Can't 'View' Mobi/AZW3 books on PC

qprfan99 · 07-28-2025, 10:52 PM

When I'm in Calibre & Press VIEW to look at a book; I can do it if its a PDF (it opens in Foxit) but it won't open when I try it with a Mobi or an AZW3. I have Kindle for PC on my PC & the cover of the book will open but I can't move on from the cover.

Any help will be gratefully received
Larry

JSWolf · 07-28-2025, 10:57 PM

Forget K4PC. Use calibre's viewer instead.

qprfan99 · 07-29-2025, 10:48 PM

This doesn't work either. Just an image of the Cover.

Larry

slm · 07-29-2025, 10:56 PM

Just as an experiment, try converting the book to epub. (Basically that's what Calibre's viewer does when you hit "view"). It may provide a useful error message.

qprfan99 · 07-30-2025, 07:07 PM

No joy. Again, just the cover.

DNSB · 07-30-2025, 07:23 PM

One question is if the books are from Amazon, has DRM been removed from them.

I've never used K4PC to try opening a book other than downloaded from Amazon so not certain what you are seeing means.

You may want to try doing a calibre portable install and see if you still have the same issue. If calibre portable works, you could then do an uninstall of calibre and then re-install.

This discussion might be better taken to the calibre forum though enough calibre users in this forum, that it may not matter much.

qprfan99 · 08-03-2025, 07:47 PM

They're not from Amazon

DNSB · 08-03-2025, 09:35 PM

I hate to ask but are they from a legitimate source? The few sources that supply Amazon format ebooks tend to use mobi. One exception I am aware of is Gutenberg. While Gutenberg's book tend to be ugly, I've never had one fail to open.

Have you tried to use the KindleUnpack plugin to convert azw3 to ePub?

Quoth · 08-04-2025, 04:50 AM

The only commercial source I knew was Smashwords, but as accounts migrate to Draft2Digital the Mobi are vanishing.
Some mobi are "dual" (never from Amazon Kindle sales), having old mobi and azw3/kf8 in them. Those and mobo from the legitimate PD sites work fine on PC.

The IA / Wayback claims to offer mobi, but they are rubbish. Only download PDF from them.

07-28-2025, 10:52 PM	#1
qprfan99 Enthusiast Posts: 41 Karma: 392 Join Date: Sep 2010 Device: kindle	Can't 'View' Mobi/AZW3 books on PC When I'm in Calibre & Press VIEW to look at a book; I can do it if its a PDF (it opens in Foxit) but it won't open when I try it with a Mobi or an AZW3. I have Kindle for PC on my PC & the cover of the book will open but I can't move on from the cover. Any help will be gratefully received Larry

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07-28-2025, 10:57 PM	#2
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 79,803 Karma: 146918083 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	Forget K4PC. Use calibre's viewer instead.

07-29-2025, 10:48 PM	#3
qprfan99 Enthusiast Posts: 41 Karma: 392 Join Date: Sep 2010 Device: kindle	This doesn't work either. Just an image of the Cover. Larry

07-29-2025, 10:56 PM	#4
slm Fool Posts: 470 Karma: 4113712 Join Date: Feb 2003 Device: Kindle: Voyage,PW1,KOA, Kobo: Clara Colour, Nook GLP, Pocketbook verse	Just as an experiment, try converting the book to epub. (Basically that's what Calibre's viewer does when you hit "view"). It may provide a useful error message.

07-30-2025, 07:07 PM	#5
qprfan99 Enthusiast Posts: 41 Karma: 392 Join Date: Sep 2010 Device: kindle	No joy. Again, just the cover.

07-30-2025, 07:23 PM	#6
DNSB Bibliophagist Posts: 46,582 Karma: 169115148 Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Vancouver Device: Kobo Sage, Libra Colour, Lenovo M8 FHD, Paperwhite 4, Tolino epos	One question is if the books are from Amazon, has DRM been removed from them. I've never used K4PC to try opening a book other than downloaded from Amazon so not certain what you are seeing means. You may want to try doing a calibre portable install and see if you still have the same issue. If calibre portable works, you could then do an uninstall of calibre and then re-install. This discussion might be better taken to the calibre forum though enough calibre users in this forum, that it may not matter much.

08-03-2025, 07:47 PM	#7
qprfan99 Enthusiast Posts: 41 Karma: 392 Join Date: Sep 2010 Device: kindle	They're not from Amazon

08-03-2025, 09:35 PM	#8
DNSB Bibliophagist Posts: 46,582 Karma: 169115148 Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Vancouver Device: Kobo Sage, Libra Colour, Lenovo M8 FHD, Paperwhite 4, Tolino epos	I hate to ask but are they from a legitimate source? The few sources that supply Amazon format ebooks tend to use mobi. One exception I am aware of is Gutenberg. While Gutenberg's book tend to be ugly, I've never had one fail to open. Have you tried to use the KindleUnpack plugin to convert azw3 to ePub?

08-04-2025, 04:50 AM	#9
Quoth Still reading Posts: 14,230 Karma: 105299897 Join Date: Jun 2017 Location: Ireland Device: All 4 Kinds: epub eink, Kindle, android eink, NxtPaper	The only commercial source I knew was Smashwords, but as accounts migrate to Draft2Digital the Mobi are vanishing. Some mobi are "dual" (never from Amazon Kindle sales), having old mobi and azw3/kf8 in them. Those and mobo from the legitimate PD sites work fine on PC. The IA / Wayback claims to offer mobi, but they are rubbish. Only download PDF from them.

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