KINDLE FORCED UPGRADE

[jhowell]

Originally Posted by p38lightning

Getting the following message when running the most recent batch file: Cannot disable downloads - Kindle for PC is not installed at expected location.

My Kindle for PC is on my C drive under Amazon/Kindle in Program Files (x86).

Any help appreciated.

The batch file checks for the Kindle for PC program being installed as a program for a single user in the most common location. In some cases the program is installed for all users instead. That is most likely the case for you.

I can update the batch file, but I would need to know where the installer has placed the folder that needs to be replaced in order to disable the downloading of newer software. The folder is called "updates" and will be a subfolder of something Kindle or Amazon related.

If you can find where that folder is on your system and let me know the location then I will be able to update the batch file to accommodate it.

[Frøya]

My K4PC updated itself to 1.30 this morning (from 1.17) when I opened it to download a new book. I've used it the past couple of days without any issues and then today suddenly it was a new version being installed without me being asked if I wanted it Not happy
I've had K4PC 1.17 for the last few years, re-installed it when I switched computers in March

[ToeRag]

Originally Posted by jhowell

Another way to disable Kindle for PC updates is to replace the "updates" folder with a file of the same name. That prevents an update from being downloaded. Kindle for PC will still ask if you want to download the new update each time it is restarted, but it will not be able to do so.

I have created a simple Windows batch file to preform this change. See attached.

------

Update: Oops, I accidentally used the wrong folder in the first version of the batch file. I apologize to anyone who downloaded this previously.

The current version of the batch will fix the broken folder created by the previous version, but you will need to re-register Kindle for PC afterwards. Sorry!

I keep getting a fail when running the batch file...

my path is different?
C:\Users\tomc\AppData\Local\Amazon\SendToKindle

I tried renaming but still failed ???
(edit) I'm still on version 1.1.1.250

[jhowell]

Originally Posted by ToeRag

I keep getting a fail when running the batch file...

my path is different?
C:\Users\tomc\AppData\Local\Amazon\SendToKindle

I tried renaming but still failed ???
(edit) I'm still on version 1.1.1.250

The batch file is for the "Kindle for PC" software and will only work when it is installed in the default location for a single user.

"Send to Kindle" is a different program.

[p38lightning]

My Kindle for PC is located at C:\Program Files (x86)\Amazon\Kindle. I just thoroughly checked the Kindle folder at that address and there is no "Updates" folder or file at all. I even checked where my Kindle d/l's go in Documents\My Kindle Content. I have a workaround in that I can d/l the AZW file from my Content and Devices drop down on Amazon and then simply use Calibre to pick it up from where it downloads and then convert to ePub. It is simple and it works. I applaud your efforts but am clueless as to why/where the Updates folder is. Thanks for your help.

[badbob001]

What I did was delete the 'updates' folder and replaced it with a readonly file named 'updates' (no extension). I hope that is enough to confuse it.

[jhowell]

Originally Posted by badbob001

What I did was delete the 'updates' folder and replaced it with a readonly file named 'updates' (no extension). I hope that is enough to confuse it.

It doesn't even need to be read only. Just having a file with that name is enough to cause the update process to fail.

[jhowell]

Originally Posted by p38lightning

My Kindle for PC is located at C:\Program Files (x86)\Amazon\Kindle. I just thoroughly checked the Kindle folder at that address and there is no "Updates" folder or file at all. I even checked where my Kindle d/l's go in Documents\My Kindle Content. I have a workaround in that I can d/l the AZW file from my Content and Devices drop down on Amazon and then simply use Calibre to pick it up from where it downloads and then convert to ePub. It is simple and it works. I applaud your efforts but am clueless as to why/where the Updates folder is. Thanks for your help.

Kindle for PC is installed for all users on your system.

It is possible that the updates folder is in the same place as it would be for a single user Kindle for PC installation. Open an explorer window and paste in this location to look for it:

%LocalAppData%\Amazon\Kindle

If that is the right place you will see folders with names like Cache, crashdump, storage, and updates.

[p38lightning]

Cache and Storage are the only two folders at that address. Storage is empty and Cache does not contain "Updates". Hidden folder issue(s)?

[jhowell]

Originally Posted by p38lightning

Cache and Storage are the only two folders at that address. Storage is empty and Cache does not contain "Updates". Hidden folder issue(s)?

I doubt that the updates folder would be hidden. Perhaps a different technique is used for handling updates when K4PC is installed for all users.

I am out of ideas.

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by p38lightning

Cache and Storage are the only two folders at that address. Storage is empty and Cache does not contain "Updates". Hidden folder issue(s)?

You might want to check the Public user folder or the ProgramData folder.

[SeaBookGuy]

I have what is probably a very stupid question, but here goes...

Is the a specific location we're supposed to put the bat file itself, or can it be opened from anywhere on the same drive as the Kindle folder itself?

[gbm]

Originally Posted by SeaBookGuy

I have what is probably a very stupid question, but here goes...

Is the a specific location we're supposed to put the bat file itself, or can it be opened from anywhere on the same drive as the Kindle folder itself?

Run it from anywhere you like. On my windows10 VM I just ran it from the shared folder with my main Lunix PC.

bernie

[SeaBookGuy]

Originally Posted by gbm

Run it from anywhere you like. On my windows10 VM I just ran it from the shared folder with my main Lunix PC.

bernie

Thank you!

I got back the message "Kindle4PC downloads are now disabled" after clicking on it.

[haertig]

Running KindleForPC on Linux under WINE (wrapped by PlayOnLinux) I did the following:

$ cd ~/.PlayOnLinux/wineprefix/kindle_1.17/drive_c/Program Files/Amazon/Kindle

$ chmod 000 renderer-test.exe  (was previously mode 755)

$ cd ..

$ chmod 555 Kindle  (was previously mode 755)

Note: The "kindle_1.17" you see in the pathname right after "wineprefix" above is what I chose to call my PlayOnLinux installation. That part of your path may be different, depending on what you named your installation.

I then started KindleForPC a couple of times and verified that it always remained at the currently installed version 1.17. It did. And I never got any messages about "update available" either.

Next, I opened KindleForPC again, picked a random book from the display of titles (that was not currently downloaded), right-clicked on it and chose "download". Then I verified that the download successfully showed up in my "My Kindle Content" directory. It did. This is the only functionality I need from KindleForPC.

I actually don't use KindleForPC anymore. A few years ago I switched over to using the "Download for USB Transfer" method instead. But it was good for me to review usage of KindleForPC, and keep my installation "up to date" using the strategies described here to keep it from updating itself.

I run nightly backups on all of my family's computers, and keep each individual daily backup for 365 days. So if KindleForPC does manage to update on me, I have one year to notice, and restore from backup. After that, I guess I'd have to reinstall and re-register the program from scratch. Amazon may, and probably will at some point, make re-registering a no-go. So my preferred method of getting things back on track after an unexpected update would be to restore from backup. But Amazon could thwart that as well, if they tried hard enough.