Large number of books on memory card

pwalker8 · 03-22-2009, 12:44 PM

As many have noted in the past, Sony does not handle a large number of books on the memory card well. Right now, I've got some 1,100 ebooks on my memory card (all legally aquired btw (650 from Baen, 243 from sony, 78 from amazon and the rest PD from Gutenberg)). After several tries, I've finally come up with a methodology that works allows me to add books to the the memory card without having the reader go off into never-never land on me.

My first attempt was simply to load the books on the card via a card reader. That didn't work well. I could copy the books on to the card with no problem, but when I put the card into the sony reader, it simply went into an apparent infinate loop of process, reboot. I left it with the power cord plugged in over night and it was still chugging away the next morning, so I pulled the card and tried method 2.

Which was, first clear the card, then put the card into the reader. When the reader processed the card (it only took a few minutes), I plugged the reader into the computer and tried copying the books onto the card that way. Once again, no joy. I could copy the books onto the card, just fine, but once I unplugged the reader from the computer, the reader went off into never-never land. After several hours, I reset it and pulled the card.

Next, I cleared the card and tried to load the books via the Sony connect software (yea, I know, foolish idea, but you never know till you try). Naturally, the sony software locked up and died.

My last attempt worked. I use Calibre to put the books on the memory card. It did take about 20 minutes to copy the books from the library to the memory card, but once I disconnected the reader from the machine, it only took about 5 minutes for the reader to process the card and be ready for use.

If, like me, you like to load all your books on to a memory card, so it's always available to you, and you run into issues, using calibre to load the card may be something to try.

bookstar · 03-22-2009, 08:39 PM

This is very helpful information. I shall make sure to use Calibre to transfer my books to the mem card for use on the device.

drmathprog · 03-23-2009, 08:02 AM

When you succeeded by using Calibre, was the card in a card reader or was it in the Sony Reader?

sealbeater · 03-23-2009, 09:24 PM

What I have found is to not move the whole collection over at once. Move it in small chunks, if you do too many at once, or go over some ever changing threshold, highest is 4k, it'll corrupt the cache.xml file in Sony Reader when trying to parse. So, small transfers is best.

pwalker8 · 03-23-2009, 09:45 PM

When I succeeded by using Calibre, I had the card in the Sony Reader.

pwalker8 · 03-23-2009, 09:47 PM

The small chucks (groups of 50 books at a time) method is the way I use to do it, but apparently I crossed some magic threshold, or something got corrupt. This happened somewhere around 1000.

drmathprog · 03-24-2009, 07:42 AM

So there seems to be no way to place books on a memory card using a PC card reader, even after the file structure is created by Sony Reader?

doreenjoy · 03-24-2009, 01:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by drmathprog

So there seems to be no way to place books on a memory card using a PC card reader, even after the file structure is created by Sony Reader?

I've been synching with a card in the PC, but not with 1100 books. I have about 200 books on the card.

sealbeater · 03-24-2009, 02:20 PM

I've successfully synced over a 1000 books with a PC and card reader. I honestly dont' think it matters, I've tried both and gotten corruption with both methods and success with both. I personally seem to think it's better to leave the card in the reader, as there seems to be some kind of "Wake up" when the card is inserted and I wonder it that helps with the corruption. Another trick I've tried is to defrag the memorycard before each insertion but that's not foolproof either. You should be able to get 1000 books on there, try 500 at first run, then increments of 100.
From my experience, it doesn't seem to be a hard number limit but perhaps size and time. The longer the Sony has to parse the card, the better the chances of it not getting it all are, so try moving your biggest files over first, etc. Good luck.

03-22-2009, 12:44 PM	#1
pwalker8 Grand Sorcerer Posts: 7,195 Karma: 70314280 Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Atlanta, GA Device: iPad Pro, iPad mini, Kobo Aura, Amazon paperwhite, Sony PRS-T2	Large number of books on memory card As many have noted in the past, Sony does not handle a large number of books on the memory card well. Right now, I've got some 1,100 ebooks on my memory card (all legally aquired btw (650 from Baen, 243 from sony, 78 from amazon and the rest PD from Gutenberg)). After several tries, I've finally come up with a methodology that works allows me to add books to the the memory card without having the reader go off into never-never land on me. My first attempt was simply to load the books on the card via a card reader. That didn't work well. I could copy the books on to the card with no problem, but when I put the card into the sony reader, it simply went into an apparent infinate loop of process, reboot. I left it with the power cord plugged in over night and it was still chugging away the next morning, so I pulled the card and tried method 2. Which was, first clear the card, then put the card into the reader. When the reader processed the card (it only took a few minutes), I plugged the reader into the computer and tried copying the books onto the card that way. Once again, no joy. I could copy the books onto the card, just fine, but once I unplugged the reader from the computer, the reader went off into never-never land. After several hours, I reset it and pulled the card. Next, I cleared the card and tried to load the books via the Sony connect software (yea, I know, foolish idea, but you never know till you try). Naturally, the sony software locked up and died. My last attempt worked. I use Calibre to put the books on the memory card. It did take about 20 minutes to copy the books from the library to the memory card, but once I disconnected the reader from the machine, it only took about 5 minutes for the reader to process the card and be ready for use. If, like me, you like to load all your books on to a memory card, so it's always available to you, and you run into issues, using calibre to load the card may be something to try.

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03-22-2009, 08:39 PM	#2
bookstar Noobie Posts: 17 Karma: 10 Join Date: Mar 2009 Location: London Device: PRS-505	This is very helpful information. I shall make sure to use Calibre to transfer my books to the mem card for use on the device.

03-23-2009, 08:02 AM	#3
drmathprog Connoisseur Posts: 70 Karma: 22 Join Date: Oct 2008 Device: Sony PRS-505	When you succeeded by using Calibre, was the card in a card reader or was it in the Sony Reader?

03-23-2009, 09:24 PM	#4
sealbeater Banned Posts: 666 Karma: 1752814 Join Date: Jan 2008 Device: Sony Reader PRS-505 : Onyx Boox Max : Sony PRS-900 : Onyx Kepler Pro	What I have found is to not move the whole collection over at once. Move it in small chunks, if you do too many at once, or go over some ever changing threshold, highest is 4k, it'll corrupt the cache.xml file in Sony Reader when trying to parse. So, small transfers is best.

03-23-2009, 09:45 PM	#5
pwalker8 Grand Sorcerer Posts: 7,195 Karma: 70314280 Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Atlanta, GA Device: iPad Pro, iPad mini, Kobo Aura, Amazon paperwhite, Sony PRS-T2	When I succeeded by using Calibre, I had the card in the Sony Reader.

03-23-2009, 09:47 PM	#6
pwalker8 Grand Sorcerer Posts: 7,195 Karma: 70314280 Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Atlanta, GA Device: iPad Pro, iPad mini, Kobo Aura, Amazon paperwhite, Sony PRS-T2	The small chucks (groups of 50 books at a time) method is the way I use to do it, but apparently I crossed some magic threshold, or something got corrupt. This happened somewhere around 1000.

03-24-2009, 07:42 AM	#7
drmathprog Connoisseur Posts: 70 Karma: 22 Join Date: Oct 2008 Device: Sony PRS-505	So there seems to be no way to place books on a memory card using a PC card reader, even after the file structure is created by Sony Reader?

03-24-2009, 02:20 PM	#9
sealbeater Banned Posts: 666 Karma: 1752814 Join Date: Jan 2008 Device: Sony Reader PRS-505 : Onyx Boox Max : Sony PRS-900 : Onyx Kepler Pro	I've successfully synced over a 1000 books with a PC and card reader. I honestly dont' think it matters, I've tried both and gotten corruption with both methods and success with both. I personally seem to think it's better to leave the card in the reader, as there seems to be some kind of "Wake up" when the card is inserted and I wonder it that helps with the corruption. Another trick I've tried is to defrag the memorycard before each insertion but that's not foolproof either. You should be able to get 1000 books on there, try 500 at first run, then increments of 100. From my experience, it doesn't seem to be a hard number limit but perhaps size and time. The longer the Sony has to parse the card, the better the chances of it not getting it all are, so try moving your biggest files over first, etc. Good luck.

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