PRS-300 Deleting Books from PRS-300SC without Calibre

Hardtoll2122 · 02-25-2021, 05:35 PM

Hey Everyone,

I know that this may not be the best place for this question it being part Calibre and part Sony Reader but hopefully someone familiar with the workings of both can try to answer my question.

I'm using a Sony PRS-300SC I recently bought and the details of my particular problem are too complicated and long winded to go into details about. In short I'm having problems involving my battery or batteries (after multiple replacements) and since the return window is still open on the product I wanted to send it back for a refund. Unfortunetely when I first got the reader and the original battery managed to stay charged for less then a minute I managed to load several books onto the reader.

In order to send it back I need to remove the books I loaded onto it but the device won't stay on long enough to get to the main screen or even complete a hard reset. Worse even though the reader successfully connects to the computer via usb cord and I see the reader contents in the file explorer calibre will not connect anymore to the device and I get an error message instead that calibre support disclosed to me revolves around a failing device or a bad usb connection and/or port. Even a soft reset of the device with the button hole does nothing.

My question is if there is a way to delete the books stored in the reader without calibre or a similar program perhaps just through the file explorer? I know from previous posts that the person shouldn't even think about messing around with the file explorer contents of the reader but at this point I'm running out of options and a shrinking return window. I have ordered a third replacement battery in the meantime in order to try and get a long enough charge to complete a wipe.

Any input by the community would be greatly appreciated.

rkomar · 02-26-2021, 12:06 AM

Does the device not have a charging port at the bottom? I seem to recall that you could charge those ereaders using the Sony PSP charger. Even with a dead battery, I think you could run the device with the charger plugged in.

Hardtoll2122 · 02-26-2021, 01:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rkomar

Does the device not have a charging port at the bottom? I seem to recall that you could charge those ereaders using the Sony PSP charger. Even with a dead battery, I think you could run the device with the charger plugged in.

I didn't even think of that DC port in the bottom until now. Previously I was using the mini-usb port for charging and of course since that's the same port used for data transfer you can't use the reader while its plugged in. I actually bought a DC adapter kit months ago and now just found the correct adapter head for the reader. I plugged it in and tried to turn the reader on but it went through the same process as before it turned on for a few seconds then the orange light which was solid began flashing quickly then it shut off but the unit is still charging with a red light.

I'll let it charge to full. leave it plugged in, and try to start it up. I'll give an update on what happens.

Thanks for the idea rkomar

Hardtoll2122 · 02-26-2021, 12:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hardtoll2122

I didn't even think of that DC port in the bottom until now. Previously I was using the mini-usb port for charging and of course since that's the same port used for data transfer you can't use the reader while its plugged in. I actually bought a DC adapter kit months ago and now just found the correct adapter head for the reader. I plugged it in and tried to turn the reader on but it went through the same process as before it turned on for a few seconds then the orange light which was solid began flashing quickly then it shut off but the unit is still charging with a red light.

I'll let it charge to full. leave it plugged in, and try to start it up. I'll give an update on what happens.

Thanks for the idea rkomar

Unfortunately the reader acted like it always does when turning on even when plugged in via the DC port. I let it charge to the point where the red light turned off then with the DC cable still plugged in I turned on the device but after a few seconds of the orange light staying solid as the opening book screen loaded the light then flashed several times before going out completely.

I have a new question to go with the old one. I have to reset via pointed object my device every time I want to charge it as the light won't go red without doing that and I also have to reset it after charging in order for the device to turn on. When the device shuts off the screen doesn't clear but stays locked on the opening book screen even while off. I'm beginning to think that these problems not only have to do with the battery but also the memory and CPU of the device itself?

slkissinger · 02-26-2021, 01:40 PM

Quote:

is a way to delete the books stored in the reader without calibre or a similar program perhaps just through the file explorer

I don't have a PRS 300; but when I plug in my PRS 650, on the drive letter for "Reader", I find the .epub files for books under this folder: <drive letter>:\database\media\books

So if you can get it to connect to your computer and display contents of the reader, you could look in that folder, see if your books are in a similar location. and then yes, just delete the files.

rkomar · 02-26-2021, 05:18 PM

Perhaps the device is doing a filesystem check on the internal memory during boot up. You could try leaving it for a while during the bootup without pushing the reset button, in case it needs to finish fixing the filesystem. If the battery conked out before in the middle of changing the filesystem, there's a very good chance that the latter is left in a bad state,

Hardtoll2122 · 02-26-2021, 06:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by slkissinger

I don't have a PRS 300; but when I plug in my PRS 650, on the drive letter for "Reader", I find the .epub files for books under this folder: <drive letter>:\database\media\books

So if you can get it to connect to your computer and display contents of the reader, you could look in that folder, see if your books are in a similar location. and then yes, just delete the files.

I'm getting an input/output error involving the cache for that file when I try to enter into the main database folder. Not getting access right now but perhaps if their is a way to get in I'm all ears to try. The tmp folder has a database folder within it and i'm able to enter that one with no problem.

Hardtoll2122 · 02-26-2021, 07:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rkomar

Perhaps the device is doing a filesystem check on the internal memory during boot up. You could try leaving it for a while during the bootup without pushing the reset button, in case it needs to finish fixing the filesystem. If the battery conked out before in the middle of changing the filesystem, there's a very good chance that the latter is left in a bad state,

I'm only going to be able to go through with this if the replacement battery I ordered comes through and I'm able to effect a charge long enough to keep it on for at least a few minutes because this thing is so wonky that even with a DC adapter plugged into it the current and former battery both run out in seconds after turning it on.

Thank you for the idea.

Hardtoll2122 · 03-10-2021, 03:11 PM

Thanks everyone for your help. Wasn't able to fix the problem after a second replacement battery. The thing is pretty bricked and the screen has also failed to function. I unfortunately bought a lemon that's now gonna be junked. Let this be a lesson to others out there looking to buy old tech items and the old electronics parts that are within them. Save your money for more technologically current products.

02-25-2021, 05:35 PM	#1
Hardtoll2122 Member Posts: 23 Karma: 658 Join Date: Feb 2021 Device: Pocketbook Basic Lux 2	Deleting Books from PRS-300SC without Calibre Hey Everyone, I know that this may not be the best place for this question it being part Calibre and part Sony Reader but hopefully someone familiar with the workings of both can try to answer my question. I'm using a Sony PRS-300SC I recently bought and the details of my particular problem are too complicated and long winded to go into details about. In short I'm having problems involving my battery or batteries (after multiple replacements) and since the return window is still open on the product I wanted to send it back for a refund. Unfortunetely when I first got the reader and the original battery managed to stay charged for less then a minute I managed to load several books onto the reader. In order to send it back I need to remove the books I loaded onto it but the device won't stay on long enough to get to the main screen or even complete a hard reset. Worse even though the reader successfully connects to the computer via usb cord and I see the reader contents in the file explorer calibre will not connect anymore to the device and I get an error message instead that calibre support disclosed to me revolves around a failing device or a bad usb connection and/or port. Even a soft reset of the device with the button hole does nothing. My question is if there is a way to delete the books stored in the reader without calibre or a similar program perhaps just through the file explorer? I know from previous posts that the person shouldn't even think about messing around with the file explorer contents of the reader but at this point I'm running out of options and a shrinking return window. I have ordered a third replacement battery in the meantime in order to try and get a long enough charge to complete a wipe. Any input by the community would be greatly appreciated.

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02-26-2021, 12:06 AM	#2
rkomar Wizard Posts: 2,985 Karma: 18343081 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Sudbury, ON, Canada Device: PRS-505, PB 902, PRS-T1, PB 623, PB 840, PB 633	Does the device not have a charging port at the bottom? I seem to recall that you could charge those ereaders using the Sony PSP charger. Even with a dead battery, I think you could run the device with the charger plugged in.

02-26-2021, 05:18 PM	#6
rkomar Wizard Posts: 2,985 Karma: 18343081 Join Date: Oct 2010 Location: Sudbury, ON, Canada Device: PRS-505, PB 902, PRS-T1, PB 623, PB 840, PB 633	Perhaps the device is doing a filesystem check on the internal memory during boot up. You could try leaving it for a while during the bootup without pushing the reset button, in case it needs to finish fixing the filesystem. If the battery conked out before in the middle of changing the filesystem, there's a very good chance that the latter is left in a bad state,

03-10-2021, 03:11 PM	#9
Hardtoll2122 Member Posts: 23 Karma: 658 Join Date: Feb 2021 Device: Pocketbook Basic Lux 2	Thanks everyone for your help. Wasn't able to fix the problem after a second replacement battery. The thing is pretty bricked and the screen has also failed to function. I unfortunately bought a lemon that's now gonna be junked. Let this be a lesson to others out there looking to buy old tech items and the old electronics parts that are within them. Save your money for more technologically current products.