Firmware 4.31.19086

[ZodWallop]

Originally Posted by rashkae

From my testing, you should be ok if you power off and reboot the Kobo before connecting to PC. Do not open any books (or open any other dialogue) prior to connecting the USB.

There has been one person who reported database corruption after doing this, but I am not convinced it was not from a cause other than the 4.31 file system unmounting bug.

That was me, I think. What do you think was the cause?

[davidfor]

Originally Posted by ZodWallop

That was me, I think. What do you think was the cause?

It would be impossible to say. There has always been occasions when the database gets corrupted. Some people never see it, others seem to have it happen all the time. Some reasons are known (disconnecting from USB at the wrong time) and fixed (the problem with CBR/CBZ was fixed recently). Others are not known.

[ZodWallop]

Originally Posted by davidfor

It would be impossible to say. There has always been occasions when the database gets corrupted. Some people never see it, others seem to have it happen all the time. Some reasons are known (disconnecting from USB at the wrong time) and fixed (the problem with CBR/CBZ was fixed recently). Others are not known.

I can only say that I never had the problem before updating to 4.31 and since downgrading to 4.30, I haven't had it.

Of course I am a sample size of 1 and do not expect my report to be the key to solving the issue. But given database corruption seems to be an issue for many users here, I do not plan to go back to 4.31.

Also while I may be the only one who took the time to report that I did restart between connections, that doesn't mean I am the only one who did.

Lastly, with 4.31 you have to walk on eggshells and jump through those hoops to avoid database corruption and for what gain? To run the latest firmware which is an incremental change over the previous one?

Sorry. I'm not even arguing with you. Just went on a little rant.

[mathil]

Originally Posted by ZodWallop

I can only say that I never had the problem before updating to 4.31 and since downgrading to 4.30, I haven't had it.

Same for me, I'd had database corruption happen once in all the time I've owned Kobo ereaders (~9 years), and then twice on my Libra 2 only with the latest update, with everything going back to normal once I downgraded to 4.30.

[compurandom]

Originally Posted by mathil

Same for me, I'd had database corruption happen once in all the time I've owned Kobo ereaders (~9 years), and then twice on my Libra 2 only with the latest update, with everything going back to normal once I downgraded to 4.30.

Lucky you. I've had database corruption since I first started side loading books. It just happens more often with '31.

If anything, the exposure of this bug is a relief to me, I thought I was going crazy and forgetting to eject before unplugging or something even though I'm really careful about that. Now I know it's a bug. With an easy work around (let calibre back stuff up and restore it when it gets corrupted).

[ZodWallop]

Originally Posted by mathil

Same for me, I'd had database corruption happen once in all the time I've owned Kobo ereaders (~9 years), and then twice on my Libra 2 only with the latest update, with everything going back to normal once I downgraded to 4.30.

I'm in the same boat as you. The only time it happened was with 4.31, and I've been using Kobo since the 6" Aura. I don't remember the firmware, but it still had the tile home screen that changed with 3.19.

[ownedbycats]

Originally Posted by compurandom

Lucky you. I've had database corruption since I first started side loading books. It just happens more often with '31.

If anything, the exposure of this bug is a relief to me, I thought I was going crazy and forgetting to eject before unplugging or something even though I'm really careful about that. Now I know it's a bug. With an easy work around (let calibre back stuff up and restore it when it gets corrupted).

My Aura HD had a failing SD card so I'm familiar with the db corruption. So I have to admit it was a bit alarming when it started happening again on my Libra H2O. "Crap, did I get a bad one?"

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by ownedbycats

"Crap, did I get a bad one?"

Yes, you did get a bad one. You got a bad firmware.

[graycyn]

Call me clueless, but I generally just read on my Kobo and don't worry. However, having never HAD a corrupted database, I'm now getting worried while browsing this thread, since I do frequently sideload books. My Kobo updated when I synced to download some library books awhile back, so I DO have the latest firmware.

I'm not very technical, so I don't really want to try to revert back to an earlier version, unless it is VERY EASY, but if there is an easy way to backup/restore my current database, that would be good to know, just in case!

Otherwise, I'll hope for the best. I've not had any issues as yet on my Forma. I do need to connect the reader to the computer soon to add a book purchase from Google Books that I want to read.

[MGlitch]

Originally Posted by graycyn

Call me clueless, but I generally just read on my Kobo and don't worry. However, having never HAD a corrupted database, I'm now getting worried while browsing this thread, since I do frequently sideload books. My Kobo updated when I synced to download some library books awhile back, so I DO have the latest firmware.

I'm not very technical, so I don't really want to try to revert back to an earlier version, unless it is VERY EASY, but if there is an easy way to backup/restore my current database, that would be good to know, just in case!

Both are pretty easy.

To revert just get 4.30 from https://pgaskin.net/KoboStuff/kobofirmware.html

You’ll have to scroll to the bottom and click the older versions. Make sure you download the one for the Forma, you do this by clicking older version next to the Forma download and selecting 4.30. Unzip the file and put the contents into the “.kobo” folder of your Forma. You might need to enable displaying hidden folders a Google search for that with whatever OS you use (Mac or windows) should give instructions. Eject the reader and it’ll do the rest.

To back up your database you’d use Calibre and install the Kobo utilities add on which has an option to back up your database. You’ll need to tell it where to save the backup on your computer.


It should be noted that not everyone is having the issues in this thread and even those who are are not able to reproduce it perfectly. So backing up might be the better option.

[compurandom]

Originally Posted by MGlitch

It should be noted that not everyone is having the issues in this thread and even those who are are not able to reproduce it perfectly. So backing up might be the better option.

I don't see it frequently, but I wouldn't say I can't reproduce it easily.
Just side load some books, eject, and immediately reconnect and sideload more books.
(Note: this procedure can corrupt the database on older firmwares too -- just not every time.)

Some people think a reboot somewhere in that chain will prevent it. (I have reboot in a NickelMenu entry which helps a lot.)
Waiting a while before immediately reconnecting also seems to help.

[MGlitch]

Originally Posted by compurandom

I don't see it frequently, but I wouldn't say I can't reproduce it easily.
Just side load some books, eject, and immediately reconnect and sideload more books.
(Note: this procedure can corrupt the database on older firmwares too -- just not every time.)

.

I’ll rephrase, it can’t be reproduced without fail, at least to my understanding since if it could be 100% reproduced I’d have hoped it would have been mentioned here and I really hope those who have been experiencing it would tell Kobo exactly how to do so. Not you specifically, just certain individuals who feel the need to tell everyone with any issue who is running 4.31 that they should downgrade.

[ownedbycats]

Originally Posted by graycyn

I'm not very technical, so I don't really want to try to revert back to an earlier version, unless it is VERY EASY, but if there is an easy way to backup/restore my current database, that would be good to know, just in case!

If you use Calibre, get Kobo Utilities and set it up to backup your device on connection; it'll automatically handle it for you. Restoring is a few more steps: you need to unzip the last good backup and plop the files into the .kobo folder.

[DNSB]

For me, while running 4.31.19086 on multiple devices, I managed to corrupt the KoboReader.sqlite database 5 times. This compares to a total of 3 previous database corruptions over my years of using Kobo's ereaders.

Considering how many times in an average week I connect and disconnect from my computer to send books and metadata yet I didn't see database corruption every day or even every week. I suspect this is what is making it a bitch for Kobo's devs to locate and fix the issue.

My solution of sorts was to set Kobo Utilities to backup the database on every connect instead of once per day to minimize the effort to recover from a corrupt database.

In contrast, my wife's Libra 2 which, other than the occasional book that I edit for her, is used with a WiFi connection for books from Kobo and the library has yet to corrupt it's database.

[rashkae]

Trampling your Database might be a relatively unusual occurrence. But the Kobo leaving the dirty bit set on it's filesystem has been 100% reproducible for me (on two different kobos).. there should be no excuse for Kobo being unable to find this,, it's right in the face if you look for it.. Another way to quickly demonstrate this. Open a book, flip a couple pages. Attach the kobo to a pc. disconect. Flip some more pages in your book... Power off the kobo,, when you restart, your reading position will be reset to the location before you connected the kobo to pc. (ie, there were no updates recorded to database after the connection to pc.)