B&N removed download option on all books in "My Nook" library

[jdege]

Originally Posted by Apache

Don't do like me and forget where you put the note you wrote it down on.
Apache

I've created a folder on my desktop for ereader stuff.

In it there's a shortcut for each ereader app I use, and a shortcut to each folder where an ereader stores its files. (And a shortcut to the network share I use for transferring the files over to the Linux VM where I run Calibre.)

[Dob43]

Well they lobbed another grenade at us. Or at least I had one earlier. I tried to log into my account today and they FORCED a password change. UGH! One problem right off is many Nook's aren't easy to update the password and some you have to unregester (clear everything), register and download everything AGAIN. I am hoping it is not the case with my device but I will find out soon I am sure.

However, I have found that Nook for PC has stopped working when I try to log in now giving an error 1016. They forced new password rules too so I am wondering if that is why it no longer works.

[jdege]

At this point B&N is my fifth choice, when it comes to buying ebooks.

1. The author's own site, if s/he has one
2. Baen, if they sell it
3. Google Play Books, if they carry it
4. Amazon, which is a pain in the ass
5. B&N, which has been, since they stopped allowing download of epub, just as much of a pain in the ass as Amazon, but usually costs more

It's been a couple of years since I bought from B&N - which means a couple of hundred books since they stopped being my preferred vendor.

But if I can no longer use Nook for PC to download the epub files, they won't be at the bottom of my list, they will have fallen off it entirely.

I will not buy an ebook if I cannot download the file.

I wonder, sometimes, how much business B&N is losing, because of this, and has lost.

I can't think that people like us represent a large proportion of their customer base, but I have to think we represent a more significant proportion of their sales.

I was buying 100 books/year, until they decided to screw us. Since then, none.

[haertig]

Originally Posted by jdege

I wonder, sometimes, how much business B&N is losing, because of this, and has lost.

They lost my business. I'm sure they don't care. But they lost it none-the-less.

I am trying to recall the process I used to get my books from B&N after they removed the capability to download them. I think it was something like this (but I can't say for sure, because I've forgotten what I actually did):

(1) Download eBooks directly to Nook (they still allowed this). Make sure books go to memory card, not built in memory.

(2) Pull memory card out of Nook, insert it into a card reader, and plug that into a PC's USB port.

(3) Copy the eBooks off of the card/reader/PC.

When you just plug the Nook into the PC, you cannot read the books off of the memory card. Because the Nook firmware blocks direct low level access to the memory card, and effectively hides the eBooks from your view (you'd think the memory card was blank from what you can see). But once the memory card is OUT of the Nook, the Nook firmware no longer controls what you can do with that card. I can't remember how the eBooks came off of the memory card - but I'm sure they were still encrypted. But that's simple enough to take care of using a Calibre plug-in.

This is what I recall doing, I'm hoping there was not some other step I did that I'm forgetting to mention now.

I seem to remember that there was a eBook or two that I had purchased from B&N that I could not get using this method, or any other method I tried to pry them out of B&N or off my Nook. I am not sure what the deal was with those. Maybe I was not even able to download them to the Nook in the first place? That's kind of what I'm thinking now. But bottom line: I am totally done with B&N - both for eBooks and as a physical book retailer. You've heard the saying, "Fool me once - shame on you. Fool me twice - shame on me!" B&N didn't get that second chance. And never will.

[Dob43]

Well the only thing I "Buy" from them in the past few years is the my magazine subscription which are LESS than Amazon (today was the nook freebie Friday so technically you could say I bought it but it was free). And up until now I could still download them via the Nook for PC. Also Nook is more friendly than Amazon (magazine wise anyway if you are using a Fire) as far as converting and archiving.

BTW while it is possible to get a the books off of a Nook device, it depends on which one. The First edition was the best, but after they tend to put the books in a "hidden" partition and the only way to get direct access to the books was to root the device.

After last summer when they "upgraded" the SSL, it killed the Nook device I was using. While they released a update for it, I will have to reroot after and I just haven't bothered as of yet since I could still download my magazines through Nook for PC. Looks like I am going to have to now though. Unless this Nook PC error is temporary.

[Tarana]

Originally Posted by jdege

I've created a folder on my desktop for ereader stuff.

In it there's a shortcut for each ereader app I use, and a shortcut to each folder where an ereader stores its files. (And a shortcut to the network share I use for transferring the files over to the Linux VM where I run Calibre.)

Shortcuts! What a great idea! Thanks!
I only buy at B&N what I can't buy elsewhere. A couple of my authors are locked in to B&N.

[lkmiller]

Originally Posted by Dob43

Well they lobbed another grenade at us. Or at least I had one earlier. I tried to log into my account today and they FORCED a password change. UGH! One problem right off is many Nook's aren't easy to update the password and some you have to unregester (clear everything), register and download everything AGAIN. I am hoping it is not the case with my device but I will find out soon I am sure.

However, I have found that Nook for PC has stopped working when I try to log in now giving an error 1016. They forced new password rules too so I am wondering if that is why it no longer works.

I started seeing mention of people being unable to download books with Nook for PC toward the end of December. I was still able to download DRM-free books. I don't know about DRM books. I had already downloaded any I had and didn't feel like messing with deleting and trying to redownload.

Then I was forced to change my password when logging into the website a few days ago. I signed out of Nook for PC and was unable to sign back in -- I got that 1016 error. I looked at another computer where I had Nook for PC installed, but hadn't opened it in a while, and had never let it auto-download all my books. This time I didn't sign out. The library only showed books I had at the time I last opened it -- nothing recent. Syncing didn't update the list; trying to download a book gave that 1016 error.

Now for Nookstudy. Signing out and signing back in eventually worked. I had to close it before the login timed out and then reopen. On my other PC I stayed logged in with my old password. Syncing worked. Downloading books with or without DRM worked. I was able to use Alf's tools on books from both old password Nookstudy and new password Nookstudy. (Nookstudy will also download PagePerfect Nookbooks which are pdfs, but DeDRM has never worked with them.)

Next I tried the Windows Nook App. I hadn't opened it in a while, and it didn't show my recent books. Syncing only worked after I signed out and back in with my new password. These books (at least regular epubs) also worked with Alf's tools. (However, without Nookstudy or a key retrieved prior to the password change, you'd be out of luck.)

Finally, I tried my Nook Glowlight 3. It happily let me download books without updating my password. B&N book files are not accessible on it though (or any of the newer Nook devices as far as I know). You can only see sideloaded books when it's connected to a computer via USB.

I have some older Nook devices, but I'm not motivated enough to dig them out and see if I can get them working (yet).

B&N was once my main ebookstore, but I haven't bought anything from them in years. I get the occasional freebie just to check on what access remains. I already have former purchases freed and backed up.

Now my main bookstore is Kobo. Mainly because I like their ereaders the best. Their prices are usually the same as everywhere for the books I buy. Or less with the VIP program. If not, they price match. If the price difference is large, I'll just get it at Amazon. I rarely see B&N or Google have the lowest price.

There are also two ways to free up Kobo books. So hopefully one would still work if the other broke. Now I'd hesitate to even get a DRM-free freebie at B&N for fear of the difficulty of getting any access to it outside of a B&N app/device. And, of course, I'm continually amazed that B&N is still around at all.

[Alan_Bernardo]

I haven't gone through this entire thread so what I'm suggesting may have already been suggested.

I've purchased a few books through the NOOK store, though not many, and also noticed that one couldn't download books purchased.

But there is a way around this.

First, get the NOOK reader for the PC, then sign in to view your books.

Exit out and then go to c:\<username.\AppData\Local\Packages

Find a directory in this folder which mentions BarnesNoble Nook. From there go to /LocalState. You'll see your purchased ebooks there, which, if sorted on the date, will give you the most recent.

[bgalbrecht]

Once in a while, I'll still buy from B&N because I can get a $50 gift card for $45 worth of Discover rewards. I mostly downloaded with either Nook for PC on Windows 7 or Nook for Windows on a Windows 8.1 PC, but the Nook for PC stopped working with the 1016 error, and one of my recent purchases, a 32 MB cookbook, fails to download for Nook for Windows. I think a few other cookbooks downloaded to Nook for Windows as PDF files, which I can't move to my Kobo reader. I downloaded Fat Glowworm's hack to move Nook Simple Touch's downloads from the hidden partition to the SD card, and that worked for me. I was able to download a copy of the cookbook that doesn't download on Nook for Windows, to the NST's SD card, and then copy the epub to my computer with Calibre. I should call B&N and complain about Nook for Windows though.

Update: Customer service had me update Nook for Windows, and the cookbook downloaded as a PDF. It makes me wary of buying cooksbooks at B&N, although with the NST hack, I was still able to download an epub.

Originally Posted by jdege

At this point B&N is my fifth choice, when it comes to buying ebooks.

1. The author's own site, if s/he has one
2. Baen, if they sell it
3. Google Play Books, if they carry it
4. Amazon, which is a pain in the ass
5. B&N, which has been, since they stopped allowing download of epub, just as much of a pain in the ass as Amazon, but usually costs more

It's been a couple of years since I bought from B&N - which means a couple of hundred books since they stopped being my preferred vendor.

But if I can no longer use Nook for PC to download the epub files, they won't be at the bottom of my list, they will have fallen off it entirely.

I will not buy an ebook if I cannot download the file.

I wonder, sometimes, how much business B&N is losing, because of this, and has lost.

I can't think that people like us represent a large proportion of their customer base, but I have to think we represent a more significant proportion of their sales.

I was buying 100 books/year, until they decided to screw us. Since then, none.

Good post. Also my list of ebook sources is similar to yours except I use Kobo at times, rather than Baen.

I suspect this isn't the only or even the primary thing that is causing B&N to go down. But I bet this is a symptom of their malaise. They've lost all momentum, they are in trouble, and one of their 'last gasp' actions is to try and circle the wagons, make things even more restrictive, and squeeze a little more profit out of their customers. I don't think they understand that reducing customer choices/freedom almost always backfires, a lot of people will just take their business elsewhere.

Originally Posted by Alan_Bernardo

I haven't gone through this entire thread so what I'm suggesting may have already been suggested.

I've purchased a few books through the NOOK store, though not many, and also noticed that one couldn't download books purchased.

But there is a way around this.

First, get the NOOK reader for the PC, then sign in to view your books.

Exit out and then go to c:\<username.\AppData\Local\Packages

Find a directory in this folder which mentions BarnesNoble Nook. From there go to /LocalState. You'll see your purchased ebooks there, which, if sorted on the date, will give you the most recent.

Curious if anyone else has confirmed this, and been able to import the downloaded book into Calibre? Seems like a reasonable and easy workaround.

[ZodWallop]

Originally Posted by maximus83

Curious if anyone else has confirmed this, and been able to import the downloaded book into Calibre? Seems like a reasonable and easy workaround.

I use the Windows 10 Nook App (available in the Microsoft Store) and have been able to import DRMed ePubs into Calibre which (with the plug-in) successfully deDRMed them.

If you've already purchased Nook books and are running Windows 10, you can install the app, download a DRMed book and test it for yourself.

[bgalbrecht]

Originally Posted by maximus83

Curious if anyone else has confirmed this, and been able to import the downloaded book into Calibre? Seems like a reasonable and easy workaround.

If the Nook for Windows app downloads an epub, you can import it into Calibre, but I have found that some cookbooks download in Nook for Windows get downloaded as B&N encrypted pdfs, which I can't import into Calibre. Nook for PC (which is now broken) downloaded the same cookbooks as epubs, and it appears that in a hacked Nook Simple Touch they are downloaded as epubs. If they're purchased at Google or Kobo, they're also epubs.

[lkmiller]

If you already have your key, you should be able to DeDRM regular epubs from the Windows Nook app. If not, use Nookstudy.

[ZodWallop]

Originally Posted by lkmiller

If you already have your key, you should be able to DeDRM regular epubs from the Windows Nook app. If not, use Nookstudy.

On a new Windows PC (a Surface), I installed the Windows Nook app and Calibre with the Alf plug-ins and was able to import and deDRM. I think the Alf plug-ins can find the key from the Nook app.