downloaded all of me eBooks again using nook for PC and loaded them into Calibre. I then used find duplicates to find all the binary duplicates. Once those were sorted, I then used find duplicates to find all the ones with a similar title and similar author and removed all of the older copies as it could have been that the non-binary duplicates had been updated. I had no problem then removing the DRM. But today, I did have a problem with the DRM removal. It was easily fixed. Just had to find the right name to use.

[Pierre Menard]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

I did test out on of the free DRMed eBook linked to at B&N earlier on in this thread and the DRM was not removed when I imported it into Calibre. I then put in my details into the plugin three times. Once with my full name as on the web site, once with just my first name as on the website and once with my last name as on the website. I was then able to remove the DRM. I don't know which way did it. So I'll keep all three for now.

So yes, things have changed and yes, I was able to figure out that change.

I have already tried all of those. In fact, I've tried it as John Smith, Jonathan Smith, John Q. Smith, Jonathan Q. Smith, John Q Smith, Jonathan Q Smith, John, Jonathan, and Smith. I've reentered all of the above to confirm I didn't make typos. I've tried a different credit card with all of the same. I've tried downloading again after giving it 24 hours in case something didn't properly update on their end.

I'm out of ideas.

[cromag]

At this point the only thing I've got going on with B&N is my joint subscription to Analog and Asimov's. They download fine with the Greasemonkey script and are sold without DRM (at the request of the publisher) so I have no problems. Unless they offer a book for substantially less than any competitor, I probably won't be using them for new purchases/downloads.

They rarely offer books cheaper, but when the prices were the same the old Barnes & Noble had a substantial "convenience" edge -- I could download through the browser on my Linux netbook, run it through Calibre, and put it on one of my readers, all in one smooth sequence. With Kobo I have to use my Windows PC, unless it's DRM-free. And, of course, I have to use my Windows PC with Amazon.

[lkmiller]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

... But today, I did have a problem with the DRM removal. It was easily fixed. Just had to find the right name to use.

I put in the keys you tried and no luck for me. How did you download? I wonder if it is a certain number of letters out of the name and your first or last name just happens to correspond to the right number.

[DiapDealer]

Getting a big chuckle out of how long the discussion/troubleshooting about what might be going wrong between B&N's DRM and Alf's DRM removal tool has been allowed to go on.

[Ripplinger]

Originally Posted by DiapDealer

Getting a big chuckle out of how long the discussion/troubleshooting about what might be going wrong between B&N's DRM and Alf's DRM removal tool has been allowed to go on.

Shhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!

[Ken Maltby]

Originally Posted by lkmiller

I put in the keys you tried and no luck for me. How did you download? I wonder if it is a certain number of letters out of the name and your first or last name just happens to correspond to the right number.

I found the name used was one of a number I found associated with the purchase. It was not the one I had been using, which was exactly as it appeared on my CC.

If you go to "My Account" and click on the Order Number it should give you an "Order Details"page that includes a "Billing Information" box. That is where I found the one that works for me.

Luck;
Ken

[Ken Maltby]

Originally Posted by Ripplinger

Shhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!

What is causing the discussion is not directly related to "Alf's" great works, but to what is needed to read the purchased ebook, with the DRM still on it. So it is more about how to have the DRM work as intended, than about how to remove it.

Luck;
Ken

[j.p.s]

Originally Posted by cromag

They rarely offer books cheaper, but when the prices were the same the old Barnes & Noble had a substantial "convenience" edge -- I could download through the browser on my Linux netbook, run it through Calibre, and put it on one of my readers, all in one smooth sequence. With Kobo I have to use my Windows PC, unless it's DRM-free. And, of course, I have to use my Windows PC with Amazon.

Why can't you use your linux netbook in both situations?

[lkmiller]

Originally Posted by Ken Maltby

What is causing the discussion is not directly related to "Alf's" great works, but to what is needed to read the purchased ebook, with the DRM still on it. So it is more about how to have the DRM work as intended, than about how to remove it.

Luck;
Ken

Exactly. I like using other epub readers like Mantano. B&N used to play up their "social DRM" which allowed you to do that. That flexibility was the major reason I always preferred buying from B&N. They were my go-to place for ebooks since 2009. I've owned nearly every type of device they've put out. When their last e-ink reader was a huge disappointment, I gave up and got the Kobo Aura HD and more recently an Onyx Boox T68. Naturally, I started shopping more at Kobo and Google. Until these latest shenanigans, I would have still been able to read my B&N books on the Onyx without Alf's help. Now between removing the download buttons and changing the unlock code, they've lost me completely. They've made my DRM'd books a lot less valuable to me if I can only read them on B&N apps.

[lkmiller]

Originally Posted by Ken Maltby

I found the name used was one of a number I found associated with the purchase. It was not the one I had been using, which was exactly as it appeared on my CC.

If you go to "My Account" and click on the Order Number it should give you an "Order Details"page that includes a "Billing Information" box. That is where I found the one that works for me.

Luck;
Ken

Thanks for the suggestion. However, for me the name on the billing info is the same as what I've already tried.

[DiapDealer]

Originally Posted by lkmiller

Exactly. I like using other epub readers like Mantano. B&N used to play up their "social DRM" which allowed you to do that. That flexibility was the major reason I always preferred buying from B&N. They were my go-to place for ebooks since 2009. I've owned nearly every type of device they've put out. When their last e-ink reader was a huge disappointment, I gave up and got the Kobo Aura HD and more recently an Onyx Boox T68. Naturally, I started shopping more at Kobo and Google. Until these latest shenanigans, I would have still been able to read my B&N books on the Onyx without Alf's help. Now between removing the download buttons and changing the unlock code, they've lost me completely. They've made my DRM'd books a lot less valuable to me if I can only read them on B&N apps.

So has someone actually said that they can't read a DRMed B&N ebook on a reader with the username/password method recently? 'Cause I've not seen that mentioned, if so. All I've seen talked about is key-generation and DRM removal failing/succeeding based on account changes. But I'm new to this kind of stuff, so maybe I'm reading wrong.

In all honesty: are there any reports of new DRMed B&N books being unreadable in apps (like Mantano) that claim to support B&N's Adobe passhash implementation?

Either way, since the only book retrieval methods being officially supported are using Nook devices or apps, there's no reason to expect that reading DRMed Nook books with anything other than Nook devices/apps is going to work for very much longer.