New Illiad Can't Read my mobi or txt files

[sherryk_us]

Dear folks,

I'd heard the Iliad support could be hard to get and I guess that's true. After submitting two tickets to them regarding my device's inabiity to read any mobi files--even those transferred from the mobi desktop reader to the device--they simply told me that it sounded like a mobipocket problem and I should ask Mobipocket for help.

(I have done so, but still no reply from mobi either.)

I've tried everything I can think of and I'm at my wits end. The mobipocket is the latest software. It sees my device. It says it is copying the files. And they are there on my reader. But the icons all have Xs through them.

My bookstore has my device's PID. The mobi is set to save to my device's internal memory, not a memory card.

The only weird thing I've found is that in mobi where it describes the Iliad device it says I have mobi version 0.00 installed on the Iliad. (I mentioned this to the ever helpful Iliad support person in the ticket, but he made no comment on it so I don't know if this is unusual.)

My Iliad also won't read text files--they are also Xed out on the documents list. I don't know if that's normal or not.

Any suggestions at all would be really appreciated.

Thanks a bunch.

Sherry

[wallcraft]

Can you read DRM-free MOBI files? Try one from the Mobi/PRC Books sub-forum. I use Dickens, Charles: A Tale of Two Cities for testing. You can try copying it via Windows MobiPocket Reader and also copying it manually to a location other than the Mobipocket directory to see if it works (e.g. from Books on a CF card).

If you can't read DRM-free MOBIs then there is something wrong with your iLiad installation.

Otherwise, your best bet is to buy a cheap ebook from mobipocket.com (they are usually the most expensive site, so normally FictionWise or BooksOnBoard would be better choices) and when it does not work post a question to their forum.

[sherryk_us]

Thanks, I'll try the Dickens, although I suspect I can't read DRM free either since some of the documents I have I am pretty sure are DRM free--including one I made myself and it doesn't open up either!

Sherry

[wallcraft]

Originally Posted by sherryk_us

although I suspect I can't read DRM free either since some of the documents I have I am pretty sure are DRM free

If so, then your iLiad is screwed up some how. Perhaps the registry file is corrupted. This definitely isn't a MobiPocket problem if DRM-free MOBIs fail to open.

[sherryk_us]

I can't read the free book. I tried putting it on the CF card with drag and drop and also through the mobi software. So it looks like there is something wrong with my Iliad installation.

The Iliad support already told me that it was a mobipocket problem. Should I submit another ticket and try to explain it to them again? Is this something I can fix by downloading software from someplace?

Thanks for the Dickens suggestion. It really clarified the problem.

Sherry

[HarryT]

The cross through the icon indicates that the iLiad doesn't know what application to use to open the file with. Sure sounds like a data corruption issue!

[sherryk_us]

Dear Harry,

Pardon my non-tech savvy. When you say data corruption are you saying the mobi files are corrupt somehow? Or the data for reading mobi files on my device?

Thanks.

Sherry

[wallcraft]

Originally Posted by sherryk_us

Is this something I can fix by downloading software from someplace?

See How to unbrick (reflash, restore, etc) your iLiad. This is time consuming, but much better than returning to the factory.

If it is a registry problem you may need the factory defaults option. If so, get the config.txt from Liad reboots constantly!.

[wallcraft]

Originally Posted by HarryT

The cross through the icon indicates that the iLiad doesn't know what application to use to open the file with. Sure sounds like a data corruption issue!

Most likely a corrupted registry file, which maps filename extensions to applications. I don't think the iLiad looks inside the files, it just keys on the filename extension.

[HarryT]

I'm saying it sounds like a problem with the iLiad. Wallcraft has given you good advice on how to fix it. If you can't open the free Mobi books downloaded from this site, there's definitely a problem.

This is a "standard" iLiad, isn't it? Not some strange variant bought on eBay? iRex have made iLiads for special-purpose use which don't have the Mobi reader built in.

[sherryk_us]

Dear Harry,

Thanks. It is a standard Iliad. When I got it it had a folder called mobipocket and inside that a subfolder called books so I think that mobi was supposed to be a feature. It had the 2.11 software when I got it so I upgraded it to the 2.12.

Thanks again.

Sherry

[sherryk_us]

Thanks--this seems like the most useful idea!

I'll try it.

Sherry

[sherryk_us]

Is it normal for the MAC address not to show up when you are trying to download the developer package? I have connected to the IDS and created an account but it doesn't seem to have my MAC address.

Thanks.

Sherry

[pauli]

that means you have never connected to iDS, yet. Access to iDS is granted through your "myirex" account. The iDS server than links your "myirex" account to the MAC address of your iLiad.
So how you upgraded to 2.12 is a mistery, unless you did that without any myirex info entered.

[Shaggy]

You can do software upgrades using a "generic" connection to myIrex, IE with no username/password filled out. That's probably how they got 2.12 installed. The MAC address won't show up in your account until you connect to iDS at least once with your username/password configured on the iLiad.