Amazon removed books from my Kindle - Page 51

Sirtel · 01-08-2025, 05:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hollow Man

Does amazon also delete azw3 files? I only know of it happening with kfx/azw8 since I experienced it.

Yes, and there's no option to set them to personal documents. Kovid refused to change that, as it's an Amazon bug.

Hollow Man · 01-08-2025, 05:37 PM

So clearly it wasn't the dumbest thing for me to switch to send to kindle. It does give me extra functionality. But yes...I don't like Amazon having my third party books.

Frumin · 01-08-2025, 07:25 PM

I've also just read elsewhere that transferring the books through Calibre while the Wi-Fi is on would prevent their deletion whenever it's turned back on.
Has anyone tried this?

DNSB · 01-08-2025, 07:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hollow Man

Does amazon also delete azw3 files? I only know of it happening with kfx/azw8 since I experienced it.

There have been reports of azw3/KF8, KFX and mobi files being deleted. All that seems to be required is for the book to contain an ASIN matching an Amazon book that you don't own/have a loan of an Amazon copy and to keep your Kindle from connecting to Amazon for a long period.

In my testing, since I use the ISBN and ASIN for downloading metadata, my calibre generated Amazon format books had an ASIN. Since most of the books were sourced from Kobo, StandardEbooks, etc. in ePub format, I did not own an Amazon copy. When I took my Paperwhite 4 out of airplane mode after 5 or 6 weeks, most of the ebooks I had sideloaded vanished (according to the log files, they were deleted). Not a big deal to me since I only use the PW4 for testing ebooks I am formatting but for others where their Kindle is their prime ereader, an extremely annoying action.

Sirtel · 01-08-2025, 07:35 PM

AFAIK you may even have purchased the book from Amazon, but if you remove the DRM and sideload it, it will still get deleted. There were reports about such cases.

jhowell · 01-08-2025, 09:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sirtel

AFAIK you may even have purchased the book from Amazon, but if you remove the DRM and sideload it, it will still get deleted. There were reports about such cases.

Yes, Amazon keeps track of which Amazon-sourced books are supposed to be present on each of your Kindle devices and will in some circumstances remove any unexpected copies.

John F · 01-09-2025, 07:08 AM

Mods, maybe it would be helpful to update the first post with ways to avoid the problem: EBOK vs PDOC, ASIN, ...

It doesn't look like the OP is around often.

JSWolf · 01-09-2025, 07:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by John F

Mods, maybe it would be helpful to update the first post with ways to avoid the problem: EBOK vs PDOC, ASIN, ...

It doesn't look like the OP is around often.

My suggestion is for someone who is around often enough to start a new thread and then a mod can move the rest of this (minus the first post) thread to the new thread, delete this one, and rename the other thread with this title. Then there will be someone to keep the first post updated.

texasnightowl · 01-22-2025, 08:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by John F

Mods, maybe it would be helpful to update the first post with ways to avoid the problem: EBOK vs PDOC, ASIN, ...

It doesn't look like the OP is around often.

Speaking of...

hi! I'm not the OP but I haven't been around in a while. definitely noticed the deletion of sideloaded stuff recently (on my Oasis 3).

I see there is some theory that not having an ASIN may help with stuff not being deleted? Not my experience. Some of my sideloaded stuff was fanfic from archiveofourown and so of course, no asin or isbn, etc. and it was still deleted.

I haven't tried the personal doc type vs ebook, but will give that a try. But I think I also saw that I need to send to device from calibre as kfx instead of azw3 for that? Is that right?

I had been keeping my kindle with wifi off but at the end of Nov. I took advantage of the $0.99 for 3 months offer of KU and so of course, wifi came on. Then my previously sideloaded books disappeared...

Is there anything else that came up over the 51 pages of posts that I should know about?

I may just keep my oasis in airplane mode and bring my k4bnt back out for KU only.

Sirtel · 01-22-2025, 08:46 PM

You cannot change the type from EBOK to PDOC if you convert to AZW3. So yes, you'd need either to convert to KFX, use Send to Kindle, or keep your Oasis always offline.

hondabf · 01-23-2025, 01:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by texasnightowl

I haven't tried the personal doc type vs ebook, but will give that a try. But I think I also saw that I need to send to device from calibre as kfx instead of azw3 for that? Is that right?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sirtel

You cannot change the type from EBOK to PDOC if you convert to AZW3. So yes, you'd need either to convert to KFX, use Send to Kindle, or keep your Oasis always offline.

On Calibre, you can modify the PDOC tag on AZW3 books, the thing is that there are no plugins for it yet.

Also, why not mentioning the tip that you can set KFX books as PDOC? Anyways, in the mean time you can hack the QualityCheck plugin to set the PDOC tag on AZW3 books. Here's a quick guide for it.

If you're not using Calibre you might also want to take a look to the Java Mobi Metadata Editor.

Sirtel · 01-23-2025, 01:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hondabf

Anyways, in the mean time you can hack the QualityCheck plugin to set the PDOC tag on AZW3 books.

Yes, I know, and I've done it. But I think this is more hacking than an average calibre user is willing to do.

texasnightowl · 01-23-2025, 03:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sirtel

You cannot change the type from EBOK to PDOC if you convert to AZW3. So yes, you'd need either to convert to KFX, use Send to Kindle, or keep your Oasis always offline.

Thanks. I haven't bothered with converting to KFX upon send to device before but that shouldn't be a big deal. I'm assuming that would only be a solution for the Oasis as my K4BNT I'm assuming doesn't support KFX, but I need to double check that. Will Calibre remember send to device preferences based on device? ie. KFX to Oasis and AZW3 to K4B? (I'd say I mostly only care about sideloading to the Oasis anyway. That is where most of my reading is done though I do occasionally use the K4B since it is a little smaller and fits in a smaller purse. But overall I care less about items being deleted from the K4B.)

Quote:

Originally Posted by hondabf

On Calibre, you can modify the PDOC tag on AZW3 books, the thing is that there are no plugins for it yet.

Also, why not mentioning the tip that you can set KFX books as PDOC? Anyways, in the mean time you can hack the QualityCheck plugin to set the PDOC tag on AZW3 books. Here's a quick guide for it.

Oh, thanks! Will check that out. I already have QualityCheck plugin installed so will see what is involved!

pdurrant · 01-23-2025, 04:23 AM

If anyone who's got posts at MobileRead before 30th July 2021 would like to take over this thread and maintain a first post with explanations and work-arounds, I can make that happen. Send me a PM

morpheus · 03-02-2025, 07:52 PM

Another victim here. My Kindle Scribe is usually offline, but I noticed last year I lost a lot of sideloaded books that I added via USB & Calibre.

Unfortunately it happened to me again recently just before I boarded a 16 hour flight because I had to sync with a PDF document that I'd emailed to myself. I was pretty bored for 16 hours with none of the books I wanted to read!

I wasn't aware of the azw file format or what Calibre was doing with EBOK vs PDOC.

It's very disappointing - either it's a stupid bug or Amazon thinks they have the right to mess with personally owned devices. Either is not a good answer. Keeping wifi off isn't much of an option either for people who use the Scribe to take notes.

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Amazon removed sort prices low to high from on-kindle store	Pjama	Amazon Kindle	28	04-26-2021 12:26 PM
Warning - Kindle Store button removed from Amazon app	RCR	Apple Devices	4	09-02-2011 03:35 PM
More ebooks removed from Amazon UK	mr ploppy	General Discussions	7	12-09-2010 01:12 PM
Amazon removed S/N info from Manage My Kindle page	daffy4u	News	68	08-18-2009 11:30 AM
Amazon Removed Gay Books from Rankings	Moejoe	News	167	05-02-2009 12:24 PM

01-08-2025, 05:37 PM	#752
Hollow Man Evangelist Posts: 408 Karma: 2000000 Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Connecticut Device: Kindle Colorsoft, Oasis, Keyboard; iPhone 13 Pro, Air	So clearly it wasn't the dumbest thing for me to switch to send to kindle. It does give me extra functionality. But yes...I don't like Amazon having my third party books.

01-08-2025, 07:25 PM	#753
Frumin Junior Member Posts: 5 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jan 2025 Device: Kindle Paperwhite 10th Gen	I've also just read elsewhere that transferring the books through Calibre while the Wi-Fi is on would prevent their deletion whenever it's turned back on. Has anyone tried this?

01-08-2025, 07:35 PM	#755
Sirtel Grand Sorcerer Posts: 13,502 Karma: 240000001 Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Estonia Device: Kobo Sage & Libra 2	AFAIK you may even have purchased the book from Amazon, but if you remove the DRM and sideload it, it will still get deleted. There were reports about such cases.

01-09-2025, 07:08 AM	#757
John F Grand Sorcerer Posts: 7,951 Karma: 70880793 Join Date: Feb 2009 Device: Kobo Clara 2E	Mods, maybe it would be helpful to update the first post with ways to avoid the problem: EBOK vs PDOC, ASIN, ... It doesn't look like the OP is around often.

01-22-2025, 08:46 PM	#760
Sirtel Grand Sorcerer Posts: 13,502 Karma: 240000001 Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: Estonia Device: Kobo Sage & Libra 2	You cannot change the type from EBOK to PDOC if you convert to AZW3. So yes, you'd need either to convert to KFX, use Send to Kindle, or keep your Oasis always offline.

01-23-2025, 04:23 AM	#764
pdurrant The Grand Mouse 高貴的老鼠 Posts: 73,995 Karma: 315160596 Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Norfolk, England Device: Kindle Oasis	If anyone who's got posts at MobileRead before 30th July 2021 would like to take over this thread and maintain a first post with explanations and work-arounds, I can make that happen. Send me a PM

03-02-2025, 07:52 PM	#765
morpheus Aio, quantitas magna frum Posts: 30 Karma: 10 Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Lemuria Device: Sony 505	Another victim here. My Kindle Scribe is usually offline, but I noticed last year I lost a lot of sideloaded books that I added via USB & Calibre. Unfortunately it happened to me again recently just before I boarded a 16 hour flight because I had to sync with a PDF document that I'd emailed to myself. I was pretty bored for 16 hours with none of the books I wanted to read! I wasn't aware of the azw file format or what Calibre was doing with EBOK vs PDOC. It's very disappointing - either it's a stupid bug or Amazon thinks they have the right to mess with personally owned devices. Either is not a good answer. Keeping wifi off isn't much of an option either for people who use the Scribe to take notes.

Advert

Advert