Aura H2O Light bug in 4.4.9344

[pickyaxe]

Here's hoping the reason we haven't had a firmware update in a while, is that Kobo is actually doing (some) QA this time around.

[Diruuo]

My Kobo Aura's light does not turn off on its own when sleeping, when it did until yesterday. There has been no new update since yesterday, I've been on 4.4.9344 for a while now. When waking the ereader the device shuts off the light for a split second and then gradually reaches the original level quickly.

I've restarted the reader multiple times with no change. I don't use a sleep cover, my light is pretty much always on if I'm reading, albeit at a low level. I don't have the habit of manually turning my light off as that should be the job of the device.

[anyone]

I almost never use the light, so I find it most annyoing that the device turns it on own its own and drains the battery for no reason.

[staelens.dirk]

I have the same light-bug on my Kobo Glo after the update to 4.4.9344
Also, all my "Collections" were empty after the update and I had to recreate them all.

I reported the bugs on the support website from Kobo and am looking forward for a bug-fix.

[msegt]

Originally Posted by davidfor

That is almost definitely a sign that the database on the device is corrupt. When that happens, the database cannot be updated during normal processing. When you restart the device, the corrupt database is read, and the data is from before the corruption happened. Some things might be getting updated, but not all. But, the bookmark is probably working because you are reading epubs and these are store in two places.

Unless you have a backup of the database, the only real fix is to sign out of the Kobo account and back in. This will create an empty database and then reprocess your books. Unfortunately, this will mean you lose the book status and collections for all the sideloaded books. If you are a calibre user, you can store the reading status using my Kobo Utilities plugin, but it is probably to late to do that. And I assume you are not a calibre user as you almost definitely would have seen a database error when connecting by now.

Thanks for trying to help, but if I were you I wouldn't assume things that fast (just for the record, I know more about databases than what you might think). I'm a Calibre user indeed, and the database is not corrupt, it seems it has something to do with the update as the progress shown in the home page is the one that was at the time, and maybe a cache somewhere that is keeping that progress in the device for every specific book. It doesn't have to do with my Kobo account either. I'll probably try to play around with the reader in the summer to try to fix the issues, but it's definitely been caused by the update, and it's very annoying that it's not an isolated case and nobody at Kobo seems to care..

Originally Posted by davidfor

Were you setting the light to 1% via the side-swipe before putting the device to sleep? I've seen a report that this was the way to reproduce the problem. If the light level is higher, it doesn't happen. This might explain why I have never seen the problem, but, there are some other reasons that for that as well.

In my reader it doesn't matter what lighting level you are using, it goes to 1% when in sleep mode always, and to turn it off I need to use the slider from the top menu (but it'll go back to 1% on it's own eventually, so I just decided to give up and power it off when I finish reading).

I'll post updates if I can manage to fix any of the issues.

Cheers

[JSWolf]

Supposedly restarting might fix the light problem. You might have to do so a few times. Also, while this bug exists, don't put the Reader to sleep with the light on when you finish reading. You should shut off the light using the slider at the top of the screen. I do that and I do not have an issue with the light staying on in sleep or turning on from wake.

[robko]

Originally Posted by msegt

It doesn't have to do with my Kobo account either. I'll probably try to play around with the reader in the summer to try to fix the issues, but it's definitely been caused by the update, and it's very annoying that it's not an isolated case and nobody at Kobo seems to care..

You're right: your Kobo account is fine. HOWEVER what David was suggesting is that you SIGN OUT of your account ON THE DEVICE and sign back in to it. That completely clears the database on the device and resets it to factory conditions. The specific symptoms of bookmark not updating/stuck at an older point you described have been traced back to a database corruption in 99% of the cases reported here and signing out/in will almost always solve it. It could be something happened during the update that caused something to get out of whack in your database, or maybe it was coincidence that it happened around that time.
You may have a high level of database knowledge, but IMHO Davidfor probably has the best understanding of how the Kobo database and how the device uses it of anyone short of developers themselves so I wouldn't assume that he's wrong until you can prove a different cause.

The light issue is a different thing and that is a firmware bug that should be fixed in the next version.

[PeterT]

Is the date and time correct on the device

Sent from my Nexus 7 using Tapatalk

[davidfor]

Originally Posted by msegt

Thanks for trying to help, but if I were you I wouldn't assume things that fast (just for the record, I know more about databases than what you might think).

If we are going to whip them out and compare, then the first relational database I used was DB2 V1. Though I might have used one of the last beta's. But, yes, I assume that people no nothing until they prove otherwise.

I'm a Calibre user indeed,

Yes I am to. And guess who maintains the KoboTouch driver?

and the database is not corrupt

You tested it? Don't rely on the driver reporting an error as it depends on exactly what parts of the database is corrupted.

it seems it has something to do with the update as the progress shown in the home page is the one that was at the time, and maybe a cache somewhere that is keeping that progress in the device for every specific book.

Yes, the data is cached while the device is running. But, that is discarded when the device is restarted. The database is reread at that time. If the database hasn't been updated properly, because the device crashed or the database is corrupt and couldn't be updated, then the last set of data written is read from the database. Hence, each time you restart, an old set of data is used. If you don't restart the device, you don't see this happening. That means a lot of people think the corruption was caused by a firmware update because that is the only time the device is restarted.

It doesn't have to do with my Kobo account either.

I never said it was. I said signing out of the device and back in was the way to fix the problem.

I'll probably try to play around with the reader in the summer to try to fix the issues, but it's definitely been caused by the update,

I'm willing to put money on it being a coincidence.

and it's very annoying that it's not an isolated case

Can you point to other similar cases so I can look at them? Maybe there's something going on that I haven't seen, or have seen and haven't connected to your symptoms.

and nobody at Kobo seems to care..

I'm also willing to put money on this being wrong. But, there's probably no way to prove it one way or the other. Unless maybe a fix for something that people say that Kobo don't care about suddenly turns up.

PeterT's suggestion about the time is something to check. I don't think your description fits this, but, it is a cause for why the book currently being read is not the first book on the home screen. Unless the book you are reading is a purchased kepub and the status is syncing to the Kobo server. That will cause this problem as it will use the reading position with the latest timestamp.

And if it is a purchased book, it could be that the time on the device was set far ahead at some point. I did this once where I accidentally set the date a year ahead. The book I was reading was a purchased kepub and it synced with that time. When I fixed the date, the book kept trying to reopened to the point I was reading when I fixed it. When I finished the book, I had to delete it from the device as otherwise it always appeared at the first book on the device. If this is the case, you can look at the timestamps in the database, or turn WiFi off and see if it happens while the syncs can't happen.

And just to be clear, you reported a problem. I gave you the most common reason for that problem to occur. Plus a fix. If that isn't the reason, then we need more details so we can work out what is wrong. And those details could include, "I teste the database and it isn't corrupt."

In my reader it doesn't matter what lighting level you are using, it goes to 1% when in sleep mode always, and to turn it off I need to use the slider from the top menu (but it'll go back to 1% on it's own eventually, so I just decided to give up and power it off when I finish reading).

I was asking for information to try and work out the pattern. I don't see the problem on my devices no matter what I try. The reports here haven't been detailed enough to come up with a pattern, but what I asked seemed to be a common behaviour. Thanks for giving a counter example.

[Amiieey]

Yea this bug is killing my H2O. Normally the thing can last at 90+ battery for ages. Dropped down to 60% in a day

Also randomly I'll open my cover and the light will suddenly go up to like 16% or even 64% when I had it set to 0 or 1.. It's really odd..

[msegt]

Originally Posted by robko

You're right: your Kobo account is fine. HOWEVER what David was suggesting is that you SIGN OUT of your account ON THE DEVICE and sign back in to it. That completely clears the database on the device and resets it to factory conditions. The specific symptoms of bookmark not updating/stuck at an older point you described have been traced back to a database corruption in 99% of the cases reported here and signing out/in will almost always solve it.

Hi Robko, thanks for helping as well. If Davidfor had explained what the account has to do with the entire database as you just did (not only to the books belonging to the account), his instructions would have been more logical and clearer. I have signed out and back in and it has fixed the issue for 2 of the 3 books I was reading. The other one now is stuck at 0% no matter what I do. I guess it might have to do with the book, and will try to find another version to confirm.

Originally Posted by robko

You may have a high level of database knowledge, but IMHO Davidfor probably has the best understanding of how the Kobo database and how the device uses it of anyone short of developers themselves so I wouldn't assume that he's wrong until you can prove a different cause.

I have never said that my understanding of the Kobo database is high or better than Davidfor's, I only pointed out that he assumed (as he admitted) that I know nothing and haven't even thought that it could be the database (which is not true: I'm not an expert, but I do know more than what Davidfor thought, and I have no problem in saying so, and that's why I came to the forums, otherwise I would have solved the problem on my own and give everybody here a solution).

[msegt]

Originally Posted by davidfor

If we are going to whip them out and compare, then the first relational database I used was DB2 V1. Though I might have used one of the last beta's. But, yes, I assume that people no nothing until they prove otherwise.

Oh, good for you! I was never comparing and never said I knew more than you. I'm sure you know more than I do in some areas and that I know more than you in some other areas. Assuming that people know nothing might not be very wise in all situations though, but I'm not going to tell you what to do... It's only personal opinion I guess.

Originally Posted by davidfor

Yes I am to. And guess who maintains the KoboTouch driver?

OK, good for you as well here. You already said that you use Calibre, and since you said that you assumed I wasn't, I only indicated that I am indeed a Calibre user, as it might be relevant if you were still to help me.

Originally Posted by davidfor

You tested it? Don't rely on the driver reporting an error as it depends on exactly what parts of the database is corrupted.

I did, not very thoroughly because I don't really have the time, but it seemed OK (As I mentioned before, although I know more than what you thought, I'm not an expert, so might be missing something). It is interesting though how in your first response you indicated that Calibre will surely say if the database is corrupt and that now you say you don't trust the driver...

Originally Posted by davidfor

If you don't restart the device, you don't see this happening. That means a lot of people think the corruption was caused by a firmware update because that is the only time the device is restarted.

I appreciate the explanation, and I restarted the device, since it is one of the first things anybody would recommend.

Originally Posted by davidfor

I never said it was. I said signing out of the device and back in was the way to fix the problem.

Well, you only said: sign out, with no further explanation or anything. I appreciate Robko explanation, and I reckon that signing out has helped with some of the books.

Originally Posted by davidfor

I'm willing to put money on it being a coincidence.

Well, if an update makes the database corrupt, it is causing a problem, as it shouldn't do it. Wether other factors can turn the database corrupt and then after reseting everything to factory settings get things back to normal is a different thing...

Originally Posted by davidfor

Can you point to other similar cases so I can look at them? Maybe there's something going on that I haven't seen, or have seen and haven't connected to your symptoms.

I was talking about the issues after the update in general. I haven't seen anybody with the progress problem, but in this forum you can see tons of people with the light problem.

Originally Posted by davidfor

I'm also willing to put money on this being wrong. But, there's probably no way to prove it one way or the other. Unless maybe a fix for something that people say that Kobo don't care about suddenly turns up.

I see you like putting money on things... I only said that (and I point out that I said "seem" and didn't state that they don't care) because I contacted Kobo Customer Care (only mentioned the problem with the light) and they suggested me to buy one of the newest devices and said that it should not be a problem with the update. It was maybe the Customer Care representative that talked to me, but that sort of response indicates that they seem not to care, and that as they don't reckon that there is an issue they are not working on it.

Originally Posted by davidfor

PeterT's suggestion about the time is something to check.

Checked. Time is fine. Thanks.

Originally Posted by davidfor

And just to be clear, you reported a problem. I gave you the most common reason for that problem to occur. Plus a fix. If that isn't the reason, then we need more details so we can work out what is wrong. And those details could include, "I teste the database and it isn't corrupt."

And that is why I came to the forums. I really appreciate anybody taking the time to reply and try to help, but I believe that you took some of my responses as an attack and they were never intended as such. Maybe you had a bad day when you read it (hey, bad days happen!) and that's the reason why you misinterpreted them and took it personally, or maybe you have had other people attacking you in forums in the past, I don't know, but believe me when I tell you that I didn't attack you.

Originally Posted by davidfor

I was asking for information to try and work out the pattern. I don't see the problem on my devices no matter what I try.

And that's fine, sometimes some problems are specific to a device or are almost impossible to replicate, but that doesn't mean they don't exist. Sometimes they are stupid things that can be easily solved and some others they are much more complicated than that... Even if you know a lot about something or are very experienced, nobody can expect anybody to know everything and solve every possible problem!


So well, let's just hope there is somebody at Kobo working on fixing the issue with the light, and that they launch an update soon.

[davidfor]

Originally Posted by msegt

Hi Robko, thanks for helping as well. If Davidfor had explained what the account has to do with the entire database as you just did (not only to the books belonging to the account), his instructions would have been more logical and clearer. I have signed out and back in and it has fixed the issue for 2 of the 3 books I was reading. The other one now is stuck at 0% no matter what I do. I guess it might have to do with the book, and will try to find another version to confirm.

Huh? Just to be clear, I said the following:

Unless you have a backup of the database, the only real fix is to sign out of the Kobo account and back in. This will create an empty database and then reprocess your books. Unfortunately, this will mean you lose the book status and collections for all the sideloaded books.

How is that NOT an explicit statement of how the database, account and sideloaded books are related?

I have never said that my understanding of the Kobo database is high or better than Davidfor's, I only pointed out that he assumed (as he admitted) that I know nothing and haven't even thought that it could be the database (which is not true: I'm not an expert, but I do know more than what Davidfor thought, and I have no problem in saying so, and that's why I came to the forums, otherwise I would have solved the problem on my own and give everybody here a solution).

Yes, but you came to the forum asked and when I gave you the most likely problem and solution, you used your knowledge to categorically stated it wasn't the problem. You decided that I didn't know what I was talking about that you did know more.

[BugHunter]

1. Start the device.
2. Make sure that the display backlight is set to 0%.
3. Turn off the device.
4. Start the device.
5. Set backlight to a state where it's clearly visible that it's on.
6. Press the power button once to put it in sleep mode.
7. If step 6 didn't leave the screen lit up in sleep mode, press the power button twice to once again put it in sleep mode.

At step 6 or 7, the backlight stays on for me.

[davidfor]

@BugHunter: This bug should be fixed with firmware version 4.5.9587. Have you tried that?