Nia Critical Error You didn't synchronize your reader

[sasaki]

Thank you for the detailed process, I will use it to benefit of the sideloaded mode.

Well, I finally was able to repair the thing. I decided to try one last time that manual factory reset thing and the basic sqlite statement given by Rashkae, and... it worked !

So it is now sure the issue was a broken database with unnecessary modifications following complicated sqlite statements found in various places. There is actually no wiki page about registration bypassing, but a link sending to that topic https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sh...d.php?t=171664. I think a page should be created with the simple command indicated by Rashkae and a statement telling people to be careful with other solutions. I will not do it now because the topic of modifying the database seems quite hot, and doing so could make some people angry.

What it actually does is creating another row in the user table, with default values for every entry. The default row generated during the factory reset process is kept unmodified.

I wish to thank everybody who took time to answer me, as this led to the resolution of my issue and I learned new things about my device. I will now flash it and go on learning things about it.

[Aleron Ives]

It may be worth noting that even if you do register, you can prevent your e-reader from transmitting reading statistics by modifying the hosts file on the device. When you enable Wi-Fi it will try to send statistics, but it won't be able to find the analytics servers, so transmission will always fail. This is a decent approach to preserving your privacy while still being able to buy books from Kobo, if you don't want to use sideload mode on a newer firmware version.

[sasaki]

Wow, thank you, this is very helpful ! Where is that hosts file ? Are you talking about .kobo/Kobo/Analytics.conf ?

Basically, I would agree with @Quoth. The email address I set up for my Kobo registration has only received emails from Kobo so I would agree that they are not selling the information. I do obtain quite a few books from Kobo so I get emails from them about specials and recommendations.

And only got even those because you used the Kobo Website to buy stuff.

Not getting marketing email from third parties is definitely not a proof your data is not being shared.
Kobo's privacy policy clearly state they do share data to vague third parties for advertising and marketing purpose, as usual with most enterprises nowadays. This is a proof your data is being shared.

Well since I already modified the database, is it still safe to flash the device ?

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by rashkae

@JSWolf, If you aren't going to offer any help to answer the questions, your endless spamming of this thread is exceedingly rude and irritating.

I'm trying to tell the OP that this course of action is a bad idea. So is Quoth. So why aren't you complaining about him too?

[sasaki]

I am satisfied of every contribution to this topic, even the ones that try to convince me I am a psychopath and my ethical choices are bad, as it gave me a chance to explain my choices and may be useful to other people reading this.

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by sasaki

Well since I already modified the database, is it still safe to flash the device ?

That is an interesting question. There have been reports with 3 firmware updates where devices that had bypassed registration by modifying the database triggered a factory reset after updating. This does no real harm other than forcing you to go through the whole setup procedure, reload your books, etc.

For me, I don't see any benefits that outweighs the relatively low risk. You may disagree.

[Aleron Ives]

Originally Posted by sasaki

Wow, thank you, this is very helpful ! Where is that hosts file ? Are you talking about .kobo/Kobo/Analytics.conf ?

See here:

https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sh...d.php?t=162713

You can also use NickelMenu to enable SSH and modify the hosts file manually, if you wish.

[rashkae]

Originally Posted by sasaki

Well since I already modified the database, is it still safe to flash the device ?

Oh, yes, that's fine,, I've used the same database on every FW version from 4.4.9298 to the latest. And if you are installing the latest FW to enable sideloaded mode, you can just delete the database file entirely, a new blank database will be created on reboot. (Actually, if you don't need the bookmarks and what not.. I would actually suggest doing exactly that.)

[sasaki]

For me, I don't see any benefits that outweighs the relatively low risk. You may disagree.

I agree. I already lost my bookmarks and other stuff. There is no real harm from this point of view. As I'm now aware I can modify the hosts file to prevent unwanted data breach, I can flash the firmware quietly.

I've used the same database on every FW version from 4.4.9298 to the latest.

This is really interesting. This means the added database rows in various firmware version can be absent without harming the usual device behaviour. Am I right ?

[rashkae]

Originally Posted by sasaki

This is really interesting. This means the added database rows in various firmware version can be absent without harming the usual device behaviour. Am I right ?

That's correct,, the latest firmware will silently and without trouble update the database schema from as far back as the inception of the device. This happens as part of the boot process, not the update process, so the old database can be copied back in at any time.

[sasaki]

@Rashkae, this confirms Kobo devices are really adaptive and robust while being extremely hackable. This really is a great purchase.

See here:

https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sh...d.php?t=162713

You can also use NickelMenu to enable SSH and modify the hosts file manually, if you wish.

Unfortunately the link to the script is dead. Could someone help me getting it ? I could possibly modify the host file myself with ssh as it seems to be the same folders structure than unix/linux, but I would prefer having the original file. I'm not confident enough in my networking knowledge.

That thread is really of a great quality. It describes precisely which data are being sent and how. As the post dates back to 2011, and according my recent reading of kobo's privacy policy, I assume the things have probably changed now. Nevertheless, it indicates kobo's practices are less invasive than google or other actors, while being "creepy" enough to justify disabling them and not creating an account.

[issybird]

The thread has moved on (good!), but I want to make the point that leading questions attempting to reveal dodgy practices are not allowed. It’s one thing if a poster outs himself; it’s quite another to conduct a sting operation.

[Quoth]

Originally Posted by sasaki

Unfortunately the link to the script is dead. Could someone help me getting it ? I could possibly modify the host file myself with ssh as it seems to be the same folders structure than unix/linux, but I would prefer having the original file. I'm not confident enough in my networking knowledge.

That thread is really of a great quality. It describes precisely which data are being sent and how. As the post dates back to 2011, and according my recent reading of kobo's privacy policy, I assume the things have probably changed now. Nevertheless, it indicates kobo's practices are less invasive than google or other actors, while being "creepy" enough to justify disabling them and not creating an account.

There is zero need.
The Kobo privacy policy is mostly to do with buying books on their site.

When you register a Kindle (unless you use a gift cert), you have to give them a real email, a real address, name and payment method.

When you register a kobo you ONLY give them and email, which is probably never used or given away (unless you buy ebooks on the web site) as in 6 years only my own test emails.

BUT you can use an imaginary email user on an imaginary domain for that one piece of personal information. They do not send confirmation, ask for payment method etc.

I could block the Kobo reporting on the Kobo or my Firewall, but there is absolutely no need because I don't ever turn on the WiFi. The only values of the WiFi is if you have no computer at all to sideload and update, OR if you have more than one Kobo and only books bought from kobo to Sync, OR possibly DropBox direct. However I can't see the point of Dropbox direct when all the ebooks are managed by Calibre.

So register with imaginary or real email then turn off WiFi forever. There is no point to the Web browser as it has no privacy or security tools and is poor. There is no value to Sync for you.

[sasaki]

Let's clarify some things.

I never thought my device could send data without wifi turned on, that's why I've been using it offline for some months. Your procedure was absolutely coherent and answered the question. Indeed there is no need to modify the database to protect one's privacy on a kobo reader. Creating an account with a false email and then turning wifi off to perform any other operation offline is enough. Yes this is true, thank you pointing that and this definitely should be documented on a potential wiki page for new users who want to protect their privacy.

Kobo acts differently than Google, Amazon and Apple. You made me aware of that and it is also true and verified, as this topic explains. Your contributions were truly useful and I did read all of them entirely.
Well they still gather data and they do share it, that's enough for me not to trust them and be cautious.

I chose to modify the database mainly because I do want to use wifi and I don't want to sign the EULA for ethical reasons. This latest statement should be enough so I don't have to justify my choices further. There are other minor reasons why I chose it that I already explained and I'm tired to repeat it again and again.

Yes the web browser is not secure and it would be incoherent to use it. As I explained there are third party apps that use wifi for interesting functionality and I want to be able to use them without worrying for my privacy. Planning to use ssh over wifi is enough to justify my choice anyway. I will also probably run some experiments on the eink display. So I will tweak the hosts file and any other needed file as I need. My device, my logic, my choices.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by sasaki

I agree. I already lost my bookmarks and other stuff. There is no real harm from this point of view. As I'm now aware I can modify the hosts file to prevent unwanted data breach, I can flash the firmware quietly.

There is no data breach on a Kobo. I've been registered for 7 years and I've not once had a data breach. I've never even read of anyone else having a data breach.

This is really interesting. This means the added database rows in various firmware version can be absent without harming the usual device behaviour. Am I right ?

Not completely correct hence the 3 times a firmware update caused a full reset.