ADE Authorizations and merging accounts

[Macblaze]

Way back when I purchased a bunch of DRm'd books and signed up with Adobe to authorize them for my old Sony ereader.

In late 2015 I downloaded some books from a library which seemingly used a different ID (CloudLibrary and what appears to be my old library card number) and these were authorized using Adobe Digital Editions. Right afterwards I abandoned Sony's reader software for ADE and all subsequent book purchases have been authorized using that CloudLibrary account which seems to have no known password or password recovery mechanism.

So now I have books authorized using two different accounts, one of which I can't access and dare not log out of.

I've tried Kobo (where most of the books were purchased from), Adobe Online Chat, Adobe Forums and even annoyed some guy from the wrong division on the Adobe Help lines. Not a suggestion or one bit of help to be found.

Anyone have any clue of where I might find some help?

[JSWolf]

Install Calibre. Install the DeDRM removal plugin. Remove the DRM from your ePub eBooks. Then once that's done, you can do what you need to with ADE.

If you need help with the DeDRM plugin, go to https://apprenticealf.wordpress.com/

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by Macblaze

Way back when I purchased a bunch of DRm'd books and signed up with Adobe to authorize them for my old Sony ereader.

In late 2015 I downloaded some books from a library which seemingly used a different ID (CloudLibrary and what appears to be my old library card number) and these were authorized using Adobe Digital Editions. Right afterwards I abandoned Sony's reader software for ADE and all subsequent book purchases have been authorized using that CloudLibrary account which seems to have no known password or password recovery mechanism.

So now I have books authorized using two different accounts, one of which I can't access and dare not log out of.

I've tried Kobo (where most of the books were purchased from), Adobe Online Chat, Adobe Forums and even annoyed some guy from the wrong division on the Adobe Help lines. Not a suggestion or one bit of help to be found.

Anyone have any clue of where I might find some help?

From past experience, there is no way to merge two Adobe accounts. If you think about it, allowing multiple accounts to access the same books is contrary to the idea of limiting access to authorized users. OTOH, from the same experience, Adobe does not care if the email account is valid as one of my accounts is from an old Rogers @home account and the activation ID for that still works.

So download and remove DRM and then worry about your own backups.

[Macblaze]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Install Calibre. Install the DeDRM removal plugin. Remove the DRM from your ePub eBooks. Then once that's done, you can do what you need to with ADE.

If you need help with the DeDRM plugin, go to https://apprenticealf.wordpress.com/

I could do that. But then I wouldn't have access to a legal copy which is the point of the exercise. :-)

[Macblaze]

Originally Posted by DNSB

From past experience, there is no way to merge two Adobe accounts. If you think about it, allowing multiple accounts to access the same books is contrary to the idea of limiting access to authorized users. OTOH, from the same experience, Adobe does not care if the email account is valid as one of my accounts is from an old Rogers @home account and the activation ID for that still works.

So download and remove DRM and then worry about your own backups.

I just wish there was someone with authority I could discuss this with. Adobe has been zero help so far. The library that started this whole thing has been more helpful (even contacting CloudLibrary) and I am not even a member there anymore. It kills me that the only way to correct this error is by "breaking the law."

I am going to keep pushing just in case someone else ever has the same problem. Squeaky wheel and all that...

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by Macblaze

I could do that. But then I wouldn't have access to a legal copy which is the point of the exercise. :-)

You actually want eBooks with DRM? Why?

[rcentros]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

You actually want eBooks with DRM? Why?

I didn't get that he wants (or likes) DRM, just that he wants to obey the law.

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by Macblaze

I just wish there was someone with authority I could discuss this with. Adobe has been zero help so far. The library that started this whole thing has been more helpful (even contacting CloudLibrary) and I am not even a member there anymore. It kills me that the only way to correct this error is by "breaking the law."

I am going to keep pushing just in case someone else ever has the same problem. Squeaky wheel and all that...

In Canada, the only case I am aware of was a bit strange. The issue was a person who had removed DRM from books she had purchased for their personal use. Basically, the court ruled since no proof that any monetary loss was suffered by the publishers had been given, there was no further recourse under the relevant act. So, yes, she was a bad person for removing DRM but since no harm was done to the publisher, no foul. Both sides to pay their own legal bills.

In a related case, the court chastised the service person at the place she had taken her computer for repairs for having violated her expectation of privacy by opening programs and/or files unrelated to the repair and then passing that information on to a third party. The repair shop was ordered to pay her legal bills for both cases.

[Katsunami]

So, you still have the password of the Adobe account, or is this the one you can't access?
And the CloudLibrary is the one you are logged into, but have forgotten the password with no way to reset this, so you don't dare to log out?
Most books are authorized with this CloudLibrary account, but you wish to return to the Adobe account (resetting the password if needed)?

In this case, the only recourse of action is to install calibre, the DeDRM plugins, and then import the books into calibre to remove DRM from the CloudLibrary books. Then log into the adobe account, redownload your books, and remove the DRM there as well. Then you can just create your own backups, free of DRM, and authorize/use your new books you buy with the Adobe account.

If you can't reset the CloudLibrary password, this is your only way to go, as you will lose access to the books as soon as you log out of that account (or replace your computer/your hard drive fails).

[John F]

Originally Posted by Katsunami

...
In this case, the only recourse of action is to install calibre, the DeDRM plugins, and then import the books into calibre to remove DRM from the CloudLibrary books. Then log into the adobe account, redownload your books, and remove the DRM there as well. Then you can just create your own backups, free of DRM, and authorize/use your new books you buy with the Adobe account.

...

Or you could just use the apprentice alf tools and not use Calibre at all.

[Katsunami]

Originally Posted by John F

Or you could just use the apprentice alf tools and not use Calibre at all.

Also possible, but IMHO, if I'd want to un-DRM some books, it's easier to do it using calibre. If you have more than 50 books or so, calibre almost becomes a necessity anyway if you want more search options than "Author\Title"

[John F]

Originally Posted by Macblaze

...

In late 2015 I downloaded some books from a library which seemingly used a different ID (CloudLibrary and what appears to be my old library card number) and these were authorized using Adobe Digital Editions. Right afterwards I abandoned Sony's reader software for ADE and all subsequent book purchases have been authorized using that CloudLibrary account which seems to have no known password or password recovery mechanism.

...

Just in case... Are you sure it is using a different ID? I'm using CloudLibrary, and I believe when I installed it, it linked to my current Adobe account (although I may be mistaken).

[Macblaze]

Originally Posted by DNSB

In Canada, the only case I am aware of was a bit strange. The issue was a person who had removed DRM from books she had purchased for their personal use. Basically, the court ruled since no proof that any monetary loss was suffered by the publishers had been given, there was no further recourse under the relevant act. So, yes, she was a bad person for removing DRM but since no harm was done to the publisher, no foul. Both sides to pay their own legal bills..

Since Bill C-11 is is now illegal to remove DRM in Canada. Stupid law. Yes I can remove the DRM but that would be illegal wouldn't it. :-) And I shouldn't have to. Kobo has a record of all my purchases and know I own the books in question.

I have deleted the ADE authorization.dat file on Kobo's insistence and now have no official access to the books. And yes, I know I can get them back by cracking them if I have to.

I am now going back and forth with Kobo to see if they are able to reset the authorizations on the books in question which CLoudLibrary claims they can.

After a lot of back and forth with the original library who's book kicked off this mess (best support ever!), Adobe (worst support ever!) CloudLibrary and Kobo, the issue seems to be that I borrowed a book using the 3MLibrary and, according to their help files, "I accidentally accepted the cloudLibrary ID instead of installing my personal Adobe Digital Editions ID." A relatively easy fix if you catch it in time but I didn't. So a portion of my library is authorized using an account I can't access.

And now I wait.

[Macblaze]

Originally Posted by Katsunami

In this case, the only recourse of action is to install calibre, the DeDRM plugins, and then import the books into calibre to remove DRM from the CloudLibrary books. Then log into the adobe account, redownload your books, and remove the DRM there as well.

So this why I am going through all this. At this point technically I can only redownload the .acsm files. None of the books are in the Adobe cloud (I have no idea why and discovering this functionality was what lead to discovering this whole mess.) And ADE won't "fulfill" the order because they have already been authorized on another account. (Yes I have backups, but still...)

[Sirtel]

Anything involving ADE is and has always been a mess. I can understand putting up with the ADE mess when borrowing library books (I don't use libraries personally), but why bellyache about your purchased books? Removing DRM is the only way to go, unless you read the book immediately after purchase and never reread.

The world is full of ridiculous laws. The way I see it it's more important to follow the spirit of a law (in this case, not sharing my de-DRMed books with others), not necessarily the letter. Unless one has masochistic tendencies. Imho, of course.

Sorry for the rant. I've had many negative experiences with ADE and Adobe support has always been nonexistent.