Aura H2O Kobo won't connect to a PC anymore

[icallaci]

Originally Posted by davidfor

I didn't comment on the reason for your problem as I had no idea, but, no it isn't likely to be a corrupt database. I have seen reports like it and it always feels the USB connection is being over stressed and failing. If that is write, it could be the hardware in either the PC or device, or the drivers in either place. I've never come up with a way to fix it. But, I would like to see the error to see if there is a common place in communications with the device that fails.

The main problem I see with the USB connection is combination of bad design, a little clumsiness and a well used USB socket. On my laptop, the USB sockets are on the sides towards the front. There are two on the left and one on the right. I frequently hit anything plugged in with my hand while using the laptop. This can be enough to disconnect the device for a few moments and then connect again. When that happens, Windows will usually report an "unknown device" and calibre will report an error. And a lot of the time the port stops working until I reboot. Sometimes just restarting the device will work, but mostly I need to restart everything.

Yes, I'm afraid my problem is something like that because it is so random. When I get a chance, I'll try to narrow down the actual error. (I have guests visiting this week and will be out of town myself next week, so it may be a while before I have the time to spend on this.)

[Josieb1]

Originally Posted by davidfor

I don't know how to solve the problems reported. One of the reasons is because there are not enough details. Reporting that calibre displays the message, "error communicating with device" is almost completely useless. This will be displayed for a lot of different reasons. You need to look at the detailed message to get a better idea of what is happening.

For example, JosieB's first report sounds like the database was corrupt. My guess is that the database got corrupted and she added books afterwards. These were processed into the memory list of books, but could not be written to the database. Now, at disconnect, the database is reloaded and books are missing and have to be reprocessed. That's an educated guess. Seeing the details of the message would tell me if that was the likely reason.

Issybird's report also suggests a corrupt database, but probably in a different part of the database and a less severe problem.

In the end I did another factory reset and this time (so far) its behaving itself with Calibre, once I get it connected. I'm no longer bothering to patch the device in any way as I never know when i'll have to factory reset again. I just add a couple of fonts and live with the OS as it is.

I do think I have a lose USB port within the kobo as the connect screen pops up and the disappears constantly and its very hard to keep it connected to my pc. It's over 2 years old now and when it goes I won't buy another kobo, they are far too much hassle and I much prefer my kindles.

[JSWolf]

I've had my H2O for about 2 years 9 months. The USB port is not loose and I have no connectivity issues. I use only microUSB cables that are not a tight fit and I don't push hard. If the cable is a tight fit, I won't use it.

[Lady Stardust]

I often have a problem with Mac and Kobo Aura One (I haven't used my Kobo HD in a while). If often happens that when I connect Kobo (two original Kobo cables, Kindle cable, other cables) to whichever port on Mac it doesn't show up neither on Mac or in Calibre. Or sometimes it shows with third or fourth cable (always different cable, no rule). If it doesn't show at all, it usually helps to restart Mac and then it shows up. I have no idea what it is, but it never happens with Kindles I have. So I am guessing it's either lack of love between Mac and Kobo or it's Kobo USB port.

[icallaci]

Here's the error message I just received when I connected my H202 to Windows 7, opened Calibre, and tried to compress the database:

Spoiler:

calibre, version 3.6.0
ERROR: Unhandled exception: <b>IOError</b>:IOError: disk I/O error

calibre 3.6 embedded-python: True is64bit: False
Windows-7-6.1.7601-SP1 Windows ('32bit', 'WindowsPE')
32bit process running on 64bit windows
('Windows', '7', '6.1.7601')
Python 2.7.12+
Windows: ('7', '6.1.7601', 'SP1', u'Multiprocessor Free')
Interface language: None
Successfully initialized third party plugins: DeDRM (6, 5, 4) && Count Pages (1, 8, 0) && KoboTouchExtended (2, 8, 2) && Kobo Utilities (2, 5, 2) && Diaps Editing Toolbag (0, 3, 5) && Quality Check (1, 9, 11) && Modify ePub (1, 3, 13) && Reading List (1, 6, 6)
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "calibre_plugins.koboutilities.action", line 1604, in vacuum_device_database
File "calibre_plugins.koboutilities.action", line 3306, in _vacuum_device_database
File "c:\t\t\apsw-9hooel\apsw-3.13.0-r1\src\cursor.c", line 236, in resetcursor
IOError: IOError: disk I/O error

And two minutes later, after disconnecting, rebooting, reconnecting, scanning and fixing the H202, opening Calibre and compressing the database a second time, everything worked perfectly.

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by icallaci

Here's the error message I just received when I connected my H202 to Windows 7, opened Calibre, and tried to compress the database:

Spoiler:

calibre, version 3.6.0
ERROR: Unhandled exception: <b>IOError</b>:IOError: disk I/O error

calibre 3.6 embedded-python: True is64bit: False
Windows-7-6.1.7601-SP1 Windows ('32bit', 'WindowsPE')
32bit process running on 64bit windows
('Windows', '7', '6.1.7601')
Python 2.7.12+
Windows: ('7', '6.1.7601', 'SP1', u'Multiprocessor Free')
Interface language: None
Successfully initialized third party plugins: DeDRM (6, 5, 4) && Count Pages (1, 8, 0) && KoboTouchExtended (2, 8, 2) && Kobo Utilities (2, 5, 2) && Diaps Editing Toolbag (0, 3, 5) && Quality Check (1, 9, 11) && Modify ePub (1, 3, 13) && Reading List (1, 6, 6)
Traceback (most recent call last):
File "calibre_plugins.koboutilities.action", line 1604, in vacuum_device_database
File "calibre_plugins.koboutilities.action", line 3306, in _vacuum_device_database
File "c:\t\t\apsw-9hooel\apsw-3.13.0-r1\src\cursor.c", line 236, in resetcursor
IOError: IOError: disk I/O error

And two minutes later, after disconnecting, rebooting, reconnecting, scanning and fixing the H202, opening Calibre and compressing the database a second time, everything worked perfectly.

When I've seen a Disk I/O error in the middle of an operation and looked at the drives connected to the laptop (Computer, This PC, whatever), the Kobo device had disappeared. My trigger for this was when I plugged directly to a USB 3 port on my laptop and copied a few hundred megabytes of data. Using the only USB 2 port or connecting through a USB 2 hub seemed to keep those unexpected disconnections from happening.

[icallaci]

Originally Posted by DNSB

When I've seen a Disk I/O error in the middle of an operation and looked at the drives connected to the laptop (Computer, This PC, whatever), the Kobo device had disappeared. My trigger for this was when I plugged directly to a USB 3 port on my laptop and copied a few hundred megabytes of data. Using the only USB 2 port or connecting through a USB 2 hub seemed to keep those unexpected disconnections from happening.

For me, it doesn't seem to matter if I use a USB 2 or 3. It happens with both randomly. Sometimes it happens when transferring books, sometimes when first opening Calibre, sometimes when trying to check the database... And, yes, the device disappears from the list of drives when it happens. It's very frustrating, especially because it doesn't happen with anything except Kobo devices. I'm not blaming Kobo (entirely) but the interaction between Windows and Kobo is not working correctly, and I'm not sure what the problem is.

[JSWolf]

I've not had an issue with my H2O and Windows.

[icallaci]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

I've not had an issue with my H2O and Windows.

My H20 doesn't have a problem with Windows either. It's only the H202 and the KA1.

[bookwurm70]

Originally Posted by icallaci

I don't think my problem is due to a corrupt database, because when the Kobo actually does connect and I am able to use the Kobo Utilities to check the database, it always reports OK. Windows 7 is most consistently able to connect and keep the connection (only has a problem maybe 25% of the time), Windows 8.1 and 10 are terrible, sometimes as much as 75% of the time. Next chance I get to fight with...sorry, to connect one of my Kobos, I'll try to capture the actual error behind "Error communicating with device."

What versions of Calibre are you using to connect? I discovered a problem with connecting my Kobo using Calibre 3.5.0 and 3.6.0. Each time to connect your Kobo ereader to Calibre it updates a file on the Kobo ereader. I would have a connection error message on my Kobo when trying to connect to Calibre, and then after that, I could no longer connect to my laptop (I used both Mac OSX and Windows 10).

Anyway, try deleting this file: "driveinfo.calibre" on the main directory of your Kobo and see if that helps.

[PeterT]

Sigh. That file will be recreated as soon as your Kobo is connected

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk

[icallaci]

Originally Posted by bookwurm70

What versions of Calibre are you using to connect? I discovered a problem with connecting my Kobo using Calibre 3.5.0 and 3.6.0. Each time to connect your Kobo ereader to Calibre it updates a file on the Kobo ereader. I would have a connection error message on my Kobo when trying to connect to Calibre, and then after that, I could no longer connect to my laptop (I used both Mac OSX and Windows 10).

Anyway, try deleting this file: "driveinfo.calibre" on the main directory of your Kobo and see if that helps.

I deleted driveinfo.calibre from my H202 while it was connected to a Windows 7 computer, then ejected it and took it to a Windows 8.1 computer, where I got "USB device not recognized." So driveinfo.calibre has nothing to do with my problem.

I have noticed that Windows 7 almost always recognizes the H202/KA1 unless the device has previously been connected to a Windows 8.1 or Windows 10 computer. Then Windows 7 will say the device needs to be scanned and fixed. If I allow Windows 7 to scan and fix it, the reader behaves perfectly (on the Windows 7 computer). I can disconnect and reconnect the reader to Windows 7 many times without any further errors. But as soon as I connect the H202 or the KA1 to a Windows 8.1 or Windows 10 computer, the problems start up again immediately. At this point, I will use Windows 7 to transfer epubs to my H202 and/or KA1 and hope that someone, somewhere can figure this out, because it is beyond me.

[JSWolf]

I've had my H2O on a Windows 10 system and Windows 7. No problems in either case. I can go back and forth no bother.

[icallaci]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

I've had my H2O on a Windows 10 system and Windows 7. No problems in either case. I can go back and forth no bother.

As I have said previously, my H20 does not exhibit any of these problems. It is only the KA1 and the H202 that are having the problem. The H20 works just fine everywhere, every time.

[JSWolf]

Have you run a disk check on your H2O2 and KA1?