Touch Fw. 2.5.2 SD-card issue

[Ken Maltby]

Have you tried an sd card with a hidden folder, as I described? It should be an easy test. If so, what were the results?

Luck;
Ken

[Leonatus]

As I said, I would like, at the moment, to avoid the necessity of a factory reset, until I have finished the book that I'm actually reading (90% read).
Furthermore, I'm a little in a worry that the programs you suggest to install perhaps wouldn't be thus easy to remove in the case they don't work. It should be possible, at least with a pinhole reset, shouldn't it?

Edit: You talk about Linux that will treat the folder as hidden. Do you refer to the Kobo OS?
Edit (2): Hm, the Launcher requires Fw. 2.6.1.

[Ken Maltby]

Originally Posted by Leonatus

As I said, I would like, at the moment, to avoid the necessity of a factory reset, until I have finished the book that I'm actually reading (90% read).
Furthermore, I'm a little in a worry that the programs you suggest to install perhaps wouldn't be thus easy to remove in the case they don't work. It should be possible, at least with a pinhole reset, shouldn't it?

Certainty it would be prudent to finish your current book, before further efforts. The use of an uSD card with ebooks behind a hidden folder, does not require installing any of the programs I mentioned.

You might want to connect your USB cable and copy all of the KoboReader drive to a folder on your PC. That way most of the programing will be backed up and you can restore your Kobo to most of its original state, without having to do a factory reset. This would also provide a copy of your SQLite database that you can copy over a corrupted one, when needed. (Having an image of your internal SD card would cover All of the programing.)

With that backup you can easily restore your device, removing any of the programs installed after you made the backup. The programs themselves are removed by just deleting their folders and .png files.

But, you don't need to install the programs to check on Nickel's involvement.

Luck;
Ken

Edit Reply: Linux based OSs like Kobo's treat any file or folder that has a name that starts with a dot/period/. as "hidden" unless directly addressed in a command.
Edit (2) reply: I thought there was a version that worked on the Touch, I'll have to look into it again. http://pbchess.vlasovsoft.net/en/index.html The launcher and CoolReader, USBnet, continue to work without registration, only the games require it, after a time.

[Leonatus]

Originally Posted by Ken Maltby

You might want to connect your USB cable and copy all of the KoboReader drive to a folder on your PC. That way most of the programing will be backed up and you can restore your Kobo to most of its original state, without having to do a factory reset. This would also provide a copy of your SQLite database that you can copy over a corrupted one, when needed. (Having an image of your internal SD card would cover All of the programing.)

With that backup you can easily restore your device, removing any of the programs installed after you made the backup. The programs themselves are removed by just deleting their folders and .png files.

Thanks for that! I always wondered how to make a correct backup of the system. Do I see it right: An image of the internal SD card is just the complete copy of what is in the system? (As far as I remember, my device - N905 - has no internal SD card).

And, concerning the uSD card, there was a misunderstanding: I thought it was all mainly to provide me with an alternate reading system. To be true: I love all those Kobo Tweaks, the Extended driver of Joel Goguen etc. I would not easily switch to a different system.

But I'll try your proposal when at home. The intention is: Or, the crash reappears, even with books in a hidden folder - then it's more likely a physical problem, such as Peter T supposes, or not - then it's probably a Nickel issue. Right?

[Ken Maltby]

Originally Posted by Leonatus

Thanks for that! I always wondered how to make a correct backup of the system. Do I see it right: An image of the internal SD card is just the complete copy of what is in the system? (As far as I remember, my device - N905 - has no internal SD card).

And, concerning the uSD card, there was a misunderstanding: I thought it was all mainly to provide me with an alternate reading system. To be true: I love all those Kobo Tweaks, the Extended driver of Joel Goguen etc. I would not easily switch to a different system.

But I'll try your proposal when at home. The intention is: Or, the crash reappears, even with books in a hidden folder - then it's more likely a physical problem, such as Peter T supposes, or not - then it's probably a Nickel issue. Right?

Right, if it functions the same as it did with an empty SD card, then it is likely some of the processing of the files triggers the problem.

I had read that one of the Touch models had no internal SD card, so it is yours? Then I guess making a copy of what you can reach is the best you can do. At least you will have the ability to quickly and easily recover most of your software and your personal additions and settings. Just not all of the coding on the device so that you could recover a bricked device.

Your Touch may have been problematic for the alternatives anyway.

Luck;
Ken

[Leonatus]

I should perhaps have mentioned that I'm Windows user. Anyway, I created, on the uSD card, a folder named "Books.name."
But, as soon as I gave that name to it, the second dot vanished. However, I took some of my books into it, inserted the uSD card into the device and started it. The uSD card became recognised after processing the contents, and also the books in the folder were seen.
Then, I opened the book on the device that I'm currently reading, and scrolled some 50 pages through it - nothing happened (i. e. reading was without problem).
I shut the book and opened some (one after another, of course) of the books that I had loaded onto the uSD card - the same, reading was possible without problem. No crash, no popup, only that turning the pages seem to be a little slower.
It's like bedeviled - should it be that the device only pled for some time of recovery from the uSD card? - I had read the last days with the uSD card removed.
I guess it feared a factory reset.

Anyway, I shall keep an eye on the future behaviour.

Thanks to all for the suggestions!

[Ken Maltby]

"Books.name" would not be a hidden folder. If you want a hidden .Books folder you would, in windows, name the folder .Books. then you would have a .Books folder, that would be hidden.

That would indicate that Nickel is not having a problem processing files on your external uSD card, now. It might mean that the card was not seating properly before. So it looks like the test would not have been needed, even if you had made the hidden folder properly.

Luck;
Ken

[Leonatus]

I have been too stupid and too quick:
Too stupid with my way of creating a hidden folder.
Too quick with my "all clear"-report. I went to bed in the evening, cheerily looking forward to comfortable reading night. The first ten pages, indeed, were o. k. But then the whole mess came back: Pop-ups, "You son-of-a bitch pulled out the SD-card", "You blockhead didn't format the SD-card in FAT 32", and simply closing the book and returning to the homescreen in a line, just as described in the first post. No two pages could be turned without an issue; it was as if the device wanted to catch up what he had forgotten to grant me three hours before.

So, this afternoon I'll do the test again, hopefully with more intelligence.

[davidfor]

Originally Posted by Leonatus

But then the whole mess came back: Pop-ups, "You son-of-a bitch pulled out the SD-card", "You blockhead didn't format the SD-card in FAT 32"

What language have you set the interface to? I don't think I've seen those messages

[Leonatus]

Well, I'm not quite sure if it's only imagination...

[Leonatus]

Originally Posted by Ken Maltby

"Books.name" would not be a hidden folder. If you want a hidden .Books folder you would, in windows, name the folder .Books. then you would have a .Books folder, that would be hidden.

Now I acted upon your advice (I hope correctly). At present, the device behaves as if the SD card wered empty, that means I can read the books stored on the device itself without problem.

But after yesterday's experience I'll be waiting for a final report after today evening has passed by, for then I'll read at least for 1 and a half hour.

[Ken Maltby]

Given everything, it would appear that you may have a flaky external uSD port that intermittently interrupts the connection with your uSD card, and Nickel reacts badly to processing interruptions. If Nickel can't see the files on your external uSD card there is no problem and you can read the files you have on your internal uSD card (if your Touch has one.). This condition would be more of a problem for Nickel because it builds and operates from an SQL database, which can easily be corrupted by such processing interruptions.

In any case it would be best to return your Touch for a replacement or refund.

Luck;
Ken

[Leonatus]

Originally Posted by Ken Maltby

Given everything, it would appear that you may have a flaky external uSD port that intermittently interrupts the connection with your uSD card, and Nickel reacts badly to processing interruptions.

I think it's something different. With an empty uSD card, there are no problems, and yesterday, I tried 4 books, of which 3 read without objection. Only one tended to suddenly closing sometimes. But this one has certain css specialities, such as graphic chapter headers. I know from the past that such extravagances can lead to a certain instability, especially - and here I agree with you - when the uSD card is inserted.

So I already wrote to the Kobo guys, and when finished with my current book, I'll try a factory reset again.

However, what it really is, I'm still uncertain.

[Ken Maltby]

Well you could try the alternative/addon readers, although some Touch models have had problems that the others don't. It is especially easy at this time: https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...&postcount=584

First be sure and copy the two .png files into the folder that Windows opens to when you select the "KOBOeReader" Drive. Then safely eject the drive/device, don't just pull the USB cable. You need to have Nickel process the .png files as if they were books, there should be the usual indication that it is conducting the processing of media. If you don't see it happen power off your device and power it back on you should then see it happening. Once you have the .png files processed and on your home page. Reconnect your USB cable and copy the KoboRoot.tgz to the .kobo folder. Again, be sure to safely eject your device before pulling the USB cable. You should see the "Updating" message then it should reboot. That's it.

Luck;
Ken

There is another menu/launcher program that a Touch user has created:
https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sho...85#post2595985
This might give you a better chance with your device.

[Leonatus]

Ken, thanks again for your advice!
During the weekend, I read very much, and the surprising is that there have been very little incidents of the reported kind. When it happened, then it was with the uSD card inserted, but reading the kepub stored on the device ítself. Now I terminated this book and even started a book that's sored on the card - until now without issue. Strange, strange.

However, at the moment I see no necessity to change something; I also desisted, preliminarily, from trying a reset. Perhaps the device needs indeed a recovery from the uSD card for some days, from time to time.