Nook Study

[tas03]

Nook Study finally stopped working for me on the one remaining computer it still worked on. I had switched to Nook Study on this Windows 7 machine when Nook for PC stopped working. On my other desktop, Nook Study stopped working before Nook for PC did but it stopped working a while back.

I bought a book tonight and when I told Nook Study to sync the 'wheel' spun but the new book did not appear. I tried this several times without the new book showing up. It worked as recently as the 3rd.

I logged out and when I tried to log back in I get a network error that reads like I was not connected to the internet although I was. Fortunately I backed the books up into another folder. This is not the timed out error that I have read other people were getting. As soon as I click Sign In this network error pops up. Weirdly, it is worded exactly the same as when I tried to log in with McAffee on another machine.

I was thinking about reinstalling Nook Study but feel I would be wasting my time.

I started up my windows 10 laptop. I was still able to download the new book with the B&N app and switch it over to the desktop. I started up Nook Study on the laptop and synced it and none of the books that had been added since I installed it were there. I had been keeping the Nook Study on the laptop just as backup.

Is Nook Study still working for any one else?

[gbm]

Originally Posted by tas03

Nook Study finally stopped working for me on the one remaining computer it still worked on. I had switched to Nook Study on this Windows 7 machine when Nook for PC stopped working. On my other desktop, Nook Study stopped working before Nook for PC did but it stopped working a while back.

I bought a book tonight and when I told Nook Study to sync the 'wheel' spun but the new book did not appear. I tried this several times without the new book showing up. It worked as recently as the 3rd.

I logged out and when I tried to log back in I get a network error that reads like I was not connected to the internet although I was. Fortunately I backed the books up into another folder. This is not the timed out error that I have read other people were getting. As soon as I click Sign In this network error pops up. Weirdly, it is worded exactly the same as when I tried to log in with McAffee on another machine.

I was thinking about reinstalling Nook Study but feel I would be wasting my time.

I started up my windows 10 laptop. I was still able to download the new book with the B&N app and switch it over to the desktop. I started up Nook Study on the laptop and synced it and none of the books that had been added since I installed it were there. I had been keeping the Nook Study on the laptop just as backup.

Is Nook Study still working for any one else?

It will not even let me download drm free books. Can still archive and unarchive ebooks but not download.

Will no more buying from B&N, it appears that they do not want to do business with me. I will not be paying $100+ for a windows license just to use the s*&^%^y B&N windows app.

bernie

Originally Posted by gbm

It will not even let me download drm free books. Can still archive and unarchive ebooks but not download.

Will no more buying from B&N, it appears that they do not want to do business with me. I will not be paying $100+ for a windows license just to use the s*&^%^y B&N windows app.

bernie

I wondered about this as I haven't bought ebooks from B&N for quite a while now (though I still shop at my local one for paper books). In case you haven't seen it yet, there's a recent thread about how they're locking things down:

https://www.mobileread.com/forums/sh...d.php?t=246519

Haven't tried it myself, but some in the thread say that you can use the nook PC app, sync the books to your PC via that app, and then access them from this rather hidden folder to import to Calibre:

C:\Users\YourUserName\AppData\Local\Packages\BarnesNoble.Nook_ahnzqzva3 1enc\LocalState

Or the version that uses the localappdata parameter, in case your user folder is in a different path:

%LocalAppData%\Packages\BarnesNoble.Nook_ahnzqzva3 1enc\LocalState

Would be interested to hear if either of you are able to buy a book this way and get it into Calibre. If so, this would really end up being pretty similar to how I already do things with my Kindle books. Not any more work than that, really, although I realize it's not as convenient as when B&N used to let you directly download.

Question: What's the bit about $100 for a Windows license? Not familiar with that.

[Fbone]

I tried NookStudy a few minutes ago and it would not download a free book for me either.

[gbm]

Originally Posted by maximus83

snip

Question: What's the bit about $100 for a Windows license? Not familiar with that.

A windows 10 home license is $139, I run Linux and run unactivated windows in a VM or as a dual boot when I have no other option.

bernie

Ahhh sorry, I misunderstood. You're talking the cost of the Windows OS, for some reason I thought you meant BN was charging $100 for something.

[tas03]

I can still download books from B&N on the Windows 10 laptop I mentioned earlier using the Nook Windows 10 app. I then loaded that new book onto a thumb drive and switched it over to the Windows 7 desktop and loaded it into Calibre and it opened. I got the most recently added books from the laptop and switched them onto the desktop and tried to open with Adobe. The ones that said I needed to unlock them I then transferred into Calibre and they were able to open.

I am subscribed to Alf so I get emails about postings to his site and there have been postings that B&N stopped Nook for PC and Nook Study from connecting to their servers on the 4th.

It may be a pain in the behind to have to switch the books from the laptop to the desktop like that, but it is easier to get them into CC and from there to my phone and tablets from the desktop than from the laptop. At least I can still get the books downloaded.

I want to get books from B&N as long as I can before I have to completely sell my soul to the great and powerful Amazon.

Why can you not just put the updated Nook app on your desktop and sync book purchases directly to there, given that's where you have Calibre? I see other users in the BN thread saying this is working for them.

Originally Posted by tas03

I want to get books from B&N as long as I can before I have to completely sell my soul to the great and powerful Amazon.

Also, I don't know that BN's waning means that Big River is the only alternative. I buy books from Kobo and Google Play, as well as acquiring free ones from Gutenberg, Upenn, and OpenLibrary, as well as my local library. All in Epub. I could live without Big River if I had too. But yeah I'll admit, the convenience factor and their amazing selection and price, makes them a formidable competitor.

ETA: From the BN thread, it looks like there's a way around this, see this post there after I talked to BN service before buying a book. You should still be able to use your Nook Study on Win 7 on your desktop, it's definitely supported and if not working, they said contact service.

[tas03]

Because my desktop runs Windows 7. I am not aware of an updated Nook app that will run on a Windows 7 machine. The system requirements listed for the Nook Windows app is Windows 8 and above. When I try to install it on my Windows 7 machine, the Windows app store want me to add my machine to my account and it cannot be done in the manner they say with a Windows 7 machine:
To add a Windows 10 PC:

1. Go to Settings > Accounts > Your info

2. Select Sign in with a Microsoft account instead

If your PC still isn't showing up, try adding the Microsoft account again.

If there is a Nook app that will work with a Windows 7 machine I cannot find it. This is why I was still clinging to Nook Study. When B&N stopped support for Nook for PC and Nook Study I called B&N to complain. This was during the period when B&N had stopped the ability to read Nook books online on their site. I told them that I now had no way to read the books I had bought from them online as I had been promised when I bought them. They told me to buy a Nook. I had one but I did not tell them that because there was a principle involved. I told them I should not have to buy one of their devices to read books that were bought with the promise of reading them online. They told me to buy I Windows 10 machine. I kid you not - this was their response to the fact they had made it impossible to use a product they had sold me without buying something I was told I did not need when I bought the product.

If the Nook App for Windows worked on a Windows 7 machine I would not have bother with Nook Study.

Originally Posted by tas03

Because my desktop runs Windows 7. I am not aware of an updated Nook app that will run on a Windows 7 machine. The system requirements listed for the Nook Windows app is Windows 8 and above. When I try to install it on my Windows 7 machine, the Windows app store want me to add my machine to my account and it cannot be done in the manner they say with a Windows 7 machine:
To add a Windows 10 PC:

1. Go to Settings > Accounts > Your info

2. Select Sign in with a Microsoft account instead

If your PC still isn't showing up, try adding the Microsoft account again.

If there is a Nook app that will work with a Windows 7 machine I cannot find it. This is why I was still clinging to Nook Study. When B&N stopped support for Nook for PC and Nook Study I called B&N to complain. This was during the period when B&N had stopped the ability to read Nook books online on their site. I told them that I now had no way to read the books I had bought from them online as I had been promised when I bought them. They told me to buy a Nook. I had one but I did not tell them that because there was a principle involved. I told them I should not have to buy one of their devices to read books that were bought with the promise of reading them online. They told me to buy I Windows 10 machine. I kid you not - this was their response to the fact they had made it impossible to use a product they had sold me without buying something I was told I did not need when I bought the product.

If the Nook App for Windows worked on a Windows 7 machine I would not have bother with Nook Study.

I think I stated in the thread I just linked to above: the updated Nook for PC app DOES NOT RUN ON WINDOWS 7. That's exactly what the BN rep said, and I quoted it in my linked post.

He did say Nook Study should still work, and is your ONLY option for accessing BN books on Win 7. And if having problems, he told me that contacting customer service they would help you. Too bad about what they told you earlier, that is indeed frustrating. Just telling you what he told me, today when I called in. I was that specific question mainly for your benefit, as myself, I only run Win10 and don't have Win7 any longer. Good luck getting it resolved.

[tas03]

As of March 4, many, many people are getting the same message about Nook Study about a network connection issue.

To me, this happened on the Windows 7 desktop. On the Windows 10 laptop, Nook Study will open but will not sync.

I just called B&N support in hopes of being told the same thing about Nook Study and was told 1) Nook Study was not supported and 2) Windows 7 was not supported and was also told like I was before that I could update to Windows 10. I then pointed out that I wasn't going to buy a new version of Windows just to get their books because they had sold their souls to Microsoft who made them stop support for earlier versions of Windows.

Sorry to hear that, what a frustration that must be to get these inconsistent responses from their customer support. In the larger thread yes I see other users who are able to make Nook Study work, and some who are getting same issue as you. I suppose if you had an option to upgrade your Desktop to Win10, that would be one way past this, and might be a good idea anyway given MSFT are ending Win7 support next January. But I realize that's not always an option.....

[tas03]

Frustration and anger, especially toward B&N. I think B&N screwed their epub customers over in many ways and made business decisions that drove the company into the ground.

I would probably be content to read epubs on the B&N app on my iPad & on my Nook ereaders and tablets if I weren't worried about the company going under. That is why downloading the books is so important.

My anger and frustration toward B&N is not enough to drive me to Amazon though. Amazon's format for digital books being different from everyone else's is one of the reasons I went with a Nook to begin with six years ago, along with the fact that Nook Simple Touch could be expanded and Kindles couldn't.

Man, seeing the hassle that you and (apparently many if not most) other BN users are going thru, just makes me want to avoid buying ebooks from BN altogether. Although that doesn't apply to paper books--I still really like their bricks-n-mortar stores.

This kind of reinforces the impression I got about 5 years ago that caused me to stop buying ebooks from them in the first place. They were always more persnickety and controlling about how you could use purchased ebooks across your devices, than other places I bought from. I vaguely remember that they would associate a specific ebook you buy with a specific registered PC, and then it was hard or impossible to download that book later to another PC. You had to go through a rather inconvenient transfer process to update the association between book and PC--get your 'key', put it on the new PC, etc. I remember having trouble with this before when I retired an old PC and wanted to re-download my ebooks to the new one (that was before I had everything in Calibre, was just starting to use it at that time--now, I immediately download and liberate every purchased book and store a permanent copy in Calibre :-)). It sounds like now, this whole problem has gotten even worse, complicated by the fact they are phasing out support for some apps/platforms.

The thing is, when you get ebooks from their big leading competitors like Amazon, Google Play, Kobo/Walmart, etc., you don't see this degree of problems with accessing your purchased ebooks. It's entirely unnecessary to be so restrictive, and will only hurt BN sales in the long run.

[Emoto]

B&N seems determined to go out of business.

I have some books I recently purchased from B&N (girlfriend gave me a gift card at xmas) and would like to back them up to my Win7 PC, etc., but cannot even see the files. All of my side-loaded ebooks are visible, though. If there is some kind of hidden partition on the Nook, I don't know how to see it.

I cannot see myself giving B&N any more business in the future.

Edited to add: Looks like I have a Win10 laptop coming my way at work. From the posts above, it sounds as though if I use the B&N Windows for PC app on that, I should be able to grab my book files. So... that is good, but BLEEP those BLEEPING BLEEPERS at B&N for making this necessary. Part of why I bought a Nook in the first place was to avoid Amazon. Now, it turns out that Amazon has the more easily accessible and manipulable file structure.