Dealing with Kindle for PC/Mac 1.19 and KFX in calibre

[lkmiller]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

The solution is to DeDRM KF8 and use the KFX Output plugin to convert to KFX for your Kindle.

They have a Kobo so they will be converting KF8 to epub.

[Inukami]

Originally Posted by lkmiller

It does need to be set again.

Good to know. Thanks. Maybe add that to the instructions in the first post.

Inukami

[User11235]

Thank you all for the continued work/effort!!

I've had Kindle for PC 1.17 and Calibre 3.42 set up for quite awhile now with no problems at all, so I've not changed or updated anything in a long time; then today K4PC forcibly updated itself like an a$$hole even though I've had it set to not auto-update all this time...

Anyway, I went ahead and updated Calibre (and related plugins) to the latest version, and then simply installed K4PC 1.17 (which I already had downloaded from the last time I needed it) right over the new version and everything is working again! I also triple-checked that I have auto-update disabled *and* I ran that batch file from the first post on this thread, so hopefully I won't need to touch anything again for awhile...

It's really great to be able to come here and get the answers I need -- Thanks again, y'all are life savers!!

[rdsk]

Originally Posted by DNSB

In response to a PM from a user who has a space in her user name, I modified the cmd file to add a "" and "s around the command line that runs kindle.exe. Without the blank "", Windows treated the command line as the title.

Spoiler:

reg delete "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Amazon\Kindle\User Settings" /v "isKRFDRendererSupported" /f
start "" "%LOCALAPPDATA%\Amazon\Kindle\application\kindle.exe"
:repeat
timeout 1
reg query "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Amazon\Kindle\User Settings" /v "isKRFDRendererSupported"
if ERRORLEVEL 1 goto :repeat
reg add "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\SOFTWARE\Amazon\Kindle\User Settings" /v "isKRFDRendererSupported" /t REG_SZ /d "false" /f

Hi, I successfully converted two .azw files to pdf using your method and calibre via version 1.30 of Kindle for PC. These files had just two files in the book's subdirectory in "My Kindle Content" folder: one with extension .azw and another with extension .mbpV2. Thank you for these two.
I then tried to convert a third .azw file but that book's subdirectory contained: one .azw file, one .mbpV2, one .azw.md file, 10 .azw.res files, one .voucher file.
So these last three types did not appear in the subdirectories of the books for which your method worked.
The voucher file was of form
amzn1.drm-voucher.v1.axxxxxb-4xxxxxd-8xx2-2xxxxxx3.voucher
Please tell me if there is anything I can do to convert to pdf this more complex file structure - in Calibre or other software - and what the different file types are eg the voucher file.

[jhowell]

Originally Posted by rdsk

Please tell me if there is anything I can do to convert to pdf this more complex file structure - in Calibre or other software - and what the different file types are eg the voucher file.

The presence of a voucher file indicates that this book is in KFX format. You cannot convert KFX format from newer versions of Kindle for PC because it uses a new type of DRM.

See the notes under Method 2 in the first post of this thread for information on how to disable KFX so that you can get the book in a format that is able to be converted.

[Loknor]

Originally Posted by User11235

then today K4PC forcibly updated itself like an a$$hole even though I've had it set to not auto-update all this time...

Anyway, I went ahead and updated Calibre (and related plugins) to the latest version, and then simply installed K4PC 1.17 (which I already had downloaded from the last time I needed it) right over the new version and everything is working again!

Yeah Amazon seems to override your app auto-update.

Ran into exactly the same issue today... couldn't get my head around why I couldn't convert until I checked my Kindle app. Amazon pushes the update (probably to block de-DRM). Reinstalling 1.17 fixed it.

Considering reinstalling Kindle isn't a big deal (I only use it convert) I'm not really bothered yet, but it's worrisome.

[b00kiest]

Well, after three days of misery and a call to Amazon (which I regret - only because i get it... the worker bee has no control over the idiocy of the business... for that i am sorry as there may have been tears in frustration and a wee bit of ranting)

My situation was that it updated w/o my realization or permission screwing up well everything and even an uninstall reinstall, reboot a dozen times... trying a variety of versions creating the tidal wave call to Amazon tech support.

While, I can't get back the 6 hours I wasted with them or from the reinstalls independently, I can be grateful for my years of tech exp. so good ole regedit saved me. Deleted everything tagged with Kindle Amazon and a reboot, reinstall later and we're back to snuff. Unfortunately, that stupid you need ot update comes up every time I open the app even with the box unchecked in options. I ran that bat file so at least it doesn't install but the annoyance of the popup is still there.

I am considering looking for the registry for the update trigger and turning it off. It's got to be something that does a version check or find a way to mask the version perhaps? Sadly, I am not a hacker well ok I dabble but it's been years since I did anything to that level so I may just choose to live with the popup. If anyone knows the registry key that kindle uses to do the version check please share

Thanks for everyone here ... I was this ... close to losing my sanity over the silly app upgrade.

[net-buoy]

Remember! All you need to do once you have everything working on Mac is to redo the chaos when Kindle app updates. You will know you need to chlorine as kindle won’t give you a crash notice when it closes ;-)

[Chrixm]

My solution to the recent forced update from Amazon and you start receiving azw files that can not be converted.

My machine Windows 8 frozen nothing else installed Kindle 1.17.1.

Today I turned on that pc and I downloaded a book, after that I updated Calibre and DRMTools to 7.0.3 and the rest of plugins Obok, KFX input.
After adding the book to calibre and trying to convert to epub I wasn't able to do it.

I started researching here I found my solution.

1 Uninstall all related to Kindle.
2 Clear all the %temp% All
3 Open the windows register
4 Search all the register keys by using the search tool, look for Amazon
5 Delete all of them all the registers related to Amazon
6 Delete My Kindle content folder
7 Restart the PC
8 Install the most recent version of Calibre today 5.8.1
9 Install the most recent version of DRM tools 7.0.3, Obok, KFX input
10 Disconnect from internet
11 Install KPC 1.17.44170.exe
12 Run this command using cmd
ren %localappdata%\Amazon\Kindle\application\renderer-test.exe renderer-test.xxx
13 Start the KPC
14 Connect to internet
15 Login into kindle
16 Start Downloading your books
17 Move your books to Calibre
18 Your books are now in format azw3 according to Calibre

Hope helps you.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Chrixm

My solution to the recent forced update from Amazon and you start receiving azw files that can not be converted.

My machine Windows 8 frozen nothing else installed Kindle 1.17.1.

Today I turned on that pc and I downloaded a book, after that I updated Calibre and DRMTools to 7.0.3 and the rest of plugins Obok, KFX input.
After adding the book to calibre and trying to convert to epub I wasn't able to do it.

I started researching here I found my solution.

1 Uninstall all related to Kindle.
2 Clear all the %temp% All
3 Open the windows register
4 Search all the register keys by using the search tool, look for Amazon
5 Delete all of them all the registers related to Amazon
6 Delete My Kindle content folder
7 Restart the PC
8 Install the most recent version of Calibre today 5.8.1
9 Install the most recent version of DRM tools 7.0.3, Obok, KFX input
10 Disconnect from internet
11 Install KPC 1.17.44170.exe
12 Run this command using cmd
ren %localappdata%\Amazon\Kindle\application\renderer-test.exe renderer-test.xxx
13 Start the KPC
14 Connect to internet
15 Login into kindle
16 Start Downloading your books
17 Move your books to Calibre
18 Your books are now in format azw3 according to Calibre

Hope helps you.

Why go through all that hassle? It's a two step process.

1. Reinstall KindleForPC 1.17 on top of the version forced upon you.
2. Run this command using cmd ren %localappdata%\Amazon\Kindle\application\renderer-test.exe renderer-test.xxx

DONE!

[lkmiller]

Changing the name of renderer-test prevents downloads of the KFX format which Kindle for PC 1.17 won't do anyway. To prevent updates, change the updates folder to read only or replace it with a blank text file named "updates" with no extension. (Or run the batch file attached to the first post of this thread.)

[epiphone324]

So I've run into an interesting situation.
When I try to download a specific book on the older kindle 4 pc versions it tells me I need a newer version to open the book (including 1.26).
When I try to use a newer version and use kfxbegone it tells me it is not compatible with my device.
It seems amazon has identified a way to block certain books from being downloaded in the older format and forces the new kfx

[jhowell]

Originally Posted by epiphone324

So I've run into an interesting situation.
When I try to download a specific book on the older kindle 4 pc versions it tells me I need a newer version to open the book (including 1.26).
When I try to use a newer version and use kfxbegone it tells me it is not compatible with my device.
It seems amazon has identified a way to block certain books from being downloaded in the older format and forces the new kfx

Some books are only available in KFX format. This includes books in certain languages such as Arabic and Indian languages. This also applies to some textbooks, apparently for the enhanced DRM. If you indicate which book is giving you trouble I can be more specific.

[pinball6]

So my problem is 1.17 will not let me register. It asks to log in, which it has not done in the past and at first it said I needed a code which it sent but the log in button does not work. I installed the current version and 1.17 on top of that and now when I enter my password it says invalid. I think Amazon has stopped letting people use the older versions.

[pinball6]

Originally Posted by Canuck_in_Japan

*edit* Ok it seems to be working now, after installing 1.26 and then 1.24 (both of which didn't allow removal of drm) and then finally 1.17 again. This time I didn't even have to register as I had already registered on either 1.26 or 1.24. Maybe I just didn't wait long enough.

This worked for me, thanks