Low memory -> missing collections

BCCISProf · 05-03-2007, 12:01 PM

I was wondering whether anyone else has experienced the following - and if not let this be a warning

I attempted to transfer 4 files to the reader. However, there was only room on the reader for 2 of the files. After transferring the 2 files, I found that all my collections were gone. The books themselves were still there, so all I needed to do was recreate them (somewhat of a pain).

Apparently, when it was trying to write the 3rd file for which there was not enough memory it must have overwritten the collections in the internal memory.

Echoloc8 · 05-21-2007, 04:32 PM

I just experienced a similar problem (collections lost, as well as all bookmarks for books in collections, though books themselves are intact), but I doubt that lack of storage was the issue.

I transferred the following books to my Reader's 1 GB SD card, all in a group (and all from this forum, downloaded today, 5-21-07):

Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin
Isildur
The Charge of the Light Brigade (v1,1)
Treasure Island v2
The Haunted Bookshop
Template: Font Test
War of the Worlds
Good-Bye, Mr. Chips

...and after paging around in my new acquisitions I went to reset the reader to my last bookmark in Blue Mars (from the Collect store), and found that its bookmark was missing from the list. A little checking, and the extent of the data loss became clear, as mentioned above.

I did notice that after unplugging the USB cable this time it seemed like the Reader went through four "spinning arrow" cycles (as opposed to its usual two) before releasing me to the main menu, as though it had had to recover from something.

Does anyone know what might have triggered the problem? I'm pretty careful to either click the "eject" icon in Connect, or close Connect, before disconnecting the Reader (though who knows, I might have forgotten this time).

-Rich

UncleDuke · 05-21-2007, 10:01 PM

there's an eject button? never used it, never lost stuff. i clean out and reload on sundays.

HarryT · 05-22-2007, 02:36 AM

I've found that bookmarks do occasionally disappear, seemingly at random, following an update of the Reader. I don't use collections, so have no experience of those.

Echoloc8 · 05-22-2007, 05:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HarryT

I've found that bookmarks do occasionally disappear, seemingly at random, following an update of the Reader. I don't use collections, so have no experience of those.

Ugh, random data loss, not good.

Anyway, the collections and bookmarks weren't too horrible to recreate.

Another weird symptom was that all the collection-referenced books that lost their bookmarks required a "Formatting..." pass on their first load, and when hitting each zoom level for the first time.

-Rich

NatCh · 05-22-2007, 05:49 PM

I had something like that happen to me around Christmas -- I tried to switch a really big book to the L font size, and it reset on me. After the reset, my bookmarks and page formatting info was gone. After the firmware update, the same book gives me no trouble, so I guess the firmware update did fix something.

Roy White · 06-14-2007, 10:31 AM

I lost my collections once also. It was after I did a Soft reset. I've found that almost every time I open a book for the first time, the reader takes a few minutes to "Formatting" it. Especially if it is a long book with more than a thousand pages. Then if I change the font size to M it takes a few minutes "Formatting" Again. Change font size to L in low light and it fomats again! Once I have a file fully formatted it changes with no problem. The collection thing is weird though. I hope Sony has people actually looking at, and fixing all these odd software glitches. Maybe the next firmware update will help some of this.

NatCh · 06-14-2007, 11:35 AM

The reason you have to do the re-parsing after a soft-reset, is that it reverts the cache.xml file back to where it was at the last ConnSoft connection. I think I remember losing collections once or twice this way too.

JSWolf · 06-14-2007, 01:04 PM

Is there a way to get cache.xml off the reader and then back on in case we need to?

NatCh · 06-14-2007, 01:08 PM

I'd assume so, but one of the guys poking around in the Reader's innards would have to give you a real answer.

I'm thinking that since the rascal will just re-build it if there's a problem with the file, pulling it off may be more trouble than it's worth.

JSWolf · 06-14-2007, 01:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NatCh

I'd assume so, but one of the guys poking around in the Reader's innards would have to give you a real answer.

I'm thinking that since the rascal will just re-build it if there's a problem with the file, pulling it off may be more trouble than it's worth.

When cache.xml gets borked, we lose the last page we left off at and any bookmarks. And the way I use bookmarks, it's important to keep them in tact. I use them in case I find something in a book that needs fixing that can be fixed. I can't be going back to reread just to find the errors.

NatCh · 06-14-2007, 01:17 PM

I see what you're getting at now ... yeah, that might be worth the trouble.

It might be easier just to connect to the ConnSoft periodically for long enough that it can register a new set of marks and such. That's the best option you've got right at the moment, who knows what hack will get released tomorrow.

kovidgoyal · 06-14-2007, 01:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Is there a way to get cache.xml off the reader and then back on in case we need to?

Yeah use the prs500 command line tool from libprs500.

JSWolf · 06-14-2007, 01:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kovidgoyal

Yeah use the prs500 command line tool from libprs500.

Thanks. What is the command used to move cache.xml from and to the reader?

JSWolf · 06-14-2007, 01:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NatCh

I see what you're getting at now ... yeah, that might be worth the trouble.

It might be easier just to connect to the ConnSoft periodically for long enough that it can register a new set of marks and such. That's the best option you've got right at the moment, who knows what hack will get released tomorrow.

So ConnSoft will fix things?

05-03-2007, 12:01 PM	#1
BCCISProf Enthusiast Posts: 47 Karma: 24 Join Date: Mar 2007 Device: Sony PRS500, Nook	Low memory -> missing collections I was wondering whether anyone else has experienced the following - and if not let this be a warning I attempted to transfer 4 files to the reader. However, there was only room on the reader for 2 of the files. After transferring the 2 files, I found that all my collections were gone. The books themselves were still there, so all I needed to do was recreate them (somewhat of a pain). Apparently, when it was trying to write the 3rd file for which there was not enough memory it must have overwritten the collections in the internal memory.

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05-21-2007, 04:32 PM	#2
Echoloc8 Member Posts: 13 Karma: 10 Join Date: Apr 2007 Device: Sony Reader PRS-500	I just experienced a similar problem (collections lost, as well as all bookmarks for books in collections, though books themselves are intact), but I doubt that lack of storage was the issue. I transferred the following books to my Reader's 1 GB SD card, all in a group (and all from this forum, downloaded today, 5-21-07): Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin Isildur The Charge of the Light Brigade (v1,1) Treasure Island v2 The Haunted Bookshop Template: Font Test War of the Worlds Good-Bye, Mr. Chips ...and after paging around in my new acquisitions I went to reset the reader to my last bookmark in Blue Mars (from the Collect store), and found that its bookmark was missing from the list. A little checking, and the extent of the data loss became clear, as mentioned above. I did notice that after unplugging the USB cable this time it seemed like the Reader went through four "spinning arrow" cycles (as opposed to its usual two) before releasing me to the main menu, as though it had had to recover from something. Does anyone know what might have triggered the problem? I'm pretty careful to either click the "eject" icon in Connect, or close Connect, before disconnecting the Reader (though who knows, I might have forgotten this time). -Rich

05-21-2007, 10:01 PM	#3
UncleDuke books & doughnuts Posts: 882 Karma: 37857 Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: usa Device: sony reader, kindle2	there's an eject button? never used it, never lost stuff. i clean out and reload on sundays.

05-22-2007, 02:36 AM	#4
HarryT eBook Enthusiast Posts: 85,544 Karma: 93383043 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: UK Device: Kindle Oasis 2, iPad Pro 10.5", iPhone 6	I've found that bookmarks do occasionally disappear, seemingly at random, following an update of the Reader. I don't use collections, so have no experience of those.

05-22-2007, 05:49 PM	#6
NatCh Gizmologist Posts: 11,615 Karma: 929550 Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Republic of Texas Embassy at Jackson, TN Device: Pocketbook Touch HD3	I had something like that happen to me around Christmas -- I tried to switch a really big book to the L font size, and it reset on me. After the reset, my bookmarks and page formatting info was gone. After the firmware update, the same book gives me no trouble, so I guess the firmware update did fix something.

06-14-2007, 10:31 AM	#7
Roy White Evangelist Posts: 482 Karma: 7696 Join Date: May 2007 Location: Turner, Oregon Device: Sony Reader	I lost my collections once also. It was after I did a Soft reset. I've found that almost every time I open a book for the first time, the reader takes a few minutes to "Formatting" it. Especially if it is a long book with more than a thousand pages. Then if I change the font size to M it takes a few minutes "Formatting" Again. Change font size to L in low light and it fomats again! Once I have a file fully formatted it changes with no problem. The collection thing is weird though. I hope Sony has people actually looking at, and fixing all these odd software glitches. Maybe the next firmware update will help some of this.

06-14-2007, 11:35 AM	#8
NatCh Gizmologist Posts: 11,615 Karma: 929550 Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Republic of Texas Embassy at Jackson, TN Device: Pocketbook Touch HD3	The reason you have to do the re-parsing after a soft-reset, is that it reverts the cache.xml file back to where it was at the last ConnSoft connection. I think I remember losing collections once or twice this way too.

06-14-2007, 01:04 PM	#9
JSWolf Resident Curmudgeon Posts: 73,897 Karma: 128597114 Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Roslindale, Massachusetts Device: Kobo Libra 2, Kobo Aura H2O, PRS-650, PRS-T1, nook STR, PW3	Is there a way to get cache.xml off the reader and then back on in case we need to?

06-14-2007, 01:08 PM	#10
NatCh Gizmologist Posts: 11,615 Karma: 929550 Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Republic of Texas Embassy at Jackson, TN Device: Pocketbook Touch HD3	I'd assume so, but one of the guys poking around in the Reader's innards would have to give you a real answer. I'm thinking that since the rascal will just re-build it if there's a problem with the file, pulling it off may be more trouble than it's worth.

06-14-2007, 01:17 PM	#12
NatCh Gizmologist Posts: 11,615 Karma: 929550 Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Republic of Texas Embassy at Jackson, TN Device: Pocketbook Touch HD3	I see what you're getting at now ... yeah, that might be worth the trouble. It might be easier just to connect to the ConnSoft periodically for long enough that it can register a new set of marks and such. That's the best option you've got right at the moment, who knows what hack will get released tomorrow.

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