Amazon and DRM changes

[Keybounce]

Originally Posted by slm

Last update: February 14 2025

If you have lots to download, and are on Amazon.com or Amazon.o.uk, the script here on github will allow you to bulk download all your ebooks.

It is a python script, so you will need to have Python 3 installed, along with three other packages (given in the documentation at github).

Ok, I need help with this. I have KUbuntu. I have gotten a virtual python install up. I have installed this, and the requirements. I have installed the xvfb package.

python3 bookp.py --email keybounce@gmail.com --verbose --showbrowser

results in (after asking for my password, etc) a chromium window being opened, stating that it is being controlled by automated test software, and then nothing else happens. After about a minute, it closes, and the script exits without downloading anything.

(NB: I have no idea how to get my Oauth token, if that would help.)

[INFO]  2025-02-24 03:14:47,265 Starting browser
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "/home/user/Documents/dev/BulkKindleUSBDownloader/bookp.py", line 345, in <module>
    sys.exit(main())
             ^^^^^^
  File "/home/user/Documents/dev/BulkKindleUSBDownloader/bookp.py", line 307, in main
    cookies, csrf_token, custid = create_session(
                                  ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
  File "/home/user/Documents/dev/BulkKindleUSBDownloader/bookp.py", line 88, in create_session
    browser = webdriver.Chrome(options=options)
              ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
  File "/home/user/Python/lib/python3.12/site-packages/selenium/webdriver/chrome/webdriver.py", line 45, in __init__
    super().__init__(
  File "/home/user/Python/lib/python3.12/site-packages/selenium/webdriver/chromium/webdriver.py", line 66, in __init__
    super().__init__(command_executor=executor, options=options)
  File "/home/user/Python/lib/python3.12/site-packages/selenium/webdriver/remote/webdriver.py", line 250, in __init__
    self.start_session(capabilities)
  File "/home/user/Python/lib/python3.12/site-packages/selenium/webdriver/remote/webdriver.py", line 342, in start_session
    response = self.execute(Command.NEW_SESSION, caps)["value"]
               ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
  File "/home/user/Python/lib/python3.12/site-packages/selenium/webdriver/remote/webdriver.py", line 429, in execute
    self.error_handler.check_response(response)
  File "/home/user/Python/lib/python3.12/site-packages/selenium/webdriver/remote/errorhandler.py", line 232, in check_response
    raise exception_class(message, screen, stacktrace)
selenium.common.exceptions.SessionNotCreatedException: Message: session not created: DevToolsActivePort file doesn't exist
Stacktrace:
#0 0x59f7aa50753a <unknown>
#1 0x59f7aa002f00 <unknown>
#2 0x59f7aa03fb24 <unknown>
#3 0x59f7aa03a589 <unknown>
#4 0x59f7aa0364b6 <unknown>
#5 0x59f7aa0837b6 <unknown>
#6 0x59f7aa082e06 <unknown>
#7 0x59f7aa077343 <unknown>
#8 0x59f7aa04478a <unknown>
#9 0x59f7aa0459de <unknown>
#10 0x59f7aa4d12cb <unknown>
#11 0x59f7aa4d5242 <unknown>
#12 0x59f7aa4be7ac <unknown>
#13 0x59f7aa4d5df7 <unknown>
#14 0x59f7aa4a2b2f <unknown>
#15 0x59f7aa4f61a8 <unknown>
#16 0x59f7aa4f6370 <unknown>
#17 0x59f7aa5063b6 <unknown>
#18 0x7264bee9caa4 <unknown>
#19 0x7264bef29c3c <unknown>

[BionicGecko]

Originally Posted by fermin

DeDRM however doesn't fix things going forward after February 26th, right? Or did I miss something?

DeDRM should still work for a while on KFX files downloaded via Kindle for PC version 2.4.0 or lower. Later versions use a new DRM scheme for KFX which can't be removed with the current tools.

[fermin]

Originally Posted by BionicGecko

DeDRM should still work for a while on KFX files downloaded via Kindle for PC version 2.4.0 or lower. Later versions use a new DRM scheme for KFX which can't be removed with the current tools.

I thought newly published books don't work with Kindle for PC 2.4.0? I'm actually on a Mac, but it would be litte trouble spinning up a Windows VM for this..

[BionicGecko]

Originally Posted by fermin

I thought newly published books don't work with Kindle for PC 2.4.0? I'm actually on a Mac, but it would be litte trouble spinning up a Windows VM for this..

Ah indeed you might be right on that, I stand corrected. Personally I’ve never encountered a book I couldn’t liberate via the Kindle for PC method, but according to the relevant thread in the Calibre forum, it doesn’t work for all books (although which books work or not is not specified).

[ownedbycats]

Originally Posted by BionicGecko

Ah indeed you might be right on that, I stand corrected. Personally I’ve never encountered a book I couldn’t liberate via the Kindle for PC method, but according to the relevant thread in the Calibre forum, it doesn’t work for all books (although which books work or not is not specified).

If I remember right, any book published after early January 2023 is cut off. Some others like Indian language too.

[jlinear]

Originally Posted by fermin

I thought newly published books don't work with Kindle for PC 2.4.0? I'm actually on a Mac, but it would be litte trouble spinning up a Windows VM for this..

I have KindleForPC-installer-2.3.70682 installed on my Windows computer. I just purchased a newly published (Feb 2025) e-book on Amazon was able to download and DeDRM it a couple days ago. It downloaded as KFX.

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by fermin

I thought newly published books don't work with Kindle for PC 2.4.0? I'm actually on a Mac, but it would be litte trouble spinning up a Windows VM for this..

So far I've purchased multiple books from Amazon in 2025 and had no problems downloading them to my computer with K4PC 2.4.0. I am not purchasing textbooks nor Indian language books which are the two cases I am aware of where Amazon uses their latest rendition of KFX DRM.

[BionicGecko]

Originally Posted by ownedbycats

If I remember right, any book published after early January 2023 is cut off. Some others like Indian language too.

Originally Posted by jlinear

I have KindleForPC-installer-2.3.70682 installed on my Windows computer. I just purchased a newly published (Feb 2025) e-book on Amazon was able to download and DeDRM it a couple days ago. It downloaded as KFX.

Originally Posted by DNSB

So far I've purchased multiple books from Amazon in 2025 and had no problems downloading them to my computer with K4PC 2.4.0. I am not purchasing textbooks nor Indian language books which are the two cases I am aware of where Amazon uses their latest rendition of KFX DRM.

Yes, I do remember this thing about books released after January 2023, but I believe this was actually solved with DeDRM alpha version 10.0.9; see this post from jhowell dated from August 2023 confirming that all books can be liberated with this version of DeDRM and the KFX Input plugin.

Since then a stronger DRM scheme for KFX was put in place, but as mentioned by DNSB, it seems to only be used for textbooks and Indian language books (so far).

[Sirtel]

Originally Posted by fermin

I thought newly published books don't work with Kindle for PC 2.4.0? I'm actually on a Mac, but it would be litte trouble spinning up a Windows VM for this..

At the moment they work. They didn't work with older versions, like 1.17 and 1.19.

[Sirtel]

Originally Posted by ownedbycats

If I remember right, any book published after early January 2023 is cut off.

That was for 1.17, not 2.40.

[MichaelKindle]

I download to an older Kindle, then upload to Calibre.

[fermin]

Originally Posted by Sirtel

That was for 1.17, not 2.40.

I see. So I'll try my luck with Kindle for PC. Too bad it doesn't work on Mac.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by fermin

I see. So I'll try my luck with Kindle for PC. Too bad it doesn't work on Mac.

K4MAC has been dead to the world for some time.

[risho]

before the cutoff happened i just added my serial from my kindle to the dedrm calibre plugin and copied the books from my kindle to calibre and it worked as expected.

is there any reason i couldnt just install the winterbreak jailbreak and block OTA updates to maintain compatibility with removing drm into the future? does amazon block out of date kindles from accessing their services?

[lkmiller]

With KFX format, they can change the DRM on books so that your current Kindle firmware could still handle it but DeDRM could not.