Mobi Files Crashing in Kindle Fire

[wallcraft]

Originally Posted by Sasssysweeet

I'm not familiar with any of this. Can you tell me where I find this info and how to know if it is wrong. However, I have a book that I converted with Calibre that works on my KF, but ... I went to convert it again to add a decent cover to the file and that book won't read in my KF. Shouldn't it have the same number?

One way is to use Java Mobi Metadata Editor. This program allows you to view and change the metadata. The ASIN in record type 113. Connect your Fire via USB and open the offending .mobi file. If you have Amazon's original ebook, you can use this program lookup its ASIN and change the new MOBI's ASIN to the same value (typically B00....) or get the ASIN from Amazon's web page for the ebook.

[WT Sharpe]

Originally Posted by Sasssysweeet

Where is the Calibre forum? I started this thread and was following but didn't get notices that there were new comments and I really don't want to lose track of this because this problem has been driving me crazy for about a month now.

Originally Posted by wallcraft

It is here. Or search for your own posts.

However, if you are reading this you are already here.

Yes, what wallcraft said. The thread starts here. You're in it. Links to replies to any threads you've started or have participated in should also be visible on your User's CP page.

[Cinderela]

Originally Posted by wallcraft

One way is to use Java Mobi Metadata Editor. This program allows you to view and change the metadata. The ASIN in record type 113. Connect your Fire via USB and open the offending .mobi file. If you have Amazon's original ebook, you can use this program lookup its ASIN and change the new MOBI's ASIN to the same value (typically B00....) or get the ASIN from Amazon's web page for the ebook.

Is there another way? I downloaded the Metadata Editor, opened the files in question, entered the correct ASIN, saved the file - on one try, overwriting the current file and on another try, saving to the new file name and deleting the old file and when I opened up the "corrected" file, the same bad ASIN number was back! If I made an error, please let me know!

Is there another program to edit the mobi file? I've tried everything I can find in Calibre (and the suggestions previously posted) and I can't seem to fix this problem.

[wallcraft]

Originally Posted by Cinderela

I downloaded the Metadata Editor, opened the files in question, entered the correct ASIN, saved the file - on one try, overwriting the current file and on another try, saving to the new file name and deleting the old file and when I opened up the "corrected" file, the same bad ASIN number was back!

The following worked for me:

a) Select the record (turns blue)
b) edit its contents (not blue)
c) hit return (turns blue)
d) save as a new file

Also, there were two ASIN entries 113 and 504.

[Sasssysweeet]

Something else I noticed with my files that don't work is that a little message pops up briefly that says, "Sync failed. Please try again later." I don't have syncing set up since my mobi files aren't connected to my online library with Amazon. This message only comes up with newly converted books that aren't working.

[kovidgoyal]

A simple workaround is to to go to Preferences->Output Options->MOBI Output and set the Enable sharing option. This will disable syncing and should workaround this bug in the Fire. Note that for previosuly converted books you will have to set this option in the individual convert dialog for the book under MOBI Output. IIRC, this option will also cause your books to show up under Documents rather than Books in the Fire.

[Sasssysweeet]

Yay!! I don't know if it was the new update or the enable sharing fix but my newly converted files are now working.

[Sasssysweeet]

Everything was working great then BAM... now my files won't show up anywhere. This is so frustrating. I'm starting to really regret my KF purchase.

[Sasssysweeet]

Someone has to be able to figure this out because I'm at a loss. I've done EVERYTHING suggested and I still can't access mobi files on my KF. I'm ready to just cry out of frustration.

[Blossom]

Originally Posted by Sasssysweeet

Someone has to be able to figure this out because I'm at a loss. I've done EVERYTHING suggested and I still can't access mobi files on my KF. I'm ready to just cry out of frustration.

Time to call Kindle support if a factory reset doesn't fix it, you're device may be defective.

[Sasssysweeet]

But if it's defective and it's not the conversion process then why do my old mobi files from conversions last year still work??? And I should mention that I'm not having the crashing problem anymore. Actually now the files just don't appear at all, anywhere.

[Sasssysweeet]

Originally Posted by Blossom

I use Calibre daily to convert to mobi and never have an issue. I would do a factory reset. See if that fixes it. If not then it could be your device has a bad firmware update or it could be a setting in Calibre you are using that I'm not.

I was wondering if you could tell me what your settings are so that I could try to replicate and see if they work for me? Are you using a kindle fire?

[Blossom]

Originally Posted by Sasssysweeet

I was wondering if you could tell me what your settings are so that I could try to replicate and see if they work for me? Are you using a kindle fire?

Yes I use my KF every night. I just load my books into the books folder then do a force close on the kindle app. I don't use USB, I use Dropbox.

I have no problems. I know the previous books you posted wouldn't work on my Fire and crashed it. I'm pretty sure the source file was corrupted though on those. It's not the Fire or Calibre fault in those cases but bad publisher file. I would delete
the file and redownload from the publisher and reconvert in Calibre and see if that fixes it.

[Sasssysweeet]

I never posted any files on here, that was someone else. Here's something I tried to see if it was the conversion. I have old mobi files converted with calibre that work just fine and so I took a few of them and reconverted (changed up the covers) and now they don't work, don't even show up on my device. It's really frustrating because I have some new files I'd like to convert but nothing I do seems to be working. I use the drag and drop method to put them in my KF. It works fine with the old files but the new files won't work at all.

[Blossom]

Originally Posted by Sasssysweeet

I never posted any files on here, that was someone else. Here's something I tried to see if it was the conversion. I have old mobi files converted with calibre that work just fine and so I took a few of them and reconverted (changed up the covers) and now they don't work, don't even show up on my device. It's really frustrating because I have some new files I'd like to convert but nothing I do seems to be working. I use the drag and drop method to put them in my KF. It works fine with the old files but the new files won't work at all.

Sorry I just remember trying to help someone else who posted stuff. My guess is if no new converted files work that your Calibre installation is somehow corrupted. Have you uninstall Calibre, and reinstall it? Do you have a second PC you could install Calibre on and see if the ones you converted from it work?