Skipping forced registration on Libra Colour and Clara Colour

[shyhermit]

This is not a question about paranoia but a technical one.

There is an old bypass method to allow to skip the initial forced registration on Kobo readers needed to access non-book store functions such as the web browser and other sync features.

Supposedly, this old bypass method no longer works. However, a much simpler bypass method pop-up a few months ago on Reddit:

https://old.reddit.com/r/kobo/commen...account_setup/

that supposes to work on Libra 2 generation of devices.

Has anyone tried out on the new Libra Colour or Clara Colour to see if it works "out of the box" without previous sign-ins?

[rashkae]

1 person has reported that the SQL Insert command doesn't work. I haven't tested that claim myself yet, but the Sideloaded=true option now available makes it entirely unnecessary.

See the first comment on the Reddit thread you posted. The comment did forget 1 very important detail, you need to use a text editor that preserves Unix line ending. On Windows, Notepad++ (Not the same as Notepad that comes with windows) is usually recommended.

[shyhermit]

Will other functionalities of the device be affected, such as the built-in Google Drive and Dropbox sync and the web browser and the large font beta options? Also, is there a way in the new Libra Colour and Clara Colour to disable automatic firmware update in case future updates can break this bypass?

Originally Posted by rashkae

1 person has reported that the SQL Insert command doesn't work. I haven't tested that claim myself yet, but the Sideloaded=true option now available makes it entirely unnecessary.

See the first comment on the Reddit thread you posted. The comment did forget 1 very important detail, you need to use a text editor that preserves Unix line ending. On Windows, Notepad++ (Not the same as Notepad that comes with windows) is usually recommended.

[rashkae]

Originally Posted by shyhermit

Will other functionalities of the device be affected, such as the built-in Google Drive and Dropbox sync and the web browser and the large font beta options? Also, is there a way in the new Libra Colour and Clara Colour to disable automatic firmware update in case future updates can break this bypass?

No idea to any of those,, but at least with Kobo, there's no problem downgrading the Software to a previous version you like.

[Aleron Ives]

There is currently no reliable way to prevent firmware updates, except by never using Wi-Fi. There is a patch to block updates, but other users have reported it doesn't work. The good news is that if you ever do update by mistake, you can roll back to any firmware version you want by doing a manual update. Sideload mode removes the Home screen, so My Books becomes your new default menu. The large print mode in the beta features still works fine for me.

[JSWolf]

Originally Posted by shyhermit

This is not a question about paranoia but a technical one.

There is an old bypass method to allow to skip the initial forced registration on Kobo readers needed to access non-book store functions such as the web browser and other sync features.

Supposedly, this old bypass method no longer works. However, a much simpler bypass method pop-up a few months ago on Reddit:

https://old.reddit.com/r/kobo/commen...account_setup/

that supposes to work on Libra 2 generation of devices.

Has anyone tried out on the new Libra Colour or Clara Colour to see if it works "out of the box" without previous sign-ins?

Using it is paranoia. Also, you have no idea if this will work come the v5 firmware. So you could lose everything when it blows up in your face.

Why do you want t do this if (as you claim) it's not paranoia (which it is)?

[MGlitch]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Using it is paranoia. Also, you have no idea if this will work come the v5 firmware. So you could lose everything when it blows up in your face.

Why do you want t do this if (as you claim) it's not paranoia (which it is)?

Because people like knowing if they *can* do something.

And please spare us all the “lose everything” spiel. Anyone doing this has nothing to lose from Kobo because there’s no account. They’ll have all their books elsewhere. And can still use calibre to back up book progress.

And it’s happened all of like one time in countless updates.

[DNSB]

Originally Posted by MGlitch

And it’s happened all of like one time in countless updates.

Actually twice that I know of in the released firmware versions. Still pretty decent odds.

And considering that @shyhermit referred to a Reddit thread where SideloadedMode was mentioned, just Jon being Jon.

[JSWolf]

Given that SideloadMode is not officially supported, what would happen if Kobo removed it? Would that mean you'd have to register?

Given that what is known of v5 firmware, if that is what Kobo gets and given how much it's different from 4.38/4.39, it's possible that the fake registration could not work.

[fogice]

Originally Posted by JSWolf

Given that what is known of v5 firmware

Is anything known about v5 firmware? I haven't seen any chatter, but I might have missed it.

[rashkae]

Originally Posted by fogice

Is anything known about v5 firmware? I haven't seen any chatter, but I might have missed it.

You mean, something like the top thread (before you bumped with this comment) with the title Firmware 5.0.1757 ?

Edit: There's a saying from where I come from that I think is apropos:

Good thing it wasn't a bear eh?

[sparajoy]

Originally Posted by fogice

Is anything known about v5 firmware? I haven't seen any chatter, but I might have missed it.

There's a thread for it that pgaskin's caught - right now as far as i can tell it's the current version that is shipping on the tolino devices and not 100% confirmed to be coming to kobo yet

[fogice]

Originally Posted by rashkae

You mean, something like the top thread (before you bumped with this comment) with the title Firmware 5.0.1757 ?

Edit: There's a saying from where I come from that I think is apropos:

Good thing it wasn't a bear eh?

Good grief, the comedian's a bear!

(thanks)

[DNSB]

Currently and for what it may be worth, I strongly believe that Kobo wants to unify the software for their Kobo and Tolino ereader lines.

[MGlitch]

Originally Posted by DNSB

Actually twice that I know of in the released firmware versions. Still pretty decent odds.

And considering that @shyhermit referred to a Reddit thread where SideloadedMode was mentioned, just Jon being Jon.

Yeah I just try and provide some facts when he doom and glooms like this or on the absolute necessity of a case. Just in case someone new and uneducated about it comes along later and takes his opinion stated as fact seriously.